 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2010(UTC)
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I'm wondering what packing the colume means ? I think its inserting copper screen into the tube but thats a guess. I am working on a recipe for wiskey and would like for everything to come together. I have made several sugar runs and have had no problem keepin the heat where it needs to be but not sure on pakin. What does it do? Where does it go? Do i need to be able to access to of colume ? Anyone with an answer!
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 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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" Originally Posted by: Jabbo  I'm wondering what packing the colume means ? I think its inserting copper screen into the tube but thats a guess. I am working on a recipe for wiskey and would like for everything to come together. I have made several sugar runs and have had no problem keepin the heat where it needs to be but not sure on pakin. What does it do? Where does it go? Do i need to be able to access to of colume ? Anyone with an answer! Brewhaus sells the copper packing mesh in a roll. You roll up enough to make a plug that is just tight enough to stay in the column. If in pot still mode I use 2 plugs, if you are using the full reflux mode then you pack the column full . The mesh adds to the reflux action and collects/reacts with the vapors trapping some of the things you don't want in your distillate. Same idea as the copper still and pipeing. ""Accessing the column"", you do need to access the column for cleaning."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: Jabbo I'm wondering what packing the colume means ? I think its inserting copper screen into the tube but thats a guess. I am working on a recipe for wiskey and would like for everything to come together. I have made several sugar runs and have had no problem keepin the heat where it needs to be but not sure on pakin. What does it do? Where does it go? Do i need to be able to access to of colume ? Anyone with an answer! Without packing, you are pot destilling. And thats fine. Several runs through a pot still can give you a good neutral, Useing reflux with packing can give you the equivelent of up to 10 potstill runs or even more. Copper mesh is good as it will react with any sulfer compounds that will give off taste, and prevent them from polluting your spirit. Doesn't take a whole lot, but it still is the best packing top to bottom for reflux action. For whiskey and other flavored runs, run in potstill mode, no packing, and column insulated. One run or 2. Either way, when collecting the final product, its all about cuts. Search old posts about that. You want to keep the flavors, while eliminateing the heads and tails which will make it taste bad, unless you want to age on oak for years. Really can't advise you farter without knowing what your still setup is. Too many variables."
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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" Originally Posted by: mtnwalker2 Without packing, you are pot destilling. And thats fine. Several runs through a pot still can give you a good neutral, Useing reflux with packing can give you the equivelent of up to 10 potstill runs or even more. Copper mesh is good as it will react with any sulfer compounds that will give off taste, and prevent them from polluting your spirit. Doesn't take a whole lot, but it still is the best packing top to bottom for reflux action.
For whiskey and other flavored runs, run in potstill mode, no packing, and column insulated. One run or 2. Either way, when collecting the final product, its all about cuts. Search old posts about that. You want to keep the flavors, while eliminateing the heads and tails which will make it taste bad, unless you want to age on oak for years.
Really can't advise you farter without knowing what your still setup is. Too many variables. In regards to the packing I used 2 plugs in the lower end of the 3 inch column on the EEHC. The distillate came out tasteing fine and only about 1/3rd of the bottom plug showed any reaction to the vapors. The rest was shinny. I guess you could just run one plug in the potstill mode. I must have got a little reflux action from the 2 plugs but I don't know how much. This was a whiskey mix and one run through was fine for me. I'm sure different size boilers and columns would require some experience to see what for sure would happen. I do think it is a OK idea to run some copper mesh in the potstill mode."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 19
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Thanks for the help! I purchased a roll today but still not sure what ya'll mean, do you take the roll of mesh and stick the whole thing in the tube or roll it out and wadd it up and stick it in the tube or cut it ? Confused!
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: div4gold In regards to the packing I used 2 plugs in the lower end of the 3 inch column on the EEHC. The distillate came out tasteing fine and only about 1/3rd of the bottom plug showed any reaction to the vapors. The rest was shinny. I guess you could just run one plug in the potstill mode. I must have got a little reflux action from the 2 plugs but I don't know how much. This was a whiskey mix and one run through was fine for me. I'm sure different size boilers and columns would require some experience to see what for sure would happen. I do think it is a OK idea to run some copper mesh in the potstill mode. Yes, well said and advised. I also use 2 plugs, but at the top with my HC 3"" top half column. I also do it in one run. Found it imperative though when doing this to insulate the column for best results. Cuts, then final mixing for flavor, but no harshness is where it is at. If ageing for a good while with toasted and charred oak, you can add a bit more of the heads into the mix. Aereation at the beggining and end really makes a difference when doing this."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: Jabbo Thanks for the help! I purchased a roll today but still not sure what ya'll mean, do you take the roll of mesh and stick the whole thing in the tube or roll it out and wadd it up and stick it in the tube or cut it ? Confused! Unroll a good amount on a flat surface, Start to roll the copper, snug, but not tight, intil you reach your column diameter plus a tad more.. Cut the roll and start again. You can try the first roll and see if it needs a bit more or less. Tight enough to stay put, but not cramped. A tad too tight is alright at the beggining as it will shrink a bit with runs. Pack your column with these rolls."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 519
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" Originally Posted by: div4gold I do think it is a OK idea to run some copper mesh in the potstill mode. Unless of course you are running your pot still in a ""no column packing zone"". If so you would be placed on double top secret probation........  Just kidding of course. Even potstills have some form of refluxing going on. This is why we don't insulate our columns. Use of packing is not uncommon for some pot stillers. Creates more surface area for water to condence on. Can be helpful for making cuts. Refluxing as the nuetural crowd thinks of it,,,,, is really about the ability to control and manipulate reflux and take off rates (separate from heat input). And insure that the reflux drips back down the cetner of the column so the column can better maintain equalibrium. Potstillers do not (usually) want to do this. We typically concern ourselves with heat input (not temps mind you). I beleive my (way hybrid) unit may be a gray area exception to reflux manipulation. I don't use packing but I do have a water cooled refining orb that promotes pooling within the orb. More like added thumper redistilling action rather than refluxing as such. This allows the flavor profile to remain and is very proofy and clean."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 19
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Thats what I needed to know and I do appreciate all the help!!!:):):)
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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