Blue Bolt

Lol, sorry you had to say it twice. Regardless, as I alluded to, good idea and I'll keep in mind.

BTW @Southernhighlander and @ChrisSD I'm just waiting to get my business card in hand so I can get the points. Should have an order made by end of week with one of y'all, one way or another.

At the end of the day that might be what has to happen. I'd like to experiment with trying to get the product I want out of one pass but worst case scenario I never do then just replacing the glass column with a copper section for a stripping run should help alleviate any sulfide concerns. Are those bottom plates on your StillDragon seeing foam? I had read where they used to recommend a solid section before the glass column for certain washes to avoid the foam.

@Southernhighlander Nice model A! I'm sure there are some rockabilly chicks out in Missouri lookin' for a ride...

I'm not sure how big an issue you have to have someone to preface a "get well" with a "but I still don't like you" but obviously this is based on something long standing before I was lurking. BTW @adamOVD how you like that heeler. I have one myself...great dog. I have a little familiarity with Bishop, CA. Hitchhiked out of the woods there about 10 years ago after a week in and around Yosemite. Good times.

Some good info to remember there about copper sulfate. As of right now, it's unknowable until I start fermenting and distilling as there is just a ton of variables that dictate this between the two processes and whether or not you have to worry about sulfer. I'll ferment and distill towards the product I think I want and can always adjust methods afterwards if sulfur seems to be an issue. It seems like something that can be addressed in various ways as things go but I like to try and be preemptive. Good to know stuff right there about the salts. Had no clue. I'm going to run with the glass and bubble plates and adjust from there if need be. I believe the bubble plates will suffice but it seems there are various points during the distillation (and before during the fermenting even) to address things if I can't get them under control...as mentioned above. I really appreciate both of y'all sitting down and taking the time to answer these questions. I know they are simple as hell and maybe seem a little helpless but it's unfortunately the kind of thing you just can't really know without having it down in front of you. I'm going to take the advice too and just bite the bullet and just start out with some fresh 8 gallons buckets. I'm sure I can find some other uses for my 5 gallon'ers.

For sure, I don't think there is anything wrong at all with the capacity at this point and it's ability to work with a 4" column. I'm speaking specifically of just using 5 gallon washes inside. Heated from the bottom, sure no problem but I don't have a can in front of me and thus don't know if 5 gallons of wash will sufficiently cover the element or should I just count on 10 gallons. The reason I'm asking and trying to deduce rigidly in multiples of 5 is because frankly I've got quiet a few 5 gallons buckets. I realize there are other size options out there.

Yeah. Well I'm trying to develop what flavor profile I'm going for...it seems like a waste of energy and money up make 15 gallons of wash everytime. I'd rather have about four 5 gallon buckets fermenting every week/two and do two runs a day on Saturday and Sunday. Seems smarter space, time and resource wise. 5 gallon wash enough to run a 13 gallon boiler/4" column or should I just bite the bullet and get 10 gallon buckets? EDIT: Nevermind started using my head and realized I'm gonna use an element and 5 gallon wash in a 13 gallon can would leave the element dangerously close to be exposed, correct. Looks like either way I'm gonna need to run 10 gallon washes and at that point. Now that brings to the question would 10 gallons be sufficient for a 26 gallon kettle. These will be rum washes so foam is to be potentially expected.

Quick question, I generally was operating under the assumption I wanted a 26 gallon milk can considering it was the largest 'hobby' product readily available. But as I've been considering my true needs a little more thoroughly I may be wrong. In this still I will immediately be testing various yeasts for my rum wash in 5 gallon buckets...it seems like a 13 gallon may make more sense. Correct thinking? I don't want to make three 5 gallon buckets for a 26 gallon boiler for every separate yeast run.

Thanks for reaching out but focus on getting better man. I work in healthcare so I tell patients 8x a day to not be afraid to admit to yourself you deserve a break. I will reach out tomorrow cause y'all got everything I need and you've been on top of it since Day 1. Get better.

Thanks for the info! My current thinking is to look into a copper condenser if I can't shake the notion of sulfur.

I had come across this study yesterday and it seems a copper condenser might be the best place for additional copper as well. Earlier above I said adding copper before the plates like in the kettle but I had forgot about that article. I guess I could always move forward with the glass and copper plates/caps and if I'm not happy with the sulfer level I could look into having a copper condenser made.

Thanks for the additional info and confirmation.

Bout made up my mind on a 4" glass Still dragon with the ProCaps...still a little concerned with sulfate removal with the only copper being the plates and caps but I guess we'll see. Trying to think of a way to add a little copper before it gets to the plates. Might be a waste of money. Not sure, any opinions on that would be great. Stilldragon has some nice 30 gallon pot belly kettles but they want $2300 for the kettle and the fittings. Can't justify that. They don't sell a 26 milk can and I think a 13 gallon will be inconsistent pushing a 4" column. Probably will look towards Affordable Distilling or Hillbilly for the can and electric heating.

@Silk City Distillers At this point I'm sold on the bubble caps and will move forward that way. Of course, now comes in the question of glass columns instead of copper. I know you already utilize a Crystal SteelDragon. Have you found that just the copper in the plates is enough to eliminate your sulfides? I know for bourbon you're going to age it in a barrel anyways so you don't have to worry as much about sulfur notes but for rum that isn't always the case. Essentially I'm now trying to deduce whether I'm gonna go for a stainless kettle with glass column and 4 bubble cap plates or stainless kettle with modular copper column and 4 bubble cap plates.

I hear low and slow can get it done for some. We will see. Seems like I see several people have success with single runs and rum more than other spirits but that may be confirmation bias at play.

Thanks. I'm definitely team bubble cap now. I'm sold. Spent the better part of 4 hours yesterday looking into it.

No worries, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something silly. As far as mimicking the components closely for this R&D still....I'm hoping the one I linked above will approximate pretty well. That's essentially the amount of money I'm budgeting right now. Agitators and jackets would definitely be nice but considering I look to move past this one within about a year, I don't want to invest a ton. But if you have specific ideas on this that point towards a different still than what we've been linking too, I'd be a fool not to listen.

As a matter of fact this is the exact reason I'm not really paying much attention to the various eye candy glass column with copper plate options. One, because I want the additional copper but two because I haven't seen any large systems (250 gallon and up) utilize this design. I'm sure there are various reasons why.

Yeah I had alluded to this above. At the end of the day I want the process to be able to scale from what I learn on, within reason. I want to first get down running a pot still...then progress into running the 4-plate column (thus my desire for modular system). I'd rather learn to strike a balance between the pot and the plates for my product than doing a single pot still run followed by column run and blending or, as you mentioned, redistilling period. Once again, this comes more down to consistency than anything and eliminating variables....but also efficiency.

Gotcha, my biggest concern is retaining congeners while bumping up the % a bit....definitely not looking for neutral spirits. I'd like to get it down to where I'm making single runs to finished product. I've done a fair share of reading throughout the day and between the advice here and what I've read, bubble caps seems to be the way I should go. Thanks for that! @Southernhighlander I had linked one of your products above actually, not sure if you saw. These seem to be the same product on two different sites with two different prices - https://shop.distillery-equipment.com/collections/stills/products/26-gal-moonshine-vodka-4-bubble-plate-copper-stainless-w-cooling-kit-2 https://moonshine-still.co/products/26-gallon-moonshine-still-with-4-copper-reflux-four-bubble-plate-column Am I missing something?

Appreciate the response. Maybe I'm being obtuse but I still am not sure of what the real world example of what 'flexibility' is afforded by bubble caps. Do y'all just mean they can potentially be ran harder and maintain balance easier?

Thanks for the response and I'll definitely look more into turndown but could you I guess provide me specific example where variability is beneficial. To me, and this probably suits my personality, but consistency appeals to me. Especially in regards to creating a product that already has so many variables to try and reign in. I just want to make sure that this additional control I get through bubble caps is even something I'd care to try and be controlling in the first place. I prefer pot still runs and the only reason I'm even getting a column is one for the copper benefits and two so it can bump up the % occasionally and make higher runs when I need it for blending with pure pot runs. But I'm definitely open to suggestion, as maybe caps will make more sense for me, and now's the time to make those decisions.

After a few weeks of really honing in on what I need, I've all but set my mind to this hybrid/flute from Mile Hi here. I'll be experimenting and refining technique with this still for about a year while I build out some other aspects and experiment with yeasts. It also approximates the same setup I'd hopefully scale to eventually. I will be using it to produce rum primarily. Does anyone have any immediate alternatives that comes to mind for near the same price point? I have seen StillDragon often mentioned but their website has little to no flutes currently listed so I'm not really sure what is going on over there and doesn't inspire much confidence. Don't like that the Hillybilly's aren't modular (in regards to the column). Another option I came across here, from distillery-equipment.com but after doing a good bit of reading it seems like perf plates and downcomers are potentially more maintenance free than these bubble cap setups....although I know plenty of people work with bubble caps with no issue so that consideration is small. Anything similar options I'm overlooking or additional thoughts on vendors I've mentioned would be greatly appreciated.