G'day All from Sunny Qld

[MarkChap]

G'day,
Have been lurking for a short time now and immersing myself in the abundant amounts of information available, what a great resource.

I am very new to Home Distilling and had pretty much decided that an Alco Engine reflux still from Kegland is where I would start, but thanks to all the info available here I am pretty sure I have gone off that idea and am now going to make myself a 2" CCVM still which I will be able to double purpose as a reflux and pot still, my head is still spinning from information overload.

The main sticking point for me is the product condenser, I was going to make a Liebig but they seem to need to be very long to work well, so I might have to look at a shotgun ?? Don't know, I am so confused on this

Haven't given a lot of thought to a boiler, but considering putting an electric element in an old keg I have here.

Anyway, long intro, sorry, looking forward to the journey

[Wellsy]

Welcome Mark
Take your time mate and don’t forget you can always upgrade later if you enjoy the hobby :)

[MarkChap]

Good morning, again,
Feel like I need to say g'day again, as I posted here then disappeared, my apologies.

I certainly did put together a CCVM still, I ended up with a 50mmx1.0mt column, packed with mainly copper packing,
I knocked up a reflux coil which doesn't look great but seems to work as it is need to so I can't complain.
I also made a Liebig product condenser, 25 over 20mm x 1500long, which is great for moving my output away from my boiler, but could have been so much shorter and still performed perfectly
I am using an old 50lt keg as a boiler with a 2 ring gas burner for heat source

I have run a couple of batches of a molasses/sugar wash for rum and have about 12.5lt of low wines at 45% for a spirit run and I current have 40lt of an all molasses wash just started.

What I have learned is that I really want to make a good nice rum, so am now trying to figure out what I need to achieve that, column, wash etc ? I will start a thread in the correct forum place for that

I have linked images here, but do you prefer linked or attached images ? (I will see if I can find an answer)

[chipboy]

Nice efforts, if it works for you then its good.

May I ask what source of materials you use for rum? Not too far from you and going down the same path.

Thanks.

[The Stig]

If your sayin your close to the Fraser coast I might as well assay I live in Sydney :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:
But a group buy for those close by could be or should be on the cards

[MarkChap]

Nice efforts, if it works for you then its good.

May I ask what source of materials you use for rum? Not too far from you and going down the same path.

Thanks.

If by materials you mean
Molasses - Feedstore in Gympie, $1.00/lt
Yeast - Woolies/Coles
Vitamin B - Chemist
Epsom Salt - Coles/Woolies

If you mean Ageing Oak, I am soon to be placing an order on 5 Star for some oak dominos, if you are looking for some we could double up and save some frieght

If your sayin your close to the Fraser coast I might as well assay I live in Sydney :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:
But a group buy for those close by could be or should be on the cards

Always happy for a group buy to help spread costs

[chipboy]

Thank you, jut the raw material is what I was after, molasses. I will learn lots doing this as I am sure most of us do.

[MarkChap]

Thank you, jut the raw material is what I was after, molasses. I will learn lots doing this as I am sure most of us do.

Where are you at, I am always happy to collaborate

[MarkChap]

Thank you, jut the raw material is what I was after, molasses. I will learn lots doing this as I am sure most of us do.

Hey Bud, I don't have 10 posts yet so can't see the PM system yet

[harold01]

if you answer me with my you don't have ten, you will have 9