ESSENCIA SUPER EXPRESS

[Almanac]

I think I understand where you're coming from now.

My standard practice is to only run ultra clean wash in my 50Lt boiler which now has a 3Kw element. I don't care how long it takes to clear a wash. By not running 'dirty' wash I keep a very clean boiler and pot head and my cleaning routine between runs is very easy.

When I run a strip - I did 2 X 40Lt yesterday - there's no smell and I couldn't tell you what it tastes like because I double distill everything - regardless, so I've never seen the need to sample the low wines

My Pot Still has a Thumper attached which provides an extra element of distillation - estimated to be the equivalent of an extra half distillation. This means that by stripping a wash then putting the low wines through the pot again as a Spirit Run I'm effectively getting a triple distilled spirit and I can tell you that what I produce now is very tasty indeed.

That's where I am now but I do remember the early days, I sound like an old-timer now, when I believed, as I was told, that I could get drinkable spirit from my Airstill from a single run.

The smell was seriously 'homebrew' crap and I quickly discovered that, while the distillate from the Airstill was around 65-70%ABV, when diluted to standard spirit strength it would make you sick the next morning and that's if you could ignore the off smell when drinking it - even with a strong mixer.

That's when I learned the biggest secret of home distilling.

"Don't try to squeeze the most out of your still, just take the best and recycle the rest ".

AM

Way off topic Sorry, I've put the soap-box away now.

[John51]

I have ran my 2" VM with 2500w without any issue.

To clarify, I meant high wattage when running a HBS still with their short and super short columns.

[billmcc]

The essencia could be a mean reflux stripping tool or change to pot still mode and the 3 kw would be a fast stripper,then only use one element with power controll for spirit run. on full power you cant chuck enough water at these little columns but with power controll and reduced water and more efficent reflux an extra abv of upto 5% can be achieved.this still seems quite versatile to me its certainly not a one trick pony.but with the differance in price of £120 from the still spirits super reflux all you are geting extra with the essencia is a 1500 watt element and a tap on the boiler
cheers