damata

With all the feedback from ADI forum members and speaking with my mentor, I have been able to come up with some estimated prices for the stills. STANDARD FEATURES - the stills come with two bubble plates and a dephlegmator and are heated by steam using a coil inside the pot. All of them are hand-hammered copper. The condenser and receiving vat are not included. Shipping isn't either. 1,000 lts $16,000 1,200 lits $16,800 1,500 lts $20,900 I can make either a copper condenser or a stainless steel version. The steel clearly being a lot cheaper. Still for making ethanol fuel - 600 lts - $14,560 Delivery should be no more than 50 days. Might be 60. To change the system to a steam jacket add $7,000. I am thinking that it will be 25% deposit, 25% at completion - I will then send video and photos for approval, if any changes are needed due to my failing they will be done - 25% upon approval and 25% when it arrives. I also will be making very simple open-top stainless steel fermentation vats. Price would be around $3,500 for 2,800 lts and $1,300 for 800 lts to give examples. IMPORTANT - I am still putting everything together so I apologize in advance if I am a little slow in replying. Words are cheap but I want to insure you realize this is not a reflection of the still's quality or craftsmanship. Thank you as always for any feedback.

PeteB, I just got through reading the link you sent me. Albeit a bit heated, it was good for me to learn more about the why of things so I don't simply "do as I was taught" but understand the reasons for doing it. Thank you again. Joao

0.6 I mean. Boy am i eating crow right now with egg on my face.

PeteB, FINALLY i got a reply from Max. The pressure value opens automatically when the kg f / cm3 hits 6. So ignore my INCORRECT statements. I need to check with him more often. I appreciate you forcing me to learn this. Important if I am to fly solo.

If I didn't know any better I'd say you're a sale's man for the classes.

And also - yet that is a pressure release value (I apologize for not knowing the name) which one opens if the pressure at 10 psi starts rising and is not dropping with reduction in the steam.

Oops again. I replied to the old message. Let me find out exactly form Max and in the meantime read the link. you sent. Thank you for sending it.

I sent a reply and for some reason I see now it is not posted. Sorry. We use steam vapor which is passed through a coil inside the pot, we do not use a steam jacket so there is no pressure issue aside from any that comes from heating too quickly or too fast. The only time we alter the vapor pressure is at the end when we need to play with temperature so as to get a maximum heart amount. We work with a capacity of handling 15 psi. I hope this answered your question. I can ask Max, he is the designer.

The steam comes into the still via a pipe and joins a coiled pipe inside so we have no steam jacket. The pressure is controlled by a handle but this is to control the pressure coming from the boiler into the coil. The open valve we have is for potential overheating of the ferment, not the steam. Is that answering your question. Please let me know and I will ask Max for further better answers if needed since he is the designer.

Ha. Yes. A lot of people are betting that Cachaça will become the next "it thing". I hope so. I saw your post and replied to it about still making. I also am hoping to make stills myself here in the US. When I get going I will let you know.

Hello. A colleague of mine who actually taught me how to make stills has started a school. There was an article on him in this most recent edition of Distiller Magazine. Max The Still Maker is the title of the article and it gives information on the school. I bring this up because I wonder if you have ever considered building your own. That is what I did and now I even make stills for other people. I hope having this option helps you. Good luck.

Fantastic reference list. THANK YOU!!

Thank you for the feedback, mendodistilling. I appreciate it and please let me know what your gf finds out. Once I have figured out pricing I will PM you. Maybe I am incorrect but I feel a bit awkward about posting prices openly on a forum. If it is okay to make such an announcement (anybody reading this, PLEASE let me know) then I will.

I just saw your profile. I am actually being commissioned to build a distillery and brewery in Indiana. So like you, Massachusetts and Indiana are my bases. What are the chances of that.

Good observation. Those were the only available in Brazil. With the ones I am building here I am looking for a different supplier. Vendome has absolutely beautiful ones. So practicability and aesthetics is my goal. I have started to work out of Charlton but may move to Cape Cod.

My neighbor runs a steam line roughly 200 meters from his boiler to his mashing tun. As the others have said, 60 feet (roughly 30 meters) should not be a problem. He has no insulation. To his stills it is 30 - 40 meters (90 - 120 feet) with no insulation.

Donmar, First I have to say this is new to me (dealing with Canada ) plus I am not sure if the style of stills I build are something you are interested in but you can see a photo of two in the posting FEEDBACK PLEASE in the EQUIPMENT section. http://adiforums.com/index.php?showtopic=6956 Second since this is new to me I am more interested in market penetration than in profit. My colleagues and I make them entirely by hand. We solder and weld but the still is of copper which is annealed with a torch then hammered into shape by one of us. I am still trying to figure out pricing (I posted this request in the FEEDBACK PLEASE ) to get suggestions. We have made everything except the columns with windows. If you want to discuss further please PM me. Thank you. Joao

The cost varies due to the fluctuating costs of copper. Since we make it by hand it takes us roughly 30 days for the still only and then another week for placing the final touches. The condenser is made at the same time by my partners. I assume this could be a good thing since the German stills take a year or so before delivery if I am correct. That is extremely kind of you. I am very critical of my work so it is a joy when I read that someone likes what we've made. Will do. Thank you for the link for columns. ALSO - in March I am hoping to build a still of 1,000 liters in Massachusetts which is designed after the Glenfiddich stills - http://c8.alamy.com/comp/C29PJ5/glenfiddich-distillery-dufftown-scotland-whisky-whiskey-still-copper-C29PJ5.jpg- but I will also "hide" some plates and a dephlegmator in it without compromise to the outside look. I also hope to make columns which have the appearance of the Glenfiddich condensers so the overall look is old school Scottish. With this project I may use a Helve Hammer and English Wheel and Bead Roller to assist in construction. Once it is hopefully done I will post photos.

Actually I have been obsessed with your still for over a year. What Adams and Chittenden did for you is simply amazing. Thank you for the invitation. I would love to see it in person.

Can I know how many and prices for bulk orders. Thank you.

Can you ship or know someone who can - Indiana, Fair Oaks.

Hello to everybody. I have been informed this is the go-to place for the big boys to discuss all things distilling. I am from Brazil where I have a distillery. My former business partner is now in the US and has invited me to visit. When we started we built our own stills with minimal equipment and help only from my brother for the few welding parts. I have gone on to build for others. My partner chose instead to instruct people and assist them in their building of stills. I hope I will be able to learn from all of you my distilling is limited to making Cachaça so even though I am considered a master distiller in my region I do not think that is a title I deserve until I can widen my knowledge which I hope to do here from all of you. Thank you for allowing me to participate.

It would be a real help if I could get suggestions on pricing for my stills. We make them entirely by hand. We hammer the copper without power tools. The standard model has a 750 liter capacity and comes with a dephlegmator and two plates and is heated by steam. This is not direct steam but a coil inside which is heated by steam. We have done some with direct heat and have considered electrical. Since we are a small operation we have stuck to the design our clients want but we clearly can and will build in the traditional Scottish style or have one with a helmet. The only part we have yet to work on is columns. Please PLEASE be critical. We do not want compliments. We want advise from people who buy stills. Thank you very much.