|
 Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
 
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
|
 Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still   3
#20289925 - 07/18/14 06:52 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
This has been discussed elsewhere, but I believe it deserves a thread of its own. This thread will deal specifically with using a Turbo Yeast sugar wash and with a Wok Still - distilling without a distillation apparatus using unmodified pots and pans in your kitchen.
If you were to buy a liter bottle of foodgrade high proof alcohol (90+%) in a liquor store, you would either find it to cost $20-$50 in taxes or not available at all, depending on where you live.
So you might want to consider to produce your own, not only is it easy but it comes at a very low cost of $2-$5 per liter.
I've looked into the possibilities and if it's production of alcohol you want, your best bet is using alcoholic fermentation followed by distillation.
Out of all the possibilities, your best bet for many reasons is to use a "turbo yeast", plain white sugar and water for your fermentation.
My next post in this thread well deal with the fermentation phase of our project. My third post will deal with the fundamentals of distillation and easy creation of a setup that will get you results.
--------------------
Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
|
Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante] 2
#20289926 - 07/18/14 06:53 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
 [/url]
Pictured above is a packet of a particular brand of Turbo Yeast which I have some experience with. It is representative of packets of Turbo you could buy in brewing shops or through the allmighty Google.
It contains a fast alcohol producing strain of yeast along with nutirients, amino acids, pH buffers and the like which you would need for fermentation.
Its promise is that it can convert 6 kilos of sugar to 25 liters of 13% alcohol in just 24 hours. I found that under practical circumstances the entire brewing phase lasts about 24-48 hours, but that this is no empty promise.
I also found that this particular Turbo can be stretched, so that one packet will convert 12 kgs of sugar to 50 liters of 13% alcohol in 2-4 days. This is important as it effectively cuts the Turbo cost in half per liter of alcohol produced.
To give you a price indication: A pack of this Turbo costs me about $3 and it converts 12 kg of sugar which costs me $12. For these $15 I get 50 liters of mash which I can distill on the practical level to 12 liters of 48% alcohol, which basically comes down to production of 15 liters of 40% vodka for $15. Repeated distillations through my wok-still setup can get it up to over 90%, or solvent strength, producing more that 5 liters of 90+% ethanol for those $15.
Starting the fermentation
To ferment, you need a vat that is made of foodgrade plastic, metal or glass. The most practical amount for most people will be making 25 liter batches, which can be done in a plastic 30 liter fermentation vat, sold for cheap at brewing supply houses. These fine establishments will also have vats for 50 liters and up.
Since you are dealing with a Turbo I recommend to not go over a 50 liter batch with 12 kg sugar and one pack of Turbo Yeast. This fermentation is so rapid that it may run out of control.
Distillation setup
The ideal place is a place where you have room temperature, good ventilation and a way to deal with spills. I used my shower cabin (that has its own ventilation) as the near ideal location.
Put a towel on the ground surface and place your clean fermentation vat on top of it. It needs to be clean, but because of the extreme vigor and short duration of the fermentation it needs not be sterile. Hot tap water and quality dishwashing detergent will do. In a big clean bucket put 6 liters of warm water and dissolve in this the six kilos of sugar, which won't take much stirring. Pour this into the vat. Now take six or so liters of lukewarm tap water and stir the turbo yeast in it. (one-half or a whole packet for this batch) Stir well for a couple of minutes. Add this to the fermentation vat and top it off with lukewarm water to the 25 liter mark (21 liters water total) Now cover the vat with its lid (dont fasten it) or a cloth or plastic.
If you want maximum speed of fermentation, throw in a fishtank immersion thermometer set for 25'C (77'F), which is the ideal temperature.
If you used a whole packet you will finish in 1-2 days (depending mostly on temperature of the water) and with half a packet you'll finish in 2-4 days.
Congratulations, your fermentation is done!
Removing most of the yeast
You can siphon off the alcohol solution, being careful not to disturb the yeast that lies at the bottom. If you have a steady hand and some strength to boot like me, you can carefully our out the 25 liter vat into another. Let this liquid stand for another 24 hours and repeat.
