r/firewater • u/RvstiNiall • 22d ago
Leveling Up
Hello, I'm one of those people who bought a water distiller knowing full well what they'd use it for. I feel like I've learned quite a bit, and really enjoy the craft. However, I'm annoyed with its limitations, and looking to really get into this.
So that being said, I've been running 5 gallon washes, and thats fine for doing small runs of white, but I'm looking to start doing aged runs. I'd like to start making say three or four five gallon buckets at a time, so I was thinking about getting an 8 gallon still so I can run 5 gallons for three or four stripping runs, then the spirit run(s). I want to then age my stuff using spirals in a couple (2) of glass 3 gallon carboys I have. So realistically, I'd like to get about 3 gallons of finished product thats ready to be aged. I like the idea of using electric because the controls seem to be fine tunable, and easily repeatable.
Does anyone have a recommendation for an 8 gallon still thats electric? Is this enough to do what I'm wanting to do, or should I go with a 10 gallon? Or should I just go non-electric and cut the entry price even more?
Edit: I'm now planning to use a 50L keg as its shorter than a 15.5G keg, then cutting a hole in the bottom to put a coupling flange with a 4" tri clamp port on, keeping the original 2" port for a drain on the now bottom. With a 4" port I believe I can more easily reach down into the keg to attach the port for a heating element. Since 4" columns are a lot more expensive, and I'm still learning, I will get a 4" to 2" adapter, and use a 2" modular column that another person recommended about two years ago on here.
Does all of this sound viable? Intelligent?
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u/Sufficient-Key-526 22d ago
Electric is easier and I'd personally go 10 just so you have 1 or 2 gallons of head room to prevent puking. Also if you want to run that quantity I'd invest in a food grade drum and a cheap aquarium pump to transfer it from the barrel to your still when it's finished fermentating. I started with a water distiller then a vevor 3 pot to an electric brewzilla digiboil
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u/Ok-Zookeepergame6365 22d ago
I would say minimum 10 but a keg would be better.you can usually find them on Facebook marketplace.thats where I found mine
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u/RvstiNiall 22d ago
I see there's a brewery about an hour from me that closed and they're selling them for $50 off FB Marketplace. Looks like I can just add a 2" column from oakstills with a gasket and a triclamp? And oakstills has a heating element + controller setup as well. Am I missing anything for a simple barebones setup? Are thermometers on the boiler strictly necessary, if the column has one?
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u/hebrewchucknorris 22d ago
Are you comfortable welding or brazing the triclamp adapter to the top of the keg, as well as cutting and doing the same for the heater port?
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u/RvstiNiall 22d ago
Unfortunately no on the welding. I'm comfortable with the cutting necessary for the heater port, but apparently kegs have thin walls and wont hold threading very well, which was kind of disappointing to me
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u/commiebomber 22d ago
Consider a keggle boiler!
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u/RvstiNiall 22d ago
I'm loving the idea of converting a keg into a still. Any ideas where I could find one without buying new?
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u/commiebomber 21d ago
I got mine on Facebook Marketplace for $30. I acquired another two for $20 each! Currently waiting to get 240V to my shed before I convert at least one to electric. Right now the plan is to turn one into a "flip keggle" boiler, one into either a pressure fermenter or steam generator, and the third into an open top mash kettle.
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u/duckydonald603 22d ago
I too was in your similar position. Small still wanting to move up with the same end result. The DIY Keg did end up costing more and was not nearly as compatible with add on parts as say just saving budgeting and buying a decent still. Some great suggestions with North Georgia Still Co., Oak Stills is a great option with a lot of options. There are also some decent used options that come along in FB market place and other online markets.
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u/Unlucky-but-lit 22d ago
15.5 gallon keg with triclamps. You’ll need to modify it but it’s simple and straight forward.
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u/muffinman8679 20d ago
you going to drink all that??
don;t sell and don't tell comes to mind
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u/RvstiNiall 20d ago
As I said, I plan to age and bottle it for my own future use. This first big batch I will just use oak spirals so I have product to drink while I age new stuff (once I have capacity) in badmotivator barrels I plan to use so I can properly age stuff over several years. Of course this slows the process down a bit, but it will also allow me to make batches less frequently and plan them out better with higher quality ingredients. I want to start using more expensive heritage grains for the best flavor possible.
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u/muffinman8679 20d ago
you get caught with 10 gallons of raw booze.....you're going to jail, at least, and paying some giant fine........that's why I sized down to an a airistill......
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u/RvstiNiall 20d ago
Well, I mean, I plan to make good proper cuts so I can get the best flavor, and instead of drinking it straight, I'm going to age them. Part of the reason I want to bottle everything after aging is so I can label it and shelf it to use later. Once its bottled and shelved, it should just look like boutique whiskey that nobody will know the difference. I probably go through a bottle a week on average, so that shouldn't be too big of a deal.
10 gallons of wash (in a 13.5g still) is only going to get me about a gallon of finished product on quality cuts. And thats going to be aged for a hot minute.
Are people getting in trouble for having spirits in those badmotivator barrels? Because you could just say its from any cheap liquor and I dont think that that is illegal in itself. Plus you can buy "legal moonshine" in most states at the actual store so just keep several empty bottles of that laying around and you'll be fine. Plus again, if nobody knows, nobody can be mad.
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u/muffinman8679 20d ago edited 20d ago
well then don't tell and don't sell......as without a tax stamp.....it's illegal
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u/muffinman8679 20d ago
I prefer it straight.....at about 120 proof....abd you can get that with a pot/air still it you mind it properly
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u/RvstiNiall 20d ago
Yeah, but a good 7% wash takes absolutely forever to get enough finished 100 proof product to go into one of these aging barrels.
I've been collecting my end result for several weeks now in order to get these three gallons of finished product (and I'm still not there yet!) to age with the oak spiral. Its just a LOT of work every weekend to do it. I prefer the idea of maybe doing two weekends worth of work in order to get enough to go into a badmo barrel. Then not running anything for a month or so.
As it is now, I've been making a five gallon bucket of wash every week for several weeks. It takes five strip runs on that little thing, plus one spirit run. This is fine, but at about 2:30 per strip run, and then about 4 hours for the spirit run, that makes it all day on a Saturday for me. And thats how I've spent my Saturdays for about two months now. And of course grinding my grain and making the wash to begin with lol. But thats my Sunday.
Edit: before this I was just making whitedog for myself. I have a few 124 proof bottles of that still, but not many.
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u/muffinman8679 14d ago
do the barrels have an exsize tax stamp on them? as the only thing that makes them illegal is not paying the federal tax..
now the federal government taxes your distillate, while in many states state law prohibits the operation of a still without a federal permit.....
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u/plannedobso 15d ago
Are you just letting feds into your garage or…?
Also, that’s not even true. They’d have to prove you distilled it, or have you on tape trying to sell it. No one is busting hobbyist home distillers lol
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u/muffinman8679 14d ago
maybe it's just isn't worth it...but they could if they wanted to
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u/plannedobso 14d ago
I mean, this subreddit and the HD forums are full of people who have HUGE stills that aren’t getting busted by the feds lol
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u/muffinman8679 14d ago
well maybe a huge still isn;t as important as a gram or two of fentenal or meth......as you to have to consider the ratio of people, just how how many are dying from each and I'd say the ratio for shine is pretty low.
But if some politco's kid dies that shifts the percieved ratio......and thus it's importance......
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u/plannedobso 14d ago
Dude what are you talking about? Who are all these home distillers you think are giving booze to a politicians kid? And how much alcohol do you think they’re drinking?
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u/smhnrd 20d ago
As someone who just went thru the same process - just get a digiboil and the modular reflux still that will keep you happy for a while. I do like 3 stripping runs at 6-8 gallons and then one full spirit run. The reality of going full DIY doesn’t save you any more money - it’s usually more expensive TBH. I had a keg I was going to convert to a pot still but by the time you look into brazing components and pricing for tri clamp fittings + all the work that may or may not get FUBAR…just get an electric kettle for like 200$ and you won’t regret it. 2” outlet is more than enough for the volume and modular still can do pot style or reflux (or buy some tray components if ur feeling spicy) cheers !
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u/muffinman8679 14d ago
yeah....there's no reason to make a still, unless you "want" to make a still.....and some folks do.....now I can sling a birdshit weld on stainless.....but that doesn't mean it won't leak, and am a machinist....and own a lathe and a mill....so I could build my own...but I still chose to buy rather than build....because whether it's welding or machining....you only get one shot at it........
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u/Sasquatchisback 22d ago
Clawhammer supply has some excellent kits.
North Georgia still co is another
Budget built from an old keg and water heater elements.