How To Use Bubble Plates In A Still (& How They Work)
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2020
- How do you operate a still with bubble plates? First I think its a good idea to understand how bubble plates work. Then we can talk about how to drive them.
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#still #distilling #BubblePlate
Just in case you didn’t realize I often include affiliate links in my videos and descriptions.
This will not change the price for you at all, But the seller will buy my a cup of coffee if you purchase from one of the links. Choice eh? 
Хобби
Just waiting on my glass 4 plate complete column to arrive from Oak Stills. Thanks for your explanation. You, George and bearded are a wealth of knowledge and I love watching your video's. Keep up the good work.
Aaaaaaand saved to my favorites for watching again:-)
Yes....you must be bored....
Love your vids👍
@@josephr3039 Thanks!
theoretically, You could use one for your “theoretical” still.
Then the liquor fairy could get a break.
theoretically. I mean, I’m not saying there is a liquor fairy but if there was...,.
@@itaintrocketscience ;-)
Excellent video! The part of the downcomer that sticks above the plate, that sets the liquid level is the weir.
You helped poke me in the direction of building a 50l keg still with a 5 plate set up and its a monster! cheers for the effort put it!
If ever I get started, I'll be building a 4 X 3" perf plate column. I plan to use mt 3" CCVM reflux condenser. This will be on a 50L electric (5,5KW) boiler. Found your video to be an excellent tutorial for driving it.
This was really really good. An excellent explanation. I appreciate your approach to your videos.... you are well prepared and knowledgeable, but you don’t come across as a “know it all”. Thanks for your hard work
Thank for all the information you have given me I am definitely going to have a go at making some of these now I know how simple they are thanks again
Watching this with a glass of Missouri Single Malt, made with an air still.... Man, flavor is what my time spent is all about. Even when I move up to my next still I'll be running as a pot still. The reflux will be for heads and tails, high ABV for the Apple Pie Shine I make for my wife 😁 Very cool info, thanks Jesse ! Cheers 🥃
Outstanding video. Just finished my sac run, now on to Buccaneer bobs recipe. Thanks you again brother.
This is a rabbit hole I don't need, but you're expertise is amazing. I don't think I will ever get into distilling over just brewing beer, but hearing about how it is made is fascinating Jesse!!!
Thanks for this. I just started the process of learning and this is great info.
Hi Jesse, thanks for your explanation on this topic. First time I could figure out how these plates works! Regards from Brazil 🇧🇷. 🥃👊🏼
This video couldn't have come at a better time. My still arrived this week!
this was a great description, very informative, Thank you
I want bubble plates.
Lots of bubble plates.👍🥃🤣💪
This is LITERALLY a perfect explanation of the actions taking place.
As always... good stuff.🥃
Hi Jessie, thanks very much for a great explanation on how bubble plates work. Cheers!
Thanks for the GREAT Information, as always!! You're AWESOME to give that shout out for George's channel!! You'll be at 100k soon!! I started watching George at 2k and you at 5k
Perfect description as a dance...
Thanks for your videos big fan been distilling for years but can always still learn
I appreciate the links to these informational videos from your later content.
Because I'm loving the channel, but I don't know what most of the words mean yet.
Awesome Jesse, thx for sharing!
G'day Jessie, I think it'd be a great help to people to see the process of loading the plates. I notice you've got the fancy glass section around one of your plates; maybe you could slip in a time lapse of first vapour to fully loaded.
Love this video - been thinking about upgrading recently so this is perfect. Like your beard. So luxurious...
I was not aware of bubble plates. Thank you for the education 🙂
Thank you for the great video
Excellent work jesse
Great info and love in this video
Thanks for a great vid!
You're the man Jess!!..⚗🍻🥃
Nice one bro, good explanation, cheers
Awesome stuff!
Great video! One question though. I assume that by adding plates you will slightly increase the vapor pressure in your boiler. How much you will increase it and on what parameters this pressure will depend, the diameter of the plate, the height of the liquid, etc?
I plan on distilling soon, and started with your videos and George's videos. Turns out that I work with a guy that knows George. Also, I've found that if you can run a still with reflux (real or pseudo), you can run half of the equipment in a gas plant!
Another awesome video mate!
So I know know how they work but what do they actually do?
