*ATTENTION:* I forgot to mention, the *COPPER WIRE* is wrapped around the vapor tube to create turbulence in the water to increase the cooling efficiency:-)
I use vice grips to make small offset crimps (not enough to pinch off the flow) in the center pipe every 1.5 inches. It causes agitation in the vapor and the cooling water.
When soldering, if you put the heat where you want your solder, it works pretty good. Soldering works by capillary attraction, so heat the fitting, with flame concentrated on fitting and the solder will flow into the joint. Cheers!
Love this channel. I built this condenser and it works great but it seems like the end product was a lot harsher than when using a worm. To solve this I wrapped a copper wire around a dowel and inserted in the vapor tube. Make sure it fits tight. This slows down the vapor and makes a much smoother product. Keep up the good work.
Hey Brother, nice build..........Getting ready to build one myself. Browsing the comments, I didn't see referral to this........If you're soldering , welding, or brazing on a concrete floor, be careful! The flame can heat up a localized area on the floor, and the moisture within can flash to steam, and POP!.......It'll shatter said local spot, and small concrete pieces will fly everywhere, mainly in yer eyes!........Rock On, Brother!
I see a lot of sweated copper, both in plumbing and HVAC. Lemme just say, you're better than average already. I work with a couple true masters, and they never quit pushing themselves. So I won't suggest that you ease up. But rather enjoy your achievements and keep going. Thank you for sharing your successes.
Actually, if it was modified ever so slightly, it wouldn't need to be anywhere near that length. Having it that long just wastes space and materials. He should have just flattened the middle part of the condensate tube to a 2mm inner gap.
@keith moore Depends on the state. Some states you can work in a place that sells and/or makes products you can't yet use, he just wouldn't be able to serve or sample. I worked as a glass washer and keg loader in a bar when I was 19. Even had the ABC officer come in and check id's while I was working with no problem as long as I wasn't serving.
Hey " Bearded " . Hi again from NH. A quick update after asking you about the cherry cider aging before bottling. I did as you suggested and let it go about 6 weeks before back sweetening and bottling. I back sweetened using the apple concentrate and some more tart cherry to taste, did the " pasteurization ", and bottled. I've consumed a couple of them so far and wow are they delicious. Thanks for the helpful advice ! I have a small batch of real cider " freshly pressed " with dk brown sugar added to it, all fermented and ready for back sweetening as I write this. Cider 1.048 + 1- 1/2 cups dk br sugar to 1.070 fermented all the way down to .995 ( ish ) +/- 9- 1/2 % abv Dry ? oh ya !! Think I am gonna sorbate this one and sweeten with more fresh cider before bottling. Should be nice and apple(y ) sweet and still around 6 percent I'm thinking. Also, I did a batch or your apple jack. I started with a gallon of juice ( plus concentrate ) and ended up with 2- 16oz bottles. My God is that GOOD !!! Thanks for that one as well. Now, a helpful hint for you because you are so kind to all of us " followers " out here. From someone who has been soldering for years, if you can, try to heat your pipes from below and apply your solder from above. Once hot enough, the solder will flow down from the top and will suck up into the joint. As someone else noted, a damp rag will clean things up very nicely as you go, and will get that little droplet of solder off the bottom of the joint before it hardens, if you happen to get a little too much on there. Be well my friend and stay healthy. If you ever get up to NH. after this covid thing is under control, well you know,,, dinner and drinks !! -- den
One of my good friends is a drummer and uses ketchup to clean his cymbals, does an excellent job, but then makes you hungry for a burger and fries for some reason..
@@kb3kyx Wicked! If you or your friend is ever in my neck of the woods (northwestern mass), I would gladly buy you/him a burger. #B&BSubs +1 Cheers Guys!
Great design and love your videos!! If you’d like to save a step, you can combine the T and the reducer in one step. On Amzon search for “1/2x1/2x1 copper tee” (or 1/2x1/2x3/4 if using the smaller diameter outer jacket). This is a T and reducer in one piece. Grind out the stops as noted in the video and the inner pipe slides through with the built-in T providing the water input/output. These fittings cost a hair more than the extra fittings altogether, but it saves some cutting and soldering and gives an even sharper looking finished product.
