Success, thanks to all

[devotus]

That took the time to give me a nudge in the right direction

Got the lid venting fixed and ran the VM today.

I treated the stripped wash with bi-carb over the weekend and that made cutting easier.

I'm also happy to say that the hotplate works fine with the big steel frypan on top and I can easily obtain equilibrium without fluctuations at 77.1°c

I bled the fores/heads off, taking a large cut from a 7 litre wash that being just under 300ml I could taste that the heads were gone at about 220 ml but equalised the column again and took a bit extra just because. It will all go back into the next wash anyway.

Hearts are wonderful and fresh and started at about 95% but I opened the take off too far and the percentage dropped a bit so I equalised again and then stopped being in such a rush and the percentage held steady at about 93-94 ish

That being said it is not the fastest, prettiest or best made VM ever built, the collection rate is slow, my reflux coil too long (I only lower it in half way) and I still have to flour paste some spots but it works.

Thanks again to those who took the time to advise me and to those who sent friendly pm's.

I'm pretty stoked at the whole outcome and since my fresh herbs arrived on Friday I will have my first Absinthe made by this Friday coming.

Cheers

[devotus]

[The Stig]

A job well done, congratulations

[stubbydrainer]

Congrats Devo
It's always good to hear success stories, I reckon ya as keen as mustard now to get some real stuff done and down the gullet :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: