Distilling Moonshine Run #1 - SPP vs Scrubbies

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

What kind of production rates do you guys get?

[@chicoalarantianah75]

it'll vary from still to still , && x (by) the abv % of the low wines ....

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Any idea how fast I could go if I filled 'er with 10 gallon of 35% instead of 10 gallons of 21%?

[@LouwrensvanderMerwe]

@@OpenSourceDistilling You will still collect at the same rate (1500ml/hr), but you will only collect more alc at 95.6%.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

@@LouwrensvanderMerwe I'm starting to realize how oversized a keg is for a 2" reflux column. Put too much in and you'll be distilling for days, lol.

[@kalleklp7291]

Mine is about the same as yours, so is the power setting. As for stripping runs I run a potstill and crank it up to about 3 L per hour. That is really all I can get as I run a 2 KW heating element (my circuit breaker won't let me draw more power). At my buddies garage, we cranked it up to 4,5 L per hour which is what I believe the limit for my rig. Anything more than that would require a full size keg like yours and a decent 5-6 KW heating element. Alternatively, I could run on gas which I'm not that keen on...especially not in my appartment..lol.

[@hsicanadahsicanada8572]

hi, thank you for your video. Does the process give away smell in your apartment when you do azeotropic runs or pot still runs (if you have done some in the past)?

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Azeotrope/Vodka runs don't smell, but my stripping runs do smell. The issue with the stripping runs is that I don't have a shotgun condenser (yet). Next year I"m getting into whisk(e)y and will be building a shotgun. Until then, I'll be playing around with my Liebig condenser for fun kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppPYiXmOi76Vhbc.

[@uffa00001]

You don't need a sight glass to see how much volume of liquid you have in your boiler. You just need to prepare a metal (or plastic) stick with some notch on it. The same technique which is used for measuring the oil level in the crankshaft. You put a gallon of water: immerse the stick, take it out, note the level, make a notch; Then you put another gallon, and repeat. While you are there, you could switch to metric measures, and put a notch every 3 litres for instance :-)

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

That's one thing I love about this hobby, the different creative ways people come up with to solve their problems. Thanks for sharing your solution! Keep them coming. Much appreciated.

[@Schnuz]

Yo dude, Loony Larry sent me here, not a stiller but I did love the camo and it's a far more technical vid than I've seen before 😄. Cheers, Schnuz.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Welcome!!! Glad to have you here :)

[@drdzdd]

Please a video abt the excel man. And I love your show, please continue. Congrats for such a good content

[@bevoburn]

i use a t500 column and i'm thinking about buying a long copper tube that is 1/2" wide then cut it up in 1/4" segments and use that as packing.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Nice. I've seen copper saddles. Let me know if you end doing that and how they work out.

[@norvikable]

Great video. Would appreciate a in depth video on the spreadsheet.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Alrighty then. I will put that on the list, go into distilling theory a little bit more. Thanks for watching!

[@1FrenchConnection1]

Best video you ever made! My collection rate with scrubbier is 3 litres/h. Have you ever found that you need to slow down after 3/4 of your collection. I usually go to 1.5L/H after 3/4 to compress the the tail.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Yeah I do. Once I get to around 80% complete I need to turn down the takeoff to try and squeeze out the last of the hearts.

[@KC9RXP]

I'm very interisted in how you got the heater installed in the keg. If you had to thread a nut on the back side, how did you place and hold it through the small keg opening? Trying to solve that issue myself. Thanks!

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Had a metal shop weld in half couplings. It was super expensive, 3 half couplings and it was like $200 bucks or something (it was years ago). People always talk about welding when it comes to stainless steel but never talk about brazing or soldering. I have bought silver solder with the right flux and some solder-on 1.5" triclamp fittings that I will be upgrading my still with. They are small enough that I can drill the holes with a step drill bit I have. I'll also be soldering or brazing in some 1/2" fittings for a sight glass as well. Stay tuned for that video. I've watched some videos and silver solder seems to have good mechanical strength. Not as good as welding of course but how much strength do you need?

[@KC9RXP]

@@OpenSourceDistilling just got back to this. I ended up 56% silver brazing a threaded fitting in and I'm very happy with it

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

@@KC9RXP Awesome sauce. What did you braze in? Did you braze in half couplings? I've been trying to figure out exactly what I want to braze in and what I may want to get professionally welded. Can you snap a few pics and email them to me? [e-mail]

[@KC9RXP]

@@OpenSourceDistilling I think the fitting was called a welding butt. It's like a half coupling, but with a flange that rests against the outside of the tank. That gave me alot more surface area to wick the braze into. I tig weld by trade and still opted for the silver braze because of the price, ease of use, and strength. I will send you a few pictures of the fitting installed with the size I used. Cant remember off the top off my head.

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

@@KC9RXP Thanks! Please also let me know where you picked them up from, would like to share that too with the community :)

[@hsicanadahsicanada8572]

hi, great videos. could it be possible to have your open source excel spreadsheet for the data ? thank you. keep on the good work

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Yeah, download link here. Enjoy! bit.ly/Distilling_Workbook

[@hsicanadahsicanada8572]

@@OpenSourceDistilling thank you

[@stillworksandbrewing]

nice informational video

[@cbcsucks2205]

What are you using for boiler insulation?

[@kalleklp7291]

Throw your heads and tails in the next stripping run. No need to waste good alcohol. :) Alternatively, do a separate heads and tails run...you'll be surprised about the result. This is especially true when running whiskey or brandies. Whatever you do it's important to make a generous foreshot cut. If you do it at both stripping- and spirit run you'll end up with a superior product. Happy distilling. :)

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Happy Distilling much love!

[@1FrenchConnection1]

How much heads do you collect?

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Usually, around 17% of the total still charge. So about 1.5 liters for 6 gallons of 35% low wines.

[@thewolfsden2502]

hey loony Larry sent me here

[@OpenSourceDistilling]

Any friend of Looney Larry is a friend of mine. Welcome!

[@rosstisbury1626]

can you drop the silly mask . . . please