@@BeardedBored I am possibly pretty confused here, but in your title you say this condenser is for a pot still. Couldn't it be used for a reflux still too if you just put a pre-cooler on the still column?
Enjoyed the build, at some point I am going to have to try this. Right now my condenser is built onto my column. Going to be doing some changes hopefully soon
I bought mine and it's the same way (one piece build). In the near future I'm going to modify it to be modular via tri clamps. The liebig condenser that came on it is undersized anyway as it's made of stainless which makes a poor heat sink.
I was wondering if a air cooling system would work for a condenser . Have your half inch tube and surround it the same way but with maybe 4" pvc with a sort of tall chimney to draw cold air up and through . Would probably work in cooler climates . Great and informative video, thank you.
I saw one with fins made of thin copper like a heat sink with pc fans blowing on them. His tube was at least 6 feet long, but it was neat, and it worked;-)
That's the same way I'd build a heat exchanger, to preheat cold water coming into your bathroom shower with the waste water going down the drain. At much larger diameters, obviously, but it's that simple. The result is using more cold water and less of your hot, thus saving energy. 👍
Awesome I love it if people think out the box and design and build their own stuff and put it through the test like myself. Well done sir and very nice build. Love your work.
I want to, but that's a future project. In the meantime you can check out the Angry Parrot channel. He builds stills and I think he has a few bubble plate vids.
FYI, copper conducts heat 20-30x better than SS. So don't be fooled by those fancy SS condensers. This copper Liebig probably works as good or better. For better efficiency, put the wire in the vapour tube as well.
I made one of these with smaller diameter pipe. it’s got a very tight water path. But it seems over powered for my current setup. It starts to condense the environment on the outer as well. 😅
Its 12 or 10 gauge copper wire. Its meant to make the cooling water swirl and get agitated instead of quickly going straight through the water jacket. It's been proven to make the Liebig cool the alcohol more efficiently and be able to knock down more heat than without the wire.
I once successfully torch welded a hard copper pipe T with copper rod. So it would be possible to sheath this contraption with 2 inch rigid copper & fittings.
I gotta ask, what is the purpose of the wire wrapped around the inner tube for? I'm in the process of building my own and thought I would look through more how to videos before I close it up.
Always love soldering practice Anyone looking to build anything like this check out stotes that sell used/excess building supplies. Like habitat for humanity restores. My experience to the 4 around me, not all have a good selection of plumbing stuff, but one I was able to pick up 2' of 2" and 5' of 1" and tons of fittings for about $15
See if you can get some smaller triclamp fittings, like 1/2 and solder them on instead of the copper union fitting. I'm probably going to swap mine out for triclamps someday too.
This is probably overkill, but I put a strip of copper twisted into a spiral inside the distillate tube to prevent laminar flow of the vapor inside the tube
Hey, Bearded and Bored, Not sure if I just missed it or not in your video but what is the reason for adding the coil of copper wire around the pipe... Is if for fluid movement?
@@BeardedBored In a shotgun condenser based on the same size of pipe what would be better ? Less condensate pipes and more water in the jacketed area or more pipes with potentially less water around each pipe ?
@@BeardedBored Thanks lots for the help. Im getting ready in the next three weeks to build my very first still.. Should be lots of fun and I'm sure, some frustration.. My plan is to film the progress.
One more super video, I need to increase the length of my condenser, do you think adding a second small one on the front will work or redo the whole thing
I think an addition technically would work since it's really the same as having a longer one. But for your rig, you might want to make a new one with a thicker water jacket and longer vapor tube( maybe 15cm longer than it is now) so it fits inside the main profile. Or you could make a shotgun style condenser, and make it modular with ferrules so it'll fit on your current still as well as your bigger "community" still once you finish it;-)
@@BeardedBored thank you bearded, I need to upgrade that condenser, still was built using bartered parts, and a shotgun will be awesome to build, just need to get the tri-clamps here in SA they are really hard to get.
@@BEAVERDIY Yeah, I bet it's tough to get parts. They use triclamps in dairies I think, so if there is a dairy equipment supplier in SA that might be an easier source.
@@BeardedBored there is a company called NPE, but they are all the way down in Cape Town, and shipping will cost same as the clamps, but will be doing a bulk order soon for the community still, so then shippi g will be worth it. Your are up very late...
