Bryan's Pot Still

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well finally got around to taking a pic of my pot still and last night I did a run of rainwater to have some distilled water for the next brew. Also I made a new parrot out of scraps I had laying around in the shed.

Ok the pot still is made from 2" SS and tig welded, also fully purged I got nice clean inside welds. The still fitting at the base is commonly known as a 'milk fitting' and I put a 30 micron SS screen in to stop any solids going up the tube. Also there are 12 SS scrubbers in the column connected by some 1.6mm copper wire for easy removal. The heating system is a cheap burner from bunnings and the gas bottles are cheap as (under $10 for 4), each bottle gives around 1.5-2 hrs run time so it is pretty cheap to run. The condensor is a 2" SS tube with 2-1" reducers top and bottom with a 1" inner SS tube along with 2 1/4" BSP SS fitting for the connections. The pump is a 12 volt flojet one and the psu I'm using is a 12 volt downlight transformer I got for free (also got a couple of dozen spares) One the first run it did overheat so I put a couple of 24 volt computer fans ontop and it's run cool ever since. The black drum holds around 200 litres of water which is enough to keep the condensor cool thru out the batch run.

Now you guys will be saying how small is that pot and well when I was making the still I did read that only a 5 litre is legal so with some SS tube laying around I made one up. I also made a 30 litre pot but still need to fabricate some clamps to hold the lid down. For measuring the head temp for now I'm just using my clamp meter along with it's thermocouple and the tip is placed at the top of the still inner.




The crude parrot, the riser is 3/4" copper tube and I had to cut a 90 degree bend to make a 45 degree so it sit true, I just cut one in 1/2 then set it up on the still marked the position then took it up to my shed to braze. I made up a flexible emery wheel and put it thru the inner to fully cleanup the ID and to fit it to the pot still some 3/4" rural poly water pipe fit nicely over some 3/4" copper and is neat push in fit to the still. The top fitting is from a hot water system and is brandnew so all I had to do to fit the 3/4" copper pipe was machine the inner thread out 0.5mm so the pipe was a neat sliding fit then it was silver soldered.




Now here comes the Q now I have a parrot setup is there a guide to use with the ABV for doing the cuts ? Before I joined this forum I had never heard of a parrot is this is all new to me and I must say having a hydrometer to check the ABV is the way to go I just need to learn now.

Regards Bryan

[Zak Griffin]

Woah... There's a lot going on there. I don't mean to be rude, but I'll pick on a couple of things..

From the top:

You don't want a thermometer on a pot still

You don't want scrubbers in a pot still.

You don't want plastic touching your product at all (lost the plastic parrot connection and the collection jug)

You won't fit a normal alcometer in 3/4" pipe

You need some copper in the vapour path to remove sulfides.

And 5L really isn't big enough. You're going to have all of your product (~700ml, max) sitting in the parrot before any comes out...

Apart from that it looks good!

[aliced]

I think when people are starting off it can be good for them to have a thermo as a reference for what is happening.

I also think if he dude wants some scrubbers in the column then why not?

I have run straight stainless without copper in the vapour path hundreds of times without having a product that tasted of sulfides, I know the science of doing it is sound, but the difference for an aspiring stiller is going to be negligible.

I agree with the other points though. The plastics are an issue mate, use glass for your collector and maybe solder a bit of as or copper onto that outlet :)

[RuddyCrazy]

Woah... There's a lot going on there. I don't mean to be rude, but I'll pick on a couple of things..

From the top:

You don't want a thermometer on a pot still

When I first used the still I did find the head temp went way too high so I use that temp gauge to adjust the flame

You don't want scrubbers in a pot still.

When I first read about making stills it did say scrubbers were needed but they can come out

You don't want plastic touching your product at all (lost the plastic parrot connection and the collection jug)

that rural black poly pipe is for potable water so I do think it would be alright also that plastic cup was just for doing the distilled water run

You won't fit a normal alcometer in 3/4" pipe

I tested my alcometer in the tube before I started and YES it did fit

You need some copper in the vapour path to remove sulfides.

Ok I'll wind up a heap of copper wire with the enamel stripped off and put it in the column

And 5L really isn't big enough. You're going to have all of your product (~700ml, max) sitting in the parrot before any comes out...

Just tested the amount the parrot holds and it came out less than 100ml

Apart from that it looks good!

