jocko

it's a jacketed 1500L hybrid still. 25HP low pressure boiler. This is our only large still right now, so stripping and spirit runs.

Did you find any sources?

Hello! I have a brewery with direct fire brewhouse and HLT. This steam stuff is new to me. I've been reading these pages quite a bit and appreciate everyone's knowledgable commentary. I tried to upload a drawing I did but I cannot upload the image for some reason. The still has a 1.5" steam input line, and I'll have a 3" header and a 2" drop. I am thinking that having a reducer to 1.5" just before a 1.5" T. The T would be 1.5" straight through with a 3/4" out the side. The 1.5" straight through will go to a 1.5" globe valve for "macro" control -- to bring the still up to temp. The 3/4" will go to a 3/4" globe valve then rejoin the 1.5" line below the 1.5" globe valve. This is my "micro" control for once I'm at temp and want to throttle down the steam. So my questions: - Is 3/4" a good size for the "micro" globe valve? - What is a good manufacturer for the globe valves? What material should these valves be made of? Any recommended models? - Should I be reducing the steam like just before the globe valve? - I assume I don't need a trap below these valves, because it's going right into the still after the valves, and the still is sort of a giant trap. - what else should I be asking?

Hello! In buying a piece of equipment from a peer on these pages, how does one go about arranging transportation? I bought a tank in Missouri that I need moved to Northern California. Any recommendations? Seller has forklift for loading. I've been fortunate in that most of my purchases have been within 8 hours or so and I just went and picked it up, but this one is a bit far. Thanks for any advice or recommendations.

Curious the outcome of this investigation. Did you send it to the lab for testing?

Hello. In our brewery we use tri-clover fittings for almost everything. I see DIN connectors appear to be more common in the distilling industry (at least than the brewing industry). I'm more familiar with tri-clover and would be more comfortable using them for the distillery. Any opinions on how or why of tri-clamp vs. DIN connectors. Some of the quotes I've gotten for stills had DIN connectors, and I was going to have them swapped out for tri-clover. Any reason not to do this?

Saponification is a recent topic of inquiry as I've been amassing a rather impressive set of bottles of whiskey for my "research". Several well-regarded bottles had a strong soap flavor to me and my investigation of that is how I arrived at the saponification topic recently. I understand the premise for and the purpose of slow proofing. It occurs to me that this same reaction would/could happen as spirits are proofed to the various targets for barreling -- when water is added to the spirit before going into the barrel. I've never heard of anyone slow proofing pre-barrel and wondering why not? Are the compounds that are water-reactive only those that are extracted from the barrel or a result of the oxidation and aging process within a barrel? It just occurs that slow (or slower) proofing prior to barreling may be a point worthy of exploration? Thoughts?

Hello! New here. Brewery in planning. Doing some business planning. question re: getting a second use out of a 15-gallon barrel. Using the first for shorter-term (18-24 months) then re-using the same barrel for a longer-aging or for a more tightly cut whiskey also in the 24 month range. For first use, I'm planning on 120 proof. On second use, thinking of upping the proof. Curious your recommendations. I'd love to get at least 2 uses out of a barrel. If there is a thread already discussing this I couldn't find it.

Curious your collective thoughts. Single malt spirit run. Collected 100% of low wines of a very clean fermentation to 12%. What percentage of the spirit run will be fores?