Howdy Brotha, I am planning on making one of these for a project I’m working on with steam… have you used this since making it and can you speak to its effectiveness in going from superheated vapor to a saturated liquid mixture? My steam will be running around 600-800 degrees F out of a turbine so I am trying to gauge how many linear feet of this style condenser it would take to pull it back down to 212 degrees F.
Wow, no idea if it could knock down superheated steam. It's been used many times and works great, but 600-800F? No idea how many feet you'd need. You might want to look into a shotgun condenser. Lot more surface area in a smaller space and better potential to knock down the temps you'd be working with without needing a 20 foot long condenser.
@@BeardedBored I just looked into shotgun condensers a lot more, and I think that might be a good option… effectively a very similar concept but far more compact from what I’ve seen. Have you used shotgun condensers in the past? If you have or have talked personally with anyone who has, did you find them exponentially more efficient than their Liebig counterparts?
I was wondering this too. My 28" leibig doesn't have that as I didn't know about it but it works so good that I barely run a trickle through it on my keg.
You take some crappy wine or other cheap alcohol or some saved up feints and run it through your system like the vinegar run. It's called a sacrificial run because it is not drinkable once it has cleaned the last bit of flux and junk out of the still. Save it for hand sanitizer.
Being that I'm not very good at soldering I was wondering if for starters, till I was able to build something, would one of the water distilling pots they sell on amazon be a good starting point or no? I made some rice wine that is too dry and I think it would be better if it had a few runs.
Jesse did a video on one of those water distillers a few months ago on the Still It channel. Definitely recommend watching it to help you make up you mind. th-cam.com/video/RCbGKbieDzc/w-d-xo.html
Keep a wet rag handy. When your just finished soldering a joint, wipe it off. Most of the black/burnt flux will come off. You can wipe flux on a freshly soldered joint to take a lot of the black off too.
have you (or anyone else) been able to test this build yet? Wondering if the length and widths are good for condensing. Would love to see the whole thing assembled! What is the section called that would go between this condenser, and the column that attaches to the boil pot?
The piece in between is called a Lyne Arm. The design I used is really common, as are the dimensions. It works great with just about any pot still. When you get into large diameter columns, especially for reflux, you'll probably want to switch to a "shotgun condenser".
Quick question I’m thinking of going from a classic worm condenser to a shotgun condenser and I’m looking to use your build as a reference and building platform. Anyways, what is the copper wire that could up the vapor pipe used for. Is it used to keep that pipe in place or is it more for giving the water a better flow? Anything helps, thanks for the great build video
The copper wire is to create turbulence and increase the cooling efficiency a little. Just an FYI, this is a liebig condenser. The shotgun condenser has several pipes in a larger water jacket. Good luck on your build:-)
@@BeardedBored is there any kind of advantage of using a shotgun over a Liebig condenser? I planned on making a shotgun but after watching this I feel like it would be way less of a headache to do it this way. Only thing I could think of would be that it has better vapor flow but if it’s nothing extreme then makes the most sense to me to do it this way
@@BeardedBored I know that using shotgun condenser is a more compact but I actually enjoy the streamline look of your build much more just want to make sure that I won’t be missing out on a crazy jump of vapor in the end comparatively. And I’m just rocking a 5 gal. torpedo keg pot with a 2x 12 in. column so it’s nothing that’s gonna be roaring out vapor
@@michaelrice2081 Having only used a liebig, I don't have any advice on the shotgun. If you try this one and it's not knocking down all the vapor, like if your rig is too robust for the condenser, then you'll need to upgrade. But I've seen folks use slightly shorter liebigs on keg stills with propane heat and they seem to work just fine, so I think you'll be ok with it.
Hey. 🧐 just gotta say: Great video an I can't wait to see the "hypothetically" thing put together an to good use 🥂 hypothetically that is 👍🏼 How long before the barenjager video comes out ? 🥳
Hmm, might not be til next year since mead takes a while to ferment. But I'll see what I can do. Lots of folks are asking for a mead and/or honey spirit video:-)
Hay mate I've just about finished making one of these but does it matter what ones the water in and out ,how do I tell the difference before I finish soldering it all together. Awsome video and cheers for the inspiration to build something else to use on my keg instead of just my Nixon stone 👍
It's best to have the water come in at the water jacket pipe closest to the main condenser outlet at the bottom so it flows uphill. It cools a lot better that way.