Hi zak,
Thanks for the pointers and I did put a reply to each one now on the first two runs I've done the first applejack and the second another beer mix I didn't have any problems. Now my next batch is 30 litres so I do intend to do several stripping runs then combine them for doing the final spirit run. I do know i won't get litres of liquor but eh by doing batchs each fortnight I won't be running out anytime soon and my 30 litre pot will soon be finished as soon as I can get some more SS plate.

Regards Bryan

[Andy]

hey mate. if your going by temperature a general rule of thumb would be up to about 90ish degrees will have low level of fusels- but generally keep collecting after for feints.
a parrot will smear the heads and hearts and tails. its good for a guide, but as i said it will smear and be sort of counter productive, especially with the volume u will be getting.
best way to decide heads, hearts and tails, is to take small cuts, about 200-300ml jars, and then u can smell them and see whats what. if you want you can record the temperature and ABV when they come out, cos you can get a better idea of whats what

even if the still is 5L its illegal to make alcohol- so I wouldn't worry about size, just keep it to ur self. so get on top of that 30L boiler :)

also with the scrubbers it will create a small amount of internal reflux, but the difference it makes would only be a few ABV and very very small change in cleanliness- a member did a comparison and found little difference.

[Zak Griffin]

The parrot holds 100ml, but by the time the parrot is full, the product is still halfway up the condenser...

Water isn't a solvent... No plastic should touch the alcohol.

Is your alcometer loose in the pipe? If it's a right fit, you'll have a hydraulic effect...

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well the plastic is gone as I found by cutting a 3/4" elbow joint to go over the 3/4" pipe is a neat sliding fit so I just need to hacksaw a slit in the top of the 1" outlet pipe then use a hose clamp. Also I filed down where the fluid will flow so no bridge is there.

Thanks for the tips Andy and this parrot won't be used until I get the 30 litre boiler up and going. Also I will remove the scrubbers and just leave that 30 micron SS screen in place.

Regards Bryan

Edit: Zak the alcometer has 1mm clearance on the ID of the 3/4" pipe

[Andy]

sounds good bryan. might help if u leave the copper wire in the vapour path. not a whole lot of copper is needed to aid with the removal of sulphides

[db1979]

G'day Brian

I think you'll need to lower your parrot a heap... At the moment when it is full you'll have spirit backing up into the condenser, and by the looks of your photos it'll be backed up a long way. You want the spirit to be able to drip or run out of the condenser and something to stop it surging would be nice too (can't remember what they are called...surge breaker, surge arrester???).

I run my 2" bubbler on a 7.6 L stock pot and I take cuts of about 30 mL. I don't use a parrot. All this helps to minimise smearing. I get about 400 mL of 92% hearts this way (enough for a bottle each run). A pot still will have a lot more smearing and collecting in 200 mL cuts will have heads and tails smeared all the way through your hearts. The 30 L boiler won't have this problem.

I reckon if you're gunna use the 5 L boiler until the 30 L is ready, piss off the parrot and then when you're ready to use it, install it at a lower height so that the top is lower than the bottom of the end of the condenser.

Edit: Didn't read the bit where you said you'll only use the parrot on the 30 L boiler till after I posted.

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well I'm glad I posted up what I've done so you guys can have an honest say and a big thank you goes out :teasing-neener:

Anyway this pale brew with 4kg's of sugar that started at 1062 seems to be stalled on 1018 so tomorrow I'll take another reading and may rack the brew ready for a stripping batch on wednesday. Now I reckon I'll endup doing about 6 strips so the 5 litre pot will hopefully be close to over 3/4er's full then the spirits run should be a decent brew.

Yea after thinking of going to my shed and finding the bits to do the parrot, well it got made and a lesson learnt. I will have to buy somemore 3/4" pipe and a few fittings to lower the parrot to under the condensor height.

Epsom salts, sugar and a new pack of weetbix on the way tomorrow and may just have to malt some wheat for a bit of fun.

Cheers Bryan

[db1979]

Good luck mate, the weetbix wash is great!

[Zak Griffin]

Sorry if I came off as rude, mate: I'm only learning myself, and I try to answer questions now so that if I'm wrong, someone will correct both of us :D

[bt1]

just a quick glance at this thread...apologies if already raised..

that parrot would create a vapour lock i.e. it don't appear to vented = vacuum issues especially on shut down, couple with spirit backup in the condenser and looks like it would need the euro super slim alco meter cos it's 3/4" tube.

bt1

[Yummyrum]

Nice job Bryan .Good you are going to lower Parrot but if you are going to have it directly joined to the condenser ,you will need a vent tube .Otherwise the parrot will bob up and down excessively .The end of a condenser needs to be open to the atmosphere ,hence the vent tube ,or put a funnel on the parrot and dribble it in.

