SS BrewTech Conical Fermentor for Distilling?

[beermaestro]

I have an all electric beer brewing setup and a couple of SS BrewTech 7 Gal Fermenters. I was curious if anyone here things it would work to use of the fermenters as a still? I could take the bottom elbow off the fermenter and attach my tri clamp heating element from my beer kettle in a vertical orientation inside the fermenter and the domed shaped lid with its tri clamp hole in the top to attach a tower. I have a pid controlled setup with temperature probes so was thinking this would be pretty easy if the fermenter would hold up to the process. Here is a picture of the fermenter.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Why wouldn't it!

You'll be operating it @ less than 200 degrees F most likely.

Whatcha' waitin' on?


And I see you posted @ 420...........

 

[beermaestro]

That's what I was thinking, my only worry I guess would be dry firing my element in the bottom of the fermenter once I have boiled off much of the mash. I also don't want to ruin one of my fermenters either but since I wouldn't be reaching too hot of temps I was thinking it'd be ok.

 

[Jtvann]

Got to say, this is pretty genius. Have you tried it yet?

I've got a 14g unitank that has the 6 inch TC port for chiller coil. There's got to be a 6 inch TC still attachment out there.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Got to say, this is pretty genius. Have you tried it yet?

I've got a 14g unitank that has the 6 inch TC port for chiller coil. There's got to be a 6 inch TC still attachment out there.

Just get a 6" to "x" reducer (probably 2" or 1.5"), and you can run any column size you want!

 

[beermaestro]

Well I pulled the trigger on Black Friday and purchased a 2” modular reflux still column from mile hi distillery. That way I can run it as reflux or pot still. Was thinking of ordering the following to make a online gin basket. Ordering two of the bowl sections and putting them together with the gasket screen on the bottom where it attaches to the still column.

 

[Jtvann]

Careful with those gaskets. I've got little to no knowledge in this area, but something's ringing a bell about gasket material and needing PTFE only with all others not being safe.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Careful with those gaskets. I've got little to no knowledge in this area, but something's ringing a bell about gasket material and needing PTFE only with all others not being safe.

Lots of stills come with silicone gaskets. I've been using mine for quite a while, and so far I've grown just the one horn, which my wife thinks is festive. There is a lot of paranoia online about the constituent materials of silicone gaskets but IMHO it is overblown. Intended for food and chemical processing, these gaskets are most likely platinum catalyzed silicone so they are fine. My neighbor has a doctorate in chemistry and he immediately recognized my dernord components and thought the blue ptfe tape I use to seal the lid to the vessel was more suspect in regards to my new horn.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Also want to add, a HERMS setup to heat the wash indirectly would be the ultimate in safe distilling. In any case, flameless (electric) with proportional control removes a lot of risk especially when running the product of multiple stripping runs.

 

[beermaestro]

I was unaware of the thoughts about using silicone as that’s what I use in all my beer brewing equipment. Guess I will have to make a choice but the lid seals to my fermenter (Which I’m using as a boil pot) using a silicone gasket, that would be impossible to find in ptfe just right not to leak.

 

[fortmonty]

Hi Just saw this thread while looking around. Did you ever convert the fermenter and use it for the purposes of a still ? Would love to know how it went if you did.