StillSmart

My first post here although I have trawled though a lot of the information on here. I am a total newcomer to spirit distilling but have brewed beer and made wines for many years. I have a Grainfather with one of the new controllers which I am quite happy with using. At a visit to a localish homebrew shop I was introduced to distilling, the Still Spirits range and was sold almost straight away. Anyway, I came away with an Airstill, EZ Filter and Pure Turbo yeast pack with its associated carbon and turbo clear. I hadn't got around to using the Airstill, probably because I kept hearing and reading conflicting advice on methods of use. One side, usually the proprietors saying to ignore forums etc. and you don't need all that stuff with the modern yeasts etc. whilst hearing a totally different view from enthusiasts on the forums. A week or two later, after a bit more research and with having a Grainfather I opted for the T500 (copper version) as all I needed was a new top for the GF. So a return to the shop I exchanged the unused Airstill for the T500 which at the moment is also still unused. Initially I am interested in simply producing a simple neutral spirit that I can flavour. I might dabble in the more exotic and complex things later depending how I get along. Everywhere I read the advice seems to say do two runs at least. Whereas the shop says the EZFilter removes the need for that. You can probably see why am confused. I am more inclined to believe the word of the enthusiasts. I saw a very useful post in these forums called Getting The Best Out Of My Airstill. Is there a version of this very well explained post for the T500. I am missing some of the basic knowledge. For example if I am doing a stripping run with this Pure Turbo pack which I believe finishes fermenting at around 14%, do I just run it with the Grainfather on full 100degC boil and collect everything until it stops dripping? and if so will I boil the Grainfather dry as to me thats a bit of a worrying thought. If I have got to the point where I have done the stripping run do I then dilute the result to 40% and is this measured using a spirit hydrometer diluting gradually till I get 40% for the next run ? The next bit is the grey area for me. I am hoping I can just discard the first 125ml I think the recommendation is and the rest is ok. Continue till it stops and hopefully not boiling the GF dry ? I might have a problem if I have to go by smell on when to stop as to complicate things my sense of smell is very bad due to chemical factory work over the years. I might need to get a second opinion from the wife . Any pointers or guides for the T500 if they exist would be much appreciated. I have been through all the biased manufacturers videos.

Biggles wrote:do I just run it with the Grainfather on full 100degC boil and collect everything until it stops dripping? and if so will I boil the Grainfather dry as to me thats a bit of a worrying thought.

The T500 is a reflux head. Whatever you put into it - 10,14,24 or 40%abv - the product will come off at 90-93%. Once there's no alcohol left to come over, the remaining water will just keep refluxing up part of the T500 head and get no higher, it will condense back into the boiler. That's why it can't boil dry, and why the product isn't going to be diluted if the still is left on longer than it need be.

Thank's Spot. That makes sense as there is no steam escaping as it's a sealed system the remaining water vapour will just keep condensing down and I presume leave quite a sizeable quantity of water in the boiler.

Contrary to what anyone has just advised you, I can assure you that a T500 column is quite capable of distilling water, but in doing so you can warp the plastic top section so it will no longer seal, that's why it's advised not to distill water with them, not even after removing the packing, so leaving it running can boil it dry.
Fortunately the Grainfather has a trip when this is sensed and switches off.

EDIT: The T500 boiler also has this failsafe trip.

Cheers for that Vino. I hope I don't get it to the point of tripping the Grainfather as if I have then by the sounds of it I will have already probably melted the seals at the top of the column. So if I keep the outlet water flow temperature below 65degC then I should be safe ?

Biggles wrote:Cheers for that Vino. I hope I don't get it to the point of tripping the Grainfather as if I have then by the sounds of it I will have already probably melted the seals at the top of the column. So if I keep the outlet water flow temperature below 65degC then I should be safe ?

