Having bought several pieces of equipment from Mile High over the last few years, I can attest to the excellent job their shipping department does in securing the packaging of the contents. Plus the items weren’t to shabby either. The welding quality of the components was amazing! (Being a retired welder/fabricator myself)
On another quick note regarding the parrot and drain valve. Make sure to not have your hydrometer inserted when draining. You will crack the bottom of it. I have had to replace two hydrometers due to this mistake.
Hi George, your downcomers should always be opposed to one another and never directly underneath one another. That is why you would notice there is circular pattern with no vapour holes in the opposed section of plate where the above downcomer should ideally be sitting. This improves efficiency within the column and by making the heavier vapour and liquids zig zag their way back down the column as opposed to it running straight back down into the the boiler. I pull industrial stripping columns and reactors apart for a day job and have seen guys try put them back together all one sided, It doesn't work so just a tip. (",)
Thanks for this comment. Made me go back and have a look at the plate and yes there's a blank area where the upper downcomer should sit. Any reason for the end cap on the downcomer? Seems to me the liquid on the plate should create a seal to stop vapour going up the downcomer.
George - you are absolutely killin’ it on original RUclips content! This is your best video yet - the best video on the internet regarding flute stills and can’t wait for the next one. I’ve been watching your vids back when you had 5k subs. Keep it up! You’ll be at a million subs before you know it.
OMG, a did a real LOL when the ketchup hit the whiteboard, priceless! Ketchup is perfect because pretty much everyone has it in their refrigerator, I use lemon juice when the ketchup isn't strong enough...
The downcomer is not a separate distillation. There are no effective plates between the physical plates unless you pack the space with packing so that there is a physical media for the vapor/liquid to exchange on.
Thanks George for another great video. I have been running my Mile Hi 26 gallon/4"/8 section (bought an extra section, sight glass and extra perforated plate) with the optional Gin basket for almost a year now, the handle of the Gin basket just touches the ceiling of my Brewtillery. This is truly an awesome still and very well made. I run my cold water in through the bottom of the dephlegmator as I found that running it in the top it will trickle down the one side and not fill, I also tried running it in the top and controlling flow out the bottom also helps keep it full. Keep up the great work.
Hi George. I now know what to do with my left over birdwatchers paste! Tried it on my Parrot, he loved it.....And the still is a work of art. All the best Mike
I’ve looking into a Mile High still for a few years. Mike at Mile High would do well to pick-up a few tips from George about set-up and explaining his excellent stills. Let’s just start with the use of a lavaliere mike, OMG what a difference that would make. George finally got his ironed-out 👏 bravo George (Happy Distilling) 🤠
Great vid as usual George and decent looking quality kit from Mile High. I have been building column stills professionally for the Scottish Whisky industry for the last 48 years and also dabble in small home kits so I have seen some bad stuff too. Can i just make one comment...for best efficiency downcomers and seal pots should be diametrically opposite to each other all the way down the column this makes the outpour of the seal pot above make the longest journey across the perf plate to the weir of the plate (upstand) below and not just pour from downcomer to downcomer...just sayin' like....anyway keep up the good work and look forward to seeing this still run...thanks...Billy the Coppersmith
Hi George - awesome awesome video! In your past videos, you have been a strong advocate with buying a complete stainless setup and placing rolled copper mesh in the middle for the chemistry side (better tasting spirits). In this video I noticed you bought the still with copper exterior columns, which is more expensive than the stainless exterior columns offered. Because the reflux plates (inside) are made of copper, my assumption is that the extra copper on the columns (exterior) won’t have much of a taste impact. On your next video it would be awesome to hear why you chose to buy the still with copper (exterior) columns (they do look so much sweeter than the stainless columns).
Wow, what a beautiful setup. However, it would take a long time tearing it down and cleaning all those tasty bits. I would make time to do it though. Can’t wait to see you run it George
Hi George, great piece of equipment. I had considered previously why water feed to the condensers was from the bottom inlet, my thought was filling from the bottom ensures all tubes are surrounded by a column of water up to the outlet. If it were the other way, the controlled water flow may not be enough to maintain a solid column of water around the tubes as it runs through and out. The condenser would have a flow but could largely be empty. Thank you for the great work you do and share!
Yes....any water flow through a condenser should flow up, against gravity. To do the opposite you would have to "prime" the component to ensure that there's no trapped air inside, which would reduce efficiency....and even then you couldn't be too sure because they are stainless, as opposed to lab glass which you can see through.
