Ongoing Maintenance Cleaning Of Your Still
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- čas přidán 15. 09. 2020
- How do I clean my still after a run? What if it has something like peat, rum or hops in it that needs extra cleaning? How about blue or green discolouration?
We are going to talk through all of that today and answer the question:
"How do I clean my still?"
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#cleaning #still #distilling
Just in case you didn’t realize I often include affiliate links in my videos and descriptions.
This will not change the price for you at all, But the seller will buy my a cup of coffee if you purchase from one of the links. Choice eh? - Jak na to + styl
I clean my still every run. It's called taking off the heads!
WoW! You really make me feel like a nut here, I guess being a retired three star chef and owning many restaurants in the past, not to mention working for the military has had an effect on my cleaning habits over the years. I clean my "toy" every run or two and I clean my bubble plates every week, completely taking them apart soaking them in 5:5:1 solution and going to the extent of designing tools on Rhino 3D and 3D printing them to make the process easier. My kitchen has to be completely clean before I can eat anything every meal, lol, so my brewing is no different! Love this channel btw!
I would suggest, if you are feeling like doing a deep clean, to disassemble the still, and submerge it in a mixture of water and citric acid. About 15g of citric acid per liter, or around 2oz per gallon. You don't need to do this to the stainless steel parts, just the copper parts. Maybe a heating element if you have an immersion heater, or the bottom of the still if you run something like a T500. Use hot water, as the heat will increase the reaction rate. Then remove/dump and rinse, maybe wash with soap/pbw, and rinse again. I always feel just a bit better after doing a soapy wash, even if I know technically it's not going to add anything.
That said, I have a story about something that happened just a few days ago. Just recently I did a video on tannins (thanks to Jesse), when I was done filming, I dumped the flasks out in the sink, and just let them sit until the next day, I had video editing to do! Anyways, next day comes and I had to wash them out, noticed there was this spotty ring of what looked like plant oils (from the chestnut tannins I assumed), near the bottom, so lukewarm water and palmolive dish soap, and large pipe cleaner. Nothing, didn't work, just smeared it around.
Boiling hot water, and dish soap, let it sit for an hour. Nothing, didn't work.
Boiling hot water and PBW, let it sit for an hour. Nothing, didn't work.
Acetone, let it sit for an hour. Nothing, didn't work, WTF is this stuff?
Okay, let's step it up, 30% cleaning vinegar, nothing, didn't work.
My final attempt was to buy some sodium hydroxide, in the form of "Drano kitchen granules" because I didn't have any NaOH on hand, it seems that most drain clog chemicals are moving to gels/liquids. Took a while for me to find a granular product which is only sodium hydroxide (there is also a little bit of sodium chloride in this drano product). So I added 1L hot water and 1tbsp sodium hydroxide, let it sit for around 6 hours (overkill, but I kinda forgot about it). Most of the oils were gone when I checked on it again, so they were oils and not some alien life form, I know this because there was an odour of soap, and soap scum sitting on the top of the water. When you mix a hydroxide salt with an oil (typically a fatty acid ester), it saponifies and turns into soap (carboxylic acid salt + glycerol), which is what I was hoping would happen. I did a second wash with the same amount of water, and NaOH, and it was all gone the next day when I checked on it in the morning. Rinse, wash with regular soap, rinse again, all is good in the land of the bench.
So if you run into such a case, you can do something similar. That said, while you can do something similar for stubborn oils in your still, it completely depends on the metal. I was doing it in a glass erlenmeyer flask, not in a copper or stainless steel vessel. If your still isn't made of 304 or 316 stainless steel, than it may not be resistant to sodium hydroxide, and if it is made of those metals, it's only resistant up to around 80C.
So if it isn't, or you don't know. I wouldn't go more than 10min before removing the part, rinsing it, and checking if the oils are gone, or in the case of the still kettle, dumping it, rinsing, and checking. Then redoing it if they are still there. Obviously, wear eye protection, wear gloves (long sleeve is preferable) and long sleeve clothing, have some vinegar on hand to neutralize the NaOH solution if it splashes on you. If you are making a large volume of it, dilute it a lot (or carefully neutralize it with vinegar) before dumping it down the drain, at least 50:50 and let the sink run for a few minutes afterwards.
I would then follow it all up with an acid bath for the part, citric acid or acetic acid, or assemble the still and do a vinegar run, and another rinsing. Because hydroxides can create copper salts, which you'll want to remove anyways.
I buy my NaOH in a 1kg bottle from the hardware store
Also, in case people thought you were understating how important it is to keep vinegar ready when working with NaOH
that shit will melt you if you give it the opportunity. It’s what is used in most “acid” attacks. It’s not a kind chemical.
The local alumina refinery says “if someone falls into the vat we don’t try to rescue them”
Ha! Just made a comment about people not doing a bath instead of steaming and a second later saw this.
I dont have a still (yet) but episodes like this help out by showing more than just how to make a recipe
ive just set my still up in a new house... my cleaning plan (since i havent run for 12 months) is to do a vinegar steam clean and then a sacrificial tpw run (run as normal, i heat with gas so NO alc vapour escapes ever!),. This will be followed by a hot air session to dry the column and plates, hot air is just heating the boiler while empty (small gas flame) then blowing low pressure air into the boiler to force hot dry air through the column. After that im good to go for another season or until i do a stinky run (rum or peated whiskey). I set up my runs so that early in the season i do vodka then a few whiskeys and finish with experimental type things, cleaning follows, until the stocks are restored.
Thanks from the UK
Cool video man props for talking about the safety side of things. The information your giving is awesome 👌 and its great that your giving alternative options thank you for the videos
We actually use expired beer to make different whiskeys with the still at the brewery, meadery, and distillery I have helped build and maintain now. We use only hops or wheat as the main ingredient for all our spirits that are made here.
Solid advice.
Cheers mate
Perfect timing. I was just thinking about regular maintenance cleaning!
I'm a total OCD cleaner with my still. I scrub all stainless with dish soap I clean my coper with tarnex then dish soap. I imeaditly dry everything with a micro fiber cloth so its all kept shiny and pretty. After each run I was the opposite when i used a conventional copper pot still. I would do a vinegar run when doing different kinds of spirits. Was about it. I dont mind the cleaning its relaxing and gives me the opertunity to go over all of the parts and seals I also feel like my coper parts do their job better whwn they are cleaned between each run. They are all stinky and discolored after a run is finished especially the bubble plates.
I use my recirculating water after the run with some dish soap and a carboy brush, then rinse with clean water to remove all soap
Good stuff, keep up the good work! Just about to run the first sacrificial run, well tomorrow now!
Tks Jess
No such thing as to much information my friend please keep them coming and Thank You.
Nice thing about stainless steel…… Just take it all outside and pressure wash it. Of course the copper mesh packing gets a more thorough cleaning with citric acid
That is the best! Love stainless steel.
Thanks a lot Jesse! Exactly what I needed! Cheers mate!
Cheers mate :)
The best advice I've seen is to buy a stainless rotary spray ball (~$15) and fittings to attach to a garden hose or drive from a pump. Install it on the end of the hose, and simply turn it on and lower it through the column and boiler. It'll wash the walls as you lower it.
Thank You, great video
Jesse do more videos like this I love them!!!
LOL If I thought this was really necessary for a routine maintenance clean I think I would give it up. Nothing wrong with it mind you, but 15L of vinegar after every run? Wooee! Having said that I only run one kind of wash so no cross contamination, I just rinse everything, and do the occasional citric acid bath for the copper scrubbing. Every now and then a deep keg clean with the usual keg cleaning agent.
Great video!
Stainless just soap and water for me. Great video.
Great vid Jesse!
Hi, Jesse! When I soldered my column still (use no lead solder and rosin) then I wash all with Acetone 2 times, than run vinegar and after water vapor cleaning. After that I buy 1kg of Citric acid, which is the best (I guess). Removes everything. Just soak all parts in (1L of water +1 big tablespoon of Citric Acid) solution (or put inside your system - fill with solution) and leave it to the 12 hours. After- rinse with water. Done. P.S. And it must be dried with hot air!!! I use hair dryer for that.
Thank you.
Hell yeah Texas whiskey trail
Gotta rep Texas Whiskey :)
This is a fairly old video, but I notice that you have and are adding a lot new components to your still. I remember some of your early videos where you showed some of the work you did some of your own building. That sort of thing is important to the novice distiller. I wonder if it would be possible to visit some professional builders to get some insight into the building process - such as you've done with visits to distilleries for the distilling process.
Good technique I also had a plan maintenance routine on elements and power controller just walking around the circuit with the Multimeter. It always depends how many runs I’ll do. That could be a nice video too!
Thats a good point!
Still It that way you are able to know when it’s time to change you element.
When it comes to cleaning stuff my wife's idea of loading the dishwasher is getting me drunk.
I bought an old barnstead still from a farm auction that was a continuous water still, how it works is that the water from the condenser feeds into the boiler to be distilled. I took the condenser off and built a columb for it so it can be used on my digiboil for liquor but my cooling water won't pump through it. I can blow through it a tiny bit but it's like blowing up a balloon that wasn't stretched and hurts my cheeks lol. I assume it is the same water build up that's in the boiler but I have no idea how to get it broken up and cleaned out. If anyone reading this has advice it will be greatly appreciated!
i think these kinda vids are great man. for me i already know it but this kinda basic stuff isnt that common in vids. basic maintenance and how to do it is just as important as a good recipe imo. im in Georges camp on cleaning tho.....5 5 5 solution b4 first run and then soap n water lol.
Just a friendly comment to help the algorithms ✨😎👍
If "uncle jessy" is taken, u need to claim the "daddy jessy" title!
Meme spirit ideas:
Nutural spirit in airstill with....
Prunes, dehydrated aprocots, apple pie filling, any fruit jam, any freeze dried fruit, any fruit ice cream topping, maple syrup, can of corn, can of cream corn, handful of cornmeal, handful of oatmeal, slices of rye bread, brown sugar, canned yams, any dehydrated fruit, fruit rollup, licorice candy, macha (green tea), candied bacon, whole jar of a spice (cumin, cinimon, turmeric, pepper, ect), onions, garlic, chili peppers, 9spice, green onion, psychedelic mushrooms, the last cup of a wine bottle, carmel, ramen flavor pack, miso paste, kimchi or anything lacto-fermented, roasted hazelnuts, peanuts, sesame seed paste, ginger, jolly ranchers, a soda, any baking flavor extract, coconut water, coconut meat....
Oh crap, meme spirit = Nutural spirit + bigmac, peparoni pizza, fast food..... where at first I was like yeah try this and that, now with fast food in the equation I'm kinda like no......
In and out double double with animal fries and a large coke, or bigmac with large fry and a Coke, fuq me fish and chips sounds like a horrible idea.
I'll tune in though to watch the bad ideas vs the good ones....
Oh dear lord hahahaha fast food?!? A horrible wonderful idea!
GREAT video!!
Thanks for the reminder!!
Snarky question alert....
Don't we abuse our stills at every run?
Why wouldn't you want your Peach Snoops with a bit of peat?
Idk why I never see people do a quick acid bath rather than a long drawn out steam clean. Acid bath gets it done in one swift run and rinse. Can even clean the bath by just stowing and waiting for the oxides to collect out or collect by running a current through the solution to retrieve the copper from the solvent. obviously not alchohol sacrifice, cause its flammable.
Mine is super simple to clean since I only use pot stills. I should probably do the vinegar run though since I have never done one. Just to clean my condenser out.
Have to comment on the “safety notice”. Gotta say, never blow alcohol vapour, simply turning on a light switch could create a spark that ignites everything.
Ive only cleaned my still with water after every use/ occasionally with vinegar to clean up copper parts. Never had an issue with carry over from previous run. Just my 2 cents 😁 to be fair I’ll probably give it a proper clean now that i know how. 😂
There are stainless steel bubble plates out now which basically self clean from the alcohol vapor. Simply rinse with water and let drain. Check Aliexpress.
Hey mate can you do an update vid on how you have set up your column as it looks alot different from when you did your last one, it looks like you have used a shotgun condenser for your reflux, what was you reasoning for this over a coil sticking out the top?
Thanks for the awesome channel, it has inspired me to get into the craft keep up the amazing work
Love it. Oxyclean is great.
My secret weapon lol
If your blue distillate is copper acetate (copper and vinegar reacting together) you should only need to run tap water to dissolve it all, and if it’s hydroxide (another blue salt, copper water and electrolysis) then the ethanol probably isn’t helping dissolve it anyway
So if you haven’t tried it, you might be able to get away with using water instead of wasting product.
The blue thing is usually copper sulfide and vinegar removes it
hey jessie love your content... question after a acid bath(citric acid, hydrogen peroxide and water) for my copper plates and copper mesh do i need to do a sacrificial run before my spirit run? thanks
Idea of using the fore shots as a sacrificial cleaning run
Man it's been some time since I last did this
Hey Jesse, I probably missed a video but do you need to use the dephleg with the bubble plates instead of your old reflux coil or have you switched for other reasons?
What do you think about using citric acid for cleaning?
Gday mate! I was just wondering and I can´t seem to find the answer. I´m having a bit of "trouble" getting hold of 5 liter cans with vinegar. And the only cheap ones I can find in 1 liter bottles are either applecider vinegar or regular vinegar that has been "aged" on oak.
Does any of that make any difference you reckon? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and order a big jug of regular vinegar and be a bit more patient to clean the pot...
New subscriber and I´m loving your content mate! Keep up the good work :)
What temperature for the vinegar run?
The alcohol cleaning run, how many times can you reuse the alcohol?
yeppers.... i rinse mine out with water and when i think it needs it i use dish washing liquid and water with dish wrag.
💯💯Another great video brother!!..⚗🍻🥃
So, if you make a whiskey from hoppy beer, wouldn’t that be hwiskey? 😁
Hahaha
lol
No a wabbit if you put in to much hoppy
I've done what you said and my alcohol run after the vinigar and rinse tastes and smells not very nice??? Edit' ... I'm just wondering wear I have gone wrong with the cleaning as some of the blokes on other pages are saying I have to clean it with Oxyclean, pbw, and another vinigar run and the stuff I made is crap and to through it out, The say its full of sulphur??? I'm a bit lost and needing direction, Is it possible to put it through a filter then re run it?
Just getting started myself. Making my first sugar wash tomorrow for a sac run, prior to running that im going to scrub everything (all copper) with soap and water. Then 551 my worm, then vinegar run, the run the sugar wash once its worked off in a few days. I do have a question tho. I will be frequently switching back and forth from rum, to whiskey. Would soap and water in between take care of and rum residues? Or something a little more intensive like a vinegar run?
A good flush should do it maybe just a hot water run after you don't need to run vinegar every time
What PH would citric acid water need to have the same effect... My wife hates vinegar 😵
What about 515 or 551
Hey community let's band together and share Jesse's video's and let's get are community over a hundred thousand views!!.. ⚗🥃💯💯
When I've been lazy I do dismantal my plates and do a 551 soak and clean.and the other copper in my still. Then dawn hot water for everything else.
I.do a through dismantling and clean about every 3rd.or.4rh run anyway. I find it therapeutic and My Still Anna Nichol looks a pretty and shiny as when I pieced her together.
My girlfriend named her that cause she says she is good digger always wanting new shiny things never satisfied with what I get her, as well a needy b;tch demanding my attention all the time. ☺️
firts comment!!!
Just put some sugar Wash in your moonshine still then water though it
Have anyone ever ran a pot still trough an induction plate, does it work well?
Copper and some stainless will not work on an induction plate. You will also need to be able to control the heat properly, some don't have fine enough control particularly on a spirit run.
Dislike everytime you start begging for money by mentioning patreon. Its disgusting