RUNNING THE T500 LIKE A POT STILL

[@davidmartin1015]

I’ve watched many videos on distilling over the years and built my own reflux still. You are the best presenter I have seen in getting the facts and methods across. I really appreciate that, and will draw on your your guidence frequently. Dave from Aus.

[@philiptruitt]

Thank'e George! I just finished all 10 videos on the Turbo 500!! Thanks for the expert instruction and classroom experience!

[@stanlindert6332]

I like that you show the right method in an easygoing way. Thanks

[@jimmyrankin2858]

Hey George Can you do a video on how to adjust your temp when doing a spirit run on a pot still! Love your work mate! 🇭🇲

[@shavedwolf87]

Pot stills are very basic, the level of heat just controls your desired flow speed. Stripping runs are ran fast and a lot heat, spirit runs are ran slower with less heat.

[@girthbrooks8795]

Big science teacher energy, love your dedication to the community and the craft. New to distilling and soaking up every tidbit I can as I get started. Thank you infinitely for sharing your knowledge with the rest of the world 🙏🏻

[@ToolsOutsideTheBox]

Please test the Alembic dome on it!

[@theambitiousprepper3502]

🤯🤯🤯...George, Thank you for letting us live inside your head!!! Love learning from you.

[@christurner1791]

There's two mods required for ALL T500 owners (I can't add pics, so will do my best to explain) 1) At the top of the column, where the water hose goes from the condenser to reflux - you need to split the hose & insert a john guest T-Junction (brewerschoice.com.au/shop/kegging/fittings-and-tubing/john-guest-equal-tee/) & a valve (www.amazon.com/PISV0416S-Straight-Speedfit-Connector-Connect/dp/B00MJX8FR6) to control how much flow goes to your reflux side. This allows you to run the condenser at full flow (for full effect) & yet can still control the reflux amount. 2) SCR Voltage Controller (www.amazon.com/Awakingdemi-Controller-Electronic-Voltage-Regulator/dp/B071YZLGPZ) This lets you control how much heat you're sending into the boiler. When you run low wines, you'll find it's better to knock down the heat a little to stop spewing out your product.

[@christurner1791]

@@HB-gv9sz You don't need to, just monitor output flow rate.

[@bobtheelectrician6692]

@@christurner1791 Drip - drip - spurt (repeat) at about the same rate you can pronounce it.

[@mustavertwang]

George is the King of guidance of home distillers bar none!

[@HeartPumper]

I wonder if you really need "active" reflux spiral at all, in the pot mode? Presumably not. Other option to have tiny reflux effect - instead of stainless steel packing, to use baking beans (hitemp ceramic balls). My version of T500 pot still mode : - empty the column & take the copper saddles apart, - drop them back as first, - then those muslin hopsocks as a "botanical basket" - filled with whatever you fancy, - fill in baking beans (just to 2/3 height of the column). - connect cooling water hoses only to the condenser (you can add wortometer with temp probe on the outlet - advised but not needed). - bring the system to the temp (full boiling heat - I'm on Grainfather), balance it with water flow & collect the product, using parrot (or not), make cuts etc.

[@danbest8332]

Hi George I just want to say thank you so much. Your explanation of running a T500 as a pot still in this video has answered most my questions. I have only ever run my T500 as a reflux but decided to make some rum for my father-in-law. I have made rum through the reflux with a molasses mix but the flavour wasn’t full enough for what I was after so I added some barrel chips to enhance and colour it. It never even occurred to me that I could infuse through the column. I do have one question regarding your output temperature. I usually run mine between 56-60 c or 132-140f (spirits) and get a 4 litre yield from a 25l batch at 93-95% abv using an alcometer. Do I need to run the “pot” still at 77c to get a better result for the rum. I thank you in advance. Dan NZ

[@ianmasters4225]

What an absolute gentleman you are. Subscription added.

[@dirtyworkdiver]

Hi George, I just bought the T 500 Botanical Basket which screws onto the bottom of the column. Admitedly, I have not experimented with coconut...yet. I like your knotted sock idea! Neccessity is the mother of invention! Can you post your blueberry mead recipe? I've made honey mead, never blueberry. Thanks, Jeff

[@MrRhino12667]

Have you used it and is it very big? I hear it is undersized.

[@chucknaturale307]

@@MrRhino12667 it will do 5 gallons at a time i have used one for year's before moving up to bigger

[@Hazy154]

Great stuff George, love all your videos mate! Keep it up!

[@markhawkins497]

As always just perfect George.

[@sladjanasabados8587]

hello from Serbia ....your presentation is great i will make something like that but i have a question...could pot be from aluminium?and all other road for alcohol copper?....in our country all pots are from copper does it realy metter?i dont want eny poison to come out because i didnt put copper...THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING ME...Marijan

[@roytelling6540]

One day I hope to get a gas burner or electric heater element with a PDM controller. As I can't get the drip drip spert :( I only have an old electric hob cooker and on heat number 4 I get drip drip drip only and on number 5 I get pore pore pore: but for people out there that can't get the optimum flow (like me) I find that the drip drip drip (on my homemade pot still) gives me a cleaner and smooth flavour.

[@barrytipton1179]

Get a t500 boiler etc lot easier

[@cbcsucks2205]

Does the stainless steel T500 have a copper lined reflux column? Also are you using the stock gasket? and the tubing at the top between the reflux column and the condenser looks different as well.

[@Workmills23]

I got rid of the thermometer, just going by the flow rate now

[@jay71512]

Great video as slways george! Just one question how did you get that vanilla pod and muslin to stay up inside the column?

[@rsa420]

I was thinking the same thing

[@ryancram45]

rsa420 the t500 has a close lid at bottom. It’s not falling through.

[@paulmyfinger]

Mine is new and I cant fit a bag past the temp probe mount inside. Maybe they changed the design

[@shadow4280]

Love the videos! Thanks

[@jasontaylor8339]

Awesome video loads of information to digest ,I’m stuck on one thing and it is .after running your wash and stripping your alcohol do you dilute to 40 % then return to the boiler and run again with flavours or fill the boiler with alcohol & water to 25ltr marker and flavours and run as before with flavours . yours Jason from Australia

[@connornixon496]

Just got into the hobby and you’ve helped me so much loads of different challenges of had to deal with using t500 Hope to get this into a Business one day any thoughts on home distillation and moving into Commercial distilling

[@shadow4280]

Coconuts are starchy? So maybe a coconut mash is possible?

[@randypullman1155]

It's not that difficult. One measures booze content while the other measures sugar content. Anyway what we really want to see is the temperature adjustment. As I've pointed out different altitudes are different boiling points which is important when cutting the poisons....cheers

[@superdupermax]

Hmmm. When i saw this i was wondering how you control the bottom temp on this for pot still... Essentially you are making the reflux column into a pre condenser of sorts?

[@josephrasberry961]

Can the T 500 have a PID added to control the temperature?

[@cjthebomb5518]

i know i'm doing something wrong but I'm not sure, I get about half a quart out of 6 gallons, 8lbs of sugar for 6 gallons of water, about quarter of a cup activated yeast. anyone have an idea??

[@richardharris5083]

Good video. I own a t500 so always look for different ways to use it . Do you need to do cuts when using it this way ?? Thankyou

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Yes, foreshot obviously but I stop collecting before tails.

[@richardharris5083]

@@BarleyandHopsBrewing thankyou

[@Martinwhynot]

But is it up to it? I own a T500 and was terrified of running it hotter than as instructed. But - you've done it so I'll take a punt!

[@mrpoop123]

Old comment but how did yours go?

[@folkmarcmetal]

I think there is another way to run this like a pot still. Just remove the saddles and the tube up top, run a hose to the drain from the top of the condenser and connect the cold water to the bottom of the condenser. Now it's just a pot still. Sorry for the bad explanation, English is not my native language. Do you think this would work?

[@johancornelis3719]

thx great video

[@stevecornick]

Hello George, thanks for the great video. One question, will running the T500 as a pot still decrease the total distilling time? I'm thinking it will take a lot less time to distill all the available alcohol because it is not refluxing. Thanks.

[@MrRhino12667]

George, would you just put Cinnamon sticks in the column or put them in a sock first? in your opinion, how many do you think would be needed?

[@gunlabchris]

Just ordered my T 500 can’t wait used a pot still for years How can I tell when still is getting empty does the alcohol % drop

[@footloosecamping4699]

Just a question. Would it be better to use a refractometer instead of a alcometer to get your sugar, as you would not get a error due to viscosity causes by the density of the pulp suspended in the liquid. . I am going to give this recipe a try.One again Thanks for your program.

[@nickcarnevalino7462]

I have read a ton of gloom and doom about running a t500 as a pot still ... it gets to hot for the parts , you need to bypass the coil in the stack , etc ... BUT i have never heard one false thing from you (George) and you make some of the more knowledgeable people on the internet seem simple and your saying it's ok to do this ... so with that , i now have zero fear of running my t500 in this way.

[@MrRhino12667]

I have too but on page 13 of the manual, the question is asked... they recommend not for better results to use the Dome top. But do not say not to do it. I believe they made improvements to it over earlier versions that had problems.

[@carleysmith4970]

Hi George! I’m wondering what you’d suggest for running a tequila wash through the t500 as a pot still? Should I disconnect or minimize the cooling water hoses to keep the most flavour coming across from the wash? Or just run it as you did here without the flavouring sock? Thanks so much!!

[@lilymcalister1825]

When you place the vanilla and coconut in there, do u have a way if keeping that from collapsing down into a heap? A way to keep it spread out? Thank you.

[@tommydozier375]

George your great !!!!! Tell me how it holds it there.and what temperature to you run your boiler

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

The t500 is a static heater element that is set to 125 degrees C. It just runs and the temperature is controlled by the water flow through the condenser. Much different than a traditional still.

[@tommydozier375]

George one more question I have the. Digiboil it you run at 125 c won't it boil the water into the reflux .thank you for your time

[@havoc_64]

did you pull the foreshot's out? I didn't see that in the video

[@barrytipton1179]

Would I be able do some smoky malt wash and a mixed corn wash this way I’m thinking getting the alembic just missed one on eBay Uk too far to travel in lockdown

[@cgro100]

Why is it a brandy , and not a blueberry vodka ?

[@Grandpa_RLP]

Can you replace the packing you took out of the T500 if you want to strip with it like it is intended to do?

[@Josh-jr1dd]

Did much of the blue berry flavor come through George?

[@jamiedolomount3160]

Hi George_ Great videos_ do you use copper in the column when running the T500 like a pot still?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

no

[@dannixey4597]

Hey George have you ever used brown sugar in a sugar wash? If a guy ran that through a t500 and ran as a pot still with the vanilla bean and coconut what you think would bring much in flavour ( being a sugar wash) . Running it through a filter would that strip flavours?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Filters don't normally remove flavor.

[@AnthonyDigi1205]

The digital temp meter measurement of the water output how do u know the temp of the vapor

[@shavedwolf87]

You don’t. This still has no heat control so you have no idea what vapor temp really is. It’s preset and you just control the water flow.

[@trucker5774]

When you remove the raschig rings from the column, is there a small pipe/coil from the head to the water outlet at the bottom of the column? It appears that there would be something connected from the outlet of the condenser, dropping into the column as a pre-condenser.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

This is the torpedo condenser used to cause the reflux action in the T 500.

[@trucker5774]

@@BarleyandHopsBrewing So virtually the same as the inside of the condenser but having less effect as the water has been pre-heated by the condenser and it is in a hotter and larger vessel? I'm in the design stages of a combo column, which will act as a reflux with an infusion (gin) head, It will readily convert to a pot still like the "mighty mini" Keep up the good work, George. Your videos are clear and informative.

[@sjporr]

2 questions, Is there a way to control the boiler temp? And would you use the Turbo 500 to make beer?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Would not use a T500 for beer. Boiler temp is pre-set. No control George

[@alexside5039]

Great video man. How fast do you run the water output thanks Al

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

With the T 500 the temperature is controlled by water flow so it varies.

[@badassboltz]

How much water is used in the cooling ? If it uses a lot of water Could you use a large cooler with ice and use the pump/ regulator attachment that is sold as an accessory? Thanks, new to this and looking at purchasing the T-500.

[@MrRhino12667]

Yes, you can. this is mentioned on page 14 of the T 500 manual.

[@fourdeadinohio8303]

could you go over "where you put it" one more time....LOL

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Sure will on the next video. LOL. Obviously you got the humor. George

[@kennethmay5624]

Better than getting the copper dome for T500?

[@jay71512]

Nope! But cheaper!

[@mothox]

Hi George, what is the smallest amount of liquid you can have in the boiler? I tried a Gin last night with 2.5 litres and she was running so hot with the water flow controller going flat out. The temp was 140F but steam vapour with liquid coming out. I was hoping for a litre of gin and cut it off at 120ml.... disappointing, but the best Gin I have ever tasted. Wow. Would you have kept it running? I was concerned about destroying the boiler with too small a quantity? Thanks for the video and everything you do. Cheers 🍻

[@dzincster]

I'm not George, but I'd never run it under 30% of it's capacity. So, shoot for 7.5-8 liters.

[@mothox]

Hi Jon, Thanks for the tip. Appreciate your comment. I thought I could have ruined the boiler. I’ll add some extra water to get to 8 litres and extract the remainder. The flavour might suffer but hopefully it’ll run correctly. I’ll do a full 8 litre gin extract next time. Live and learn. 🍻

[@dzincster]

@@mothox you probably could've damaged the boiler, I'm glad you didn't. Be safe, and you'll be a good asset to the craft.

[@barrywaters6336]

The instructions say a minimum qty is 10 Ltrs

[@AnthonyDigi1205]

What temperature should the input water be

[@rocketsroc]

I've got the gin basket attachment. Would that do for the coconut and the vanilla?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Yes

[@jimmarsden5911]

I notice you are using just one collection container. Do you not need to make cuts using the T500 in thus way? Doeas it really keep the flavour like a traditional pot still?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Yes it keep the flavor and my cuts are simple; foreshot tossed out, hearts and heads together and tails left behind.

[@rick151]

HUGE QUESTION ABOUT RUNNING TURBO 500? If I don't complete the batch started, and start it again, and again...Do I need to dispose of the ethanol every time for that same run?

[@chucknaturale307]

No

[@amberhesamisogynistheard2653]

Your running it at 165F but the instruction manual says not to go above 149F

[@Martinwhynot]

You are running the still fairly hot. Does it not adversely effect the plastic parts?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

This still is quite different from traditional stills.

[@barrytipton1179]

That’s temp meant be at

[@christianmelone1451]

Hi, i have made Gin using this method. I am wondering why i get condensation in the neck of my bottles? Do you have any solutions or can recommend anything i am doing wrong? Many thanks

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Has nothing to do with distilling. Probably warm Gin going in and the bottle is cool so the warm gin condenses.

[@camerongeerling7474]

Curious how you got the vanilla to stay up there. Is that also in a sock, or is there a bottom screen on the column that holds it in?

[@tommydozier375]

Thanks my question to

[@GlenEdwards]

Yeah we didn’t get to see how it STAYS “in the column” - unless there’s a screen that goes on the bottom, it will slip out and... INTO THE BOILER... which would probably also do the job?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

It has a screen at the bottom of the column where it attaches to the pot. Comes that way

[@GlenEdwards]

Barley and Hops Brewing AHAH! Fantastic!

[@alexside5039]

Hi george great work with the videos. I run my t500 with the water only going to the condenser like a potstill. My question is could you put a small pt100 probe in the coil at the top and control it with a pid? Thanks Al

[@paulmyfinger]

Did you figure this out mate?

[@alexside5039]

No i never did

[@barrywaters6336]

@@alexside5039 I've emailed George a week ago on this. have a controller and wanted to know if I could physically strap the probe to the outside of the condenser rather than put holes in the top. Yet to receive a response but it may be easier to just modify the top perhaps

[@alexside5039]

@@barrywaters6336 id rather not start drilling holes in stuff if I can help it haha

[@BVSocialClub]

You could create a small chamber (even with ABS) with the probe inserted into it, then attach the condenser hose on each end. However, I would be cautious, as I have read that people have had problems with the plastic top cap distorting overtime during standard operation. This mod could create additional heat in the column head and accelerate the deterioration.

[@ozzybargainhunter2245]

How do you keep the sock from falling into the pot ?

[@pharmdpottery]

There is a cap with threads that you put on the bottom of the reflux column that has grates that will prevent the sock from falling out.

[@tomkehl9632]

distilling

[@Kberrysal]

Can you make a gin this way

[@mediaaccount6218]

Is this more effective than just chucking everything in the wash?

[@chucknaturale307]

Yes way better

[@mediaaccount6218]

@@chucknaturale307 I can't fit a sock inside mine, the condenser tube gets in the way ...maybe the design changed

[@chucknaturale307]

@@mediaaccount6218 you can hang it from the base for the same effect or get the gin basket

[@mediaaccount6218]

So don't need the alembic lid then?

[@chucknaturale307]

I love mine

[@barrywaters6336]

@@chucknaturale307 I hear some reports of them leaking. like the seal is somehow different to that on the boiler lid. Do you find this? Could be old info

[@chucknaturale307]

@@barrywaters6336 I used two seals the one it came with and the one from the old lid sealed great.

[@tatermorgan6559]

Where can we get a T500?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Check on line or call Josh at the store.

[@barrytipton1179]

On on gumtree Uk in Edinburgh today 30may 2020

[@mclyker]

Do you still enjoy the calls? Lol

[@thejollyfrog640]

The T500 condensor is not designed to be used as a pot still. Ask the manufacturer. The plastic bridge at the top between the column and product condensor is exactly that....PLASTIC. The hot vapour comes in contact with the plastic. ALSO....Stuffing the column with a sock full of botanicals could block the vapour path causing pressure build-up making it a potential bomb. A somewhat knowledgeable person giving bad advice.

[@superwag634]

What kind of “plastic”? Could it be Teflon?