Show Us Your Dragon

Smaug · 24 April 2015 07:14PM

Heard it makes a spectacular coffee liquor.

Anavrin · 24 April 2015 07:38PM

Super :-)

FullySilenced · 25 April 2015 01:28AM

Well FAK its looks like a coffee machine... b-(

tipk99 · 29 April 2015 03:20AM

We aren't quite done getting it all set up - but here it is mostly done... 380L boiler - modified with custom gas skirt and welded drain connection. Custom copper cone, and two retorts - this is it set up in Rum mode.

punkin · 29 April 2015 04:08AM

Beautiful.

Smaug · 29 April 2015 01:30PM

Looks great Tom.

FullySilenced · 29 April 2015 01:36PM

Love the stone. Great job

Smaug · 29 April 2015 03:19PM

When your demand starts to exceed your capacity keep this in mind.
We can do this with all copper top halves and copper primary piping.

The primary is 1000L and the two retorts are 380L.

FloridaCracker · 29 April 2015 03:27PM

@Smaug said:

When your demand starts to exceed your capacity keep this in mind.
We can do this with all copper top halves and copper primary piping.

The primary is 1000L and the two retorts are 380L.

Or when you just want some cool chit.

Myles · 29 April 2015 04:37PM

After seeing the copper / stainless condenser options i have to admit that i am drooling over the thought of a custom ordered copper column / brass ferrule dash, on a stainless boiler.

The SD gear is just begging for a full blown steampunk instrumented option, and i would love to do it.

No way i would spoil it though by posing for the picture with the still, might have to persuade some atractive young female to do that for me. Any willing volunteers? :D

Unsensibel · 29 April 2015 05:13PM

@Myles - I think that the question might be in the wrong forum (i.e. female participation seems little to none)

punkin · 29 April 2015 07:36PM

That's just not the SD way to sell the gear with chicks and guns.

The copper tees are definitely on the near horizon, they are being done with stainless ferrules and glasses though.

tipk99 · 30 April 2015 03:18AM

Damn. That looks like a cool setup... I'll definitely keep that in mind as we grow.

Also, and it's no surprise to anyone on this forum, but Larry has just been so super helpful in helping us get our stuff together... answering endless questions about the best way to modify the boiler for gas etc... holding the boiler for us as we had some crazy location issues. Just top notch service. Much appreciated as we try to get off the ground.

tipk99 · 30 April 2015 03:27AM

Oh, and to totally plug ourselves... check us out on Facebook - we are just getting started.

Smaug · 30 April 2015 09:14AM

Plug away Tom. We are here for you.

rossco · 30 April 2015 08:56PM

Nice setup lads.

Smaug · 4 May 2015 05:53PM

Branded Hearts Distillery in Reno Nevada

Smaug · 4 May 2015 05:59PM

About 27 liters per hour

punkin · 4 May 2015 06:35PM

It's a cracker mate. How much power during hearts for the 27l/hr?

12" column or 8"?

grim · 4 May 2015 06:49PM

Is that the half meter 4" PC? 27l/hr seems like very good throughput for that.

Smaug · 4 May 2015 07:08PM

@punkin said: It's a cracker mate. How much power during hearts for the 27l/hr?

12" column or 8"?

it's an 8er.

not sure how much power they are using but says he runs one element after he brings to temp. also not sure what their heat transfer medium is.

I'll shall inquire.

Smaug · 4 May 2015 07:12PM

I'll see if we can get him to come on and talk about it.

CothermanDistilling · 4 May 2015 08:26PM

all I see is a gas-powered modine within a few feet of the still, how about you, @grim?

dad · 4 May 2015 08:53PM

sssshhhhh...

brewsmith · 4 May 2015 10:56PM

I dearly hope that heater is not ever in operation anymore. Needs to be pulled down to give full focus to that beautiful still in any case....

SDeurope · 5 May 2015 06:58AM

@Brandedhearts, can you please show the attachments you use at the bain-marie in- & outlets, and explain which heat transfer medium, which elements and how you run the water bath?

Brandedhearts · 5 May 2015 02:25PM

Alright, just got approved to join the forum.

As for the HVAC, its a bit of an optical illusion. The picture shows everything on a 2d plain but I swear there is about a 20' distance between the parrot and the appliance. We don't use it much anyway as we prefer to keep the temp swings in our warehouse that the high desert gives us daily.

FullySilenced · 5 May 2015 02:29PM

Damn what a beautiful set up... add 11 more sections and it would be a vodka makin Faker LOL ... The Grande Hoochinator

grim · 5 May 2015 02:44PM

We have a gas-fired ceiling hung heater as well, it's about 20 feet off the floor, about 50 feet away at the other side of the building, it's not my favorite thing.

We'd considered disconnecting it and plumbing in a steam heater in it's place. However, we didn't really run the heat all winter (we turned it on once when we were pouring concrete and doing the masonry), and it barely got below mid 50s in the building (we are partially underground). If we're running the boilers and stills, as well as blowing off some heat from the chiller, we're hoping that we don't need to turn the heat on at all this coming winter. If we had heavy 480v, it would be a much easier proposition to replace.

I don't need to work in short sleeves and shorts, so I'm fine with it. It's probably easier to deal with managing fermentation temps anyway. I suspect it will be sweltering this summer.

We can always replace the breaker on the power to the unit with a shunt breaker and run a line back from the Draeger gas monitor to shut it down if we go over the set point LEL (this is how our boiler is wired).

Brandedhearts · 5 May 2015 04:51PM

Currently, we run the double boiler kettle on 14,000 watts on 4 elements using clarion 350 mineral oil as a heat transfer medium (Flash point 475F). It takes about 4 hours to get up to temp.

It takes a while to heat up but once we get there its practically on auto pilot. We pull heads at around 170 proof. What I have discovered as the most efficient way to distill with this technology is to use one 3500 watt element to maintain temp until nearer the end of the run. The double jacket, and the 50 gallons of mineral oil combined with 250 gallons of hot distillate has a tremendous amount of....I believe the term is, "thermal mass" and will maintain its temp for a long time.

We use surprisingly little water in the condenser and none in the dephlegmator until the end of the run. The expansion chamber has a nice double use by creating passive reflux and keeping foam from rum runs from getting into the column.

Things I would change:

-A larger drainage hole in the bottom of the kettle. This double boiler technology allows you to keep lees, bits of pulp from raw sugar sources, and grain inside the kettle because it is evenly and indirectly heated. However, if you can't drain it out, it is not of much avail.

What I like most:

-The mineral oil stays hot after the liquid is pumped out. At the end of the day we can pump in our next batch. After sitting all night, what was 65 degree liquid is 90 degree liquid and subsequent heat up times are shortened.

Welcome!

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Branded Hearts Distillery in Reno Nevada

About 27 liters per hour