Puking on strip runs (esp. with large boiler)

[Frank]

I was running the potstill today doing a FSW wash (ie unfermentables included) strip run.....this, of course, means LOTS of potential re puking....
so, to be safe, I put 22l in the 50l boiler, added 'veg. oil', and ran it slowly from pre-foreshots to end-of-collect..

BUT I'd love to speed things up a bit if I could.

SO my question is (esp as it relates to these types and volume of washes)..... does the likelihood of puking decrease as the run progresses or does it remain the same throughout the strip run??

[YHB]

Frank,

My boiler is not large 25 Litres - I have only experienced a full puke once, it happened 2/3 of the way through a strip run (Allbran).

Why then? I can't say for sure but I suspect that as the level of liquid in the boiler decreases, the constant heat input will cause the liquid to boil more vigorously as the run progresses.

Why did it happen? I forgot to add the butter.

What stopped it? just turned the heat down a few watts.

What was the impact? I ended up with a slightly straw coloured distillate which was not a big problem, it went into the spirit run as normal.

[Frank]

Cheers Brian
I appreciate the info.

Mate, luckily my whisky strips havent puked since the very first time when I put too much in the boiler (ie 40l in 50l boiler) however...
I noticed the 'sound' in the column of my potstill changed over the course of a the striprun yesterday; from almost-fizzing to gurgling; and I wondered about 'how close to puking' I may have been (no sightglasses in my old potstill ).
I thought the gurgling was a bit suss, so I dropped the heat and no problems.

[FullySilenced]

THey make a silicone/dimethicone defoamer for use in boilers to prevent puking somewhat expensive...


It is the same silicone/dimethicone additive that goes in hot tubs antifoamers... much less expensive gives the same results... and is 4 to `16 times larger in package size... just read the labels till you find one with only that ingredient...


here is a dimethicone link for inexpensive product as an example of a source......

www.lotioncrafter.com/dm350-dimethicone.html‎

[Myles]

How about Infacol (simeticone)?

[FullySilenced]

simethicone and dimethicone are in the same family of silicones



Infacol is what less than one ounce and 10 dollars US versus 16 ounces of the Hot tub antifoam less than 10 dollars US


Something like this product not sure what its emulsified with but worth a look>>>>>

http://www.swimmingpoolchemicals.co.uk/ ... 6s7ks1hkt1

[Gaztops]

Sometimes a run will puke out if the wash hasn't fully fermented dry.

The unfermented sugar makes the wash expand and bubble over.

[googe]

Hey frank, it doesn't really matter with strip runs does it?.

[Frank]

@Googe
mate, as I'm sure you are aware, there's certainly different schools of thought here.. particularly on a strip for a whisky or rum say.....for sure its not VITAL to keep all of the wash out of the distilled strip, though:
1. I wonder how much would be too much...I've NFI, so I work with the principle that 'none' is not too much AND
2. I'll be stuffed it I want to go and clean the 'foam/puke' out of the still, post strip, just for the sake of letting it puke 'a bit'. Its a b#stard of a job really.

So....in summary my no puke allowed ideal is (at least partly ) based on ignorance and laziness.