StillSmart

Hi everyone,
had to register and say that I'll be getting my reflux still

from wineworks soon and can't wait, just a quick question

, how do I split the bung on Top (cut from top to bottom one side?)

and how does the end result taste on a whole? Like a

commercial spirit? ( using still spirits yeast ) thanks for

you help and sorry if questions are a little noddy.
BOR

Hi Bottleofrum

I\'m only a novice at this game too but you\'ll find lots of really helpfull guys (& gals?) on this forum.

Cut down one side only. That allows you to spring it open enough to slide the thermometer. you need to make sure you push the bung far enough into the still to close the join back.
Opus

Thanks mate, really cleared that up, how\'s your still running?

I seem to be put down for getting a super reflux still, they all say

it\'s a waste of my money, but truth be known, if it does the job

then I\'m happy haha

just got my reflux it replaces my Air Still. Only done one run todate but cut it today and run it through my Z Filter and got 7.5 litres at 40% ABV out of 24 litres of sugar wash. Cost for 7.5 litres works out about £9.60 plus what ever flavours you add to it.

Only been at it a bit less than a year but now seriously hooked.
Opus

Nice one, can\'t wait to get hooked to, I think I

am now lol, what essances you going to use?

You going to use still spirits range?

Normally I use their Classic Range thats the ones that come in sachets rather than bottles all though some of their top shelf ones aren\'t bad. I\'m a bourbon man and my son is a rum man so we use a lot of their Tennessee Bourbon and Queensland Gold Rum. Havng said that we try just about everything if we aren\'t keen on it we usually find a visitor who is.
Opus

Fair enough
Have you tried the different base\'s and thickning agents?

I have been told the Irish cream is a nice essance

This is where I got my rings from, they\'re about 6mm in diameter and 1 litre volume is more than enough for use in the super reflux.
For whoever it was asking about tap connections... it does come with a push on connector, but you may find that you need to modify that so that it\'s got something better as I usually connect it to my garden hose and have managed to flood the conaervatory a couple of times......

for Bottleofrum........
if you have a dig round the forums, you\'ll find that we did start a thread about which flavourings/essences were good etc.....
Personally, for rum, bourbon (tennessee sourmash/JD type),blended whisky and london type gin I prefer the still spirits classic range (makes 3 bottles/2250mls) but for Plymouth(they call it \"Portsmouth\")/Bombay gins, Irish and Malt whiskies and a few other oddities e.g. cherimoya flavour vodka I prefer the Prestige/Ambrosia flavourings.
If you do try one of the liquor type flavourings I\'d suggest that you don\'t add all the sweetener in 1 go as their suggested amount do make them overly sweet/cloying IMO, say add 2/3\'s of their suggestion and then taste it. You can always add more but it\'s a bugger to reduce it once mixed up.....
Oh and don\'t tke my word for it, but I\'ve yet to find a good brandy flavouring either SS or prestige (Ok with mixers or for cooking though)

Oh stupid me for not looking around haha

thanks phantom, that really helped, do you own

a ss reflux? Also I have been enquiring about a

water saver pump for the ss reflux, I can only

get it from brewcraft and they can ship/fly to uk but

it\'s a little costly but will save alot of water in the long run.

Any one have any idears for a cheaper alternative?
Thanks again BOR

Thanks Phantom for info on Raschig Rings. The ones I have are unsuitable as they are meant for aquatic use so I have ordered from your link. If anyone else is interested their £13.67 a pack (aprox 1 Kg.)
Opus

Right guys I have a choice to make, I have

200 pounds to spend on my hobbie and want to know

if getting a water saver from liquorcraft will be a Good

investment and what else is a must to get for a standard

ss reflux ? Thanks for your help And I welcome your

idears
BOR

Also I have been enquiring about a

water saver pump for the ss reflux, I can only

get it from brewcraft and they can ship/fly to uk but

it\'s a little costly but will save alot of water in the long run.

Any one have any idears for a cheaper alternative?

What would this actually be for ? Is it to do with being on a water meter ?
If so, then a 225litre drum (or larger "chemical dumpy"/IBC would be better if you have the space) and a submersible "hippo" type pump might be a better suggestion. You\'d still have to keep an eye on the coolant temperature though........

Right guys I have a choice to make, I have

200 pounds to spend on my hobbie and want to know

if getting a water saver from liquorcraft will be a Good

investment and what else is a must to get for a standard

ss reflux ?

Well as I mention above, I\'m unfamiliar with what a "water saver" actually is.....
Plus how it might help in some way.......
A SS super reflux is gonna rush you between £225 and £250 anyway so really the choice is yours.......
The super reflux comes with enogh bit to get you going i.e. reflux packing, pipework, standard sink connection for water, etc etc. I don\'t remember if I got a spirits hydrometer with it, but I already had one of those from my table top still anyway.
After that, any other bits you need are just "fine tuning" to your specific needs and facilities.

Hi there phantom
The distillation water saver will help me save on

water (money) as we are on a water meter, it\'s recommened

in the still spirits manual also. Just wondered if any one

had bought this pump and if any good. But seeing

that no one has I\'ll leave it at that. I\'ll take onboard what

you said about the hippo pump though.

Thanks again
BOR

I,ve been doing a fair bit of reading on the function and opperation of reflux stills in general. There seems to be two schools of thought on when you should start and stop collecting. One seems to be purely on temperature where useable stuff comes off from 78c to 92c and the other by ABV% stopping when its down to about 60%. In all cases we throw the first 50ml of a 20L wash as this contains methanol the bad stuff. With both these methods we produce considerably more volume than the 3L suggested by the PDF published by Still Spirits for their super reflux. So I would be interested in what others are achieving with their stills. I\'m still using sugar wash with triple distilled turbo yeast although I omit the turbo carbon.

Opus