Have this same boiler, love it for modularity and easy to get in there and clean. I used the 5500w element with a SSVR, but when I switched to PID, I downsized the element to 240v 3500w and it balances much better. Of course it still runs the 4 plates without issue. couple with a 55g used food grade barrel and this setup will make a LOT of vodka (sugar wash) in short order... Only need a few runs a year...
Wow! That set of metal looks nice I'll bet for the price you'll expect it to make music if you blow through it! Nice Show and tell on this. I didn't know how those windows worked with bubblers. You are very helpful I just have s simple setup I have not finished yet.
Great information George. I've been researching the flute, and have been watching videos here on RUclips and I have purchased some equipment I need from milehigh last week. I'm really debating hard on whether to drop the money on a 4" 4 flute from them. But the copper if you want it to shine all the time you have to clean it with citric acid or ketchup. Lol Milehigh has a sale right now on there flutes but I'm not sure on copper or stainless steel. Looking forward for the break-in of the still.
I didn't get mine from mile high however, it looks similar. The copper plates did not come with the down spouts. Will this matter? Thanks for all you do George!
Yes. The liquid should zig-zag across one tray to the next, but it shouldn't matter much in a small column. Usually, small columns will have packing. Trays cost more to fabricate, especially when they have windows in each one (but it is cool to see the action on the trays).
George a couple of things. Yes I know the ketchup trick; been doing it for years; I use a long bristled brush on a wire rod on interior of my copper column sections a smaller one or dephlegmator and parrot. Want to let you know I had the infamous' "My Fermentation stopped". Well I used your suggestion of tomato paste and It worked very well. Thank you Sir...
Not sure why the bubble Tees are copper and the shotgun condenser isn't. Copper is 20-30x more effective at transferring heat. A simple copper Liebig will out perform those SS shotgun condensers.
True. It might be because liquid traffic inside the column stays in the column and won't get the product 'dirty' with copper sulfides or stuff that spits up from below. The product results from vapor condensed after it leaves the column and the SS will keep it clean.
Patiently waiting. Also ketchup didn't work for me on my wort chiller. Maybe because it was Hunts? Did a vinegar/salt/water boil and cleaned it right up. Not bad for a leftover hvac line set sitting in my shed. Brought my mash down in a few minutes.
I have this exact still, with gin basket and agitator for on grain.. one bad was the threads on the temp probe for the kettle was crossed. tried two 2000w eventually made 220v pid and used 5500w which works good... wish i had got 53gal tank. Fyi the top is 4" to 2.5 inch not 2.
Nice to see a simple downcomer design. Not sure why it needs the end cap at the bottom. What would be the problem with an open ended downcomer? If the downcomer exit from the upper plate is below the downcomer entry on the lower plate then the liquid on the lower plate should form a seal. If there are no perforations under the downcomer exit shouldn't that stop distillate cascading down to the tun and stop vapour going up the downcomer? I'm assuming that's already been tried and doesn't work or is less effective...
Hello Mr.George Duncan My name is Danay and I am from East Africa your RUclips Videos series Follower. I would like to take this opportunity to express my admiration for the work. Coming to my main point, I am doing various studies to start ethanol production. Therefore, I humbly ask you to help me as much as you can because you are open and willing to help people professionally. Thank you once again
George can you run the still using a PID controller? I would like to see how it runs and the challenges you face. You have give me awesome advice through your You Tube channel. Thank you. Keep shining
I have a question for those in the know: What is the point of a 4" still tower over for example a 2" one? Aside from looking gorgeous and being more robust I mean. I can't imagine there realistically being any vapor flow-restriction in a non-industry environment, and while I suppose it gives you more vapor volume to work with - it would be better to have that additional volume in height rather than width right - for better vapor separation? For the usually much higher cost compared to smaller diameters I'm just not sure I see the benefits. But maybe I'm missing something?
Hello George, I can vouch for the quality of Mile Hi's stuff. How do the perforated plates run compared to regular bubble plates? Faster, cleaner product, etc.
Mr George , Can you pls make Wheat mash ? I want to see that very strongly. And also , does wheat mash need some specific ? As I know wheat mash need Alpha amylase and Glucoamylase enzymes . Wheat do not contains it's own A and B enzymes. Strongly waiting your answer. Thank you very much for your vdeos.
Thanks George. Do you have a link for this complete still and have you ever compared to Chinese stills to this? I hate to even mention it, but the prices are so far apart and heard the quality is the same.
I have been looking at the Chinese version for some time now. They never seem to have anything larger then a 20 liter in stock. I'm holding out for a 65 liter. I did buy a Chinese 50 liter "football" still like the one George did a review on. I am very satisfied with it. Zero shipping damage and welds are all great.
@@bobnewhart4318 I'm not sure these are entirely the same as the chinese stills, nor that there is a "little" tweaking that goes on here. I believe Mile Hi does a lot of fabrication in-house. I have on of their stills, and another family member has one of their big boys. From experience, I can assure you the quality here is worth the cost.
The downcomer is a liquid seal to prevent vapors from short-circuiting the tray. The vapors are supposed to pass up through the perforations to contact the liquid on the tray above. The liquid from the tray above comes down the downcomer to get to the tray below. On big trays, a little liquid can drip down through the perforations counter-flow to the vapor, but it is supposed to travel across the tray to the next downcomer.
You don't want liquid to drip from one down comer straight into the one below it. It is better to stager them to avoid this that having them all in a line.
add some salt to the ketchup to make it work a little quicker. wouldn't the top thermometer, or vapor probe, in the arm rather than just above of the delegmator be more precise if it were in the beginning of the arm? another test as I have seen commercial Distillers do run the flat plates 2 or 3 above the pot, then Bubbler Plates above that to the top, maybe a test is in order
I think so, too. It would make tasteless vodka. Or, you could put it on high reflux to minimize ethanol losses until the methanol and other light ends are gone, then turn off the dephlegmator/reflux condenser and continue as a pot still. (I really don't like methanol in my potteen.)
@@edwardcdg Again just asking, but with all those plates theoretically redistilling each time the distillate gets on a plate, does that not remove flavor as well?? I'm a little confused.
@@mikew.1902 Hi, Mike. I wasn't clear, I guess. If there is reflux, yes, the flavors will be washed back into the pot and you get vodka. If you turn off the cooling to the dephlegmator (love that ancient term!), refluxing stops. The vapor that was condensing into liquid in the dephlegmator and falling back down the column through the trays as reflux, now comes up the column untouched, still as vapor, and over the top to the condenser, where it does condense, becoming distillate, going straight to product, bringing all the flavors with it. Without reflux coming back down the column, the trays will drain back to the pot and go dry. If the column is dry, there is no redistilling on the trays anymore. It is like the trays weren't there. (If the column isn't insulated, the small heat loss through the column wall will condense a little vapor but not much.) It becomes a pot still. I hope that was a better explanation. Cheers!
@@edwardcdg Wow! Thanks so much. That helped a lot. This has been one of those things that drive me nuts and I haven't found an answer that I have been able to understand. Once again thank you for your help.
There are no perforations in the tray above the seal pot on the downcomer, so no big deal. Some liquid from the tray above must run down the downcomer anyway for a liquid seal to prevent the vapors from short-circuiting up the chimney. Vapors are supposed to go up through the perforations in the sieve tray to contact the liquid on that tray. Bob Newhart (see below) correctly noted that the downcomers should be facing opposite directions. This is so the liquid travels across each tray to get to the next downcomer. This is really important on large columns to distribute the liquid across each tray properly.
George, you used to list your email in videos and I'm having some trouble finding it. Can you please post it? I don't use facebook and I've got a question for you.
Unfortunately George no longer does this due to people being rude and disrespectful. The man goes out of his way to help people and they can't be polite. So ask your question and maybe one of the subscribers can help, or try firewater on redit they are usually very helpful. Stay away from homedistiller forum they hate newbies with questions.
It is the 16 Gal 4 inch copper flute with 6 modules. I am considering the 16 Gal 4 inch Stainless with 4 modules with sight glass/gin basket starting @ $ 1,749
You should have attached the condenser to that U shaped pipe on the table first and then the whole thing to the column. This way the gravity would help you rather than working against you.
Now I have a use for those ketchup pacs left in my car..thanx George!
Having bought several pieces of equipment from Mile High over the last few years, I can attest to the excellent job their shipping department does in securing the packaging of the contents. Plus the items weren’t to shabby either. The welding quality of the components was amazing! (Being a retired welder/fabricator myself)
That is a thing of beauty! That would put a smile on any crusty old sergeant major’s face.
Beautiful rig right there! Congratulations!
Ketchup is also great for cleaning white boards !
That thing is magnificent George!
On another quick note regarding the parrot and drain valve. Make sure to not have your hydrometer inserted when draining. You will crack the bottom of it. I have had to replace two hydrometers due to this mistake.
Great video George, I have been waiting for a Flute Still review!
Geez Louise! Makes my Mighty Mini look so so insignificant...but I love it! Mile Hi rocks!
Hi George, your downcomers should always be opposed to one another and never directly underneath one another. That is why you would notice there is circular pattern with no vapour holes in the opposed section of plate where the above downcomer should ideally be sitting. This improves efficiency within the column and by making the heavier vapour and liquids zig zag their way back down the column as opposed to it running straight back down into the the boiler. I pull industrial stripping columns and reactors apart for a day job and have seen guys try put them back together all one sided, It doesn't work so just a tip. (",)
Thanks for this comment. Made me go back and have a look at the plate and yes there's a blank area where the upper downcomer should sit. Any reason for the end cap on the downcomer? Seems to me the liquid on the plate should create a seal to stop vapour going up the downcomer.
Happy distilling. Thanks George.
A true work of Art.
I can't wait to see you run the flute still in the next video! Happy Distilling!
Have had one for a number of years best money spent in the hobby buy once cry once. So versatile can make all types of drink i have 13 plates.
Nice vid George thank you. Waiting anxiuosly for part 2.
George - you are absolutely killin’ it on original RUclips content! This is your best video yet - the best video on the internet regarding flute stills and can’t wait for the next one. I’ve been watching your vids back when you had 5k subs. Keep it up! You’ll be at a million subs before you know it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
OMG, a did a real LOL when the ketchup hit the whiteboard, priceless! Ketchup is perfect because pretty much everyone has it in their refrigerator, I use lemon juice when the ketchup isn't strong enough...
The downcomer is not a separate distillation.
There are no effective plates between the physical plates unless you pack the space with packing so that there is a physical media for the vapor/liquid to exchange on.
Ooops. :) Best start to the day I've had in awhile. Thanks George!
Beautiful still George! I envy you.
Thanks George for another great video. I have been running my Mile Hi 26 gallon/4"/8 section (bought an extra section, sight glass and extra perforated plate) with the optional Gin basket for almost a year now, the handle of the Gin basket just touches the ceiling of my Brewtillery.
This is truly an awesome still and very well made.
I run my cold water in through the bottom of the dephlegmator as I found that running it in the top it will trickle down the one side and not fill, I also tried running it in the top and controlling flow out the bottom also helps keep it full.
Keep up the great work.
Hi George. I now know what to do with my left over birdwatchers paste! Tried it on my Parrot, he loved it.....And the still is a work of art. All the best Mike
I’ve looking into a Mile High still for a few years. Mike at Mile High would do well to pick-up a few tips from George about set-up and explaining his excellent stills. Let’s just start with the use of a lavaliere mike, OMG what a difference that would make. George finally got his ironed-out 👏 bravo George (Happy Distilling) 🤠
Great vid as usual George and decent looking quality kit from Mile High. I have been building column stills professionally for the Scottish Whisky industry for the last 48 years and also dabble in small home kits so I have seen some bad stuff too.
Can i just make one comment...for best efficiency downcomers and seal pots should be diametrically opposite to each other all the way down the column this makes the outpour of the seal pot above make the longest journey across the perf plate to the weir of the plate (upstand) below and not just pour from downcomer to downcomer...just sayin' like....anyway keep up the good work and look forward to seeing this still run...thanks...Billy the Coppersmith
Thank you George!
Hi George - awesome awesome video! In your past videos, you have been a strong advocate with buying a complete stainless setup and placing rolled copper mesh in the middle for the chemistry side (better tasting spirits). In this video I noticed you bought the still with copper exterior columns, which is more expensive than the stainless exterior columns offered. Because the reflux plates (inside) are made of copper, my assumption is that the extra copper on the columns (exterior) won’t have much of a taste impact. On your next video it would be awesome to hear why you chose to buy the still with copper (exterior) columns (they do look so much sweeter than the stainless columns).
Wow, what a beautiful setup. However, it would take a long time tearing it down and cleaning all those tasty bits. I would make time to do it though. Can’t wait to see you run it George
I did my first distilling 185 proof with sugar wash it turned out great just wanted to thank you keep up the good videos . : )
That is awesome!
Amazing still. I love my Mile High 8 gallon. Haven't done a reflux run yet, but time is coming.... #HAPPYDISTILLING
Thanks George 🥃
Hi George, great piece of equipment. I had considered previously why water feed to the condensers was from the bottom inlet, my thought was filling from the bottom ensures all tubes are surrounded by a column of water up to the outlet. If it were the other way, the controlled water flow may not be enough to maintain a solid column of water around the tubes as it runs through and out. The condenser would have a flow but could largely be empty.
Thank you for the great work you do and share!
I should have read your reply first. You got it!
Yes....any water flow through a condenser should flow up, against gravity. To do the opposite you would have to "prime" the component to ensure that there's no trapped air inside, which would reduce efficiency....and even then you couldn't be too sure because they are stainless, as opposed to lab glass which you can see through.
Cool can't wait to see that puppy run Cheers George!
Very soon!
Have this same boiler, love it for modularity and easy to get in there and clean. I used the 5500w element with a SSVR, but when I switched to PID, I downsized the element to 240v 3500w and it balances much better. Of course it still runs the 4 plates without issue. couple with a 55g used food grade barrel and this setup will make a LOT of vodka (sugar wash) in short order... Only need a few runs a year...
Very nice rig.
Wow! That set of metal looks nice I'll bet for the price you'll expect it to make music if you blow through it! Nice Show and tell on this. I didn't know how those windows worked with bubblers. You are very helpful I just have s simple setup I have not finished yet.
Holy Sh*t George. I’m literally having a convo with Jayson about this exact set up. 🤯
Great information George. I've been researching the flute, and have been watching videos here on RUclips and I have purchased some equipment I need from milehigh last week. I'm really debating hard on whether to drop the money on a 4" 4 flute from them. But the copper if you want it to shine all the time you have to clean it with citric acid or ketchup. Lol Milehigh has a sale right now on there flutes but I'm not sure on copper or stainless steel. Looking forward for the break-in of the still.
I thought the down commers were supposed to be facing opposite directions so they don't drain down into each other or does it not matter?
You are correct
I didn't get mine from mile high however, it looks similar. The copper plates did not come with the down spouts. Will this matter? Thanks for all you do George!
Yes. The liquid should zig-zag across one tray to the next, but it shouldn't matter much in a small column. Usually, small columns will have packing. Trays cost more to fabricate, especially when they have windows in each one (but it is cool to see the action on the trays).
George a couple of things. Yes I know the ketchup trick; been doing it for years; I use a long bristled brush on a wire rod on interior of my copper column sections a smaller one or dephlegmator and parrot. Want to let you know I had the infamous' "My Fermentation stopped". Well I used your suggestion of tomato paste and It worked very well. Thank you Sir...
Very nice 👍
Glorious. Look forward to the rest of the review. Why do they use silicone gaskets instead of safer PTFE?
Not sure why the bubble Tees are copper and the shotgun condenser isn't. Copper is 20-30x more effective at transferring heat. A simple copper Liebig will out perform those SS shotgun condensers.
True.
It might be because liquid traffic inside the column stays in the column and won't get the product 'dirty' with copper sulfides or stuff that spits up from below. The product results from vapor condensed after it leaves the column and the SS will keep it clean.
@@edwardcdg No.
Patiently waiting. Also ketchup didn't work for me on my wort chiller. Maybe because it was Hunts? Did a vinegar/salt/water boil and cleaned it right up. Not bad for a leftover hvac line set sitting in my shed. Brought my mash down in a few minutes.
Am I drooling? Sorry;-)
You and me both my friend! I don’t have enough height in my kitchen though, damn!
@@blindguy63 Might be worth a hole in the ceiling, LoL:-)
I have this exact still, with gin basket and agitator for on grain.. one bad was the threads on the temp probe for the kettle was crossed. tried two 2000w eventually made 220v pid and used 5500w which works good... wish i had got 53gal tank. Fyi the top is 4" to 2.5 inch not 2.
Mike in colorado has some high end stuff durable shiny and easy to work with little pricey but we'll worth the $$$
Nice to see a simple downcomer design. Not sure why it needs the end cap at the bottom.
What would be the problem with an open ended downcomer? If the downcomer exit from the upper plate is below the downcomer entry on the lower plate then the liquid on the lower plate should form a seal. If there are no perforations under the downcomer exit shouldn't that stop distillate cascading down to the tun and stop vapour going up the downcomer?
