Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hey guys,

I’m looking to build the best “keg boiler” home use still that I can. I’m going to be doing mainly TPW nuetral washes, I’m a stainless fabricator so labour is free and TIG welding is what I do, I can find material cheap, I also have access to laser cutters and some of the best machine shops in the country. That being said, this is going to be built from stainless, I’m a tight arse, this is in no way a “no expense spared” type of deal, I’ll use copper where I need to for distillation sulphide shit things reasons. I still have a 3rd wife to keep happy. I’ve built a still off plans I found on the interwebs but I think they are from the early 90’s. I’m distilling good product but I’m now thinking I upgrade. Build it once, build it right, build it so it’s easy to use, build it to last.


Boiler will be electric element in a keg, with gas assist for pre heating.

What designs would you guys recommend?

Have a look around for modular, condenser-controlled vapor management stills. You should be able to knock out one for much less than retail price of parts if you're a stainless fabricator, and any of the vapor management stills make great neutral. You can also make it modular enough to turn into a pot still for stripping runs, which will save you time.

Build one of these or even 2 and I will by it off you!

Before you decide you might also want to look into a Liquid Management (LM) design. Pretty simple to build and can be easily reconfigured from a pot still to a reflux column still, which will get you 95% neutral no problem at all.

I prefer them to a CM, as there's a larger range of what temp or pressure your cooling water can be. It also won't affect your product if either of those varies a bit during a run.

[quote="ultra"]Build one of these or even 2 and I will by it off you!

Tesla101 wrote:Before you decide you might also want to look into a Liquid Management (LM) design. Pretty simple to build and can be easily reconfigured from a pot still to a reflux column still, which will get you 95% neutral no problem at all.

I prefer them to a CM, as there's a larger range of what temp or pressure your cooling water can be. It also won't affect your product if either of those varies a bit during a run.

I've run my VM at a huge range of water pressures and never had an issue. I've also played around with controlling water flow to the individual condensers to get optimal temperature and only found it to have a very minor effect. I never bother any more. I just turn my water on enough to get the RC output not too warm and it works just fine. You do want fairly constant water flow during your run.

Hi all,

Having some issues with a recirculating water cooling system for a pure disting copper spirit maker condenser. I bought a SM size water feature pump but it doesnt quite do the job running in a 60 litre garbo......runs too hot. What is an optimal size pump and reservoir?

I do not want to waste water.......ideal flow is 1 titre per minute.

Cheers.

It’s not only flow but “head height” you need to look at as well.

The column is quite high so you need a pump that can push water that high.

Also 60L isn’t much in the way of a reservoir, I use my 5000L water tank and recirculate that, my last run, due to not much rain only had about 500L in the tank, that water was hot after half the run. I sent my mate to go get me 8 bags of ice and threw 6 in the tank and let my recirc water run threw the other 2, to cool the water back down before it hit the tank.

:text-+1:

Many seem to get by with a 200l drum depending on their set up, I did for a while with a 900w still, but there was a 6-7 hour limit before things started to saturate, an ibc is the best bang for buck, but it depends if you can fit it into your property. If you can only fit 200l drum, 2 or 3 of them may work for you space wise or you can look into a fan and radiator setup to if you can only fit a single into your area

Its a bit wasteful, but, If you have a bathtub, they hold a surprising amount of water - if you work it right you can have a nice hot bath afterwards lols

Another way to dump heat is to run a preheating coil from the outlet in the next wash if your going to do a few in a row.

I doubt your pump is the issue. 1l/min is nothing for all but the crappiest of pumps of a recirc system, the head height is not an issue once the system is primed, if you dont want to suck start your system after assembly, then yes you may need a bigger pump. Putting your water source higher than the condenser removes all height issues.

You should really consider a bypass for the pump, 60l an hour is walk in the park for pretty much any pond pump in this set up, you will actually generate a small amount of heat (negligible but there) and wear it out quicker as you are making it push harder through the restriction of your valve.

I have the luxury of a 20,000 tank that is rarely less than a 1/4 full :D

Thanks for the replies guys....learning as I go.... I do not have much room....the size of a tiled toilet and shower......that is the only place I have atm.....lmaking shine was so much easier in saudi....with free electricity and water (with the job) so water was not an issue.....but it is now! Thanks again.

Arguably boka makes best neutral but I trade that for faster takeoff through bubbler and am still happy with neutral. I use mine for gin what are your plans for neutral? Finess gin or heavy flavoured maccerations?

bluc wrote:Arguably boka makes best neutral but I trade that for faster takeoff through bubbler and am still happy with neutral. I use mine for gin what are your plans for neutral? Finess gin or heavy flavoured maccerations?

I use Jack Daniels BBQ smoking wood chips. After 5 weeks is best result....then filter through paper towel. Tastes like Chivas (kind of)