New still break in

[Coriba]

Other than a good cleansing, is there anything in particular to break in a new still? I’ve seen mention of running some vinegar solution, but I can’t find that reference now.

 

[AkTom]

I would clean it and do a quick run with a vinegar solution. I’m not sure how much...

 

[odorf]

I did not run vinegar in my set up. I ran a strip run full of water.
then another strip run using 10 gallons of cheap wine as a sacrifice run
after those 2 runs i was ready to get serious
and run a full 10 gallon sugar wash
saved that run
used it to run sweet feed whisky

 

[Comrade Stone]

I just washed my 304 Fuel Still out made some mighty fine but underpowered Fuel

 

[NineInchNails]

You should do a 1:1 water/vinegar cleaning run then do a sacrificial alcohol cleaning run. After that it's good to go. The point of this is to strip away any flux, oils and foreign matter that can otherwise contaminate an ethanol run you intend to drink.

 

[Jayjay1976]

If your still is soldered copper, a vinegar run is all you need. I really dont understand the logic of a "sacrifial" alco run, thats just a waste.

If your still is all stainless you dont need to "break it in" at all, just thoroughly scrub and rinse all parts before assembly and you're good to go.

 

[yaakov]

I would clean it and do a quick run with a vinegar solution. I’m not sure how much...

50/50 half gallon of each for 30 minutes or until you get bored. If stainless steel use dawn soap and water to just wash it hefore use....copper, and copper packing need the acid wash....so says George on Barley and Hops (Youtube). Check him out, he has a video for everything concerning distilling.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I use copper packing, and to refresh it between runs I clean it in a sonicator in a hot (~140f) bath of 50/50 vinegar and water with a bit of salt. Always comes out clean, but I rinse it well and air dry completely to eliminate any lingering vinegar stank before re-use.

 

[Toxxyc]

I did two vinegar runs, then rinsed it, and then did a sacrificial run. The sacrificial run looks, smells and tastes the same as the feints it was that went in. It went into my feints jar and I'll be drinking it in the future. I'm not throwing it away and I don't think there's anything in there that's bad for you. It's an old beer keg with all copper parts from the neck of the keg and up.

 

[Orval]

My still is a Ø 3" SS VM reflux with a copper Ø 1" x 1/2" Liebig condenser. I just cleaned the copper leaving salt + vinegar inside for one night then rinsed it well. I tried a vinegar run, got distilled water then realised acetic acid boils around 117°C, so stopped with that vinegar run! I always rince it, clean the SS pipes with a circular toilet brush. The foreshots do the cleaning job nicely at each new run!