Russ's bubbler

[dans.brew]

Nice stuff! :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Are you gonna polish her up or is the more industrial look your thing?

[db1979]

Nice work mate, not long now :happy-partydance:

[Russ]

Cheers all, got some ingredients today, might but down a WBAB wash tonight time permitting.

Nice stuff! :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Are you gonna polish her up or is the more industrial look your thing?

Well I'm not sure it will even work, so if it does work it may get a bit of a tidy up, maybe haha. I'm more interested in the end product at this stage, been a long time building.

[dans.brew]

Good point... a shiny still definately wont make it taste any better lol! :teasing-tease:

[Justin_P]

Thats looking excellent, can't wait to start building my own bubbler in May once I get some time at home. This build has been one of the ones I've been following closely. Enjoy the maiden run this weekend, can't wait to hear how it goes.

Cheers

Justin

[Russ]

Good point... a shiny still definately wont make it taste any better lol! :teasing-tease:

Well it might ! Copper takes some effort to get it shiny, and keep that way, would certainly look cool though. I think I'll be more keen once I know it works and produces reasonable end product.

Thats looking excellent, can't wait to start building my own bubbler in May once I get some time at home. This build has been one of the ones I've been following closely. Enjoy the maiden run this weekend, can't wait to hear how it goes.

Cheers

Justin

Cheers Justin, make sure you do a build log, my time has been very limited lately but I hope to be able to spend a little more time on this forum, gaining information and seeing what others are up to.

[Russ]

First run, went alright, I didn't get time during the week to setup the needle valves for decent control so it was ball valves and a lot of dodgy plumbing to the rescue!!

The parrot got a blockage halfway through which made it interesting, apart from all that it went well, plates loaded as expected, and the output abv was about 90-93% over the duration, and I know that with the needle valve installed I will be able to fine tune it better.

Pics or it didn't happen...

[dans.brew]

Those bubbles are memorizing to watch. :-D Glad it all went well for you... what caused the parrot blockage?

[Russ]

Not really sure, first I noticed the output slowed to nothing then started coming out the breather, so I put it into full reflux, and removed the parrot, and blew it clear, didn't notice anything come out. Went fine after that.

[woodduck]

Great news mate. Glad it worked well.

Enjoy :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[db1979]

Well done mate :clap:

[Russ]

I haven't forgot about the still, I've put down a weet bix mash, and it is nearly three weeks in the fermenter and still bubbling (very slowly now though)

I now understand the reasoning of having multiple fermenters in use at once, I am used to beer where I just do a brew a week for a while and all is good.

I did run through a tomato paste wash my mate had done but his column could only get it to 80%, I had output about 93% consistently till the end, no ussues.

I do have two 200litre poly drums that I am seriously looking at putting into action, not so much for doing that quantity, but to allow for a bit of foaming, especially once I start doing rums. The drums only have the little screw caps so there is some serious mods to make them usable, I'm thinking of removing the top completely except for the rim, then making cam locks to hold down either a stainless or food grade plastic lid, might even be a bit fancy and make a large airlock, basically make it a bubble cap style, just need to find some 2 or 3 inch glass tube of some sort.

Not that I have drunk any of the sacrificial run (that would be irresponsible!) but if I had kept the last 200ml or so of the hearts cut and watered it down to 40% and put some oak chips in for a couple of weeks, I reckon it would have tasted very smooth, hint of grain (I put extra weet bix in) and a wonderful mellow aftertaste.

[Russ]

Another follow up, have done two WBAB wash's now, first had about double the Weet Bix and no all bran, made a very nice and smooth whisky given its extensive time in oak (2 weeks!)

Also did the same wash but more conservative on the Weet Bix to make a vodka, gotta say that it is much nicer than my mates TPW wash to drink. This is with no mixers or ice, that stuff is bad for you!

Very happy with the still, sure beats the hell out of the crappy plastic pot still I had many, many years ago when I though turbo yeast was a good thing.

Thanks again to all those that contributed, both on this thread and elsewhere on the forum, it sure made this a whole lot easier to build.

One day I may polish the column so to speak and post a photo here, don't hold your breath, the "industrial look" as dans.brew pointed out is kinda growing on me, now I'm focusing on finding some more fermenters, so I can have a few different recipes on the go.

[Doubleuj]

Good stuff mate, theres no stopping you now :handgestures-thumbupleft:
You should try a Macwhiskey next

[Russ]

Will do, maybe after the current ferment is finished, that recipe is definitely on my list.

[Russ]

Quick question to get a few opinions, I happen to have acquired (in a game of chance) a 30 gallon (113.562 litre) copper boiler from a very, very old hot water system that was going to be scrapped.

This is a thing of beauty, and I am inspired to use it for good instead of evil, so my question is do I transfer my column as is onto this once it is converted to a boiler, or do I build another completely new column, in 6" copper this time?

I have no intention of getting too carried away making neutral, so if I make a new column it will be 4 plate, probably perf plate again, with a drain bypass on the bottom plate to convert it to a 3 plate system, for "interesting" rums or whatever if that takes my fancy in the future, without having to pull it apart to do so, I made my first column with modular pieces but to be honest I don't wish to pull it apart now its working and have to worry about disturbing seals.

Only reason for going 6" is speed, this boiler is over double my current one, would be nice to do twice the amount in the same time, and not have to run it as often.

The other upside to a complete new column is redundancy, I can do work on one without halting production, and with some design forethought I could use either for any wash I am likely to do, if needed.

[Russ]

Of course I only include my hand for a size reference :)

[woodduck]

Don't get too excited just yet... I found one the same and was keen as but found it had this scale shit on the inside that was damn near impossible to remove. Could only do it with a grinder and the crap was harder than the copper so by the time I got through the scale it would tare into the copper underneath. Other problem you may find is it could be pretty thin by now and will more than likely have a leak, that's probably why it was removed in the first place.

If I were to go with this idea again I would just buy a new one. If you get hold of the right place that makes them you can get them built to size and have all the fittings you want installed while it's being built.

All the best mate, I hope it's in better shape than the one I had :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[db1979]

Scale would most likely be calcium salts, which generally dissolve or at least soften with vinegar. If it's interior is coated in scale, I'd soak it in vinegar first... And you don't need to fill it, just add a few litres and lay it on its side for a few days, scrub it and then roll it on a fresh side and repeat. Replace your vinegar when needed.

Another concern about old copper boilers is the solder used on them. I've read some say that brass fittings on the boiler (such as the drain tap) aren't a problem as it's not in the vapour path.

[Russ]

Good points Woodduck, unfortunately they don't make em like this anymore, the new ones are much thinner copper (0.5mm) and won't support themselves without the outer skin and insulation.

I suppose I will need to cut out the access port and column holes, should get a better idea of its inside condition then.

DB, I'm thinking of mounting it upside down, so the old spigot that was at the top will be the new drain, it is actually made from copper pipe, quite thick as well, so if i cut it, put an elbow and extend it to the front it I could easy flange a ball valve onto it.

The reason I like it so much is the sheer amount of copper, as a boiler stainless would be much better as it has a relatively low thermal coefficient, this much copper will just soak up any power thrown at it and dissipate it to the air very efficiently, not the best for a boiler, it will just look awesome doing it!!!