Would you eat off your kitchen floor?

[PieOPah]

Well, I guess it is safe to do so from mine.

Doing a spirit run in my airstill and whilst doing the heads cut, the lid suddenly lifts. I leave it to see what happens. After the third time, a little liquid came out, so I turned everything off and lifted the lid. At this point, some condensation must have pooled and dropped into the very hot liquid. This caused everything to bubble over spilling about a litre of boiling hot spirits onto the floor.

Not best impressed!

Having cleaned up the mess, I have thrown in my ceramic beads and started the run again.

Not sure what happened. Seems more likely to be a build up of pressure than the liquid bubbling up too much. But why the pressure build up? Clogged pipes? If so, how do I clean them?

[Almanac]

Never known that to happen on a Spirit Run did you have the ceramics in when it happened?

At least nobody was hurt which, I'm told can happen if you get a violent surge that can throw off the lid and cast litres of boiling, scalding ethanol into the air and over anything in the vicinity. Apparently it's very rare and I've never witnessed it myself.

Easy enough to blow through the cooling pipe with a piece of silicone, or other suitable soft tubing to form a seal over the inside part and blow. I used to do this regularly after stripping runs, just in case

AM

[PieOPah]

No, didn't have the ceramic beads in at the time - I didn't really think it was necessary. I've never had a problem before!

Guess in the future, I'll be adding them regardless - it's not as though they can do any harm in there :-)

I'll give the tubes a blow through once this run as finished (and everything cooled down!)

[Magnu420]

I had this happend to me when I did a spirit run a few months back with me airztill
until I got a strap and rachet to secure the airstill even though I had copper pieces and
ceramic bits
but getting back to original title would you eat of kitchen floor.... well in theory you got a ten seconds bdfore its gets contaminated in my house you got a 2 second cos either the dog or the
cats will get the food.but as it spirit we talkjnv about they wont entertain it only food

[chill]

It sounds like a surge boil. I have had that happen to me in a spirit run when I did not have anything in the newly cleaned still for bubbles to form on (I use small crushed granite because, uh, it was from my pathway, but ceramic beads sound nicer). Unfortunately, I had the genius idea of just tossing them in without waiting for it to cool. The result was impressive, terrifying, and messy. About 3L of boiling strip erupted out of the still and straight up. Do NOT try this at home. I was drunk just from inhaling the fumes as I cleaned up. Since that day I have been very, very, very strict about having something in the still to prevent surge boiling.

Chuck

[Easydrinker]

You beat me to it Chuck,I would suspect a surge boil too.
And would always use some sort of boil pieces.
Ceramic Rashig rings are good,bits of your rockery may be equally as good.
In an all Stainless Steel gizmo,My opinion is that you have to use some copper,so I use copper pipe offcuts.If anyone out there has not tried this yet,I urge them to try,I believe that you will appreciate the difference that it makes

I routinely rinse my Smart Still condenser with water,on the rare occasions that I now use it.
I'm guessing to a similar effect to AM's blowing air trick - ie.you know it is not blocked,mine gives it a rinse too,though it is a bit of a faff and fiddle,all that twirling.
@ Magnu:
I thought the food on the floor rule was 3 seconds,- but try explaining that to environmental health,or whoever deals with public food safety where you or others here reside.I have even seen TV chefs claim this.I guess it depends upon the state of the floor....
And let's not call into question the practice of "Head" chefs de cuisine roaming their kitchens,with a spoon,upon a chain,dangling from around their necks,dipped into various dishes,sampled,and moved on to the next dish....
I have worked in several PRO kitchens,and the stuff you see,would encourage you to eat at home.
Wishing you and yours a good Valentines meal out tomorrow!

Robert.

[chill]

Robert, I'd eat off my kitchen floor - and often do if the wife is not watching. I would never eat off of the floor of any restaurant I have worked at!

[Easydrinker]

As long as you are not sharing with the dog,cat or other pet!

Robert

[Mash]

Replaced the ceramic beads with many 1p's. Sorted.