by Joycy » Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:14 am
Hi guys,
so I have recently registered as a member but have been lurking in here and many other place for a while now. I started researching over a year ago, firstly beginning with an interest in Whiskey and pot stills, reading a lot about fermenting, building a pot, cuts, ageing etc. While having an idea about the principles I have never actually done it, so I am yet to experience my first self made alcohol.
As I got through the thousands of pages of content everywhere, I began to lean towards Vodka and Gin as a starting point being easier to get right and learn. I began building some kind of an offset LM reflux still that I found plans for but have been kindly told by some of you guys that it is not a very good design. I am thinking of breaking it down and making a simple pot still from the materials for future whiskey making, but that still leaves me without what I want.
I want to make an excellent high quality Vodka then experiment with Gin flavours too. I have been looking at all of your brilliant builds and I am looking for some advice on what to build. I m the kind of person that always wants the next best thing. "I'm going to buy that 55" Tv.. Ah sure I may aswel get the 65", kind of like that :D So I was thinking of making Boka or some other similar reflux, until I came across the bubbler builds. I thought these were something of dreams and only a commercial distiller would have, but after seeing all of the posts, I know it is possible to build one myself.
Like I say, I am looking for top quality Vodka and Gin, Whiskey can be done on a separate pot while rum does not appeal to me. Should I go all out on a bubbler first up as a noob or should I start with a 2" LM reflux? I am a plumber by trade so soldering, cutting, tools and materials is not a problem. I am willing to spend some money (not thousands) and time to do it right and I think your posts in here have really helped me already.
I have been reading about plated column stills and there seems to be some conflicting info regarding amount of plates etc. Will I get a pure enough product from a 4 plate still with a packing section or should I go 6 plates or more? At the minute I am thinking a 4" column with 6 plates and a packing section, sight glasses on each. I am still looking through the members builds and am not really ready to start until I fully understand what I want, what kind of plates do I go with etc.
So I guess to summarise my question is sort, should I go straight for a good bubbler build and what kind of spec should it be for what I want. Any help from you guys would be great while I continue to read through all of the other great information in here.