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Monitoring the Temperature
I know that most experienced distillers use their senses in setting up and running their stills and can Judge by the sound and drip rate now the end product is coming. My question is, do any of them, or you, still use temperature reading as a tool or a No-Go device in setting up their stills?
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6 Replies
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I do use a Thermo at the top of my pot head simply to know when to turn on my water for my condensor. If I’m stripping I collected to my specific ABV and when I’m spirit running I collect to cloudy tails,(or a specific abv if saving feints)air for 24hrs then make cuts depending on taste and smell.I drink so much now,on the back of my license it’s a list of organs I need.
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I measure temperature in the vapor path above my pot still because it helps me with time management. Based on how I know my pot heats up and time to boil, it give me insight into the path I’m on, and it’s just one tool among many. But for the sake of how I run the still and how much power I’m using, it plays no part. Basing decisions on the temperature about how you run things will mostly only lead you astray. There’s no one size fits all set of temperatures that can ever give you the best outcome. Every wash or mash and it’s varying fermentation outcomes will all behave differently.
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I slide a temp probe behind the insulation of my column or riser and set a temp alarm for 100F. While heating up the boiler, once vapor begins to rise up the column or riser, the alarm sounds and I know to reduce power.I have a temp probe in the vapor take-off in my VM still. I could easily operate without it, but it just gives me confirmation that it’s running steady. The temp stays the same throughout the run and only rises a few 1/10th degrees at the very end indicating tails has arrived. Again I could easily not use a temp reading, but it has become standard operating procedure because my controller won’t function without the temp probe being connected anyway so I just use it.I use a temp probe on the water output of each of my condensers. I do this so that I can turn my water flow down as low as reasonably possible. I use tap water to cool my condensers and send waste water down the drain so I like the thought of reducing water flow. I don’t need to do this, but this way is easy for me to ensure my water flow is not too high or too low.4″ VM Build
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I have a thermocouple in the charge because the boiling point can be used to work out the ABV of the charge.When the first stripping run is done to my satisfaction, I record the temperature and use it to end the remaining strips without me having to check the ABV during the runs. The final ABV of each strip is very close to the first one.Temperature in the vapor path is too variable to be useful to me as it changes with power, air movement if doors are open or shut, weather; temperature, sun, passing rain, clouds, etc..
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I stay close to the still, so for me, its easy to use ears, nose and touch. First, the boiler starts to make agitated ‘stirring’ noises, then fruity (apple/sweet corn) aromas start coming out the condenser. As soon as my boiler’s heat migrates up the riser to the stillhead and it grows really hot, first drips are only minutes away. This is for a copper still on keg. I suspect the fully stainless steel still is gonna behave differently.Over many documented runs, this consistent heatup sequence hasn’t thrown any surprises that senses can’t detect. Insulating one’s boiler contributes to this consistency.“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”- W.C. Fields My EZ Solder Shotgun My Steam Rig and Manometer
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I manage my still using my senses, but monitor the progress of my stripping runs with a probe in the vapor path at the top of the riser. On my rig the probe will read 205°F when the vapor is 5% abv. If my collection pot ABV is 30% or less it’s time to kill the power, drain the boiler and start the next charge.Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
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