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Most of it is air above the mash being replaced by vapor mixed with really stinky carbon dioxide. Then the stuff the other guys mentioned.

The carbon dioxide and air can be seen in a vapor lock, such as a thump keg, as soon as the heat is applied. When the actual saturated steam consisting of water and alcohol vapor starts it initially collapses as soon as it hits cold water or condenser.

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Thank you all for the feedback! Much appreciated...

www.StillCooker.com

Still cookin'.....

I have maybe an odd question.

When running a steam fired spirit still, 2070 liters capacity a vapor escapes during the first 2-3 minutes at the beginning of the spirit run. It feels cold but it does not turn liquid and escapes with some pressure. The smell is not very nice..

The grainbill of the spirit is only based on optic barley, peated at 35-40 ppm, fermented using distillers yeast.

Any idea what it is???

Thanks

I think the phrase "going commercial" implies a licensed distillery. I think the original poster understands this site. I also think many licensed and soon to be licensed distillers did indeed consider doing things illegally, and also did them. How else to experiment with distilling and gain experience? I did it, I know many others who did it, and who cares.

I'm fully aware of the fact that a full licensed approach is the only correct way. I have started - like many other pros - out of curiosity and interest for the industry and product without a license, using a very small copper potstill. Going pro is a next step for me after gaining skills in existing commercial distilleries - (not based in the USA).

I thought a steam boiler was the way to go, but I've seen quite a few different methods lately and I'm wondering what everyone is using and what is the most efficient, most practical, and safest. Oh, and how is the heat up time with your system?

Here is what I have seen to date:

Steam-jacketed stills and cookers

Oil jackets that are heated with electricity

Home-made mini boilers that consist of kegs of water heated with electricity

Electric hot plates

Propane burners

Natural gas burners

Any issues with local fire codes or with the ttb on heat sources? Anyone actually burning wood under a still?

Thanks for the input.

Steam is for sure the most safe and probably the most economical. I still use natural gasburners and no steam, but when I will upgrade my boiler to a larger size - I will for sure go for steam heated!!

www.stillcooker.com / still cookin'

Hello everybody!

I am glad I have found this forum. I am a homedistiller for many years and I am considering a career change - going commercial. I hope to find good information on this site which can help me out.

Cheers

StillCooker - still cookin'

www.stillcooker.com