Those brass nuts of the copper union fittings are on the outside of the copper pipe and don't contact the vapor path. The connection point is a male and female copper end, snugged together by the brass nut. I do not recommend brass ever come in contact with the vapor or finished distillate.
@@BeardedBored damn that's what I thought. I'm having problem sourcing those kind of connections on Sweden, have emailed a company about their brass if it's lead free or not. Other wise I'm gonna have to go with solder connection that I don't solder and use PTFE tape and friction fit, since tri-clamp connectors are a bit to expensive for me right now if I'm buying a Swan tea urn to use as the boiler (think T500 boiler)
@@elektrobear2027 You can also look for small triclamp fittings instead. I know they make 1/2 inch fittings www.brewershardware.com/1-2-Tri-Clover-Ferrule-Medium.html?category_id=283
@@BeardedBored problem is that the only "cheap" tri-clamps I've found have been 1" 3/4 and that's an odd measurement for copper in Sweden, and the only "screw down" tri-clamp for a decent price is of course 2" 😭😂😭😂😭
@@BeardedBored if was able to flare pipe and fittings at home things would be easier. Oh and ordering from outside the EU is not on the table sadly since the shipping is brutal.
This condenser would have been much more efficient and thus so much shorter if you had flattened the central section of the inner pipe, leaving a 1-2 mm wide section through it. This reduces the cross sectional open area, while the surface area stays the same, meaning that you have a much better surface area to open cross section area, giving much more efficiency. The open cross sectional area of the vapour tube doesn't need to be very big, -your hot vapour volume is probably a thousand times greater than the volume of the condensate.
Morning to you once again. I have 20 litres of sugar wash. Can I use some of the hearts as sacrificial. This will be my first run and a learning one aswell..
Not sure I understand. If you're asking if you can toss the first portion of your run and call it the sacrificial run, then continue the run and collect the rest, I don't recommend that. The best practice is to do the sacrificial run, then rinse out the still parts thoroughly, then move on to your actual run. The sacrificial run doesn't need to be a full run, just about 30 minutes of blasting the system with ethanol vapor. If you only have the one batch of sugar wash, save that and get a few gallons of cheap wine to mix with water for the sacrificial run, or brew a separate wash for that.
Hay bud I'm in the process of building my still and I'm shopping around for the best build for a Liebig condenser .long ,short, fat,skinny ,to long ?.....what works best?
Or you could coil a couple of meters of 6mm copper tube around 1" diameter dowel, then slide it inside an appropriately sized outer tube. This works amazingly well.
There is a spirit called Barenjager from Germany that is a honey based liquor. It's quite delicious. So it's definitely something to try. Hypothetically;-)
Any feelings of inadequacy are my own. George and Jesse were really pleased to see how it came out when I should it to them last year. I just have still envy, haha:-)
I keep reading it as Lie Big. How do you size a Liebig condenser appropriately? i.e. 5500w burner,. 3" column, Keg still, stripping runs? Not sure column volume makes any difference but I may be in reflux mode
Can you make the condenser too long? I'm assuming as long as the drips are constant coming off the end and you waterflow is correct you can't make it too long
@@BeardedBored I really dont think it would matter on a tube that skinny.. but all I know is reading on forums.. I've just seen some people put them on opposite sides.. but with your wire.. I doubt it matters
@@kevind7617 I think if it matter to the layout of your equipment, like where the pump is etc, it's fine to position them however works best for your rig.
I forgot to mention the purpose of that. It helps create some turbulence in the water which slows it down slightly and makes the cooling more efficient.
I don't recommend using methylated spirits unless you need to clean paint brushes or strip varnish. Better to make a simple sugar wash to use as a sacrificial alcohol run.
Haha, read the label and you will see that modern "methylated " spirits is usually 95-99% ethanol , -exactly what you are intending to condense out of your wash. The additives are usually dyes and bittering agents like denatonium benzoate, which will stay behind in the pot and can be rinsed out with a bleach solution.