This video was so awesome and very helpful to answers that I was looking for this type of subject except where can I get some of those bubblers? lol Thanks 🙏
Another brilliant video! Thanks a million. Cheers.
Louwrens - have one of your Bokas. Pointed someone from Tauranga your way last week.
@@seannewland8919 Thank you very much Sean! Appreciate that. Cheers.
Hi Jessie, love the channel. I’ve just run my first bubble plate distillation, it was some malted barley I had left over from an AG whisky project. Just wondering, do you keep the liquid that’s in the plates once finished? Or do I discard it? My gut is to keep it for feints? Any advice would be great, keep up the good work.
Needed to re-visit this again today, wonder why :-D
Perfect thanks
Column stills remind me of water bongs ✨😉✨
Great video Jessie. I’ve got a 6 plate setup off AliExpress, 1st run blew me away. A lot faster and cleaner spirit.
Mark Evans I’ve been wondering how AliExpress equipment goes. Are they good? If so can I ask who the seller is if you are happy with the setup
@@venusitapealava7035 They are really solid. 1st use of the platform with the Bubbler and I've also acquired a Gin Basket based on my positive experience with the Bubbler purchase.... "Shop5245057" for the Bubbler and "Distillex Store" for the Gin Basket. Good prices and got here (ANZ) in about 2-3 weeks which I was happy to wait for. Packed well also.
@@venusitapealava7035 TIP: To dry the Bubbler, use a vacuum cleaner on suck, draws the air through the unit so you don't have to dismantle it :-)
Mark Evans thank you Mark
Absolutely a great video. Thanks so much. According to your video high current and high knockdown is best. That's interesting. But for some reason I feel that's too aggressive. On still day there's always so much invested to experiment too much. Lol
Well it's going to take some experimentation to learn how to run a your particular still, and for the spirit you're trying to make. I run mine fast and hard. When I start taking off product, my sweet spot is around 2800 watts and I take off about 5 quarts per hour at 180-190 proof in a 4"column with 4 perforated plates.
Thank you for this video explanation! New Zealand's legality of distilling has promoted a lot of activity, and there is a lot of "experience"on show in videos, especially yours. That said, nobody seems to be "instrumenting" their stills. Would you say that it would be sensible to have a controller that adjusts either boiler power or cooling flux to achieve the desired output flow in millilitres/minute or whatever (read setting the reflux rate)? I think that is what I am going todo... .
I literally cannot drink alcohol because of my meds, why am I watching this?
Probably because I find the science of it absolutely fascinating
Good Video: Can you tell me when do you take out the first shots? Before the Pre Condenser is started? or through it.
Thanks. Can you help me with a way to get road asphalt 60/70 from oil quickly by distillation, please.
This made more seance than Georg's video because George did not completely disassemble the bubble plate, watching both videos back to back really helps also.
Hi team, what you think guys about plated column for making gin is it suitable or potstill would be better ?
Can these be run with a regular column and liebig condenser or does it need to be used with a top coil condenser like yours Jesse?
Jesse
I’ve just read something saying don’t remove green verdigris from the inside of your kit when cleaning as it helps absorb sulphur. Any thoughts?
Wish I could do this, my country won't let home brewers do it. Thanks great video.
Hey Jesse. I see you have a adapter from the keg to the larger bubble plates. Since you have a bigger column do you have a faster off take of product or is it still limited to the 2” opening of the keg. I’m thinking about a bigger column or even going with plate. What’s your opinion?
Thanks for this, the plates were something I was having trouble visualizing. Still not sure how the plates in a column still that run in a mash work with the solids.
They only ever see varying fractions of the distillate; the solids don't progress up out of the mash. The plates load up with liquid coming down from the reflux condenser at the top, nothing goes up but vapor (if it's working right!).
Love this hobby. I run my plates way differently, but that’s what it’s all about. Doing it your own way. 👍🏻
I would like to know how ?
We do ours a bit differently also. We start out gradually getting the boiler temp up. Usually begin at around 130 degrees F then move up to 145 F. By then the top plate will be filling up. Soon the next plate will fill and so on till all plates are loaded. When this happens we increase temp a little at a time 5-10 degrees. Once the plates and boiler are in balance we just let it run. We use a PID which pretty much does the work till the end of the run. As proof starts to drop off at the end we raise column temp to as much as 190 F. When boiler temp reaches 204 F and/or proof drops to 85-88% ABV we stop distillation since there is nothing worth saving beyond that point but tails.
@@rocketsroccurious what you set temps at with PID I have been playing around with mine a bit. Found I can set a low temp of like 165° and get forshots. Then can increase and get heads. The hearts etc. I notice from there each degree raised drops about 5 proof. I have to now track it in spreadsheet next time to see and record for certain. But holding temp with PID will stop flow once that alcohol at that temp is done. It's quite fascinating. Have you noticed this? Once you reach 200° it drops pretty heavily into tails of course below 80 proof.
@@prOkrEAt Yes, your results follow mine. First step with PID is to get it into balance with the still. By that, I mean finding the right temperature and holding it for a period of time where the PID and still output is steady, at least for a while. As the alcohol diminishes the temperature will have to be raised a bit and so the process continues. I typically stop my run at around 40-50% ABV and this is usually where the temperature is at 204 F. This of course is determined by tasting to identify when the tails start.
@@skyhookspirits I keep going, working towards a Queens cut. Takes a long time to build up enough volume to warrant the run. I have also been playing around with pot still mode too with PID. However with reflux really riding that deflag flow. Most people get shot down on forums by the hillbillies using PID controllers. But running one without PID isn't exactly rocket surgery. I've been reading more about reducing cut smear though with PID control. Now with a few times using it I can use parrot to measure and dump via bottom valve to keep each temp stage clean.
So the question is bubbles plates or perforated plates? Differences advantages/disadvantages?
Thanks again Jesse!
Great job de-mystifying the bubble plates! I believe I've been using them wrong. I have a Clawhammer 8 gallon (1-1/2 inch) flute still with only one bubblecap on each plate. The plates have small holes all around the perimeter, with the cap in the middle. Should the cap be on top of the plate or under the plate as in a downcomer? It seems that it should be under.... Thanks!
I see now. Just a bunch of mini-thumpers on a disk. I learned something today!
Jess, do the plates work better with your deflag VS your ccvm?
I have a 2" column that I pack with copper. Would I benefit in any way from replacing the packing with a bubble plate?
What is the apropriate temperature on the precooler located over the bubble plate section?
I designed those caps back in 2010, released the designs out into the internet and now they are everywhere. Using a cap as a downcomer "works" but there are better solutions that are easy to fabricate, and will make the column much more controllable.
That's really creative!
Thanks Jesse. I still don’t understand how to use a dephlegmeter with the condenser in tandem?
Can I remove the bubble plates and pack copper roll in the column to get a lower ABV product?
Thanks for this. Just wondering about the position and type of seal/s when inserting a 4" bubble plate into a sight glass. the seal that comes with the sight glass only seals on one side and a beaded tri-clover seal is not suitable.
Can you use a bubble plate with a a potstill condenser or do yyou have to use a reflux condenser
Hey Jess, how’s it going? Always good content. I had a question! What would run time difference be between a 4”, 6” and a 8” column. Trying to figure what size to go with but stay as economical as possible.
You increase the volume of vapor and respectively the volume of the output of the still. I don't know if it is reasonable to have 6" or 8" plates, these are made for big distillation systems. If your still is up to 100 -200L then 3" and 4" is perfectly fine for you.
At the end of the run don't you end up with lots of product suck in those areas or do you keep going until its all passed through and the plates dry?
I hear a lot about the speed of offtake during distillation. correct me if I am wrong but the speed of the offtake must also depend on how many liters of wash there are in the boiler?
Does a bubble plate increase pressure in your pot especially if you had some crazy number like 10 of them together? Could you artificially start the bubble plate process by adding some type of liquid (high proof spirit) to the plates before you start? And if the liquid started out hot would it take less time to balance your still since the column would start out warm? Would this be a bad idea since you would have the methanol come through first? This might get fixed if there was an easy way to run the still as a pot still until the first 2 oz (60 mL) came off and then switch it to the bubble plates. Maybe a person could put 2 condensers on the still one at the bottom of the column and only use it for the methanol cut then flip a valve and start letting vapor go up the column.
So to summarise. It's a dance between the power in and cooling of the reflux condenser to get a balance of plate charging and production.
I only got 60% out of my bubble still. I still don't understand if I should run hotter or colder. Isn't it reference temperature for top and bottom?
Does it matter where your sight glass goes? I placed my sight class under my copper bubble plate with hope of catching it before it pukes, is that ok or set up l Iike yours?
