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Building a "Carter Head"


PeteB

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I have been asked to contract distill some Gin but don't want to put botanicals basket inside my pot still

Have been considering building something like a Carter head to hang off the side of my pot with its own condenser.

Any suggestions on internal design, and size to fit enough botanicals to run about 500 liters of 50% abv in the pot? Vapor infusion only.

I have worked out how to attach to the still but need ideas on designing the path for the vapor.

Does it enter the side or bottom, or even top?

What happens to condensate that will probably form in the head?

Thanks

:Pete

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Go to Stilldragon and their forum. They have off the shelf stainless steel clamp gin baskets that are supposed to work brilliantly. I would doubt you can make one for the 500 bucks that they charge for one of those. If your worried about volume of vapor put in two and you can change them out.

I

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Seeing that your avatar has a picture of you tig welding.

Consider re-purposing a stainless basket filter/strainer. You have 80% of what you need when you run it in reverse (vapor in the exit port, vapor out the inlet port). You may need to rework the basket for a finer mesh, but some perforated stainless sheet might get you close to a good end result. Second to that might be a bag filter housing if you can fashion a basket.

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Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I think the Stilldragon option might make more work and expense for me because I don't have triclamp fittings on my still.

It looks a very well made attachment but I am not sure if just 1 would hold enough botanicals. I would lose some alcohol if I changed basket during run so that is not a good option.

The mesh bags look great for the right size carter head, but I already have some mesh for a basket thanks.

I still haven.t received any suggestions on size of a carter head for a 500 liter fill (at 50%abv)

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  • 1 month later...

PeterB,

You'll find your botanical basket will need to be sized at 5% of the total ethanol still charge in the boiler.

So for a 500L still charged with 250L of ethanol, you're looking at a 12.5L basket mate. That should do the trick, if you'd like some more room by all means double it.

Cheers,

George.

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Thanks George, I should have phoned you in the first place.

Have run out of time to build the carter head plus the extra condenser so will have to go with a basket in the still then give it a good clean.

Pete

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