Unfortunately Imake decided to get rid of the old T500 column that had a temp sensor in the vapour path as well, then it was easy to know what was going on.
The water outlet temp probe would when normal, indicate 55 to 65 when running, the better way is to regulate the water flow until your spirit comes off at a slow trickle regardless of what the temp is. Running it with a parrot is better still, that way you can see the % that's coming off in real time.

I did notice the earlier versions of the T500 had another temperature probe at the top. I am curious why they removed it. I can't be cost, surely as it wouldn't cost much at all. Possibly to stop any confusion? As for a Parrot, is that an addon or an alternative to the T500.

A parrot goes between the output of your still and your collection jar with a spirit hydrometer in it, so you get an up to date measurement of the strength of alcohol currently being produced.

https://www.stilldragon.eu/en/product-collection-parts/409-baby-product-collector.html

Like a permanent trial jar. Very clever. It looks fragile and not available in the UK as far as I can tell. I did find an alternative here which looks a bit more robust http://www.distillingdominoes.co.uk/copper-parrot/
Not sure how you would get a reliable reading though unless peering down the spout is close enough.

I am not going to try and give advice about running a T500 or grainfather, I own neither.
I do know that many T500 users double distill for a neutral product.
I can only suggest that you try both methods.
Personally I strip with a pot still and reflux distill the strip.
And then I Carbon filter.
Because I can.
And because one of my reasons for doing this thing is to be in control of what I drink, not just cheap alcohol.
What I do works for me.
Until you have tried a few things, you may not know what suits you.
Have fun finding out.
Stay safe.

Robert.

You can purchase the Still Dragon glass version from the UK, mine arrived in just three days from ordering it. I do tend to use mine with great care and am ever mindfull if anyone gets near it , it is very light but does the job fantastically well as you can see the percentage much easier than with the copper one, having said the the copper one will take more knocks and it does look the part...

gadget

Easydrinker wrote:I am not going to try and give advice about running a T500 or grainfather, I own neither.
I do know that many T500 users double distill for a neutral product.
I can only suggest that you try both methods.
Personally I strip with a pot still and reflux distill the strip.
And then I Carbon filter.
Because I can.
And because one of my reasons for doing this thing is to be in control of what I drink, not just cheap alcohol.
What I do works for me.
Until you have tried a few things, you may not know what suits you.
Have fun finding out.
Stay safe.

Robert.

From what I have read on here so far quite a lot seem to use a pot still first for the stripping run then a reflux for the rest of it for a neutral spirit. What advantages has the pot still got for the strip run.

inspector gadget wrote:You can purchase the Still Dragon glass version from the UK, mine arrived in just three days from ordering it. I do tend to use mine with great care and am ever mindfull if anyone gets near it , it is very light but does the job fantastically well as you can see the percentage much easier than with the copper one, having said the the copper one will take more knocks and it does look the part...

gadget

That fast, wow. Definitely worth a look. Last thing I ordered from abroad was a bluetooth hydrometer/thermometer from the US. The tax and duty was a killer. At least there shouldn't be any duty to pay on the Still Dragon while we are still in Europe.

Biggles wrote:
From what I have read on here so far quite a lot seem to use a pot still first for the stripping run then a reflux for the rest of it for a neutral spirit. What advantages has the pot still got for the strip run.

I use the alembic dome and condenser on my T500 boiler for stripping then the reflux column for the spirit run.

With no plastic parts to melt on the dome and condenser, I can run the still hotter and faster on the stripping run. This allows me to strip a fully charged boiler in about 2 and a half hours. That makes it an after work evening job and leaves weekends free for the long slow spirit runs.

[quote="Biggles

From what I have read on here so far quite a lot seem to use a pot still first for the stripping run then a reflux for the rest of it for a neutral spirit. What advantages has the pot still got for the strip run.[/quote]

Seagull beat me to it, speed.

And why fill your packed column with muck or take the time to unpack?
If you can stow/afford extra gear, it buys you extra time/saves time.

Robert.