I'm curious...The copper tube inside the condenser is the only thing in the vapor path, and there are no soldered joints with that. Why should you have to do a saccrificial run? Wouldn't cleaning it with vinegar be enough? You aren't cleaning out any solder contamination.
There is a solder connection to go from the condenser to the lyne arm so there may be some flux at the end. I recommend it on any new piece mainly for flux residue, but also because there may be some unknown contamination in the pipe from the factory. But that's just my preference.
Might do, but you know George over at Barley and Hops did one. I think the only thing missing from his vid is a tasting and blending. I might put it on my list if I can add some new perspective on it. Check out George's video, and if you think of something you'd like more detail on, let me know:-)
I've made several of these in various sizes and lengths. While they are more compact and simpler to use, I think I still prefer the copper coil in a bucket or tub of water. I get better results that way.
On a tight budget? You can use PVC for the outer jacket as it never contacts any spirits. It certainly won’t look as cool but it will work. “Hypothetically”, ha!
A guy I knew did that. Eventually the marine weld putty would break down from the heat just before the water jacket. He kept repairing it for a while then replaced it with an off the shelf stainless steel one.
That's above my pay grade, brother. I just went with a style I knew would handle my potential needs. Is it 120 linear inches, or surface area? Either way, with that number a liebig condenser is not going to cut it. A shotgun condenser packs a lot more feet of pipe into a smaller space. Once you get to higher power it's probably your best option.
*ATTENTION:* I forgot to mention, the *COPPER WIRE* is wrapped around the vapor tube to create turbulence in the water to increase the cooling efficiency:-)
Ok it creates a type of whirlpool... cooooooolll
I use vice grips to make small offset crimps (not enough to pinch off the flow) in the center pipe every 1.5 inches. It causes agitation in the vapor and the cooling water.
Yep, you want to decrease the laminar flow.
@@DanCooper404 No, laminar flow is the opposite of what he is (unnecessarily) trying to achieve.
I did it the lazy way with 1 1/4 pvc w/ 1/2" copper for the vevor still. Love it, I can actually go sit down now.
When soldering, if you put the heat where you want your solder, it works pretty good. Soldering works by capillary attraction, so heat the fitting, with flame concentrated on fitting and the solder will flow into the joint. Cheers!
Always heat the work and let the work melt the solder.
I explain it as heat the fitting and let that draw the solder in.
I built mine out of 1/2” inner and 3/4”outer. Passes plenty of water and cools great, 3/4 pipe and fittings are much cheaper than 1”
Great tip!
Nibco 3/4 in. Copper X 1/2 in. D Sweat Copper Tee 👊💥
that's brilliant it will also work in a veggie diesel as a direct in line preheat before the injector pump.
Interesting.
Love this channel. I built this condenser and it works great but it seems like the end product was a lot harsher than when using a worm. To solve this I wrapped a copper wire around a dowel and inserted in the vapor tube. Make sure it fits tight. This slows down the vapor and makes a much smoother product. Keep up the good work.
Really great idea👍
Hey Brother, nice build..........Getting ready to build one myself.
Browsing the comments, I didn't see referral to this........If you're soldering , welding, or brazing on a concrete floor, be careful! The flame can heat up a localized area on the floor, and the moisture within can flash to steam, and POP!.......It'll shatter said local spot, and small concrete pieces will fly everywhere, mainly in yer eyes!........Rock On, Brother!
Good tip. Thanks!
I like it, i build all my condensers like this. Easy and cheap. Nice job on the polishing
I see a lot of sweated copper, both in plumbing and HVAC. Lemme just say, you're better than average already. I work with a couple true masters, and they never quit pushing themselves. So I won't suggest that you ease up. But rather enjoy your achievements and keep going.
Thank you for sharing your successes.
Thanks!
Bearded ! Kick ass soldering! Good work.
Thanks!
Thank you for this. I built one the other based on your instructions. Can't wait to use it.
cool, it's amazing how you turn junk into something useful. keep up the good work.
Thanks!
I love the length of that condenser!! Thanks for the awesome video
Thanks!
Actually, if it was modified ever so slightly, it wouldn't need to be anywhere near that length. Having it that long just wastes space and materials. He should have just flattened the middle part of the condensate tube to a 2mm inner gap.
Oh shit I’m early :) 17 years old here you and because of you I really wanna make brewing my profession I’m a big fan of what you do!
