StillSmart

A long time ago I built two still heads for my 50lt boiler. One was a pot still head which I use very satisfactorily to this day

The other was a VM head. Having done loads of research I determined that this still type was the simplest to build and operate. I picked a design that seemed to make sense and this is what it looked like...



The reduced section was supposed to increase vapour speed....but it didn't and the head was a complete failure

There was nothing else for it so I broke it up and salvaged what parts I could, basically just the condensing coil and its cap...



The reincarnation looks like this...



...as you can see its been completely simplified.

The new head consists of a 1" takeoff positioned 4" below the bottom of the condensing coil in the 2" column. A simple gate valve leading to a 90odown-turned elbow and a 1" to 1/2" reducer to my liebig product condenser.

I am happy to report that it works a treat. As I'm writing this it is in EQ and having drawn off the fores and heads last night I'm just about to draw off about 50ml to ensure the heads are all cleared then I'll return it to EQ again for a while before starting the Hearts collection.

I checked the last 100ml of the heads collected last night and there's very little smell or taste of heads in it and it measured 96%ABV at a temp of 20oC this morning.

Happy Camper

Ding dong the witch is dead.........

Glad to see the back of that old VM of yours, gave you nothing but grief. Glad the new one is working out for ya.

Running very well now. I've been playing with it all day to learn how to get it to function at maximum efficiency.

Temp at the take-off is rock steady. I'm currently drawing off the Heart at approx 1.4lt/Hr and at 96% ABV (distillate temp when tested was 20oC)

I really can't see myself using this very often because of the slowness. My pot produces very clean neutral and a spirit run is about half the reflux time.

AM

Aidan, why do you run the VM output so slowly; presuming its your choice?
I mean, cant VMs run faster than that and still keep the fractions basically 'separate'?
(apologies if this is a dumb q, btw).

Regardless, its good to know you're enjoying this model....and well done with the build too.

1.4 litres an hour @96%ABV.

That is the same as 4.5 bottles of vodka an hour which to me sounds a lot more reasonable. Or how about one bottle of vodka every 13 minutes that sounds even better.

I make 300ml cuts, so each cut is equivalent to one 75cl bottle of 40%.

Only mind games, but it fills in the time.

Did you notice an improvement with the tails? or Lack of them?

It's as simple as this, once in the Hearts I cranked the power up to the max the 2Kw element could provide and opened the take-off valve almost all the way. What she delivered was 750ml every 32minutes or 1.4lt per hour.

Perhaps if I'd swapped the elements and put in the 3Kw I might have been a ale to pull more off but given the purity of what I got from this run I'm quite pleased.

As I said I can't see myself running this too often as I much prefer my pot still as I'm a Whisky man.

However, I've learned some valuable lessons from this exercise.

AM

Now that's its been a week or so, did you notice an improvement over your pot stilled vodka?

Interesting question!

I noticed a definite difference in the purity of the distillate and after choosing the very best of what I produced I presented my drinking partner with a sample bottle that had been let down to 40% with some nice RO filtered water... she had a few drinks from that bottle on Friday night and after the second drink she said, "It's nice enough but I think I'll stick with my own Vodka." By "my own Vodka" she means the pot stilled version I make for her as she hasn't had anything else since last Christmas.

When we go visiting friends I have to bring a bottle as she just won't drink commercial Vodka at all now.

And with the wave of a hand my VM still head, as well as all the blood, sweat and cursing that went into getting it working properly, became obsolete and surplus to requirements.

I think I'll get it all cleaned up and lacquered and mount it as a display.

Such is life

AM

At least she likes what you make. Mine is not much of a drinker. That makes it harder to justify the hobby.

Chuck

I know what she means though.

From my point of view my own VM is a specialist tool. It converts pot still feints into a clean neutral that is then used as a base for gin or other infused products.

I don't drink "neutral", if I want a sipping vodka if comes off the pot still, and has a slight residual flavour.

When I get the short valve plated column completed, I expect that to take over the vodka duty.

yep....a truly well made, VM (high ABV) spirit is aiming for azeotropic spirit
that's a true neutral, by common definition.

So its not vodka, not any particular 'named' spirit really.....BUT it'll provide a great base for macerations and various flavouring ideas (and, as such, I'd love to have heaps available for the wife, as my potstill would 'never' provide such an easy-get base spirit).

@Aidan, do you have any botanical-type infusions that you have always wanted to try/or thought what you've made in the past was worth a future go, etc?

(Otherwise, how much to post the VM to Aust? )

Hi

Thor´s Hammer solve your problems collect Fores and heads... in your VM Still... :-)

Place this around 350-500mm from valve outake... Use same size om tube (filled scrubbers) as colums, never worry about this any more. Run still around 1 hour then open valve and collect The good Heart... :-)

Works fine...

What size boiler charge is that based on Stilton 13 gallons? or????

a 100 gallon boiler would have more heads than that... so its a valid question i'm a thinkin ...

Hi!

Yes 30 liter but you could plugg venthole and place a valve and let fores and heads out under run by open the valve...

I use it fpr my continus still and there is alot of heads all the time, you feed the first column with new mash ect...

Another pic..