As a total noob, I think your description of what a reflux still is was really helpful. I can also tell that you put a lot of work into properly speaking, keep up the good work!

Awesome.. Another kiwi living in Melbourne now (Napier) Copying every step, very exciting My gf’s step dad bought a still for $150 ebay still and is trying to make himself something nice, so far he’s twice tipped it down the sink I’ve made my own still like yours for less than $100 and seems like a monster in comparison.. Legend

Dude. you have come along way in 6 years

Love the channel man, could you maybe do a video just about how reflux works and your coil design?

thanks for being such a legend, my dude... taking time to share your experience is most honourable. im not drunk, your drunk! :D

I've learned so much watching your vedios! I've built my own copy of your CCVM still. I just finished my vinegar run and just waiting for my FFV to finish so I can do my sacrificial run! Love the channel keep the recipes coming! I've got a 100L of birdwatchers fermenting and think I'll try UJSSM next. Thanks for the content

what an awsome run I bet your really happy.im happy for you too, im doing the liebig route with duel slant plates I went for the 3inch pipe just for convenience of take off rate I still need to do my cleaning runs I done a water test to check for leaks an sorted 2 gaps out going to do another water run tonight and a possible vinegar on sunday have a bbq tomorrow so dont want to be too exposed lol I have a tpw(birdwatchers) fermentig at the moment for the sac run its close..ish and then il sort another one out for the 1st proper drinkable run lol.im so excited I feel like I felt when I was a kid at christmas ive not felt like this for a long time hehe I love it.anyways congratulations and il keep watching your uploads your really informative especially considering your a new guy too, I guess the advanced guys are to scared to get infront that cam

Love it Bro, learning more with every vid. Cheers

Heya. Great channel. Thanks for doing these. Hey. Would you consider doing another video just like this one but now with the benefit of considerably more experience. A lot of people - myself included, use your videos as reference guides. It would be nice to have one that's a definitive HOW TO guide.

Hands down from my experience home distilling the first thing i started with was a €40 6 quart pot still i bought off of ebay and had shipped to my home in stuttgart Germany, it came with a copper condenser and a bunch of plastic file clamps to hold the lid down which in my opinion was ok for just starting out then my second still was a 8 gallon Mile Hi dual reflux still with electric 120v heating and controller for €800 on sale and shipping was another €100 to Germany and that was by far the easiest nicest still ive ever bought and now use as a backup or a thumper depending on what i'm distilling. What i currently have is a 16 gallon 3 inch pro torpedo with a sight glass Mile Hi still with the same as the 8 gallon with the 120v heating element and controller. I would say the production time is a lot better and the sight glass is pretty cool to look at in full reflux and definitely helps a lot in figuring out where you need to balance the water intake but if you're really just starting out go check out the 8 gallon pro from mile hi and usually around christmas they have sales to where they knock off around half the price so i mean paying €800 for such high quality and such a great product is actually pretty cheap considering how much stills run for now a days ( no pun intended) but i've been more than happy with mile high and they are super nice and have really great customer support. just google mile hi stills and you can literally find anything you want for distilling on the site for cheap. Im not a paid spokesperson for them i'm just a really happy customer and they made everything super easy which was nice considering i live half way around the world from colorado. If you do buy a still from them theres a 5 pound optional safety blow off valve they have for like 25 bucks i wouldn't really buy again since you have to really pack your still wrong or do something stupid for the pressure to build up to dangerous amounts and if something like that happens then you probably should find a new hobby because you're not doing something right. Im sorry i don't mean to sound harsh but if you have no idea what your doing you should either do some research or start off on a smaller still so you can gain the experience and then work your way up. Anyways thats just what i wanted to throw in there if you are thinking about buying a still, Mile high is the best in my opinion and they always send a pound of copper mesh rascing rings and shitty turbo yeast in when you purchase a still. Again, Turbo Yeast sucks don't use it and either use distillers yeast or red star bakers yeast which works just the same as distillers just cheaper. Happy distilling and if you have any questions about distilling feel free to message me.

