Not sure what I'm doing!

[Craven]

I've been making wine for several months now and I started ice refraction a month ago with my tea wine. I bought a alcohol still off Amazon, found out it's illegal so I'll be returning it next week. I'm glad I found out now instead of later. Thanks again. Don

 

[clearwaterbrewer]

legalization has been in the works, don't just walk away, let your senator and representative know that the wording that allowed home distillation in the 2015 'craft beverage modernization act' was a good idea, and should be looked at again...

 

[Shine0n]

Definitely get ahold of a local representative.
This is an uphill battle and we need to pull all together to achieve a move in the right direction.
Not that I do it or anything

 

[Craven]

Thank! I'll defiantly do that seems like a great idea! Thanks again. Don

 

[Sailingeric]

I've been making wine for several months now and I started ice refraction a month ago with my tea wine. I bought a alcohol still off Amazon, found out it's illegal so I'll be returning it next week. I'm glad I found out now instead of later. Thanks again. Don

As long as you are not selling it or making cases of booze I doubt the Feds will come busting through your door. I used my SS Brewtech 15 gallon pot as my still. There is a hole on the top side that I put my copper coil through and it worked out good for my 2 or 3 batches of rum I did. If I plan on doing it more I may try to upgrade my still set up.

 

[stoby]

I have seen those stills on Amazon. I was curious as to how they are as I want to one day explore this hobby.

 

[Shine0n]

If you have access to a 15.5 gal keg, try building one instead using 2" copper tubing.
Take a look at "still it" on you tube, His name is Jess and he's documented his whole journey in this hobby from building to making spirits.
He's from New Zealand so he has no worries as it's completely legal there.

Good luck

 

[stoby]

I will certainly look at it. From the television shows, documentary's, and books that I have read, there always seems to be a lot of stress in making sure equipment is up to snuff so one does not catch themselves on fire. That is the main reason that I was looking at the manufactured jobs. Would you say that a 15.5 gal keg is as small as you would want to go? I just wanted something I could play around with a little bit and make spirits for my own consumption.

 

[clearwaterbrewer]

I would not mess with anything less than a 15, you can relieve the pressure, remove the spear, get/make a 1-sided tri-clamp gasket, and clamp a 2" TC fitting to it... you can heat with flame if you are outside away from flammable materials, and getting a good seal is easy with tri-clamps or other methods. When you want to upgrade, you can have a competent TIG weldor put you a 2" fitting in for an electric element, and racking arm drain port, and a 4/6/8"(8" is really nice) top TC for cleaning and access..

 

[Shine0n]

I run a 15.5 gal pot and a 15.5 gal thumper, very simply built with 2" copper tube and 2" ferrules.
I also run on propane and in over 20 years never caught fire, blown up myself or anything. I have overfilled a jar or 3. lol

I do this as a profession and use the still mentioned for test batches and for special batches of fruits for brandies.

It's going above hobby level when you decide to go much larger, how much hooch could you possibly need to make to enjoy a good pour now and again.

I've been there and done it so I'm not talking down or anything but 15 gal in the hobby level is plenty, you'll get 1.5 gal of finished spirit off of a run.

 

[golfindia]

From what I've been told, something like this works well with a keg.

 

[Shine0n]

If that's a reflux colum it will make great neutral and vodkas, not so good for whiskeys and brandies tho.

I know some people will say they can do it but it will strip alot of the flavors out.

I can make a great vodka triple distilling from a pot still.

Is that a reflux?

 

[cyberbackpacker]

@ShineOn got any pics of your 15g setup?

 

[golfindia]

Yes, reflux. And yep, it's a beast of a vodka maker. No flavors escape that thing.

 

[Shine0n]

I do but can't seem to get it load, I'll try to send one PM tomorrow.
Just drove 6 hours from Cass West Virginia to home so I'm hitting the hay.

 

[Shine0n]

 

[Shine0n]

It's a potstill with thumper, I have the option of adding another thumper for when I make my rum if I choose.

I make alot of Jamaican style, heavy bodied rums.

 

[Soulshine2]

I have seen those stills on Amazon. I was curious as to how they are as I want to one day explore this hobby.

I own a Clawhammer ,copper (reflux) still, 5 gallon. If you're handy , you can buy this and assemble it in a day or weekend. I've run a few batches through mine and it turns out really good.

 

[Soulshine2]

If that's a reflux colum it will make great neutral and vodkas, not so good for whiskeys and brandies tho.

I know some people will say they can do it but it will strip alot of the flavors out.

I can make a great vodka triple distilling from a pot still.

Is that a reflux?

makes shine just fine. I rest mine on charred oak chips for 2 weeks, THEN its whiskey.

 

[AkTom]

View attachment 585415

Does the thumper need to be elevated? Can a lieberg be used instead of the ?worm??
Thanks

 

[Shine0n]

Sorry Tom, no the thumper doesn't need to be elevated. It just happens that my other burner sits higher than my new one and is a good height for the worm.

I can hook up my liebig if needed to the same setup, I just hate having to deal with pumps and hoses. I don't have power in my barn so the worm works and works well even when I do a double thumper run.

what my worm barrel doesn't show is an inlet for cold well water at the bottom and a PVC drain at the top to let the hot water out when adding the cool water from the bottom.

 

[Jaybird]

If you have access to a 15.5 gal keg, try building one instead using 2" copper tubing.
Take a look at "still it" on you tube, His name is Jess and he's documented his whole journey in this hobby from building to making spirits.
He's from New Zealand so he has no worries as it's completely legal there.

Good luck

Not to hijack but we also sell a killer keg attachment Pot Head system.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...e-keg-pot-head-still-kit-from-jaybird.655310/

Cheers
Jay