Easiest way to get azeotrope

[wynnum1]

bi carb or sodium carbonate may be worth may be worth a try to get rid of some of what's in the alcohol if allergic.

[Sir Munted]

Just an update if anyone else ever have the same problems

I tested
cachaca 51
headache central. Unaged cachaca. Tastes bitter, oily, with a hint of vomit. Mixer only.

bicardi white rum
Moderate head pressure. Not good enough

Cheap Vodka
Glycerine. Headache

This means airstill is a no go :(
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polmos

Akwawit Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany 95 Percent
The best so far. Mild reaction. More hot though.

Wratislavia Spirytus Rektyfikowany 96 Percent
Moderate reaction. Smoother. Will not buy again.

Going from production below, excess/damaged sugar beet, wheat and/or potato is used. I wish I knew what above both used.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultu ... Production

Poland produced in 2018:

14.3 million tons of sugar beet (6th largest producer in the world), which serves to produce sugar and ethanol;
9.8 million tons of wheat (17th largest producer in the world);
7.4 million tons of potato (9th largest producer in the world);
4 million tons of triticale (largest producer in the world);
4 million tons of apple (3rd largest producer in the world, behind China and USA);
3.8 million tons of maize;
3 million tons of barley (14th largest producer in the world);
2.2 million tons of rapeseed (8th largest producer in the world);
2.1 million tons of rye (2nd largest producer in the world, just behind Germany);
1.1 million tons of oats (5th largest producer in the world);
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This means there is no option besides the usual spirit runs.

Using a pump or gravity to transfer liquids.

Sugar wash or mash may still give a reaction :( so buying reflux still is a risk. I don't have a source for sugar beets and carrots is too much effort.

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I'll update if I ever buy a still.

[B-Man]

a good setup of your equipment would help. having the still on the ground (or atleast the fill port below the bench level), fermenters on a bench so you can syphon.

maybe look at carbon filtering. that should help clean up things that might give you an allergy. get as high abv as you can out of the still, water down to 40-50% with distilled water and run through the carbon filter.

stripping runs are easy. run it out hard and fast into a few 5L containers or something you can carry around (bigger they are the less you have to run around but the more you have to carry) and place back onto the bench into a container suitable for high % abv to syphon back into the still when you have enough to run.

[wynnum1]

If have an allergy may also be worth trying to filter before distilling to stop ingredients in the wash getting cooked up and broken down and may even be able to carbon filter first or use a vacuum still

[RuddyCrazy]

Got my bubbler running now, I put up a pic in my build thread and it's currently running at 94% and just under 2 litres an hour :handgestures-thumbupleft:

With the right gear it's just too easy to get azeotrope :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan

[Sir Munted]

If have an allergy may also be worth trying to filter before distilling to stop ingredients in the wash getting cooked up and broken down and may even be able to carbon filter first or use a vacuum still

carbon filter after distilling is enough.
500cc filter should last for many years when used with 95%

A vacuum still requires a lot of cooling on the output reservoir to work. It's output will be about as clean as a normal still.

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as far as reducing work goes, a 50L boiler would be better but space and lifting weight are a concern.
I'm assuming most people just hose out the fermenter and still? It's never mentioned. This has been worrying me.

considering cleaning

a 25L boiler is probably a good idea as it's easier to move even if 50L produces 2x.

a single 75-100L fermenter still has to be carried to hose out. It's not too heavy.

considering movement

75-100L fermenter, next to still & elevated above still for siphoning.

25L container for low wines, next to still & elevated above still for collecting & siphoning

feints will always be kept for next spirit run, 5L Glass Demijohn

The other thing is auto max temp shut-off for stripping runs would be great.

[Professor Green]

If you use a raised fermenter with a bottom drain you wouldn't need to move it for cleaning. I drain the yeast bed from my fermenter then give it hose out and a brush followed by a rinse and it's done. Similar deal for my boiler; I rinse out my boiler, partially fill it with soapy water, wash the inside with a sponge then empty and thoroughly rinse it.

Consider using a magnetic pump rather than siphoning, that way you can have all your vessels at a manageable height for cleaning. I have cam lock connections on everything and just connect my pump as I need to when I want to move liquid around.

As I have previously said, I really do think a 2" boka on a 25l litre boiler is going to be you're best bet. Bokas produce exceptionally clean neutral and a 25 litre boiler is easy to manage.

Automation of stills is not really encouraged here. For stripping runs you should go by ABV of the output and run down to 10 or 20%.

[Sam.]

Got my bubbler running now, I put up a pic in my build thread and it's currently running at 94% and just under 2 litres an hour :handgestures-thumbupleft:

With the right gear it's just too easy to get azeotrope :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan

94% is no where near azeo, big gap between 94 and 95.6

[Sir Munted]

If you use a raised fermenter with a bottom drain you wouldn't need to move it for cleaning...

Consider using a magnetic pump rather than siphoning...

Automation of stills is not really encouraged here.

Where to buy a 100L raised fermenter with bottom drain?

Magnetic pump is good. I forgot empty still after each spirit run.

Not after automation. I'd only want and indicator, an alarm. Say at 60C to check still for leaks and 95C to finish.

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I bought
Belton Alcool Cinquestelle 96 percent
Bad headache. Lots of side effects. Grape neutral spirit.

This means I may not be able to use a sugar wash or mash certain cereals :(

I found info on
polmos warszawa spirytus rektyfikowany 95
Made of ethyl alcohol of agricultural cereal origin purified according to the latest technology, the so-called hydro-selection methods. It is a product of very high purity in terms of chemicals and a very mild smell and taste. It is made from raw materials grown and processed only in Poland.

https://xfttm6cizdzpnqo4fylrni6ffe--www ... -95-700-ml


So made from wheat & possibly triticale. The flavour is very clean so it must be wheat? I can drink it with only a very mild reaction.

hydro-selection??? Maybe that is why I can drink it?

[Amberale]

Sorry mate but I get the feeling that alcohol is not gonna work out for you.

Setting up a system that could be used by my 91yo bed ridden father isn’t a problem and I’m 80% of the way there with 60 litre tubs, magnetic pump, electric hoist, brew in bags etc.
Stills can be purchased to get as damn close to aseotrope as possible if you run them slow, reset and repeat.
(My Optimiser was making an uncorrected 95+% this week on second distilled Ffvw hearts running at 2.1 litres/hr).
Unfortunately it sounds like even this will still make you ill.
Thats a huge investment in time money and effort to find out you still cant drink it.

There are a lot of other recreational and therapeutic relaxants out there.
It may be that one of them is more suited to your situation.

[Professor Green]

I've seen 100 litre fermenters with bottom drains at a number of homebrew places - they're usually listed as conical fermenters.