Optional improvement to the liquid before distillation:
For this second time around you can optionally add an eggwhite beaten in some water to the liquid after the first pour, and if you like to improve the alcohol in this phase, add a tablespoon of activated carbon (also sold at the brewing shops) to catch malodorous compounds. The first will help the yeast to settle (but is not needed) and the second increases the purity of the alcohol to be distilled. Both will drop down in the liquid with the yeast and can be discarded.
Congratulations! You now have about 24-25 liters of 13% alcohol, and you are ready for the step which will purify it, preserve it and increase its concentration: distillation!
--------------------
Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
|
Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante] 1
#20289928 - 07/18/14 06:54 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
.
For distilling you ofcourse need a distillation apparatus. Distillation setups can be built, they can be bought and they can be put together. In many countries it is possible to buy certain parts and combine them at home to form an alcohol still with high quality (95%) output for around $100-$400. To do this would be easiest, but also would be more costly. Google a bit on distilling alcohol and offers will come up.
When googling there are also many very good still plans to build a still from scratch. I attached one to this post, one that is not too complicated and has high quality output of 95% alcohol.
The most basic but very elegant still consists of a steel beer keg and a 10 meter length of 1/2 inch copper tubing. One end of the tube attaches to the top of the keg. The first three meters of the length coils upwards (as it is coiled its upward length will be no more than 2ft or so) then moves to the side and then coils down the remainder of the length. This is an aircooled coil still. It has no moving parts or water consumption - you just put it on a hotplate and out comes high quality 90+% alcohol suitable as a solvent. The coolant action is obtained by the coils and their interaction with the surrounding air. Mash boils in the kettle, foodgrade solvent-strength alcohol drips out of the open end.
Most convenient is a kettle of 30 liters capacity, which can distill the 25 liters of mash you fermented in one go. If your still can make 95% alcohol, you put in 25 liters of 13% mash and draw off about 5-6 liters.
For the less technically inclined and those who only need limited amounts of alcohol, and especially for those fond of simplicity there is always the Wok Still, which is what I myself use. Because all stills have their own operation modes, I'll just concentrate on the wok still here.
You can make a distillation setup by putting a big cooking pot on the stove, pouring some liters of mash in that, putting in it a collection pot for the distillate on a tripod and putting a water-filled wok frying pan on top, like so:
My ow
My own setup is able to convert 4 liters of 13% mash into one liter of 48% alcohol on my stove in just 45 minutes. Add heating of the mash to that and my humble setup of soup kettle and wok does a liter of 48% alcohol in one hour.
A hassle of my setup is that the water in the wok has to be changed every 15 minutes, so that this takes 3 changes per liter of 48% alcohol produced. I'm looking into a heat exchanger-type solution to rid me of this small hassle. Still, an hour's worth of very low maintenance "cooking" produces a liter of 48%, which is pretty decent, a 25 liter batch is done in 6x1 hours. Almost all of that time is spent doing other stuff. (like posting on the Shroomery)
If you take your ~50% and still 1.5 volumes of it to 1 volume, you will get roughly 70% this second time around. If you repeat that with the 70% you will in this third distillation get alcohol between 90-95% which is suitable as a solvent.
For people interested in alcohol consumption: if you distill the mash after most of the yeast has settled there will be a bit of a yeasty flavor to your 48%. In mixes, this is easily lost. Personally I use it as an intermediate for distilling it (for instance with herbs) a second time, by which time its flavor, when diluted down to 40% is on par with vodka. If you choose to use activated carbon, the quality of your alcohol will be better than that even the first time around, as this form of carbon (available at brewing stores) selectively takes out the yeasty flavors that are present in the mash.
If you smell and taste the alcohol-depleted mash, you will thank the Arabs for their wonderful invention of distilling al co'ol, which leaves behind so much crud.
Per ml of alcohol, distilled spirits are cleaner than beer, because most side-products of fermentation are taken out. When you ferment white sugar with turbo yeast, there will be no methanol, at least far less than is present in apple juice.
Remember: alcohol vapors and flame or (electric) spark do not mix.
This thread is made to show you just how simple fermentation and distillation of alcohol can be. If you find you like this, there is a whole world of hobby awaiting you!
A very good link for further reading is www.homedistiller.org
Have fun!
--------------------
Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
|
Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante] 1
#20289940 - 07/18/14 06:56 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
The Wok Still is a modern kitchen adaptation of the original distillation setup invented in the Middle East hundreds of years ago. An alchemistic reflux apparatus made from cooking pots, this is where distilling began.
If you know my posting you know I get off on really simple setups that do really complicated things. I get off on low tech.
All the headaches of building a still are absent with a wok still. You don't have to saw, drill, solder and weld. You don't have to round up weird materials. You don't have to worry whether your still components are foodgrade (such as the solder you would use) You don't have to worry about cleaning your still because they are just pots and pans. When not in use you don't have a weird distilling apparatus standing around, but rather some pots and pans useful to your kitchen. And: in one hour's time, ten minutes of it being work, you put out a liter of 48% from standard 13% mash. Very satisfactory I can assure you.
If anyone has any questions about fermenting a Turbo Yeast sugar wash and using a Wok Still, lets hear it. Anyone who can contribute on this precise topic, by all means join in.
--------------------
Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
|
TheMaster
PATIENCE
Registered: 07/13/13
Posts: 705
Loc: Earth
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante]
#20290531 - 07/18/14 10:17 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I like this reflux setup 
Wouldn't you want to use more activated carbon and allow it to filter for longer, not just to remove malodorous compounds, but also cogeners? I remember there being fractions of aldehydes, esters, fusil oils or aminos formed during fermentation besides the smaller fraction of methanol.
I was using bread yeast though, so I'd imagine there might be slightly different metabolic products. Something like a paper coffee filter step afterwards will help to remove small carbon particles. Polishing alcohol after it is produced is crucial if one intends to consume it. If you only want a high proof solvent then it is not so important.
Also, have you tried floating ice in the wok? The phase change will greatly increase the heat capacity and also generate a convection current so the bottom of the wok is actively cooled.
Finally, drying your solvent with a desiccant like magnesium sulphate is a great way to get above the proof limit of the etOH/H2O azeotrope.
I like this new board. I hope to add a spectroscopy 101 section, and if/when I get the time add detailed methodologies.
--------------------
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Mahatma Gandhi
|
 MushroomBilly
Explorer
Registered: 03/24/13
Posts: 374
Last seen: 6 years, 8 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: TheMaster] 1
#20296551 - 07/19/14 01:52 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Just a couple of bits I can add from my experience distilling ...
Turbo yeast seems to leave a strange taste on your booze. If you're determined to use it for simplicity and speed, I'm sure there is a type which yields 20% (ish) alcohol which might be more appealing if you're willing to put up with the vague taste of ... something
The wok still is simple but if you just want something to make vodka, even simpler is a big pressure cooker of mash with a bin bag taped over the top. Heat the pan, the vapour will rise and the bag inflate. The vapours will condense at the highest point of the bag and the liquid will run down the sides of the bag. At the pan level liquid will start to build up and the bag will hang over the edge of the top of the pan as it's weighed down with liquid. The whole setup will then look like a mushroom (how fitting) with the bag inflated at the top and the edges hanging over the sides of the pan at the bottom. Now you need to remove the liquid any way you like. Or put the whole thing in the freezer and chip away the ice and retrieve even purer alcohol later. This is totally unsafe and not recommended by me but will work.
It's nice to have simplicity, but a copper/stainless still - pot or reflux - is often a work of art and beauty. So many different designs, ideas and combinations exist to achieve the same aim that a potential distiller can build something really unique. Rather than a strange piece of apparatus, it can also be an interesting talking point. And sometimes it's the journey that counts - the building, trialling, discussing, learning new skills (soldering, pipe bending etc) and expressing yourself, like an artist, mechanical genius and mad scientist!
