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Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflux?

PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:13 am
by BigRig
Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflux?

If I make a neutral and steep the botanicals in it surely this wouldn't be gin or taste like it.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:12 am
by MaKa
Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:01 pm
by BSC_Kilby
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


THIS.


Then you could use the one-shot method. All botanicals in the boiler. Plenty of people believe it gives a more complex spirit, but some people shy away from it because the yields are lower.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2019 11:18 pm
by Sam.
BSC_Kilby wrote:
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


THIS.


Then you could use the one-shot method. All botanicals in the boiler. Plenty of people believe it gives a more complex spirit, but some people shy away from it because the yields are lower.


How are the yields lower?

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 8:23 pm
by the Doctor
We make all our gin using a reflux still and a Five Star Carter head... could not recommend a better way...this is the best.
Doc

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:40 pm
by MaKa
the Doctor wrote:We make all our gin using a reflux still and a Five Star Carter head... could not recommend a better way...this is the best.
Doc


:text-+1:

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:53 pm
by BSC_Kilby
Sam. wrote:
BSC_Kilby wrote:
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


THIS.


Then you could use the one-shot method. All botanicals in the boiler. Plenty of people believe it gives a more complex spirit, but some people shy away from it because the yields are lower.


How are the yields lower?


If you have the storage space and the patience you can still each botanical separately, hich will often get you more product. I reckon there's an x-factor in what comes across when everything goes in the pot.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:20 pm
by Sam.
BSC_Kilby wrote:
Sam. wrote:
BSC_Kilby wrote:
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


THIS.


Then you could use the one-shot method. All botanicals in the boiler. Plenty of people believe it gives a more complex spirit, but some people shy away from it because the yields are lower.


How are the yields lower?


If you have the storage space and the patience you can still each botanical separately, hich will often get you more product. I reckon there's an x-factor in what comes across when everything goes in the pot.


So how does that mean more yield? Is it just because your not good enough to be consistent with the one shot method?

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 1:08 pm
by BSC_Kilby
Sam. wrote:
BSC_Kilby wrote:
Sam. wrote:
BSC_Kilby wrote:
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


THIS.


Then you could use the one-shot method. All botanicals in the boiler. Plenty of people believe it gives a more complex spirit, but some people shy away from it because the yields are lower.


How are the yields lower?


If you have the storage space and the patience you can still each botanical separately, hich will often get you more product. I reckon there's an x-factor in what comes across when everything goes in the pot.


So how does that mean more yield? Is it just because your not good enough to be consistent with the one shot method?


No, it's because different botanicals have different points at which the "stew". If you put everything in together you (in my opinion) get a better gin, but you will not be able to cut as deep as you can on some botanicals on their own. So you have more useable product. The classic in a lot of commercial Aus gins at the moment is Strawberry gum. It can taste really nice in small amounts in the earlier part of hearts, but very quickly starts to taste like bad guava in late hearts early tails.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:22 pm
by Sam.
I would have thought the extra time, cost of labour and power to single run each botanical would outweigh the lesser yield....

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 9:42 pm
by BSC_Kilby
Sam. wrote:I would have thought the extra time, cost of labour and power to single run each botanical would outweigh the lesser yield....


In my experience, its not linear, so that's a big part of the efficiency you get.

At a home level, that extra product won't mean that much, but when the product pays the bills it makes a difference.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 11:07 pm
by Rolls912
the Doctor wrote:We make all our gin using a reflux still and a Five Star Carter head... could not recommend a better way...this is the best.
Doc


Hmmm. Not questioning your comments but my dumb arse can’t figure out how that would be a better... would a reflux simply delivery neutral to the carter. So if your spirit is already pure, why the step? Versus a pot and Carter...

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Tue Sep 24, 2019 6:05 am
by db1979
I think it's because you can then make gin all in one run straight from the wash, no stripping and spirit run followed by the pot run to make the final product.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Tue Sep 24, 2019 3:33 pm
by the Doctor
[/attachment]
Rolls912 wrote:
the Doctor wrote:We make all our gin using a reflux still and a Five Star Carter head... could not recommend a better way...this is the best.
Doc


Hmmm. Not questioning your comments but my dumb arse can’t figure out how that would be a better... would a reflux simply delivery neutral to the carter. So if your spirit is already pure, why the step? Versus a pot and Carter...

Rolls we strip all our sprit then run through a reflux still with a carter head. Ours is a two headed column left side is for vodka the right has the Carter head... this set up has won the double gold for gin at the San Francisco world spirits cup as well as a brace of other medals.IT is a better way to make gin IMHO.
Doc
IMG_3553.jpg

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:38 pm
by P3T3rPan
:text-+1:
I too use a Carter head
it is the best upgrade I have made
The Doc Knows his stuff (otherwise he doesn't eat)

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:28 pm
by Rolls912
Yes I agree. Carter makes a huge difference. Still haven’t quite perfected how to use the valve at the bottom of the head to remove oils.
Doc - time saving. Makes perfect sense. It would also reduce your power consumption too. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:25 am
by BigRig
MaKa wrote:Depends on the type of still that you have.

It could be as simple as turning off the water supply to the RC and just running water on the PC only.

Can you elaborate more on the type of boka still you are running? LM or VM?


Delayed response it is a VM boka.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:12 pm
by garouda
This is my botanical basket. I'm still waiting for some parts. Hopefully the first run will take place around new year. My still can be used as a potstill or as a hybrid LM/VM. The botanical basket will come after the VM valve, like in the Bombay Sapphire still. Botanicals will take place in a coffee bag made of pure cotton. Critics are more than welcome. ^:)^
new Gin Basket.JPG

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:54 pm
by garouda
Mumbay Bombay That's the Question.png
Maybe a clearer overview. If necessary, I could have a 1-metre Ø1" copper pipe between the valve and the gin basket.
To run it as a pot still, I simply have to remove the T fitting, replace it with a 90° elbow, remove the Valve, and mount a shorter column (optional).
I saw a post mentioning a VM Boka. Boka isn't it that slant plates design in which case it's a LM still. I'm trying to combine LM and VM, haven't decided though whether the outlets will be joined or separated.

Re: Don't have a pot still. How can I make gin with a reflu

PostPosted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:57 pm
by The Stig
Rolls912 wrote: Still haven’t quite perfected how to use the valve at the bottom of the head to remove oils.

You dont have a Carter Head, you have a Gin caddy - They are different :-B Just sayin :greetings-waveyellow: