Intro post from Sydney-sider !

[billioo]

Hi All,

As my introductory post I would like to say this is a great site ! I have been reading as much of the material as I can and has really helped me along!

Before finding this site, I purchased a PD "Spirit Maker" reflux still. I am in the process of doing my first ferment with Pure Turbo Yeast, 7kg Dextrose at 20 to 21 C. I will put this one down to experience and will be trying out the TPW and the other washs on the site! My aim is to produce a very high quality spirit. I have plenty of time on my hands and am not rushed about it. After several reflux runs to get some experience under the belt, I'd like to get into Bourbon and Whiskeys using a Pot Still. PD does a Pot Still attachment for their boiler and I have seen the Alembic Pot Still from SS that will also fit on my Boiler, but are there any other alternatives or am I better off sticking with either of these to get started into the Pot Still world?

I also have another question regarding the large Silicone gasket that connects the Spirit Maker column to the boiler lid - see attached picture from the PD installation instructions. As the Silicone gasket is underneath the Boiler lid, it will be exposed to the high temperature alcoholic vapours - does this mean it is in the "vapour path" ? Would I be better off :
1. putting the Silicone gasket on top of the lid to take it out of the boiler environment, ensuring the seal is still good of course, or,
2. would it be better to get a gasket fabricated in virgin PTFE and swap out the Silicone? or,
3. bite the bullet and get the column silver soldered ( lead free ) to the lid, or
4. is the Silicone gasket safe to use?

Apologies in advance if this has been covered elsewhere but I had a really good look around the site and couldn't find anything. Many thanks.

Cheers,
Billy

[woodduck]

Hi mate welcome aboard :greetings-waveyellow:

If the seal is silicon it's all good mate. Nothing wrong with silicon.

You could build a simple pot still or buy one from 5 star, they have top quality gear that will last you a lifetime :handgestures-thumbupleft:

All the best.

[Doubleuj]

Welcome to the forum mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: :text-+1: on what Woodduck said, silicon is fine

[Professor Green]

Welcome Billy.

Another :text-+1: on woodducks comments.

I would avoid the pot stills that the HBS sell, they're not really worth the money they charge and I think you'll be disappointed. If you're at all handy you can knock a much better one up yourself; check out the pot still section of the forums for ideas. If you're after a really good off the shelf unit, the one from 5 Star is second to none and will fit nicely on your HBS boiler with an appropriate adapter. It will also give you an easy avenue for upgrade later if you find the bug bites you hard.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[Carol]

Hi Billy
I have a 2"FSD boka (aka Boris) and 2 "FSD pot (aka Natasha) as recent acquisitions. They are great quality and I am sure they will "see me out" as they say. I am very much a newbie but happy to answer any questions you might have about them.

Cheers
Carol

[southern45]

Welcome!

As far as home brew shop style reflux stills go, you arguably bought the best one out there. The PD Reflux is a great starter and easy to get the hang of (just be sure to take better cuts than their instructions tell you to). It's a good still to knock out some easy neutral spirit from a sugar wash and find out if this hobby is for you. I still use mine from time to time.

[billioo]

Many thanks woodduck, Doubleuj, Prof Green, carol and southern45. I really appreciate your comments and it gives me a bit more confidence to move forward with the silicone gasket. I will definitely have a look at your suggestions re Pot Stills at 5 Star - a whole new world outside of HBS is opening up thanks to you !! I am a little bit handy, so could also potentially go down that route too, although I would probably veer more toward kit made by a professional. I'm very excited by this new hobby, so I think the bug may have already bitten !
Cheers,
Billy

[dans.brew]

Welcome to the forum billy. :greetings-waveyellow:
When she bites, she bites hard.

[Andrew]

I started with an air still years ago.
Now I own the company :laughing-rolling:
Seriously, my mum still has that very same air still that started it all.
It's a bug that either bites and digs deap or it just let's go

[billioo]

Thanks dans.brew and Andrew !

I have a couple more questions that I'd be grateful for feedback on.

I have my first ferment using "Pure Turbo Yeast" :

1. has anyone done a run with it and if so, what was the product like? (I'll be onto the TPW and other going forward)

This will be the first time I will be running my PD "Spirit Maker" purchased this year. After extensive reading across the forum it seems I should be doing a Vinegar and water run and then a sacrificial run before runing my first proper Spirits run. The PD instruction book says to just give it a through rinse with warm water which I confirmed with the supplier (who has been real helpful answering many of my crazy questions). My questions are :-

2. Are the two suggested initial runs needed to clean out and oils and solder flux residues left over from manufacturing or for some other reason like "seasoning" the still ?
3. Are the PD stills manufactured these days cleaner and therefore only need a flush with warm water ?

Cheers, Billy

[southern45]

1) It was shit. Although flavoured up with home brew shop sugar-loaded artificial-flavoured packs like Limoncello or Sambuca and you probably wouldn't tell the difference. Use it as a sacrificial run only. Not worth drinking (although taste a little bit just for kicks).

2) Yes. Cleaning runs. Also a good way to learn how your still runs.

3) Probably. Mine "looked" super clean out the box, but doing both a vinegar cleaning and sacrificial run is worth it to be sure.

[billioo]

Many thanks southern45 - I really appreciate the steer.
Cheers, Billy

[billioo]

I'm not sure how the whistling EMOJI got into my previous post - woops !!

[Doubleuj]

I'm not sure how the whistling EMOJI got into my previous post - woops !!

It’s ok, alcohol does these things to us all :laughing-rolling: :teasing-tease: :whistle:

[southern45]

Many thanks southern45 - I really appreciate the steer.
Cheers, Billy

Any time. I'm actually going to fire up my own PD Reflux this weekend (for the first time since I got the 5 Star Bubbler) to knock out a smaller run of neutral.