hi from perth

[howard]

started getting back about 2 months ago after a small break in brewing since 1987.
originally wanted to make decent alcoholic ginger beer and the rest is history.
did a cider (bottled), ginger beer (bottled) and a LCPA (bottled), with a fruity cider on the way.
i got to notice the air-stills and realised that it could be fun distilling, especially gin & bacardi type rum.
with a very steep learning curve and a bombardment of info, i am now a bit over-awed.
i bought a brewzilla 35L a few days ago to use as boiler for beer and distilling.
the only other main equipment i have is a 420L 'fridge only fridge', so i can have 2 x 30L fermenters going and also have room to condition the last bottled run.
an inkbird wifi controller that runs a heat band in the fridge (seems to hold any temp very well)
i have bought the steel top for the brewzilla that has the 47mm hole, with the intention of adding a still.
the alcoengine reflux still was on the wishlist and realise it will only create neutrals, but was willing to try some essences.
there is an alcoengine pot still as well,i realise that both are probably frowned upon slightly, but they are very reasonably priced for newbie.
i started a TPW yesterday in anticipation, so i have a while to decide LOL.
i'm really interested to eventually experiment with botanicals and gin.
i have a small workshop, no experience with copper, but willing to try most things :shifty:
maybe i will get the alcoengine reflux and play with that, until a decide on which pot still.
meanwhile, i can learn all the abbreviations and lingo :?

[Doubleuj]

Hi mate welcome to the forum, I don’t think that you’ve had enough time off brewing though, 1987 wasn’t really that long ago :laughing-rolling:
But if you must persist then you’ve come to the right place, and we’re glad to have you here.

Unfortunately I don’t believe the brewzilla is going to be any good for a boiler, there is a recent discussion about this very thing. I’ll try to find it if another member doesn’t beat me to it.
But it will be great for making all grain washes :handgestures-thumbupleft:

All in all welcome here and enjoy reconnecting with a great hobby :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[woodduck]

Welcome to the forum mate :greetings-waveyellow:

[Professor Green]

Welcome to AD howard.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[Lowie]

G'day. :greetings-waveyellow:

[howard]

patience is not a virtue i possess, so to keep me occupied, i have ordered the following set up from our asian friends.
it's relatively cheap, i may ditch it once i build my own, who knows.
i had planned on building my own boka.
i might add a gin basket to the kit to run as a carter head type thing.
i figure if i go 2" modular, and this kit is ok, i can swap and change parts.
i have have learnt so much from this site, but i need to get going with something lol.
as paul simon sung "still crazy after all these years"

[howard]

sac run tomorrow, if i get chance.
there is an ozito sub pump in pool, with return to pool.
the SS wire attached to the top was just a safety while i attached everything for my first run, might keep it as standard in case anybody trips on a hose while hot.
brewzilla lid held weight ok, but i don't think it support the gin basket i am planning.
i was very surprised at the small amount of water required to run the condensers.
i have run separate controllable feeds to the RC & PC with a bypass as well.
i know a proper run will be different, but managed to have a play with the RC & PC.
i know it's a brewzilla, and i might have to wire in a voltage controller, but i'll give it a go.
at the very least, with the RC off, it should make a decent pot still.
with the RC off, the temp at the top was 99.8C and the product was coming out at 17.5C at a steady drip (pool water was 16C, return water 20C)
i know we shouldn't run on temp, but was interested in altering the RC water to see what temps i could get.
found it hard to keep it at steady temp adjusting the RC, but that was just playing with the globe valves.
had the 2" 500mm column packed with 2.25m or 125gms of copper mesh from 5SD and 5 x MR Clean SS scrubbers.
i tested all the water feeds first, put SS camlocks on the RC & PC ( i don't trust hose fittings)
and thanks to all the people and info on here.

[WhiskeySour]

Do you need the milk crate to hold collection jar?
That table looks to be the perfect height to place the jar right under your shotty outlet (with a slight twist at the top tri clamp maybe). Don't need the hose then

[howard]

Do you need the milk crate to hold collection jar?
That table looks to be the perfect height to place the jar right under your shotty outlet (with a slight twist at the top tri clamp maybe). Don't need the hose then

the PC doesn't angle out and the table won't fit under properly.
all a bit temp anyway, i have a SS parrot on it's way, so setup will change.
added a neoprene sleeve to the column (clark rubber kflex tube).
the top SS safety wire came in handy. (it's a SS fishing leader wire hooked onto a rachet strap,connected to an overhead steel beam)
after the vinegar/water run, and after the steam run and before the sac run, it was easy to unclip the boiler lid and crank up the whole top unit a few inches, to tend to the boiler.
this enabled me to keep all the water hoses attached and just slide the boiler out.
sac run completed, learning curve extended :roll:
collected about 3.5l from 23l wash, in 13 jars, sniffed, tested for ABV & copious notes taken.
what the hell have i got myself into? :))

[RC Al]

Awesome mate
You will need the power controller to do a spirit run as a pot still anyways, it will smear to hell otherwise
Stripping, the more the merrier up to the limit of your pc

[howard]

Awesome mate
You will need the power controller to do a spirit run as a pot still anyways, it will smear to hell otherwise
Stripping, the more the merrier up to the limit of your pc

i was getting 80-82% for most of the run, is that high for a 'pot' run?
i think i may have had it in some sort of reflux happening.
the RC seemed to have it all under control, after a 500mm packed column.
i think i identified heads, hearts and tails to a certain degree, but they were not well defined.(smeared?)
i've chucked the foreshots (2 x 100ml) & 250ml of bad tails.
i will dilute the 3L of 82% and run it again, boiler needs 8L minimum so it will be 5L of water added making it 30%.
i will play around with different element settings and temps, but i'm not holding my breath, and i have already designed a power controller to wire into the brewzilla.

[bluc]

When doing rum whiskey you don't need to use the rc or packing, run it as a pot still. But as rc said get a power controller and slow it down :handgestures-thumbupleft: