4" or 6" column? Which one?

[warramungas]

Ok guys. Need a few opinions/guidance.
I am gradually getting kitted for a bubble column. All the boiler stuff is sorted and should be done in a coupla weeks when I can catch up with the boiley who just got back to work. It will be a hungie liters or thereabouts and able to run 4800 watts. I'm guessing the boiler has enough capacity and power to run the sucka.
I haven't started getting still parts together yet for the reason I didn't want to jump ahead of myself too far and also got done over by a rates bill with my spare cash that was under the mattress for a gradual 4" column build.
I'm now thinking I may instead work out whether a 6" is possibly a better target to aim/save for or not. Cost roughly twice as much but would be three times as much if I get a 4" and then decide to get a 6" later.
If price between the 4" and the 6" wasn't an issue which would you choose and why?
Cheers,
Warra.

[TheMechwarrior]

You haven't given me enough to work on.

Based on the limited info I'd suggest 4" is big enough for anyone distilling for themselves at home.

You can produce more booze than you could possibly drink with a 4". If you're drinking more than a 4" can produce you have much bigger problems than deciding what size still to buy.

Let me know why you think 6" is the shiz for you.

Cheers,

Mech.

[warramungas]

Mainly from the limited information I've been able to garner from the few threads discussing them.
I want to make good bourbon as fast as possible in as few brew days as I can. So speed is a big consideration for me. Running at 4800 watts should double my speed (I know not exactly) and make for some fast runs. Run correctly the quality off them is the same as a 4", as I understand it, but speed makes a 4" look puny. Might even be able to add another 2400 watt element to get up to 7200 watts as I have 4 distinct circuits in my house but don't know what a 6" runs at maximum to go that far yet.
I want to be able to fire it up and have it all done in a day (pretty much) even if I put on a coupla hundred liters of wash so I can get some for some reasonable aging time. (I'm not even going to mention how cool they look). :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I am back into my studies full bore now my leave of absence during the move is over and extremely time poor for my home brewing. Probably will be for the next 18 months as I have a full load and a trimester filled over the end of year break.
I was looking for a way I could maximise my brew days as they wont be as frequent as they once were.
I haven't spent any money on anything other than all the parts for the boiler so have yet to start putting a still together. I could build a 6" gradually piece by piece just like I was going to do a 4" so I haven't lost any money yet.
And as for quantity, me and the missus, the eldest and the few trusted guests we have will polish off about 6 liters a month so not huge but I don't mind nudging it when I'm on break. :D

[scythe]

Have you looked at the price of 6" stuff?

[warramungas]

Have you looked at the price of 6" stuff?

Yes. Not scared too much. As i said, I'll build it piece by piece.

[warramungas]

Have you looked at the price of 6" stuff?

Yes. Not scared too much. As i said, I'll build it piece by piece.

Just to clarify something. I know it costs more but I only want to do this once. Not buy 4" and decide later I wish I'd bought a 6". That would sh#t me to tears. Not having used either I was hoping I might get some wisdom from those that run or have run a 4" and/or a 6" as to whether it was worth it.
Cheers,
Warra

[Zak Griffin]

Go 4" with a 6" thumper? :handgestures-thumbupleft: best of both worlds.

Playing with 4800W you'll be able to strip 100L of wash in pot mode before smoko, the rerun the low wines with the next 100L of wash.

If I had my time again I would've used my 6" copper for an inline thumper for a 4" still rather than going for a full 6" column.

Dogbreath vodka is your man. He built a 4", wasn't overwhelmed by the speed so built a 6".

I guess if you've got the facilities and materials to go 6", you may as well... It's definitely the upper limit for a hobby still though.

[WTDist]

If your like me then go 6". By this i mean i have 3 kids and no spare time to think so more time saved is best. I want to do one run a month rather than 3 runs a month. Less stilling time and more time for family. If i was a single bloke then 4" would be fine but family can always get in the way of stilling.

[warramungas]

If your like me then go 6". By this i mean i have 3 kids and no spare time to think so more time saved is best. I want to do one run a month rather than 3 runs a month. Less stilling time and more time for family. If i was a single bloke then 4" would be fine but family can always get in the way of stilling.

If I was a single bloke I'd be able to afford any still and boiler combination I liked and still have enough cash left over to have it gold plated so I never needed to clean it!! :))

[maddogpearse]

So, admittedly there were some low wines in there, but I ran my 4" over the weekend. I was running at a touch over 3L/H @ 92%.
Including heat up time, I had the still running for 6 hours, and after cuts, aging and diluting to 40%, i will end up with aprox. 18L of drinkable product.
buggerd if i know why anyone needs more booze than that in a weekend!!
Although, if time is of the essence, i'm sure a 6" will piss booze like a horse....

* A 6" plate with a 25mm bath depth will hold about 1.7L
* 6 plates @ 1.7L is 10.2L
* 100L boiler with 10% ABV is 10L
:music-deathmetal: haha, who needs a thumper! do it!

[dogbreath vodka]

Zak is probably right on a 4" with a 6" thumper.

But for a standard column, depends on what you are willing to compromise on.

The 4" is slow in comparison, but you can experiment more with different washes.
Smallers washes and less need for storage.


The 6" will make more than you or your mates can consume in moderation.
And it is fast.
But, even with an 80ltre boiler, you have to make big ferments to feed the thing.
If you want to trial a new recipe, it will make so much that you will be storing it for a long time.

Also with the 6" you may need to upgrade your water reservoir if you recycle water.
The collection jars get bigger to, I now collect in 700ml sauce bottles.
Storage in kegs rather than 2 or 3ltr jars.

These days it's run once or twice a year and share the resulting product, just to keep the volume under control.
It's all a trade off.

The real benefit to me is less time stillin.
The trade off is fewer experimental washes.

Oh and which ever way you go. . . Get a carter head, it opens up more possibilities for flavouring than you thought possible.
:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[warramungas]

So, admittedly there were some low wines in there, but I ran my 4" over the weekend. I was running at a touch over 3L/H @ 92%.
Including heat up time, I had the still running for 6 hours, and after cuts, aging and diluting to 40%, i will end up with aprox. 18L of drinkable product.
buggerd if i know why anyone needs more booze than that in a weekend!!
Although, if time is of the essence, i'm sure a 6" will piss booze like a horse....

* A 6" plate with a 25mm bath depth will hold about 1.7L
* 6 plates @ 1.7L is 10.2L
* 100L boiler with 10% ABV is 10L
:music-deathmetal: haha, who needs a thumper! do it!

Who needs low wines? Mind you not sure about 6 plates for a bourbon. The only time I want to redistill material in my boiler is when I'm making a neutral from feints or a gin. I don't want to do low wines which creates more time consumption. I spent an entire weekend working ~150 liters through my 2" pot and small boiler and the following morning doing cuts diluting and oaking. I want to be able to do the whole lot including setup (probably the night before) and packing up inside a single day. That's why I'm looking for a Ferrari.
I figure I can possibly start with a 6" pot similar to the 4" pot mac sells (from 5* parts) and go from there.

DB. Less time still in is what I want. Experimental? Not sure I'd bother too much once I've got a good corn recipe I like.
I figured a 6" gin basket, eventually, and as mac says nice clean neutral through in pot mode should make a reasonable gin that'll make the wife more 'agreeable'.
I'm looking for the coupla times a year running method. Storage wont be too much of an issue. My supply of 2.5L laboratory bottles just keeps increasing. Just have to keep checking the lab glassware bin for some that contained non toxic chems. Labels are a bitch to get off though.
There's a word in your comment I dont understand though. What's 'moderation'. Is that when a forum mods on a diet? If so, cant see how it applies here. :D

[WTDist]

If your like me then go 6". By this i mean i have 3 kids and no spare time to think so more time saved is best. I want to do one run a month rather than 3 runs a month. Less stilling time and more time for family. If i was a single bloke then 4" would be fine but family can always get in the way of stilling.

If I was a single bloke I'd be able to afford any still and boiler combination I liked and still have enough cash left over to have it gold plated so I never needed to clean it!! :))

Ohh so true :laughing-rolling:

I forget how much money i had when i didnt have kids :))

Same here, i would have bought one and a huge boiler :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[TheMechwarrior]

If time is what you value most then the 6" is the solution for you.
You'll want a 1,000L IBC for your water cooling, possibly 2 depending on where you live in AUS.

6" fits a 100L boiler quite nicely. Time from power on to power off is usually 5hrs depending on what you're doing.
There are days though where I wish it was more like a 200L boiler.

Now go hit the 5 Star Store and go shopping!

Cheers,

Mech.

[dogbreath vodka]

I'm looking for the coupla times a year running method.
looks like you have your answer then :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Storage wont be too much of an issue. My supply of 2.5L laboratory bottles just keeps increasing.
Wait until you start running the 6", lab bottles will start looking reeeeeeal small. :laughing-rolling:

Shopping time! :teasing-tease:

[jacobraven]

Honestly love my 4 inch on the 100l but i upgraded mainly because of time but going from 30l to 100 litres means im there for the same amount of time anyways obv more product but i also find I keep less having more not less then the 30 l but more cleaner product if tht makes sense. With the IBC ive got one with the 750w submersible and the water can get warm in one run sometimes.

[bluc]

With a 4" and 100l boiler how long does it take switch on to off doing brown spirit?

[jacobraven]

I normaly avg 2 litres an hour plus warm ups like 1h20m I wouldnt say ive timed it i just finishes when it finishes I "still" allow majority of a day

[Clickeral]

I've managed 4.5L per hour with my 4" rig, for vodka I do two runs as the norm

Brown spirits is 4 plates my super RC and 4800w, havent had any issue with smearing

I can get through 40L of wash in about 2 hours including setup, heating etc

But when I go to a 200L boiler I think my 4" rig will be my bottle neck

My personal aim is to produce more then I can drink so that the produce I am drinking gets older and older as the norm :p

I have just bottled 12L of 2year old rum and I have nothing aging currently to replace it :(

If I drink a liter a month then the oldest product I could drink once its finished would be 12month olds

Hope that makes sense

[bluc]

Ok cool big step up from a 2" pot. I did the math and it takes me 2h per litre. Might use my down tome to save for a bubbler :handgestures-thumbupleft: