I have the 25 L model , I use 10 Litre spring water bottles as fermenters , with a bubbler in the top , and this little still produces more alcohol than I can possibly drink or give to good friends ! the 10L wash size is ideal , stops any foaming in the boiler, and I heat it with a small gas burner , when shes up to temp , you can almost run on a candle flame! I use copper mesh high in the head , two reasons , one to remove any sulphur taint , and also to give a bit of reflux .I am told the still is not a reflux still , because it does not have the high cooling coils , but I am getting high abv ,and I am happy with this, and I can macerate with this ethanol to make drinks like gin, and anise based liquor, and absinthe, but also make raki , grappa etc when I want
Right on, a shutoff valve for the bubbler even. You can litterally ferment and distill in the same unit. I'm looking at this unit on Amazon and am just trying to see how the condenser works.
Do any of you guys know the dimensions of the Drain Pipe Flange that fits a 65L still? as I want to make an adapter for an heating element and need to buy an extra ferrule pipe fitting(Is the flange for a 65L still: 50.5mm, 64mm or 77mm?) I am talking about the piece that was already mounted on the valve section itself, the pipe piece that meets the drain assembly flange, as I need one of these pieces to modify on. Thank you.
I have put mine together like you have,I don’t know what the next stage is?? IE does it go through a filter first? How hot do you cook it? How long do you cook it for????
Oscar Alberto Ceballos Contreras the water ....... the vapor is flowing around the outside of the worm ..... it’s basically opposite of the regular worm design operation.
He is following the Chinese manual , he is not wrong , except the thermometer should be in the belly of the torpedo.In fact its a sort of multi-machine , you can brew in it , you can also steam rice and other stuff , that's when the thermo is useful in the lid, you can also use the still to get essential oils from flowers, but the manual is in Chinese , so you can try Google translate but it would take forever ! The lady who sold it me sent me an English .pdf that does help somewhat in using the machine.
Hi Ryan I just but this still to produce some homebrew rum. Was wondering what would be a better set-up. Reflux mode or pot still mode for making rum? Also when I bought it the thermometer was connected to the column instead of the lid, any suggestions? Thx
Michell , if you go to homedistilling forum , there are lots of recipes for rum and gin etc, in fact allsorts of spirits . That thermometer does belong in the centre of the barrel , it gives you a good indication of the vapor temperature , when the ethanol is about to come off the water/alcohol wash in the boiler , in fact I bought a digital thermo that fits in the top of the machine, its slim enough to slide down the bore of the open tap.You want a fast drip , like 2 drips a second coming out of the delivery tube , and I get regularly 85% abv off this little still , its great for beginners . Its a breeze to clean , just wash it thru . I would run it pot style , you need all the flavours thru , I have made a good gin by putting the seeds on that internal plate , and also used a giant stainless steel infuser ball for the finer seeds and herbs . If you need any help with it , just shout . Philip Ryan
Hi Ryan, great and thanks for the quick reply. Together with some friends of my I decided to spontaneously buy this distilling pot and make ourselves a rum. The home-distilling website.org is definitely a good source to start with, though we basically are beginners and want to do things safe. I could not really find out where the valves are for. On the website they said to discharge fusel oil. Though when distilling I guess these 1/4 valves should be closed right? However when to open them? Also I read something about ceramic rings placing in the column on the mesh, though they did not came with the pot, are these required? Thanks for your help man, really appreciated. Michell
Yes all taps should be closed in distilling mode , but don't forget to open them when you kill the heat on the boiler , to be perfectly safe.People have had their boilers collapse , so be safe ! .That fusel oil tap , you can drain off the fusel oils from that point , they are no use , just smellies , useful if you have about 20 litres of wash going , cos the little tank holds about a cupful of fusel at the most . Re those ceramic rings , I bought a set on the net , but prefer copper mesh , I fish it up inside the tower with a stainless wire , it gives a bit of reflux ,if I am making grappa, or a bland spirit like vodka , and the copper also takes out any sulphur products that might come out of the wash , and give you off-flavour to your product . I prefer copper mesh to the ceramic rings every time . hope that helps you
This is the third video I have seen where they put it together wrong. Nobody knows what they are doing, even the people who can read Chinese. AND nobody has shown where to put the ceramic balls inside the "football"