Is the action of bubbles plates similar to the function of a thumper. Vapour through liquid and redistilation ?
Just as an fyi, in chemical engineering we refer to the portion of the plate that allows liquid to flow back down as a “downcomer” and typically the height of the liquid in a tray is controlled by a weir (though in this case it seems they combined the two). Just wanted to let you know since you mentioned you didn’t know what to call it!
The weir! Thank you sir!
@@StillIt loving the videos. Looking to buy my first still. But I feel like there is more I'd like to learn before getting started. Do you / anyone have a video class.
For example, I understand what these plates do and the science behind it but in what application would I want to use them? Does it help squeeze out more heart cuts?
is a 1 cap plate (2" column) better/worse more/less efficient than a 5 cap plate?
Nice
Thank you for not saying “first”.
🤣🤣🤣🤣👍💪🥃
Noticed the reflux condensor on this 3" seup isn't your old coil from the top. Did you add a defluxamiggy?
Yeah, the CCVM is a pain with plates because you cant get under 50% reflux. I use this with plates now.
What resolution of power do you guys need to run a 4inch 4 plate still. I'm looking at buying a 4 inch still for my 65L brewzilla but I can only bump up the power in 5% increments. Hopefully they could update the software to allow 1% power increment changes but I'm not aware if this has been done yet.
Could you add spices to a hops bag and put it ontop of the plate to use it as a gin basket?
You can...but it might bung it up...depends how fast you run it
Try Hanging it in the column tyed in a pouch.
Or buy a gin basket
Jessie, so a plate still is another name for a reflux still? Vodka/pure spirit/ nuetral spirit. As opposed to a pot still for rum or scotch? I use a pot still with an expansion chamber before the coil. Thanks.
Thank you. I wish I knew another bootlegger so i could ask questions.
If I used a single 2" bubble plate in a 2" column still set up as a pot still, would it behave like a thumper Keg in a traditional pot still?
Thanks, it was a nice vid, but I’m still bursting with question.
I think I need to join a Still forum.
A little funny story back during prohibition my great-grandmother had something brewing in the seller and I remember my grandma said oh it felt like an earthquake when those beers popped. Cuz I grandma that couldn't have been beer I think she was running a still 🤣
I am using gas to boile the mash temp in boiler is 95 c and after the dephlegmator temp is 77 c from start to finish. 85 liter mash at about 10 abv 1.5 liter heads and then got about 8 liters of 88 percent at end of still from start to finish. Two bubble plates for cornash. My question is is there a time where i stop the flow to the dephlegmator. Keeping the flames at a constant set piont?
Ever tried plates on t500? Can't find much info but kits are sold.
Are you familiar with an armagnac still? It is a type of continuous still that produces a type of brandy. The still is suppose to capture a lot of esters and flavor. They have 2 condensers and they run the wine threw them to pre-heat it. Then they have it run into the top of the column. Makes it way threw the plates to the boiler, which is rigged with an overflow. Could you run a similar system for wiskey washes and what do you think the results might be?
check out michael cotherman distilling. He has built a continuous setup that seems similar and it produces interesting results.
How does it work with Methanol if we are bringing so much liquid into the column, are we still looking at taking it off as the first bit of liquid from the still?
My question exactly. Was wondering the same thing.
Could be interesting to pre-charge the bubble plates with spirit and funky stuff for Jamaican style rums instead of a setup with thumpers
Bubble plates.... in my bong they are called percolators. And named after the shapes. Ufo honeycomb tree arm perk.
You should talk to a glass blower about making some bad ass percolators for it
If you want the most tiny bubbles to happen you need diffused perks 😉
Throw a 32 arm tree perk al diffused through. Have it water jacketed with a plug to cycle cold water
Great video! I was on the fence to buy a bubble plate column but I'm thinking it would be a great addition. One question, where did you get your reostat for your power? I had a PID but the runs have always been intermittent. ( start stop. Start stop ).
Thanks la for the help
Tim
im no pro but sounds like you did not set up your pid properly the same way i did not set up mine. that being sed i just took the probe out of the still and set the temp where i want it to be and let it run. because the probe never hits temp your element will stay on at the temp you set it at. if that makes sence i hope it helps you. :)
Go to Amazon and search for AC PWM Controller. You have to do some simple wiring. Be sure to get a device rated at 20 amps or higher. Or head over to Barley and Hops on RUclips for build info or email George and he will build one for you.