Sour mash method. 1st Gen: Ferment your mash. (Pick one) When fermentation is complete run it in still. (Pot mode) Make cuts, and save hearts cuts for aging. (Oak them and wait 6 to 9 months.) 2nd Gen: Save backset (leftover in boiler) from previous run. Add this backset to next ferment, no more than 25% total mash volume. The backset replaces some water. When 2nd ferment is complete. Transfer to boiler and add heads & tails from Gen 1. Make cuts, and save hearts cuts for aging. Repeat. Each generation hearts cut will taste better than the last. May I suggest a parrot build! It will save you time... This way you can watch the Tralle rise and fall with ABV as you adjust power, or adjust condenser in reflux.

Good video as always. Vapor management stills were always too finicky for me and too micro-managed. If home distilling were legal here, I'd be a pot still guy. It may take more runs, but you'll get there eventually.

I’m watching these because I’m thinking about making a reflux still, great content and information. P.S. it’s going to be on the large size 4” tower with a 2” condenser.

Yeah great vid. Answered a few of my questions about it.

Your new look is great. Bet your wife enjoys it. Total newby here. What is the copper mesh for?

awesome first run. 90 percent is really good. for the first run and learning how she operates, that's a great run. now comes the fun part.

I'm going back through your older videos trying to find out what exactly you used to control the power on your element. This is the first one where I see you turning the knob to control it, but I would like some more info if you could, please?

Enjoying your channel so far. Just getting started at 63. Made a great deal of beer back in the 80s and always wanted to distill. One question for now: I've watched numerous videos on distilling, and the ones I've watched always have the system sealed and the only outlet is through the final condenser. I noticed you have open top above your reflux column where you kept adjusting depth of coil. Do you think you lose any vapors or product out of the top through your reflux coils? Just curious. Can't wait to start distilling. Thanks.

Transfer my wash from fermenter with a fish tank water pump works great kept off the bottom of fermenter

Good videos congratulations, but I was wondering if you have a video step by step for me to make an igaul still to yours

I like the blanket idea bro , only in NZ.

Jesse... what keeps the vapors from going out through the open top of this T where you have the coil? I'm a pot still man... never messed with vccm's

Awesome video, and that champagne class was quite tacky, glad you repurposed it haha

Nice channel Bro.. I had heard gorge talk about it.. I just subscribed, just bought a electric kettle a reflux ( digiboil kit) would the kettle have enough power to add in a stack of four bubble plates in the column? And should I get the copper dome also? Just learning so any info is welcome!!! Thanks

This is old but here is my take: You got 91% because of the copper coils in your condenser. You would get more alcohol ABV by stacking more copper in the condenser or with bubble plates but why? 91% is good for a reflux still but I am not sure why you tried to reinvent the wheel with this still. Because it is a fun hobby I would guess. A T500 will do the same if not a slightly better job. Here is my question that will never be answered: A pot still with a pipe going up to a thermometer and then down a line arm to cool it to 55c is different than the T500 with the copper and stainless steel packed in the condenser. But what is the difference between a pot still with bubble plates and the T500? They both do the same job of cooling back into liquid and dropping down and catching some of the steam and re cooking it. Aside from the sight glass, there doesn't seem to be any difference. So: Why is it that people say a T500 strips the flavour out but everyone raves about having 3 or 4 bubble plates with sight glass? Isn't that doing the same job?

Yes imho 70cm is too low, add another 50cm to it? Why don't you add a gate valve right after your SS Tee fitting and keep your coil high enough, let's say around the junction between the copper upper part and the SS Tee fitting, which means that your upper part could be too short...

Lol At the intro you look a wee bit listing to port there Jessie. 👍🏻😊

My 1st 2 vodkas... a potatoes mash & a barley & sugar mash... worked out well! But I used 5kgs of barley & 12kgs of sugar, let it ferment for 8 days, but got absolutely no vodka out of it! Where do u think I went wrong? Just incase it was the pipes to & from the converter... I've used heaps of plumbers tape to make sure nothing has been escaping... but they worked fine the 1st 2 times! I'm planning to distill my 10 litres of cider tonight. But I'm scared my pot still will loose it all too!🙏🙏🙏💔😭🥂 it's an 8ltr pot still!

So the top of your still is open where the refractory condenser sits? Do you get any vapor loss or blowby?

As you are getting the column to temp what happens to the heads and forshots? Since the volatiles turn to vapor first at under 170 degrees can I just leave the top coil out and allow the vapor to escape through the "T". I'm wondering what effect, if any, it would have allowing the volatiles to cook out first. Would it greatly effect the amount of heads coming through the condenser. I would cork the end of the condenser until the vapor is Ethal then install the CCVM coil and uncork the condenser.. I'm trying to eliminate any head residue in the condenser.

Just an 2021 observation, after watching your video's up to now, March 2021, I have learned so much from you thanks. On top of that, you have progressed to the point of actually looking good! I know it's hard to imagine but your Mamma would be proud( as if she wasn't before). As you pointed out in one of your later vid's, your beard was down to your tit's.... Now after your tour of the Iron Root Distillery in Dennison, Texas I've found a whole new respect for you and the Boy's down Under. If, you ever get a chance to come back to the States on your journeys, try to make it up to Breckenridge Distillery in Breckenridge, Colorado. While not as fancy and pretty as my Texas Boy's place, it has won some awards plus you could take your kids skiing, sledding or bobbing(what ever ya'll call it). I just wanted to give you an "atta" boy!

Awesome Jesse! Have been following your journey. I am building a very similar still to yours. Basically using liebig vs your shotgun product condenser and will be using 48" packed column. Have a birdwatchers fermenting for my sacrificial. What was the approximate position you were running your reflux condenser in relation to your tee? You mentioned you forgot to measure. Congrats bro!

Vapor does not go out the top where you have the reflux coil open ended ?

How much final product did you end up with from the original 100L fermentation?? 🙏🏼

I have a 2inch refux 8 gallon still from mile high. I only get 8 cups from 5 gallons of wash...is this a normal yield

nice, so how much did you got from the 100L? i would love to try it, ^^, auto subscribe

Really awesome to see how stable the run is and how consistently the whole still works. Very nice:-)> Sooo, next week is a tasting vid?

You say your column isn't tall enough but you have it insulated with a blanket. What would happen if you removed the blanket?

Can someone explain to me how and why the majority of vapor doesn't escape through the opening on top, but finds it way into the condenser? I don't get it. Thanks Brethren!

How much low wines did you charge the your still with to start ?

Sweet vid bro, lots of info in this one.

I get 140 proff of my copper pot still American made by Georgia still company it pnly a 5 gallon batch at each time but its the best

Jesse for this run did you use your product straight from your stripping run or did you dilute it? and if so what did you dilute it to? cheers

why i get a dirty product...liquid was not clear and clean...it got a milky color...can u help me with this?

great vid

I built the same still, but I'm struggling with my coil cooling. Tried running it off a pump, but the 40 liter container got hot quickly. I stopped. Does it matter what temp the coil is or is it more a constant full flow? Trying to save water and reuse is. Any thoughts. Went through all your videos, but cant find any info on cooling.

Jesse, do you have a name for your still?

Hi Jessie. I am still reading about distillation but what do you mean when you say "Fraction out"? Many thanks.

how can you test if the product is good to drink

Jesse, please explain one thing or point me to a video where you already explained. How come you leave the top of the column when you put the coil in unsealed, pretty much open? I don't get that. Thanx.

Congrats Jesse..! Well, the length of the column was probably the cause for the "low" ABV. However, my column ain't much higher than yours and I'm quite ok with the numbers in the lower 90's. Remember, the AVB says nothing about the purity and you won't be drinking it that strength anyway. IF you decide to extend your column anyway, be aware of if you are around 1200-1500mm you're high enough. Any length above that, won't give you a higher ABV and is just waste of material. In my opinion, it's not worth extending the column a lot or run excessive slow (high reflux rate)to get the last points up to 95% ABV (95,63 to be exact). You won't be able to push it further as Ethanol is hygroscopic (it attracts water). So it reaches azeotropic conditions at said 95,63% and the only way to get to 100% would be vacuum distillation. That makes no sense, however, cause it would attract the water in the air as soon as it comes out in the atmosphere. Now you just have one thing left...doing the cuts after the spirits are aired out for some hours (night over would be fine). I really enjoyed following your journey and seeing the end result.. Happy stilling.

Hey what was your collection rate and what abv were your cut points(if you took notice of course.)

What abv did you on this still

sweet

Prices column ?

how long did it take my last one took five but stopped at 80 proof..

Why do people insulate the riser? Im under the impression the colder it stays the more natural/environmental reflux you dont have to work for. I understand insulating the boiler, but why the riser??

I like watching your stuff, but I never know what you're talking about because you use so many abbreviations. >__

What is the size of these copper pipes?

How do you what's heads, hearts or tails?

Ah, the *good* shellac thinner…

Right just don't try with to much hop's...took 4 times threw to clean that taste..lol

Hi nice job ! Jesse , keep up the good work. Do you have email address

You are so adamant about not having done this before you almost sound like a girlfriend I once had. Well, had my turn, to be honest.

So young dude…

Thanks Mate you have explained the process the best

Great run down on reflux 👍

Love the antique porcelain fuse box in the intro background. I see why Mrs Still It insisted on a fire extinguisher. Keep up the good work.

Luv ur honestly

Question for ya bud, in your opinion for running off a sweet feed mash that's been strained, would you use a pot still or reflux same with a corn wash. The column still I have is nothing special, it's maybe 2ft tall and has the (shotgun) condenser. (No worm). Copper. Of course I can pack the column with copper mesh to get a reflux action out of it but. From what I'm hearing, without multiple times running it the proof isn't gonna be that intense. But back to my original question, should I use pot or reflux for corn and sweet Feed washes. Im trying to get back into the hobby and be a bit more better this time, 20 yrs back I would only do corn washes mainly and run everything though a pot still. Thanks again for such time induced / informational videos.

You talk too much

what is flux changing from one state to another and back.so reflux must be the change of alcohol and water to gas and back. in flux water condenses back to water easier than alcohol. so water is striped as alcohol remains producing a higher proff. at end of conn coil. putting a coil in column to aid in condensation works to only a set temp of water flow equal to alcohol stage temp in run.no use in putting a coil in that condenses everything.fractional distillation.

You can determine an estimate of the final ABV emerging from your reflux still set by using the values of the packing height, column diameter, reflux ratio, power input and the type and properties of the packing material in the column. A good online site that enables you to experiment with different values of the above parameters is listed below: homedistiller.org/calcs/hetp_calc The HETP, number of theoretical stages and the purity of the end product can then be estimated. You may need to double the column height (keeping everything else constant) in order to get close to you target 94 or 95% ABV. Also, changing the reflux ratio (whilst keeping everything else constant) may only give you marginal improvement in final ABV values. I have found that the two parameters that can greatly influence the ABV of the final product is column height and the type of packing material used. (good to stick with copper materials due to the extraction of certain undesirables from the final product - like sulphur) cheers

It’s a window between temp. Vapor hits coil condenses lower boil point first thus allowing only lower temp vapor to pass. Set coil temp to your cut temp.

"This is great, I will subscribe right now!" *Checks button* "Oh, cool, already subscribed. Good job, past me!"

Love your Vids brother. I too use the Teddy Vodka Recipe, but after cooling my mash I tripple distill it through my main boiler and a double thumper system. The outcome is about a 84-86% outstanding flavourable vodka. But I also polish the hell out it using a combination 1/4 liter of Brita filter guts,(3 per box cut and removed) and almost a half liter of regular activated charcoal. All this dumped into a 2 liter plastic pop bottle with the bottom remove and the cap end with a nail size hole and coffee filter added then capped tightly. This is then placed cap side down into a huge transparent clean flower vase where I then pour my spirit run into at about 47%-48%. 3 times i do this right down to 42% and the taste is remarkable better than absolute guarantee. I've researched vodka's endlessly and almost all except 2 companies will filter their product through activated charcoal. Try it brother, you will be highly impressed with the difference. A fellow spirit walker from Canada. Keep up the great work.

Hey mate thanks for opening up a whole new world for me with your videos. I'm a 25 year old west Aussie bloke who naturally wanted to find out more about my favourite drink and how it was made. I've been watching a few of your videos on your channel learning that there is a complete science behind the alcohol I drink and this video especially has balanced the technical science for advanced distillers and the ease of information for beginners. I will definitely be looking deeper into this craft and see how I can become apart of it.

Buck buck buck buck 🖕

buk bukbukbukbuk

hey, i'm looking at building a keg still(upgrade from my janky thrown together 20qt pot) This can be used in pot and reflux mode right?

Great series. Do you recall at what abv you stopped collecting on this spirit run?? Thanks it would help a lot

Jesy this vid was even better the second time👍 my question is that as the fore shots come off at a lower temp should you not collect them first then when the temp has risen to the ethanol "zone" run it in reflux mode? The way you done it here will have the methanol condensing then running back through the ethanol won't it?

its not abv its proof... abv is alcohol by volume, what you have there is pure alcohol m8... happy brewing..

Is silicone tubing safe for high proof alcohol?

I have a question about the length of stills column. As I understand it the longer the colum packed with copper mesh the higher the abv would be expected. When I am running fruit mashed like apple waist from cider, grape skins and stems from wine making, plums etc. I think I like the idea or 110-130 proof product because you also get disolvered esters that bring the essense of the mash. If I were running vodka (not sure why I would do that) I would probably run the pruduct three times any way. What are I missing?

Get a funnel, you men kill me with the transfers. Ladle out top of large containers and pour manageable quantity.

Run vinegar through your distiller with that copper.

What would you say the ratio of "hope you have an awesome week" vs "hope you have a kick-ass week" is? How do you decide?

Hey man love your vids i just recently started waching and was wondering is the top of your still open?? As in the only thing keeping the vapor from going out the top is the reflux coil, and if sp how does that work??

Since you have electrical control over the heat, I would think that - if you would use an electrical thermometer probe right at the top of the reflux column, so that you can know what temperature it is. This should take the guesswork out of achieving the highest proof. E,g., if the temp for methanol evaporation is 148 F degrees, then running the heat controller to keep that temp at that point only, should give a chance for the column to only allow the passing of methanol. If that temp is kept stable at - say 165 F degrees for good measure - for the period of time it takes for the condenser to clear any/all liquids left in it; then it would be ready to turn the temperature up to ethanol's evaporation point - which is 171 F degrees. Then let it sit at that control temp until no more liquid passes out of the condenser tube output. Now, in theory anyway, as you then raise the temperature further, it will allow the congeners and isopropyl alcohol to come out of condensation at 181 F degrees/higher. So the cleanest and purist ethanol can be obtained without undesirable smells, tastes, and contaminants, as long as the temps are kept at/below 180 F degrees. If you were then to make a third spirit run, it should bring it high enough to reach the 195 proof level to attain an alcohol that could be used for vodka or gin. Or, do the initial stripping run with the column in reflux - instead of pot mode - while monitoring these temps so that no more than two runs should attain a cleaner alcohol and the desired proof. This is one of the reasons why the use of an electrical heat source is best. Not to mention, that it is far better not to have an open flame around a purer alcohol vapor possibly leaking that could cause a fire or explosion - or both. Have you considered using a thermometer at the top of the still head? Just some thoughts. I enjoy all of your videos a bunch.

Are you wearing a fake beard over a real beard?

hi there..where bouts are you in NZ..im in Coromandel town..love your vids.cheers

Great video! One question I have is why you insulate the column with a Towel? If you’re trying to cool the vapor to drip back into the pot, wouldn’t it be more efficient if the column was exposed to air?

Nice channel 👍

Do a brandy

I don’t bother putting the column back in to total reflux after collecting fores. I do however collect heads at a slow rate about 2-3 drops per second.

I use HDPE jugs to transfer low wines to the boiler

3:00 lol those circuit breakers are least 80 years old tech 😂

do you monitor temperature ?

Bro my build is ghetto as all get out but it runs some good spirits lol. #imfuckingsickofdough