Also think if your wash is only at 1018 today and you think its stalled ,probably not going to be ready by this Wednesday.

[Sam.]

You really do want some copper in the vapor path otherwise it is going to taste and smell like rotten egg gas (hydrogen sulfide) :puke-huge:

Also did you use the water you distiller for the wash? You need to use normal rainwater or tap water etc as there are a lot of trace compounds that aid fermentation. You will also lose all oxygen out of the water after boiling so you would also need to aerate the shit out of your wash. Adelaide water is fine for brewing IMHO :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Took another reading of the wash this morning and the temp in the fridge was 25C, no signs of bubbling so took another SG reading and for the 3rd time 1018 so I racked the wash into 2 of my other fermenters and put one out in the sun with an airlock and no sign of activity after 3 hours. It has been 9 days since it was put down so I do reckon it's ready for a stripping run. Went to bunnings to find 4 of those gas bottles I use on the burner are only $3.95 so grabbed a doz of them and it does make for a cheap burner for the 5 litre pot.

Got everything I need for the weetbix mix so that will going down soon and I got a doz 255ml tumbler glass's to use which I'll calibrate.

The distilled water I did is only for the watering down of the spirit and noway would I use Adelaide water for one we aint connected to mains and we are far enough away from the smog to get nice clean rainwater and with 15,000 gal's in tanks rainwater isn't in short supply.

Now the scrubbers are wired together with close to 2 metres of 1.6mm copper wire and with the 2 brews I've done before no rotten egg gas was noticed or tasted in the final product.

As advised the parrot won't be used as for my first attempt it does need more refining so it can be used with no problems.

Regards Bryan

[Zak Griffin]

If your hydrometer is accurate, and your wash started at 1080 and finished at 1018, in a 5L run you are only going to get a tiny amount of product out...

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well just finished a run on the No.1 batch just to see how things went, anyway took 50ml cuts and below is listed the temp and ABV. Started the still at 1.30pm and at 1.55pm it came to life. I used the same gas bottle from when I did the distilled water and it finally runout on the 3rd last reading so all up it cost about $1 to heat this brew.

Time........Temp........ABV
1.55_______78C_______88 Foreshots
2.00_______86C_______68
2.10_______86C_______69
2.20_______86C_______69
2.25_______86C_______68
2.35_______90C_______62
2.45_______90C_______60
2.55_______91C_______58
3.00_______91C_______56
3.10_______93C_______54
3.15_______93C_______48
3.30_______94C_______40
3.40_______95C_______36
3.50_______95C_______34
4.00_______95C_______28

So in total I got 750ml disregarding the foreshots and I took the hearts from 2.20 to 2.45 for 200ml which measured 68ABV, the rest has gone into the feints bottle for the next run or I'm thinking of just totaling the feints to go into the last run. Now this is a whole new learning curve and it will be nice to get one bottle of hearts out each run as I go along which I water down to just under 30% ABV

So to the expert pot distillers of the data above where would one guestamate the start and cutoff points would be.

Regards Bryan

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well yesterday bit the bullet and setup the 30 litre pot on that cheaper burner and did the whole batch in one hit. Just aswell I did do that first 5 litre batch as the lot wouldn't of fit in the 30 litre pot. In order to crudely seal the pot I just used a couple of besser blocks and it worked fine with only a small leakage of the good nectar. I did stand well clear most of the time as it was churning along and the first 150mm went into the foreshots bottle then I took 150ml cuts. Got 8 done then tested the ABV an it had dropped to under 50% and the brew did have a faint smell so I knew I was into the tails. All of the tumblers are sitting under paper towel with a board ontop to keep it there with enough room for the evaporation. Later today I'll measure the ABV and dilute some down to under 40% for sampling, then I'm thinking of firing up my expresso caffine machine and making some Kaluha.

Regards Bryan

[Bushy]

Hey Brian, welcome to the wonderful world of home distillation. This is a wonderful hobby :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I just want to chime in here and offer an opinion. With your still, you are going to need double runs. Single run stuff will get you drunk, but thats it. It won't taste the best. You need a plan mate. Decide what you want to make, for example Macs bourbon knock off, ferment the wash and still it down to 20%. Save all collected alcohol. Repeat the process until you have enough stored alcohol to fill your boiler, then do a spirit run. Bingo! Good taste.
This may seem a little tedious but thats why the bubbler came about. Get yrself a couple of fermenters going and you will be surprised at the faster results.
Just my two cents