Thanks for the help guys. Always appreciated. Cheers!!!
Equalization in the column is really important here. Let me know your thoughts. I know a person who equalizes all the plates for 30-60 mins (depending on the mood). Then pulls foreshots and goes strait into the rest. Tails are never really pulled. Once they hit 40% or flavor profile its finished.
Running the plates in full reflux allows the compression of different volatile fractions. It is important at the start of the run to compress the heads to prevent them smearing through the run.
You can repeat this process to compress the heads, hearts etc for very clean spirit but the draw back is you strip out much of the flavour from the wash.
Each of the plates acts like a seperate distillation. So if you have 4 plates in the column you achieve something similar to 3 or 4 seperate runs in 1 run. Depending on how you perform the run.
A Buble plate still is the sweet spot between a reflux still that produces clean hearts but strips flavour and a pot still that smears but carries flavour.
Basically you have a lot more control over the properties of the distilled spirit with a bubble plate.
Would running bubble plates make the still a closed system as a thumper does? I understand that it can make a closed system however the amount of pressure would be minimal to bubble through the liquid in either a bubble plate or thumper system keeping the pressure in the still very low.
Which would give better results a bubble plate or a thumper?
Bubble plate systems are open so no problem. We have done much testing with thumpers and our conclusion is they aren't worth crap. They are pone to puking, require constant attention so they don't over fill, and generally don't add any benefit to the final product. If you want to increase proof from your pot still, add a helmet which will increase proof about 10% and requires no fuss.
I run 5 plates in a 3 in column i have 4 flutes and a sight glass on top. I come up to 145 for about 20 min then I jump up to 165 for another 20 min. Then finally I hit 175. I run that untill im threw my heads then I reflux 100% for about 30 min and decrease the water till I like my flow in the collection jar. I stay in this spot with out much temp or reflux change for 80% of the run probably. Im uesing a 2000 what 110 element so I have to run it at 100% the entire run when I'm in reflux mode. But I can do 70 and 80% when I'm in pot still.
Would one bubble plate act like a thumper and you retain some flavor?
Jess I have a few questions I need to ask if I may please, how many plates do you run? Who made your bubble plates? And with 2x 2 kw elements how long does it take to run a full still.
And have you increased the size of your column from 2 inch?
As you know I’ve been watching your channel from the very start and haven’t missed any of your posts, cheers mate!
In case he doesn't answer you, it looks like he uses a 2"to 4" adapter at the bottom and at the top. So when he's using the plates it's a 4" and the rest is so 2", which is how I've built mine. And it looks like he's running 3 plates. The 4kW of power is just to get warmed up. After reaching the operating temp he will reduce power, probably even turning one of the elements off or way down depending on how he drives his. I run perforated plates in mine instead of bubble plates, but they operate very similarly. Mine has 4 plates I got from Mile Hi Distilling. I hope that helps.
Aliexpress is best place, but look at the ones with stainless plates. These do not have to be broken down and cleaned since the alcohol vapor does the job for you. No corrosion and no maintenance. Get at least a four plate column, five is better.
Do you talk to your Still? I say encouraging things to my little hardworking Still. i also say sweet nothings to my yeast as I pitch it lol
🙊🙉🙈🍻
Wow had my drain upside down so it would never drain! Shit thanks ! So all my site glasses would fill turn them around works great now ! Thanks for video I have 4 inch column with 4 plates works great !
I know this a old video but so do you have to use a reflux condenser if you use plates in a column and do I have to have sight glasses or if I'm going to just use like 2 plates can I not just put them in between the sections of my copper colum and just control the speed at which my distillation is coming out of the condenser
You could, but you would be relying totally on passive reflux to keep the plates loaded. It won't be very consistent and the plates will likely dry up part way through the run.
@Still It thank you for answering my questio
I think that part of the bubble cap tray assembly is called the weir (or is it the riser? One of the two)
So "Blood on the Risers" turns into "Whisky on the Risers"
Jorgen Johnson yes
Tbh, I run a boka, with stainless steel scrubbers for vapour plates, then after an activated carbon filter process, more than perfect
Stainless scrubbers designed for kitchen cleaning, about four inches apart in the column