Happy New Year

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Happy New Year

Postby Pardot » Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:37 am

Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year from a new member in Perth. I signed up New Years Eve while sitting in my shed eagerly watching my Alcoengine reflux drip out its first spirit on a cleaning run using a TPW. This is my first foray in to the craft. I was inspired after visiting a distillery in the Cotswolds a few years back and have been reading up since then. The Minister of Finance approved my discretionary spending just before Christmas but on a fairly tight budget, hence the kit I have.

The first output of the cleaning run was a thick yellowish substance that is still at the bottom of the jar this morning, it's slowly blending. Then I got a blue tinged clear fluid and I was so happy! This cleaning thing was working and the distillate cleared up soon after. Even now I can see the transition in that first jar.

My initial joy turned to frustration as my output rate slowed. The first 15 minutes seemed like a good rate but it dropped to roughly a drip a second or less. In the end, I gave up and shutdown after collecting for 2 hours but only getting about 250ml of distillate. I had followed advice seen elsewhere to detune the reflux for stripping and removed 6 of the 8 ss scrubbies and used the 1mm flow restrictor. My cooling appeared to be working just fine with the product coming out cool. I know others have mentioned it comes out hot and I was worried about this after finding the output on my vinegar run hot. I was concerned about the amount of water being used to turned the flow down until finding vapour escaping the top of the column. Flow back up and it settled down. I've got a pond pump arriving soon so I'll be able to recirculate to reduce water wastage. At least the pool got topped up last night!

I'll pull it apart this evening and make sure there's no blockages in the output path and have another crack. I had made up a 25l TPW which is still in the boiler and I want to get it through until the end. Given it's the cleaning run and will be ditched, is there any harm if it takes a few nights for me to get through?

Cheers
Pardot
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:31 pm
Location: Perth
equipment: Alcoengine reflux on a Digiboil 35l, Air Still clone, FSD Pot Still

Re: Happy New Year

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jan 01, 2021 12:04 pm

Hi Pardot and Welcome to the forum mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As may of read already that type of still does require a product condensor to really work properly and one can be made easily :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers Bryan
RuddyCrazy
Mentor
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:36 pm
Location: Not far from Kanmantoo SA
equipment: 4" copper bubbler with a setup for Neutral and a thumper for Whisky and my old 5 litre pot for doing maceration runs and MiniMe the baby pot still

Re: Happy New Year

Postby Wellsy » Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:08 pm

Happy New Year and welcome pardot
Wellsy
 
Posts: 2198
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:48 am
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 4” Modular Pot Still plus 4 FSD Bubble plates on FSD 50 ltr Milk Can Boiler + 2 x 2400W FSD Element and Guard Kits

Re: Happy New Year

Postby Pardot » Fri Jan 01, 2021 5:57 pm

Thanks Guys. Glad to be part of the Community. Also looking forward to seeing how I can mod the still, like adding a product condenser and eventually, probably a long time ahead, building my own.

The idea of adding a product condenser has me wondering, would there be a need for the flow limiter once you have the additional condenser?
Last edited by Pardot on Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pardot
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:31 pm
Location: Perth
equipment: Alcoengine reflux on a Digiboil 35l, Air Still clone, FSD Pot Still

Re: Happy New Year

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:06 pm

Hi Parot,

Maybe you should get the copper urge and build our own pot still to go for the brown spirits until you learn the craft :handgestures-thumbupleft: making neutral and putting oak chips isn't right :laughing-rolling: Now stripping your ferment and getting enough to do a spirit run then doing cuts will get a product that isnt only smooth on mouth feel but it won't give you a hangover either. Rather you still stay drunk :obscene-drinkingchug: the next morning :laughing-rolling:

Honestly try it and if you need a hand on building thats what this forum is about :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers Bryan
RuddyCrazy
Mentor
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:36 pm
Location: Not far from Kanmantoo SA
equipment: 4" copper bubbler with a setup for Neutral and a thumper for Whisky and my old 5 litre pot for doing maceration runs and MiniMe the baby pot still

Re: Happy New Year

Postby M8Harry » Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:17 pm

welcome to the forum :greetings-waveyellow:
M8Harry
 
Posts: 75
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:41 pm
Location: NSW
equipment: Pure distilling Reflux Still with a 25L boiler

5 star mk2 visualiser and 50L milk can boiler


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