Configurable Vendome 50 gallon electric still

[bluestar]

We have started operations of Quincy Street Distillery with our new 50 gallon still from Vendome. This is a very functional but configurable still with design modifications to our specifications. It uses an electric heated water bath. If people are interested, we will be happy to post some details about the still and our experience as we try operating it in different modes. We think this will be a fine still for formulation development, as well as production for a very small distillery.

[Rickdiculous]

Definitely Post some info, especially pictures of you what you have. I am interested in seeing any variation on smaller stills for what I am looking to do.

[bluestar]

Definitely Post some info, especially pictures of you what you have. I am interested in seeing any variation on smaller stills for what I am looking to do.

You can see a multitude of pictures, including the construction at Vendome, on our Facebook page: http://Facebook.com/...treetDistillery, so I won't repeat them all here, but I will include one overall shot:

[jeffw]

What are you using for a mash cooker? Was debating a similar sized still for starting and I was planning on getting the mash tun and HLT from Stout Tanks...what did you go with?

Cheers,

Jeff

[Rickdiculous]

Can I ask what that cost you?

[bluestar]

What are you using for a mash cooker? Was debating a similar sized still for starting and I was planning on getting the mash tun and HLT from Stout Tanks...what did you go with?

Cheers,

Jeff

Here is the very interesting thing about this configuration: during start up, we use the still as the mash cooker. Obviously, this is not what we want to do when the still becomes busy, but it is an advantage of a bain marie heated pot in the beginning or if you have very limited space. We are making our whiskey using the still as the mash tun, moving the mash to fermenters, moving it back for strip runs, etc. So, the next stage of expansion will be buying a mash tun with about 3x the capacity of the current still. That would about double our throughput capability.

[bluestar]

Can I ask what that cost you?

Sure, you can ask. But since pricing probably varies a lot with the market conditions, etc., I would prefer to indicate the range and suggest you contact Vendome directly if you want a quote for something similar. As configured, including removable features like the dephlegmator and a 4-stack of bubble plates, it was in the low-to-mid 5 figure range.

[bluestar]

Just an update on using our still in its various modes. We have run it with an empty column, great for stripping runs. We have run it with the dephlegmator for final whiskey runs. Works fine, but we have to set up a more accurate control of the flow for the dephlegmator so we can get the best use of it for tuning reflux, rather than just shutting output down. And we have done our first runs with the removable 4-stack of bubble plates in place. They also performed as expected, but we would like to combine that with the activated dephlegmator.

[rhynorange]

Here is the very interesting thing about this configuration: during start up, we use the still as the mash cooker. Obviously, this is not what we want to do when the still becomes busy, but it is an advantage of a bain marie heated pot in the beginning or if you have very limited space. We are making our whiskey using the still as the mash tun, moving the mash to fermenters, moving it back for strip runs, etc. So, the next stage of expansion will be buying a mash tun with about 3x the capacity of the current still. That would about double our throughput capability.

Our mashing equipment is nearly finished, just waiting on a couple agitator parts and the welder to install. I'm quite familiar with this scenario. Don't try to pull off a stripping run and a mash in the same day... (yawn).

Your pictures look great, good luck!

[bluestar]

Actually, we often do a mash right after a strip run, because we can reuse the heated water in the boiler very efficiently that way. Yes, it makes for a full day ;-)

[Matched Hand]

Beautiful (looked at Facebook page as well). Well done not the use of electricity and keeping it small, yet actually having a Vendome in your hands.

[bluestar]

Next we will try running a gin with botanicals suspended in the still head.

[bluestar]

Next we will try running a gin with botanicals suspended in the still head.

OK, completed first couple of gin runs, and we are very happy with the results. We also switched over the cooling scheme for the dephlegmator, direct cold water with a needle valve. The result is a very high degree of separation with the dephlegmator properly adjusted, heads starting out over 180 and hearts around 150, starting from corn mash and the feints from the prior gin run. The gin botanicals suspended in the head under the dephlegmator provided a very efficient extraction of flavors.