Finally, it's worth noting that with a reflux still, the first 200 ml or so should be discarded as it will more than likely contain methanol, which makes you blind. Methanol has a distinctively different smell to ethanol and anyone thinking of building a reflux should read about methanol byproduct in some depth.
|
Pastywhyte 
Say hello to my little friend
Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,842
Loc: Canada 
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: MushroomBilly]
#20302092 - 07/20/14 05:09 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
|
thescientist
Registered: 03/09/02
Posts: 807
Loc: Dade County
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Pastywhyte]
#20303276 - 07/20/14 09:07 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Could you elaborate why using turbo yeast is more desirable compared to a bakers yeast which can be bought for far less?
The time for fermentation is similar, the conversion efficiency is similar, the final gravity is similar etc
Unless you aim to produce a mash with alc.20%+, it appears that bakers yeast could do the same job, and as noted in a post above, does not have the reputation for producing as many off-flavours.
|
imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,488
Loc: You get banned for saying that 
Last seen: 13 hours, 51 minutes
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: thescientist]
#20311568 - 07/22/14 04:10 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
thescientist said:
Unless you aim to produce a mash with alc.20%+, it appears that bakers yeast could do the same job, and as noted in a post above, does not have the reputation for producing as many off-flavours.
the mash would be more efficient with a 20% alc volume. And in which case the final gravity would be similar but not the same. Alc content is measured as (final gravity minus initial gravity) multiplied by 130. Right? Well I'm close enough
I don't understand why you wouldn't want a higher alcohol ratio volume, considering you are distilling. But as said in the previous thread, distilling moon shine means you run it through a few times. A recipe for Brandy would be quite different, you'd distill wine and might not run it through more then once, considering the final product will be decided on the recipe you use of course.
Perhaps using turbo yeast and getting a higher alcohol volume ratio(which means less sugar wasted, as the yeast won't die in as low of an alcohol content) will produce off flavors after distilling. I may not be as educated about how efficient distilling is and how many times you can run it through. 171 proof or 85% alcohol volume ratio is the highest you can get right? Why would other flavors come out in the still if the water vapour is evaporated through the correct coil and the alcohol vapour evaporated by correct still temperature at alcohol boiling point?
I think it's a fair question, as I'm not trying to instigate an argument, but simply get a question answered.
--------------------
 I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
 I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk
|
imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,488
Loc: You get banned for saying that
Last seen: 13 hours, 51 minutes
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante]
#20311606 - 07/22/14 04:22 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Asante said:
.
For distilling you ofcourse need a distillation apparatus. Distillation setups can be built, they can be bought and they can be put together. In many countries it is possible to buy certain parts and combine them at home to form an alcohol still with high quality (95%) output for around $100-$400. To do this would be easiest, but also would be more costly. Google a bit on distilling alcohol and offers will come up.
When googling there are also many very good still plans to build a still from scratch. I attached one to this post, one that is not too complicated and has high quality output of 95% alcohol.
The most basic but very elegant still consists of a steel beer keg and a 10 meter length of 1/2 inch copper tubing. One end of the tube attaches to the top of the keg. The first three meters of the length coils upwards (as it is coiled its upward length will be no more than 2ft or so) then moves to the side and then coils down the remainder of the length. This is an aircooled coil still. It has no moving parts or water consumption - you just put it on a hotplate and out comes high quality 90+% alcohol suitable as a solvent. The coolant action is obtained by the coils and their interaction with the surrounding air. Mash boils in the kettle, foodgrade solvent-strength alcohol drips out of the open end.
Most convenient is a kettle of 30 liters capacity, which can distill the 25 liters of mash you fermented in one go. If your still can make 95% alcohol, you put in 25 liters of 13% mash and draw off about 5-6 liters.
For the less technically inclined and those who only need limited amounts of alcohol, and especially for those fond of simplicity there is always the Wok Still, which is what I myself use. Because all stills have their own operation modes, I'll just concentrate on the wok still here.
You can make a distillation setup by putting a big cooking pot on the stove, pouring some liters of mash in that, putting in it a collection pot for the distillate on a tripod and putting a water-filled wok frying pan on top, like so:
My ow
My own setup is able to convert 4 liters of 13% mash into one liter of 48% alcohol on my stove in just 45 minutes. Add heating of the mash to that and my humble setup of soup kettle and wok does a liter of 48% alcohol in one hour.
A hassle of my setup is that the water in the wok has to be changed every 15 minutes, so that this takes 3 changes per liter of 48% alcohol produced. I'm looking into a heat exchanger-type solution to rid me of this small hassle. Still, an hour's worth of very low maintenance "cooking" produces a liter of 48%, which is pretty decent, a 25 liter batch is done in 6x1 hours. Almost all of that time is spent doing other stuff. (like posting on the Shroomery)
If you take your ~50% and still 1.5 volumes of it to 1 volume, you will get roughly 70% this second time around. If you repeat that with the 70% you will in this third distillation get alcohol between 90-95% which is suitable as a solvent.
For people interested in alcohol consumption: if you distill the mash after most of the yeast has settled there will be a bit of a yeasty flavor to your 48%. In mixes, this is easily lost. Personally I use it as an intermediate for distilling it (for instance with herbs) a second time, by which time its flavor, when diluted down to 40% is on par with vodka. If you choose to use activated carbon, the quality of your alcohol will be better than that even the first time around, as this form of carbon (available at brewing stores) selectively takes out the yeasty flavors that are present in the mash.
If you smell and taste the alcohol-depleted mash, you will thank the Arabs for their wonderful invention of distilling al co'ol, which leaves behind so much crud.
Per ml of alcohol, distilled spirits are cleaner than beer, because most side-products of fermentation are taken out. When you ferment white sugar with turbo yeast, there will be no methanol, at least far less than is present in apple juice.
Remember: alcohol vapors and flame or (electric) spark do not mix.
This thread is made to show you just how simple fermentation and distillation of alcohol can be. If you find you like this, there is a whole world of hobby awaiting you!
A very good link for further reading is www.homedistiller.org
Have fun!
this is a really cool tech. I'd love to know the efficiency of the product you are making. One thing I'm confused, this still addresses one tube for alcohol vapour. But no tube for water vapour. How do you intend to keep water vapour out of your final distilled solution? Especially considering alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature then water. The still should have a way to keep the tube that evaporates the alcohol vapour cooler then the water vapour, as the water boils at a slightly higher temperature. A still that only has one coil is very difficult to get pure alcohol, especially at the time listed in the tech that you would distill the product, I have a hard time believing you will be keeping a direct temperature to evaporate alcohol and be able to distill correctly just the alcohol vapour, that time is very short, indicative of a high boil.
Let's see if this technique nails it down a little bit better:
Builing Plans for Pot Stills
Regarding using pressure cookers, Jack cautions ...
I've used them- I hate them. The pressure release valves ALWAYS leak (fire hazard, and damned wasteful), thay always come coated in some impossible-to-remove grease, the places to mount the thermometer is always guaranteed to give false readings (either high or low, never the same twice). They are expensive, heavy, the aluminum model pits to easy, and the steel is to expensive (with the same problems except pitting of the metal). Don't bother. Get a small keg or 5 gallon drum that's stainless and food grade- I've seen them for from $20 to $40US. Or get a milk can (US$100) expensive, but attractive.
Below is a diagram of Harold B's pot still. Very cheap and easy to make. Harold suggests that you should adjust the heat so that the lower end of the condensor can be touched. The reason for this is that you can see water vapour if things are too hot, but you can't see the alcohol vapour.
Another great simple design is Geoffs..
Walter describes his pot stills ... "Volodia's Samohonka 1&2"
Inspired by folk stills in Jamaica and East Africa made from 44gal drums, (see "Alcohol in East Africa. 1850-1999" - www.dur.ac.uk/History/web/distillhist.htm) I made an urban version using:
Pot : 5gal (20 L) open top paint container.(These can be ordered in new from some proprietary paint chain outlets/paint trade oulets, or get some free from painting contractors and clean them with paint stripper/turpentine (I have done this before I found a source for $AUS15 ($US7.50) "Ameron" coatings makes a heavy gauge container for their industrial coatings. The parent company is in the U.S. The paint company "Solver" in Australia can get unused containers through their chain of shops. Container manufactures sell them quite cheaply but only in lots of 50 (I enquired). Cleaning free empties is not too difficult. and helps to recycle them. I know a local owner of a paint store who recycles them into kid's rubbish bins with appropriate designs on them - why not something more useful!
Outlet arm - 1.5m of 10mm (3/8in) soft copper tube, bent to form a "lyne arm",up 200 vertically & then 600 long inclined upwards (to get some reflux) and then down 700 vertically. The 10mm soft copper tube is easily bent without flattening - use salt inside the tube to help prevent this, standard grommet for plastic beer fermenters, or improvise using cut sections of synthetic wine corks glued to both sides( they close in well).
A 500 long Leibig condenser over the 700 copper tube section out of plastic T sections (2 x 19mm/13mm (3/4in,1/2in) barbed PVC Tees) & 500 length of 19mm (3/4 in) plastic tube, clamps, silicone or epoxy resin, plastic glue.
Rubber grommets (as for plastic fermenters)
Plastic tubing - standard 13mm (3/4in) plastic tubing with plastic tap to hose connector, 10mm tubing for distillate (this fits on the 10mm (3/8in) copper tube), and for the water outlet from bucket to sink.
Gas flame diffuser mat or bain marie (water bath) to get even heating.
Thermometer -digital or mercury to measure pot vapor temp. Stop distilling at 91C (196F).
Thumper/Doubler - 10 L (21/2gal) paint container, with rubber grommets for copper tubing.
Worm condenser variant - 20L (5gal) plastic bucket or cut down container, coiled copper tubing, grommets.
No welding - just glue, silicone, clamps. All this is sitable for most kitchen stoves and sinks. Obviously this is an introductory still for the beginner.Paint tins are not heavily coated. Kept dry it should last years - rust remover will extend this.
I forgot to mention Safety aspects important as we don't want kitchens going up in flames! I switch the exhaust fan on to take away any stray fumes, even though the ring clamp is air-tight. I made the lyne arm quite long for partial reflux and to take it away from the stove. The distillate outlet tube goes down to the floor, well away from the stove. An electric stove might be safer, although apparently slower.
MooNShiNeR describes his 75 gallon pot-still, doubler and shotgun condenser below. See Moonshine Still Photos for a couple of photos of it.
I use a medium sized (75 gal) pot still with a doubler/thumper (5 gal) and a shotgun condenser for my purposes. I also utilize a 20 gallon outfit with a 1 gallon doubler and a worm condenser mainly for running smaller batches and epecially for running backings or low wines to "up" the proof quickly.
I use copper sheets soldered with silver solder to build most of my components. Shotgun condenser made from of an old, antique copper fire extiguisher. Cut both the ends off and sand everything inside and out. Clean it to the "eat off of it" stage. Cold water enters the shotgun condenser from the bottom and exits the top to force the hot water out and this always keeps the bottom part of the condenser way-cool.A shotgun condenser is basically a condenser with a water jacket too cool the steam and it has dozens of 3/8" copper line that the steam goes through. It's kinda hard to explain. Where the steam goes through looks like the business end of a gatlin gun. Bore two holes in the jacket about 3" from each end and solder a brass hose copper garden hose connector in it, top and bottom. On the one you use for the bottom, you will put a spigot used to regulate the amount of cool water coming into the condenser. On the top one you'll attach a garden hose and lay it out where the hot water can drain off the top of the condenser. Two copper sheet circles are cut and clamped together and numerous holes drilled through them. The circles are placed inside the copper jacket and spot soldered.(silver) in place with a few pieces of the 3/8" line in to keep things lined up good. The lines are cut about 4" shorter than the jacket. Start putting the lines in and soldering them in place and solder the circles in good, top and bottom.
On the first run, you'll be able to tell if you have any leaks or not. you can fix them if it does.
Make a tight fitting cap for the top to be sealed/pasted on with corn meal and water. The bottom does not require a tight fit at all. It is just there to collect the alcohol as it comes through and then out to the jug/bucket. With a shotgun condenser, you can fire the still as hard as you want to and you'll have no problem with it not keeping up. That's why people who do volume like them so much.
A. Nonimus suggests ..
First off - most homemade potstills in the U.S. are made out of 20 litre pressure cookers (they have all the fittings you need including pressure release safety valves)- If this is in fact what is planned, you MUST remember to NOT PERMANANTLY MODIFY THE PRESSURE COOKER IN ANY WAY -(remember, 3/8" copper tubing makes a nice coil, and fits the outlets on most stills!) if the law gets news about you running your own still- they can (with a warrant- not hard to get anymore, I'm afraid) raid your place, if they find a pressure cooker with a bunch of copper tubing attached to it, and holes drilled in it that are homemade- they will have the evidence needed to take you to jail for running a still. IF the pressure cooker is always returned to it's original state (normal fittings and weights) after you distill with it, and if you put your condensor next to some beer making supplies (or, rather mash making supplies- same thing)- when (if) the cops show up, they find a normal (unaltered) pressure cooker and something you will swear up and down is a wort chiller for the making of beer. If no moonshine is found- they have absolutely no case against you.
Second - The average 20litre pressure cooker can be set inside a large stockpot (the 30 quart or larger models, just measure the cooker, and go out shopping for a cheap canning pot big enough to hold it easily). By placing 2 pieces of wood, pipe, etc. accross the top of the canning pot, the handles on the pressure cooker will sit on these cross pieces- this will keep the bottom of the pressure cooker off of the bottom of the canner. Fill the large tub with water and then fill the pressure cooker/potstill with your mash and cook with a nice even heat (if using gas this reduces the fire hazard as well- now the alcohol isn't in direct contact with the metal touching the flame). This allows you to distill mash that has a lot of solids (the more gentle heat helps prevent sticking and burning), it also allows you to do something else while warming everything up- Just put the water on to boil, and put the canner in after the heat is where you want it- better temp control- and unlike the still- you don't have to watch the water heat up (unless you are bored out of your mind)- just make sure the potstill body isn't touching the metal of the large stockpot (The "jacket")- there you go- a homemade steam heated still!
Toms potstill ..The boiler is a 2.5 gallon soda canister. I heat it by securing it in a pot of boiling water, and run it like a double boiler. It works great!
http://homedistiller.org/equip/designs/pot_plan
not sure of the cost. Looks a bit complex to make, helps a bit if someone you know who's made a still watches you and assists you in double checking the integrity of the still. Temperature and tech do not seem to be included in the build
--------------------
I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk
|
spore baby
Registered: 07/30/13
Posts: 4,918
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: imachavel]
#20319795 - 07/24/14 03:33 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
.
Edited by spore baby (12/20/14 01:14 PM)
|
MarkostheGnostic
Elder
Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
|
 Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: MushroomBilly]
#20331362 - 07/26/14 09:57 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I'm glad you mentioned the Methanol - it was my immediate concern and was going to chime in, but you took care of that. There are fusel oils and other products in the 'head' also. My own alcohol production has been in small amounts for Spagyric (plant alchemy) experiments, which has to be made from grape wine (now, if I could only master making wine instead of vinegar  ). But in high school, we built a still from an aluminum crock pot with half a copper toilet float ball epoxied on the perforated lid, a length of 1/2" copper pipe with some flat twisted brass inside for the reflux column, and a 1/4" copper worm.which passed vertically through two soldered together coffee cans filled with ice water (with a tap for draining). We bottled in 1 pint Schweppes Quinine Water bottles, relabeled, and corked, and try to sell them at parties, but we never gave any thought for Methanol. Fortunately, our little enterprise never took off. 