I'm assuming that's already been tried and doesn't work or is less effective...
love my Mile Hi 8 Gallon with 2 Inch Diameter Dual Purpose, was thinking of getting a bubble plate or two (maybe 3).
Nice vid
Hello Mr.George Duncan
My name is Danay and I am from East Africa your RUclips Videos series Follower. I would like to take this opportunity to express my admiration for the work.
Coming to my main point, I am doing various studies to start ethanol production. Therefore, I humbly ask you to help me as much as you can because you are open and willing to help people professionally. Thank you once again
That thing is bad ass. Come on powerball !! LOL
I think you mean 4 inch bubble plates. I have this same still. It is a beauty!
OOPS
George can you run the still using a PID controller? I would like to see how it runs and the challenges you face. You have give me awesome advice through your You Tube channel. Thank you. Keep shining
When are you going to make a video on Flute Still? I'm curious as to how to run it.
Those are perforated plates, bubble plates have caps on it.
True. I have seen bubble cap trays on this scale. They must cost a packet to fabricate, though.
Texas pete hot sauce works for cleaning copper and brass. It can shine a ships bell beautifully.
Thanks for the tip!
Matzo ball soup works just as well 😁
Lemon juice works to !!
Wow
Are those silicone gaskets?
Austentic surgical steel good buddy.
I have a question for those in the know: What is the point of a 4" still tower over for example a 2" one? Aside from looking gorgeous and being more robust I mean.
I can't imagine there realistically being any vapor flow-restriction in a non-industry environment, and while I suppose it gives you more vapor volume to work with - it would be better to have that additional volume in height rather than width right - for better vapor separation?
For the usually much higher cost compared to smaller diameters I'm just not sure I see the benefits. But maybe I'm missing something?
George, what are the lowest allowed cooling liquid temperature for systems similar as this one? Thx
I noticed that you use an electric element in some stills, do you have problems with scorching your mash ?
And you're giving this away in a up and coming video aha
Copper to stainless is a braze and not a weld. You need tin in the solder.
Your can tig weld copper to stainless mile high has videos on it
6" bubble plates... Going to take a couple of 30Amp circuits to drive that column. Definitely more than a "home" distiller needs.
My mistake, they are 4 inch
Can you take the blubbers out and run it as a ppt still?
Wow! What a beast? Was wondering if i had made you mad as have emailed you a few times with some questions but no answer??????
First 👍 I am watching now.
Hello George, I can vouch for the quality of Mile Hi's stuff. How do the perforated plates run compared to regular bubble plates? Faster, cleaner product, etc.
They work excellent
Mr George , Can you pls make Wheat mash ? I want to see that very strongly. And also , does wheat mash need some specific ? As I know wheat mash need Alpha amylase and Glucoamylase enzymes . Wheat do not contains it's own A and B enzymes. Strongly waiting your answer. Thank you very much for your vdeos.
Xin vui lòng cho tôi biết làm thế nào để tính toán đường kính bóng thông qua công suất nấu
I've got a question about the product condenser.......... what is more effective in your oppinion, a Liebig cooler, or a shotgun condenser?
It really depends on your system and its requirements.
Why not attach the lyne arm n condenser first?
George, where can I pickup the fermenter in the backgound(purple tops)?
Local Asian food store.
Thanks George. Do you have a link for this complete still and have you ever compared to Chinese stills to this? I hate to even mention it, but the prices are so far apart and heard the quality is the same.
Same thing as the Chinese stills, they all get most their parts from China and rebrand or retweak a little..
I have been looking at the Chinese version for some time now. They never seem to have anything larger then a 20 liter in stock. I'm holding out for a 65 liter. I did buy a Chinese 50 liter "football" still like the one George did a review on. I am very satisfied with it. Zero shipping damage and welds are all great.
@@bobnewhart4318 I'm not sure these are entirely the same as the chinese stills, nor that there is a "little" tweaking that goes on here. I believe Mile Hi does a lot of fabrication in-house. I have on of their stills, and another family member has one of their big boys. From experience, I can assure you the quality here is worth the cost.
Don't worry....it'll be magnetic wherever the stainless was welded, or bent.
Also what’s the difference (if any) between the downcomer vs bubble plates?
The downcomer is a liquid seal to prevent vapors from short-circuiting the tray. The vapors are supposed to pass up through the perforations to contact the liquid on the tray above. The liquid from the tray above comes down the downcomer to get to the tray below. On big trays, a little liquid can drip down through the perforations counter-flow to the vapor, but it is supposed to travel across the tray to the next downcomer.
