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Question about temperature when running the still
 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/3/2012(UTC)
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I live here in Louisiana and ran my still for the first time this weekend on a test batch of mash/wash. I ended up tossing the finished product because I wasnt 100% sure the temp stayed right. I ran some corn mash and tried to regulate the temp at 174 steady (barely dripping at 174). At 180 it came out much easier. I know for shine they say to regulate it at 174, does that hold true for being down here in LA as well? what temperature range am i safe running the still (Ex: 174-185?) just guessing. I am new to this and want to make sure i am producing the good stuff and not methanol or anything else that is harmful. Thanks for any help
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Rank: Guest
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Hey Bear seems to be a heated disagreement on this. Assuming you got the same gizmo as me or similar..will say it likes to start puking at around 170 and goes to around 178 and hits the sweet spot where it sticks a long time. Once it get to 180 unless it reaches that point intermittently while a person is trying to get the temps juggled on the front end just as well shut it down cuz that all she wrote. Might catch another 1/4 cup of tails if you want to fiddle with the water and spend another couple of hours trying to milk it on out. I would say let it reflux for a while at 170 (Thanks Bayou) then boost it up to somewhere just shy of but not quite 180. This be in an ideal world of course. Yours may work different. I think you throwed away some good hooch. Send it to me next for some scientifical analyses..dont be throwing stuff out..lol. Happy Hooching.
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
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"Abear,
+1 Bigwheel. Try running it again next time rather than tossing it. I've run a some washes through 3 or 4 times after monkeying around with things enough to ruin everything. :)
My reflux runs are always the same. I cut in the column condenser after I discard the fores and do full reflux for about 20 - 30 minutes. Then start collecting. The temp is pretty much 170 for most of the run. When the temp starts creeping up I'll go full reflux again for about 15 minutes. In any case, I only use the temp to get some idea about what's _changing_ during the run ... not to decide what to keep or discard. I make that decision a few days later after the product has had some time to air.
You might want to check out the ""Novice Guide for Cuts"" on HD. It's great information and just as relevant for a reflux run. And it'll put your mind at ease so you can have more fun.
--JB"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/4/2012(UTC)
Posts: 303
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Pot still or reflux still? It makes a difference.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/3/2012(UTC)
Posts: 25
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"I have a reflux still. It started dripping at 173 and started coming out good at 178-179. The temp bounced around from 168-183 from time to time b/c i had it on a burner (hard to regulate temp) so i invested in a commercial hot plate for my next run. Again, this was my first time and a learning experience. Look forward to doing it again. Would you say that i should let it run at 170 for 10-15 mins and then bring it up to 175-178? Would this work?
As far as throwing it out, i thought about running it twice but didnt collect enough for it to be worth my wild. Next time i will run it twice.
Any good recipes for a first timer that i should use?
Thanks again for all the useful information...."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
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" Originally Posted by: abear  Would you say that i should let it run at 170 for 10-15 mins and then bring it up to 175-178? Don't worry so much about the specific temperature you're reading. If you use a different thermometer you'll likely see different temps. They may be within several degrees of each other, but I would be surprised if they all read identical values. I have a glass and two digital thermometers, they all show different values. You can try this: let your rig warm up and after you collect your fores open your column cooling valve all the way -- and let it sit for 20 - 30 minutes. You shouldn't have any output at this point. Then slowly close the column cooling valve until you get the collection _rate_ you want. You might want to run it slow at first, then speed it up a bit when things start to smell/taste cleaner. Just play around with your rig ... get to know how it works and have fun. And if you don't like the way things come out, toss 'em back in again and give it another whirl. Don't fuss over your temperature readings so much at first -- just pay attention to how the temps _change_. If you need to slow things down to have some time to think things over, just open the column cooling all the way -- it certainly won't hurt anything. Originally Posted by: abear Any good recipes for a first timer that i should use? Try BR's/Birdwatcher's. It's very easy and very forgiving. Regards, --JB"
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Rank: Guest
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Seems like on mine for refluxing once you get the heat dialed in and steady you can pretty much forget about fiddling with it as the coarse and fine tuning can be done with the water controls. My favorite recipe for a five/six gallon wash is 10 lbs sugar..2.5 lbs. yellow cornmeal and Cosby Bakers distillers yeast. Seems to give a little corn whiskey wallop even going through the refulxer. For a tasteless vodka type product Bayous tomato paste neutral is hard to beat.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/3/2012(UTC)
Posts: 25
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"I think mine is like bigwheels.... i adjust with the water flow. My reflux tower cooling is all done by water. Thanks for all the helpful information.
What would be the max temp i shouldnt cross?"
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Rank: Guest
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By the time mine works it way up to the low 180's on the back end..its pure tails and production stops. Not much point going past that I dont think. Now theoretically guess a person could stop somewhere below the boiling point of water..unless they was wanting distilled water for some reason.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/27/2007(UTC)
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"If you want to see if your thermometer is accurate, boil some water and put you thermometer in it and see how close to 212f or 100c you are.
Cheers!"
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