Temperature Control

[WineMaker]

I am in the process of planting a vineyard, first block of Sauvignon Blanc in it's third leaf along with a 3,000 square foot winery and distillery. This still will be used to produce brandy for making port style wines. Last year a great friend in Europe sent me a still as a gift for my new facility. This still is a wood fired 1 barrel unit with four bubble plates and a reflux unit at the top. In order to conserve water I have built a programmable temperature controller which will take temperature readings above the pot, at the water outlet on the reflux unit and also at the condenser. This controller will then operate two motorized ball valves, one at the water inlet of the reflux unit and the other for the condenser.

When still is operating what should be the water temperature at the reflux unit for the various stages of distillation?

Dwight

[MarkR]

I am in the process of planting a vineyard, first block of Sauvignon Blanc in it's third leaf along with a 3,000 square foot winery and distillery. This still will be used to produce brandy for making port style wines. Last year a great friend in Europe sent me a still as a gift for my new facility. This still is a wood fired 1 barrel unit with four bubble plates and a reflux unit at the top. In order to conserve water I have built a programmable temperature controller which will take temperature readings above the pot, at the water outlet on the reflux unit and also at the condenser. This controller will then operate two motorized ball valves, one at the water inlet of the reflux unit and the other for the condenser.

When still is operating what should be the water temperature at the reflux unit for the various stages of distillation?

Dwight

Understanding that you are going to be distilling wine to produce brandy, which is a product with a fair bit of flavor of the original wine included. Since, in general, the more reflux the less flavor in the product, and knowing that you already have 4 plates in action, I would question the use of the reflux condenser at all. Run a couple of runs through the system with no water in the reflux unit and all four plates in use. Take a single plate out, do another run and see which flavor profile you like. I both are too strong, run a very little bit of water through the reflux unit, log the flow rate and the input and output temperatures, and see what you think of the flavor profile. In my experience, very little if any reflux and an ending alcohol content of about 145proof should be good.

[Napa Valley Distillery]

It may be easier to just purchase the GNS in bulk and use it in the fortification process. Of course, part of the fun and excitement is in doing it yourself.

We make Vodka by distilling 2 year aged Sauvignon Blanc wine in a copper pot still. Not an easy process, especially if your looking for a certain flavor profile at 190 proof. I dont think you need anything more than 130 maybe even less.

BTW...I love dessert wine made from Sauv Blanc. Please post info on the finished product.

Cheers!

[MadMacaw]

Dwight,

Since your "kettle" is only 31 gallons (1 bbl as stated) there is a way that you can cool the condenser via closed loop resulting in very little water use. I learned about how to DI this by working on a similar system except the "kettle" volume was 50 gallons (1.6 bbl). The closed loop cooling water system was cobbled together by the distillery owner and was brilliant.

Regarding condenser water temp, your application is no different than anyone else, so the typical guideline applies here, 60 deg. F.

Give me a ring and I can talk you throughout the closed loop cooling water concept.

Eric Watson

AlBevCon

304.641.6166