dogbreath vodka wrote:IF you decide to run it back into the boiler - you would need an air lock of some type to stop the vapour from the boiler going up into the SG.
There is a very small amount of pressure there that I suspect would push past the liquid in the SG.
Just a theory I have as I tried to put liquid back into the boiler while it was running once.
Big mistake.
Meatheadinc wrote:I don't believe that will work as the carter head has an internal thumper tube that diverts flow down and creates a thumper in the fluid bath
Without this internal thumper tube the reflux may be allowed to drain naturally back to the boiler but I believe would not be optimum
Zak Griffin wrote:Could you put another ball valve on the top of the boiler with stainless or copper pipe coming down from the bottom of the Carter head? So to drain you'd. Have the bottom tap closed, top tap open, and then close the top and open the bottom to let it back into the boiler...
dogbreath vodka wrote:...IF you decide to run it back into the boiler - you would need an air lock of some type to stop the vapour from the boiler going up into the SG.
There is a very small amount of pressure there that I suspect would push past the liquid in the SG. ...
DBV
RefluxEd wrote:I'm not keen on the Carter head design because of the inherent dangers and problems. Look away for a moment and before you know it its overflowing back the other way and making a teabag out of your botanicals with yucky tainting muck. :crying-blue:
Just have to ask respectfully - Have you run a Carter Head?
Any still should not be left.
It takes quite some time for the CH to fill up. So the "inherent dangers" are only there if you ignore the basic rules of distilling.
The vapour infusion from a neutral spirit seems to give a cleaner, lighter gin. The heavier oils fall back into the still and just don't make it back up again. There is definitely no tainting of the gin from these, even when going down to a bit under 20% ABV to get the heavier rose components if doing a Hendricks style gin. They just don't come through. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
My experience with rose oils is they are one of the first and lightest oils to come over.
To get a decent rose flavour in a vodka I made - I had to fill the botanical basket absolutely full.
Even then the rose flavour petered out very quickly.
The gins I've made are quite light.
To get a heavier gin using a Carter Head you need to put some of the oils in the SG thumper into the finished product.
dogbreath vodka wrote:I've been trying to find Doc's photos of his Carter Head.
He has a deep bubbler under his glass module and that then drains to a keg.
The idea being that it keeps the flavours in play longer and draining those flavours off less often.
Just can't find the photos.
DBV
dogbreath vodka wrote:RefluxEd wrote:I'm not keen on the Carter head design because of the inherent dangers and problems. Look away for a moment and before you know it its overflowing back the other way and making a teabag out of your botanicals with yucky tainting muck. :crying-blue:
Just have to ask respectfully - Have you run a Carter Head?
Any still should not be left.
It takes quite some time for the CH to fill up. So the "inherent dangers" are only there if you ignore the basic rules of distilling.
The vapour infusion from a neutral spirit seems to give a cleaner, lighter gin. The heavier oils fall back into the still and just don't make it back up again. There is definitely no tainting of the gin from these, even when going down to a bit under 20% ABV to get the heavier rose components if doing a Hendricks style gin. They just don't come through. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
My experience with rose oils is they are one of the first and lightest oils to come over.
To get a decent rose flavour in a vodka I made - I had to fill the botanical basket absolutely full.
Even then the rose flavour petered out very quickly.
The gins I've made are quite light.
To get a heavier gin using a Carter Head you need to put some of the oils in the SG thumper into the finished product.
Have a look at the Doctors threads on his Carter Head.
Very informative reading.
DBV
Was typing as Reflux Ed was posting - thanks RE I see your point on that. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
RefluxEd wrote:
For rose infusion I use rosebuds from the local Asian grocery. In a 45 litre run of 45% neutral with my setup, the first taste of rose always starts around 30% and gets stronger until 20% when I quit because it starts to taste watery approaching 15%. I haven't used rose petals yet, it maybe that they act differently.
If I'm reading this right - you put your botanicals in at the start of the run?
Using your current set up - why not make/put a basket in the 4" pipe like on the CH's design?
That way you don't put the botanicals in until the abv is up to the 90's.
Then you don't lose the lighter oils in the lower abv.
Mac sells them for around the $90 mark and you wouldn't have to change much to fit it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
So long as you have the ability to put the still in total reflux so you can get to the bot. basket it would work well.
Just a thought.
Meatheadinc wrote:I don't believe that will work as the carter head has an internal thumper tube that diverts flow down and creates a thumper in the fluid bath
Without this internal thumper tube the reflux may be allowed to drain naturally back to the boiler but I believe would not be optimum
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