--------------------
γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
|
spore baby
Registered: 07/30/13
Posts: 4,918
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#20336553 - 07/27/14 08:04 AM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
.
Edited by spore baby (12/20/14 01:15 PM)
|
MushroomBilly
Explorer
Registered: 03/24/13
Posts: 374
Last seen: 6 years, 8 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: spore baby]
#20338394 - 07/27/14 03:32 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Hey Markos your rig looks nice mate - is it all made of glass? Does glass stuff work out cheaper than copper over there or do you just prefer it?
|
MarkostheGnostic
Elder
Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: spore baby]
#20340220 - 07/27/14 09:29 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
If you look closely, you'll see a 1/2" thick square of plexiglass mounted to the bookshelf, right behind the boiling flask.  It reflects/insulates against heat and provides a shield against splatter from breakage.
|
MarkostheGnostic
Elder
Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: MushroomBilly]
#20340232 - 07/27/14 09:31 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MushroomBilly said:
Hey Markos your rig looks nice mate - is it all made of glass? Does glass stuff work out cheaper than copper over there or do you just prefer it?
This is a very low-yield lab device for making enough 'Philosophical Mercury' (ethanol) for Spagyric elixirs. It is not intended to produce 'Moonshine.'
--------------------
γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
|
imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,488
Loc: You get banned for saying that
Last seen: 13 hours, 51 minutes
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#20347781 - 07/29/14 04:44 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MarkostheGnostic said:
I'm glad you mentioned the Methanol - it was my immediate concern and was going to chime in, but you took care of that. There are fusel oils and other products in the 'head' also. My own alcohol production has been in small amounts for Spagyric (plant alchemy) experiments, which has to be made from grape wine (now, if I could only master making wine instead of vinegar ). But in high school, we built a still from an aluminum crock pot with half a copper toilet float ball epoxied on the perforated lid, a length of 1/2" copper pipe with some flat twisted brass inside for the reflux column, and a 1/4" copper worm.which passed vertically through two soldered together coffee cans filled with ice water (with a tap for draining). We bottled in 1 pint Schweppes Quinine Water bottles, relabeled, and corked, and try to sell them at parties, but we never gave any thought for Methanol. Fortunately, our little enterprise never took off.
why fortunately? Because of the lack of realization to pouring off methanol? Or because it's illegal to sell moon shine? Seriously though, cool idea, selling moonshine
--------------------
I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk
|
MarkostheGnostic
Elder
Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
|
 Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: imachavel]
#20351112 - 07/30/14 01:53 PM (9 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Fortunately because I grew up. I was 17 and suburban NJ boys in 1971 weren't in any way connected to the moonshine culture, as in Appalachia or the Ozarks.  I went to college at the end of my senior year of high school. But I wish I had a picture of that old still. And yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to blind/poison anyone, not to mention the legal consequences as an obvious manifestation of karmic consequences.
--------------------
γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
|
brian-trousers
intergalactic cat
Registered: 05/11/14
Posts: 66
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante]
#20500756 - 08/31/14 07:42 AM (9 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
It looks like I registered on 5th Dec.
Oh hang on, no 12th May.
|
Lophosaurus
suruasohpol
Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 8,744
Loc: CA
|
Re: Moonshining - how to brew and distill vodkas, absinthes etc. using Turbo Yeast and a Wok Still [Re: Asante]
#20742894 - 10/23/14 12:57 PM (9 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
For who ever reads this I would advise against using turbo yeast. You do end up with more alcohol using a turbo, but if you are going to be drinking your ethanol the turbo will leave a bad taste. That high of a percentage of alcohol will stress the yeast out and leave you with a nasty nasty taste. If you're making ethanol for drinking I found its best to keep your specific gravity under 1.09.
|
|
Threaded
Previous
Index
Next
Edit 
Reply 