You don't want liquid to drip from one down comer straight into the one below it. It is better to stager them to avoid this that having them all in a line.
add some salt to the ketchup to make it work a little quicker. wouldn't the top thermometer, or vapor probe, in the arm rather than just above of the delegmator be more precise if it were in the beginning of the arm? another test as I have seen commercial Distillers do run the flat plates 2 or 3 above the pot, then Bubbler Plates above that to the top, maybe a test is in order
Really nice piece of equipment!! But as a rookie asking, wouldn't this still remove all flavor out of your product?? Just asking.
I think so, too. It would make tasteless vodka.
Or, you could put it on high reflux to minimize ethanol losses until the methanol and other light ends are gone, then turn off the dephlegmator/reflux condenser and continue as a pot still. (I really don't like methanol in my potteen.)
@@edwardcdg Again just asking, but with all those plates theoretically redistilling each time the distillate gets on a plate, does that not remove flavor as well?? I'm a little confused.
@@mikew.1902 Hi, Mike. I wasn't clear, I guess.
If there is reflux, yes, the flavors will be washed back into the pot and you get vodka. If you turn off the cooling to the dephlegmator (love that ancient term!), refluxing stops. The vapor that was condensing into liquid in the dephlegmator and falling back down the column through the trays as reflux, now comes up the column untouched, still as vapor, and over the top to the condenser, where it does condense, becoming distillate, going straight to product, bringing all the flavors with it. Without reflux coming back down the column, the trays will drain back to the pot and go dry. If the column is dry, there is no redistilling on the trays anymore. It is like the trays weren't there. (If the column isn't insulated, the small heat loss through the column wall will condense a little vapor but not much.) It becomes a pot still.
I hope that was a better explanation.
Cheers!
@@edwardcdg Wow! Thanks so much. That helped a lot. This has been one of those things that drive me nuts and I haven't found an answer that I have been able to understand. Once again thank you for your help.
@@mikew.1902 Glad it was helpful!
Does anybody know what happened to George? He has not posted in a long time
Thing of beauty, but to pricey for the likes of me.
Can you say, top heavy?
Shouldn’t the down comers be staggered so they don’t drip into the opening of the one below?
There are no perforations in the tray above the seal pot on the downcomer, so no big deal. Some liquid from the tray above must run down the downcomer anyway for a liquid seal to prevent the vapors from short-circuiting up the chimney. Vapors are supposed to go up through the perforations in the sieve tray to contact the liquid on that tray.
Bob Newhart (see below) correctly noted that the downcomers should be facing opposite directions. This is so the liquid travels across each tray to get to the next downcomer. This is really important on large columns to distribute the liquid across each tray properly.
I use ketchup to clean deck drains in the navy
George, you used to list your email in videos and I'm having some trouble finding it. Can you please post it? I don't use facebook and I've got a question for you.
Unfortunately George no longer does this due to people being rude and disrespectful. The man goes out of his way to help people and they can't be polite. So ask your question and maybe one of the subscribers can help, or try firewater on redit they are usually very helpful. Stay away from homedistiller forum they hate newbies with questions.
@@rayfox212 Well, that's too bad. I'll check on firewater, thanks for the info. And yes, from what I've seen, homedistiller is not a friendly place.
What is the gasket made from?
silicone
@@danroberts2055 do you think it's a special kind of silicone or they would have had to proven silicone was ok for use in stills and will not leach?
What is the cost of that still??
$2199 USD
Is the title a misprint? It says 6 inch and this looks like a 4 inch.
It is the 16 Gal 4 inch copper flute with 6 modules. I am considering the 16 Gal 4 inch Stainless with 4 modules with sight glass/gin basket starting @ $ 1,749
@@hubertstoffel1820 get 26gal i have this one and youll wish you did
And all this time I thought T. paste was yeast nutrient....
You should have attached the condenser to that U shaped pipe on the table first and then the whole thing to the column. This way the gravity would help you rather than working against you.
I could have done it that way.
Those are perforated plates, not bubble plate, even says so on their website :)
You should help me build a still George...we actually know each other and have a mutual "friend" he's a mechanic in centex...
0:45 I would like to buy that painting for $50,000
#moonshinemessiah
#disciplesofgeorge
This still is wishful thinking on my part. It's a shade under $1,900 US Dollars.
LOL downcommers don't count as a plate. :)