I am new to distillation, as already stated, so if I state something just ignorant let me know here as my mind is working like crazy these days on the possibilities.

A little history first I started brewing beer in 1994, I currently have a home built keggerator that hold four kegs that I keep full year round. I am an all grain brewer and would never change that. I have brewed 5-7 batches of wine with success, easier than I thought.

So one day I walk into the local brew shop and lo and behold the most beautiful sight a ready to go reflux distillation apparatus perfect for making water for my wifes iron. I needed it, gotta have. So I picked it up. Now I have read many post on here and if my math is correct the output is somewhat small ,depending on the alcohol % of the completed fermentation, and the boiling bucket that came with this guy is not that large. I would prefer to make one or two runs a year and mix multiple variations from that. Soooooooo

With that in mind I noticed I can also purchase a 2' o-ring to mount my column to a keg. Now comes the interesting part, heating, if I have a 15 gal keg that will reguire a substantial electric heater. Not 100% sure I want to play with fire around 190 proof yet. So my idea is this what if I mount an electric water heater element inside this keg wire it up to a thermostat as you would a have a hot water heater and have it in direct contact with the liquid I am wanting to heat. Does anyone see a problem with this theory?

Sorry for being so long winded, and thanks in advance for any advice to this newbie in the art.

Brian

Hi Jim,

Thanks for responding, I have found a stainless element ,although not cheap, I would use that one. As for mounting I am a welder and plan to drill a 1' hole and weld a means to screw the element into the lower end of the keg. this would give the ability to 1, change it out if needed. 2, Ensure I can get a good ground, I agree electricity and liquid would be far worse than the fire. I guess my biggest concern is the localized heating. I am not sure what off flavors or characteristics this would cause, but on the other hand some of the other rigs discussed here have submersible heating elements how would this be any different?

Brian

Brian, You are probably right on the element issue as a number of people do it this way. The only sure fired method is to try it and let us all know how it works out. Afterall, there is the carbon filter to take all taste away and that really is the way to go....good luck...Jimbull

stillmaker, i have gathered that the thermostat for a water heater will not give a constant heat. it will either be off or on, therefor you will not be able to equalize a reflux still.

Hi Boys, Just looking at your letters and I do think that the hotwater thermo is sewt at around 10-15 degrees variance in its setting and that is not going to work tooo wekk with a stil. Of course this is only my opinion but I don't think it will work, need to get tighter with a controll unit made for tight temps...just my opinion...Jimbull

Hello Anonymous, thanks for your reply, but could you clear up a question for me? What exactly is a 2 foot NPT? Seriously, I don't know what this is nor how to use it, so could you help me here? I gather that you were successful with it, whatever it is. I'm wondering if this is a common, standard hotwater heater element and thermostat combo? Maybe I missed something but I do want to know the answer, so plaese reply!
Thanks for your help,
Spiritmaker

Thanks freebrew, that does clear up one thing for me, but I'm still wondering if Anonymous actually meant ' ,inches, instead of ' ,feet, and if this NPT is really just the adapter that the element screws into? Also does he mean that this is wired through a hotwater heater thermostat ,to control that heat, or something else? I'm not trying to be difficult, but I just don't folow him, thats all. So PLEASE Mr. Anonymous, write again and clear this up for me, I'd love to use your idea if I can just understand it correctly. I just scored a neat 'Corny Keg' for free and intend to use it in making my first reflux type still. I've read many postings that say I couldn't control the heat closely enough with a hotwater element/thermostat in a reflux still, so I will probably just use this with my Pot still, but I don't wanna ruin that one if this idea won't work!
Thanks,
Spiritmaker

Spiritmaker,

I too would be interested in what you come up with. I do know that the Corny Kegs are made of Stainless Steel, but keep in mind they are not very thick at all. I have contemplated purchasing a beer keg from ebay and giving this a try as that Stainless Steel is much thicker. I did get a chance to review the selection of replacement elements that Jimbull mentioned at the local hardware store and found that here in the US 2' is avaliable. When and if I do this I plan to go with a 2' NPT as if this does not work I can always take the element out and then cut the top out of the keg to make a good mash tun for my beer brewing. Unfortunately I will not be able to go the 4' that Jimbull recommends as this is way to high for a mash tun if the element idea fails.

I have not began the process yet but hope to when the weather gets better.

Brian

Damnit!
I just drank too much shine. Hate it when I pass that point! Oh well, pay for it in the 'mornin'. Soooo.......seems like hot pads usually work pretty well. No flames for explosions, you don't need to scrub them after every 'stillin', no brazin' necessary. And it seems like you can get 'em at 1500 watts or so around a hundred bucks on ebay maybe. Is that just not strong enough for the size? Otherwise it sure seems like an easy solution.

Freebrew,

I have one I already use as a mashtun and another as a lautering tun. I am talking beer here, so it requires no insulation in my setup. I currently have a triple tier system that I use to make my beer. My current mash tun is 15.5, I would like to go with a 7.5 ,pony keg,. I would go buy a keg of beer, but by the time I got the taps and forced my self to consume the nasty beer avaliable to me ,Bud, Bud Light, etc.., I would give $10.00 extra for a Molson keg.

My 2 cents.

Brian