 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"I just got my new still from Brewhaus. Am i supposed to run anything through it to clean it or is the leak test good enough? I am going to run water today so i can have the distilled water to make my spirit. Some say use vinegar. The instructional booklet doesn't say what to do except run 4 qts water to check for weld leaks. Anything else i should do?
Thanks
Jack"
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/27/2007(UTC)
Posts: 168
|
The pressure test is pretty much all you need to do. The high boiling temp with the water run will kill any germs that may be lingering. Just make sure there is no packing material in the column or pot. Even make sure that the output end of your condensor didn't accidently get clogged with the material.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"Thanks for the reply. I am going to start my weld test now. Again thanks
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
|
Buy some cheap jug wine & practice on that - Why would you want distilled water to make spirit? Distilleries don't use distilled water, why should you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"I guess i can use regular water but i tried to run water first today and it took all day and i got less than 1/2 gallon. First time for me but i am doing something wrong. Any ideas of how to speed it up or is that the norm? It took 7 hours to get that much.
Thanks
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
You will be really surprised how long it takes to run a 5 gallon batch of hooch. And when I say run a 5 gallon batch .... I mean cook it off and collect the distillate which will only be about 2.5 quarts of finished product. Look at it this way.... one drip a second or so takes me about 7 hours with my setup in the potstill mode. Now some can run faster which of course will reduce recovery time but still thats sounds about right. You will leave behind all the rest and toss it in the trash.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
That 2.5 qts will be high proof and you will add water to that (cut it) and reduce the proof to 100 proof or so for swillin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"Ok i was just going by Milehi saying he gets 2 qt's an hour of whiskey and you should get more water but then again he is a salesman. I am running water just to try it out. I just wanted to check. Thanks for all the help. I will just settle for 2 qt's a day. You have been really helpful.
Thanks
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
jstump.....not knowing what your still is makes me generalize the answer. But 2 quarts an hour sounds really fast or maybe a giant still will produce that much I'm not sure on that. You know, running water - you will be boiling the piss out of it so maybe 2 qts an hour when boiling water is right but cooking a mash will be much slower I'm sure. Practice makes perfect or is it...Perfect practice makes perfect. Just a little smartazz humor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"Yeah i thought he was full of it. I watched his video clip on the home page of his sight and that is what he said. I have the brewhaus Essential Extractor Pro Series II. But i am retired and nothing to do so i have a lot of time to just play around with it. I do drink distilled water also so i thought i would just make my own drinking water too. My friends are waiting on the stronger stuff.
Thanks
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
|
Hope you are using propane then. The hotplate just won't boil much water in a short period of time. Your unit is what I use & I have the hotplate - boils juice just fine but water - forget-about-it. One of the reasons I'm moving to a keg boiler, quicker heat up & only one stripping run (I make 12gal runs)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"Yes i heard from Rick who said to insulate the still and bypass the thermostat on the hotplate. I also have a keg and i will eventually get around to using that after i get a little more experience on the small kettle. I will go to using gas when the weather gets warmer so i can get outside with it.
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2010(UTC)
Posts: 70
|
Propane is the way to go, I ain't even going to mess with hot plates or heating elements. Propane is faster to heat up and does a great job, just have to play with it a bit to fine tune it in. I put a real fine needle valve right off the bottle so I can really dial it in, when my heat starts getting close I just start pinching her down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"I got my insulation and duct tape for insulating. The Reflectix is real bubble wrap sandwiched inside foil. Does the bubble wrap stand up to the heat or have i got the wrong stuff? I kept reading and reading and as far as i can tell i have the right stuff. Reflectix 16''X25' reflective/bubble/bubble/reflective.
Thanks
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
|
Reflectix is what I use, it stands up fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360   Location: Louisiana
|
" Originally Posted by: ratflinger  Reflectix is what I use, it stands up fine. 10-4 me to" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 12
|
"Yes it did great. I practiced with water. In seven hours i ran 2 1/2 gallon. not bad. I used the reflectix and did the work around on the hotplate. Going to set some mash now for another practice run. It came to 210 degree in an hour and a half.
Thanks all
jstump"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360 Location: Louisiana
|
" Originally Posted by: jstump Yes it did great. I practiced with water. In seven hours i ran 2 1/2 gallon. not bad. I used the reflectix and did the work around on the hotplate. Going to set some mash now for another practice run. It came to 210 degree in an hour and a half.
Thanks all
jstump It will push faster with wash or mash due to alcohols low boiling point. Its harder to distill water than alcohol............  " |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
"BR .. you are right it takes more heat to cook water than mash cause you cook mash a 172F and 212F for water.
You will never get 2 1/2 gallons of mash in 7 hours cause you just wont cook it that hard. Well maybe with a stripping run but I dont do stripping runs so I cant address that issue.
It takes me 7 hours to get 2 1/2 QUARTS of hooch."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
