Moving on

[GrunthosTheFlatulent]

Air still (following the Guide) is good but takes a long time for little yield so I’m thinking about moving up to a T500 and am trawling my way through this forum area.

I get the impression that water control is the key to this beastie but it can be a PITA if other family members run a tap or flush the loo.

Where I am thinking of using this I could easily rig up a header tank with a float valve. This would mean it would be gravity fed from a height of around 5 feet. Would this be sufficient?

Manufacturer’s instructions seem to suggest you throw away some foreshots, they make no mention of heads and there should be no appreciable tails, the flow just stops when the alcohol is exhausted - is this a complete and utter load of tosh?

[Anavrin]

Hi Grunthos

Load of tosh as you probably suspected, there are always other alcohol byproducts or esters produced in any wash, it varies depending on what you've fermented but esters such as Acetone and Ethel Acetate will always be present and these are removed by making a heads cut. There is some truth that the T500 will stop producing towards the end of the run, but the exact point that tails come through cannot be predicted by simply setting the cooling water temp at a certain level.

You would have to collect fractions in jars and make cuts based on smell/taste the same as any other distilation.

I don't use a T500 but many guys on here do and I know they recommend a pressure relief valve on you water supply to get a constant water supply, even if someone flushes the loo

[Easydrinker]

I think that Anavarin gave a good response there.
My two-pence worth says that;
If you can bear to lose XX% of all the ethanol that you produce,to fores and(ever recycled,or otherwise disposed of)heads and tails,and a goodly share to the angels,then you will end up with a very good product.
I think the angels get the most of mine,I sometimes air for a month or more,if I have spare glass.
I also do not use a T500,but like the Venn diagram that you thought you would never use after school,some things in life do indeed overlap!

I reckon my XX number to be around 30-40%.

Robert.

[Spirits4BB]

Air still (following the Guide) is good but takes a long time for little yield so I’m thinking about moving up to a T500 and am trawling my way through this forum area.

I get the impression that water control is the key to this beastie but it can be a PITA if other family members run a tap or flush the loo.

Where I am thinking of using this I could easily rig up a header tank with a float valve. This would mean it would be gravity fed from a height of around 5 feet. Would this be sufficient?

Manufacturer’s instructions seem to suggest you throw away some foreshots, they make no mention of heads and there should be no appreciable tails, the flow just stops when the alcohol is exhausted - is this a complete and utter load of tosh?

Kid near me I know trusted me and showed me his set-up of a T500 in action and he was using water from a water butt outside that was pumped to the T500 with a very small submersible pond pump.
He said the main reason was that he's on a meter but was also better flow control.

S4BB

[GrunthosTheFlatulent]

If I go for one of these, and I will be going to my local homebrew shop to take a close look at one on Friday afternoon, then I'm thinking of using it outdoors (under a canopy if necessary) in order to avoid grief from her indoors. In a sheltered corner I have mains water, an electric socket and a drain.

It would be dead simple for me to throw a header tank up onto a flat roof, I have a spare tank and all of the necessary fittings, may need a new ball valve but that's only a fiver.

Further reading on here suggests that VT has already thought of this:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2736

[Spirits4BB]

I'm still tempted to buy one but I really fancy making my own.

[Icefever]

Grunthos hi.

I run a T500 along side my 50liter milk-can...a number of guys have started with the Airstill and then gone on to the T500...I did... It's ok, there are a couple of upgrades that you can do.

As for the water tank...I'm no plumber but I would try it....you will read about putting a pressure valve in the cold water side so that you can adjust the flow.
I did this but for me it just would not work...in the end I put a standard gate valve into my cold supply....I find that a lot easier to use...a slight "tweak" and I can feel the change in temperature in my liebig.

Right!!! fores/heads/hearts/and tails are something you have got to learn mate....we can give you advice on smells/taste/ and a load of other points...but you have to do it yourself..break your run down into jars....Kilner/mason jars or just clean jam jars....take 100ml in each then let them stand (covered) for 24 hours or longer...then start at number 1 jar and smell..taste each jar. Work your way along you'll soon start to see what everyones on about, as you work you way along it "should" get better.. until you get near the last couple of jars.

If you can't build....go for the T500 mate...the guys are here to help you.

[GrunthosTheFlatulent]

Thanks Ice.

Although I can do plumbing, self-build isn't something I want to consider just yet. If I buy a T500 then in time I might make my own pot head.

As you say, cuts is something I'm just going to have to figure out for myself, like I had to with the airstill. There have to be heads but I just wondered if there was any grain of truth in manufacturer's claim of “no appreciable tails”. I really do not like tails!

[Icefever]

Thanks Ice.
I just wondered if there was any grain of truth in manufacturer's claim of “no appreciable tails”. I really do not like tails!

“no appreciable tails” that's a good un...you can read a lot into that statement.
I think that depends on your taste-buds ... ...you don't think that's a sales pitch do you???

[Mr Four Square]

GTF I went down the T500 route but with a pot head, the reflux column they supply and a voltage controller. It's been a good learning set up. TBH I get the most use out of the boiler and the pot still head.

I make the following observations about my set up.

Pros
23 litres is a good weight / size for washes and ingredients. Once you get above that size the barrels get very heavy to lift and you need 10 kgs of sugar etc a time for your washes.
Once you get into the rhythm of wash making, stripping, stilling and cutting you'll have more than enough alcohol.

There's plenty of advice on the forum on how to run them. Try this one for starters http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=502

Cons
As you have worked out already their temperamental water control is a problem. The cooling enters partway down the column. Any change in cooling water volume ( ie water pressure) quickly affects the vapour in the column. Temps drop or increase rapidly. You get into a see saw battle trying to get back to a stable output temp. I have a good water supply and I still have this problem. I know I wouldn't go to the trouble of building a header tank. Just see how difficult the as built set up is.

Mods
I use a pot still head and a controller. Ask on the forum if any one is making them. I adapted an original Still Spirits pot head to fit. After 2 years I built my own with a little help. This really helps stilling quality, time and self satisfaction.

Got eBay components and built a simple voltage controller. Pot stills run at a slower rate so you need to reduce your voltage.

The pot still is great for making anything you want flavour from eg rums whiskeys and fruit brandys. The pot still is also great for stripping washes down before you run them through the reflux column.

Suggestion
Ask on the forum if anyone has adapted the boiler to fit any other type of reflux column.
There are better boilers around I'm sure but as a starter it'll do.