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Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:08 pm
by BWK
Hey Guys,

I am trying to start a distillery. I have recently completed creating my pot still (approx 350L) out of a repurposed stainless steel vat. I made a lid that then connects onto the top tht can be connected to a condenser.

To save money I created a mesh cone (filled with ceramic beads) that could be retrofitted into the pot still to replicate a packed column so it could also double as a pseduo-reflux still.

Unfortunately when I gave it a whirl it didn't seem to work like I had hoped. It only produced about 70ish percent.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about how to get the distillate coming out at around 90%? One thought is that we pumped to much heat into the boiler and heated the mash too quickly and need to do it slower. Another thought is that the column is getting too hot and needs to be cooled with running water (not sure how i do that, maybe wrap the outside of the column with pipes).

The other thought is that I turf out the mesh cone idea. I can make a reflux column top that can be swapped out with the pot still top as required.

Thanks in advance guys!

BWK

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:49 pm
by dazzerthemighty
BWK wrote:Hey Guys,

I am trying to start a distillery. I have recently completed creating my pot still (approx 350L) out of a repurposed stainless steel vat.
BWK

I think you've jumped into commercial and not hobbyist territory :scared-eek:

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:24 am
by Sam.
Yeah my questions are,

Is your still registered with the ATO?

Do you have an ATO license to manufacture?

Without these two doesn’t matter a shit that you don’t know how to run a still if you want to go commercial.

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:55 am
by woodduck
You need to spend a lot of time on here reading threads and learning how to produce good alcohol otherwise I fear you will be wasting you time and whatever money you've invested.

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:10 am
by Tesla101
Hey guys, I hope I'm not speaking out of turn here.

Looks like BWK has been into their project for a couple of years or so, even though they haven't posted here much...

search.php?author_id=12916&sr=posts

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:46 am
by woodduck
Doesn't sound like he's made much of his own neutral for his gin then. From reading that post above it doesn't read like someone that's been at it for 2 years so sorry if I jumped the gun? I would just hate to see someone do all this hard work not to be successful. To me knowledge is the key to success..

BWK if you want to make neutrals you'll need a reflux still or bubbler a pot still won't do it they are for brown spirits like whiskey and rum also for flavouring neutral for gin.

Re: Retrofitting Pot Still to Make Reflux Still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:54 am
by Sam.
:laughing-rolling: He can't buy bulk ethanol at the moment :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: