My first set of questions

[GRDB]

I have a ton of questions but I’ll try to take it slow so everyone can keep up.

1st an engineering question – Steam Jacket vs. Direct Fire. As I understand but have not been able to confirm, a direct fire still is similar to a pan on a stove top and a steam jacket still is similar to a double boiler. How far off is that assessment?

2nd another still question – I have read somewhere that direct fire could burn your wash while distilling (I may have read mash and switched them). Would this be a direct burn like seared chicken or more like overcooked chicken broth? Either way producing off flavors.

3rd I am researching grain alcohols, fruit alcohols and possibly a honey/agave nectar alcohol. I would also like to do grappa. Because of the grappa if I have the right definition of a Steam Jacket I would definitely want that style of still (with NO PREVIOUS alcohol experience).

Now if I did this right there should be 4 more questions under this post.

[will]

Answers to these and many more questions can be found in something that precedes the internet by several centuries: books.

This forum is not your only source of information about distilling. Start with your local library, then, after you've read all their scientific material, try the local college libraries. Once you're done with that, you can get back on the internet and find more books both at ABE.com and Amazon's used books section. Finally, Google Books has some sparse information about brewing and distilling...and it's right here on the internet.

Most of us have jobs, and we're pretty busy. We really will answer your questions, but they should be the kind of questions that indicate you're serious, and you've made a commitment to the craft by doing a little bit of independent research...first.

Good luck,

Will

p.s. steam coil stills should not be overlooked.

p.p.s. most stills, when first fabricated, have NO PREVIOUS alcohol experience.

[GRDB]

I meant to say that I have no previous experience.

When I visited my local Ag. College the Professor in charge of Grape research looked at me like I had three heads when I was describing what I was trying to do.

He was more interested in his tenure than actually pointing me in any direction other than his door. Unfortunately my research abilities were just enough to qualify in college. My local library system has a grand total of 7 books on both brewing and distilling combined. I am afraid the University's library will have slightly more than 10.

I do appreciate more places to go look though. Thank you for pointing me towards a direction.

[slayermk_I]

There are some sites that allow you to download some lecture in pdf format. Take a dictionary and search for concepts that will form an idea.

[Rich Morgan]

I have a ton of questions but I'll try to take it slow so everyone can keep up.

1st an engineering question – Steam Jacket vs. Direct Fire. As I understand but have not been able to confirm, a direct fire still is similar to a pan on a stove top and a steam jacket still is similar to a double boiler. How far off is that assessment?

2nd another still question – I have read somewhere that direct fire could burn your wash while distilling (I may have read mash and switched them). Would this be a direct burn like seared chicken or more like overcooked chicken broth? Either way producing off flavors.

3rd I am researching grain alcohols, fruit alcohols and possibly a honey/agave nectar alcohol. I would also like to do grappa. Because of the grappa if I have the right definition of a Steam Jacket I would definitely want that style of still (with NO PREVIOUS alcohol experience).

Now if I did this right there should be 4 more questions under this post.

1&2 Direct versus steam is a question for what do you want to distill. true, it is much easier to burn the wash with a direct fired still, but still possible with a steam (more so with coil, rather than a jacket). This tends to be an issue with washes with high residual sugars (rum washes), but you can cook the protein in any wash if you get it too hot. However, some distillation styles (specifically brandy) rely on the direct fired method as it introduces all sorts of chemical reactions which add character to the spirit. Most fruit and grape brandy makers I know prefer direct fired. In France, Cognac can ONLY be legally made on a direct fired still.

Grappa stills are very specific in design, and there are several on the market from Italy. Grappa like a lot of fruit brandies should be distilled on the pomace, that is with the fruit pulp, skins, stems and pith in the pot, so the stills tend to have a large basket that lifts out to aid emptying, or a large access door at the base. I know a number of fruit stone distillers who cheat by filtering the wash before distilling, and the product suffers as a result.

The mistake I see a lot of new commercial distillers make is trying to make everything with one still from day 1. My advise is, pick one or two related products, tool for that. do them well, then expand. You will always sell more of one good product, than 10 bad ones.

rich..