Get a job in a brewery, little brother. If you want to go pro, learn from the pros. Good luck:-)
@@BeardedBored i will thank you so much!
It's a great mix of biology and chemistry. So much to learn. It's so much fun!
@@ThinkFreely2012 If I ever get the chance I'm opening a microbrewery. Beerded and Bored. Copyright 2020;-)
@keith moore Depends on the state. Some states you can work in a place that sells and/or makes products you can't yet use, he just wouldn't be able to serve or sample. I worked as a glass washer and keg loader in a bar when I was 19. Even had the ABC officer come in and check id's while I was working with no problem as long as I wasn't serving.
Hey " Bearded " . Hi again from NH. A quick update after asking you about the cherry cider aging before bottling. I did as you suggested and let it go about 6 weeks before back sweetening and bottling. I back sweetened using the apple concentrate and some more tart cherry to taste, did the " pasteurization ", and bottled. I've consumed a couple of them so far and wow are they delicious. Thanks for the helpful advice !
I have a small batch of real cider " freshly pressed " with dk brown sugar added to it, all fermented and ready for back sweetening as I write this. Cider 1.048 + 1- 1/2 cups dk br sugar to 1.070 fermented all the way down to .995 ( ish ) +/- 9- 1/2 % abv Dry ? oh ya !! Think I am gonna sorbate this one and sweeten with more fresh cider before bottling. Should be nice and apple(y ) sweet and still around 6 percent I'm thinking.
Also, I did a batch or your apple jack. I started with a gallon of juice ( plus concentrate ) and ended up with 2- 16oz bottles. My God is that GOOD !!! Thanks for that one as well.
Now, a helpful hint for you because you are so kind to all of us " followers " out here. From someone who has been soldering for years, if you can, try to heat your pipes from below and apply your solder from above. Once hot enough, the solder will flow down from the top and will suck up into the joint. As someone else noted, a damp rag will clean things up very nicely as you go, and will get that little droplet of solder off the bottom of the joint before it hardens, if you happen to get a little too much on there.
Be well my friend and stay healthy. If you ever get up to NH. after this covid thing is under control, well you know,,, dinner and drinks !! -- den
So glad you're jumping into the hobby with both feet and having so much success! And thanks for the soldering tips, and the dinner offer;-)
That's one of the best condenser builds that I have seen. Very, very cool!!!
Wow, thanks!
Reducing tee fittings make the build even easier. Agree with other comments that a 3/4" outer jacket is adequate.
Thanks for the tip Jason!
Nice work, I like the spiral so the water can spiral around the vapor pipe.
From what I read the spiral helps to keep the water turbulent so it cools more efficiently. Seems like it works:-)
@@BeardedBored simple trick and makes it cooler.
Thanks for clarifying that! I wasn't quite sure what that was for.
To increase cooling efficiency, just add ice to your cooling water.
Another cheap copper polish is plain old Tomato Ketchup. Slather it on, wait, wipe it off, rinse with water.
Cheers B&B!
Thanks Ed! Might give that one a try:-)
One of my good friends is a drummer and uses ketchup to clean his cymbals, does an excellent job, but then makes you hungry for a burger and fries for some reason..
@@kb3kyx Wicked! If you or your friend is ever in my neck of the woods (northwestern mass), I would gladly buy you/him a burger. #B&BSubs +1
Cheers Guys!
@@kb3kyx Can't imagine why:-)
Yep. Ketchup works well. Just make sure to use the cheap stuff. Don't want to waste top shelf ketchup. lol
It's all coming together! Looking good, dude!
Thanks brother. One more piece to get done, then I think I'm good for a little bit:-)
Great design and love your videos!! If you’d like to save a step, you can combine the T and the reducer in one step. On Amzon search for “1/2x1/2x1 copper tee” (or 1/2x1/2x3/4 if using the smaller diameter outer jacket). This is a T and reducer in one piece. Grind out the stops as noted in the video and the inner pipe slides through with the built-in T providing the water input/output. These fittings cost a hair more than the extra fittings altogether, but it saves some cutting and soldering and gives an even sharper looking finished product.
Thanks!
Freaking awesome man
Hey, thanks brother!
@@theworldisastage1984 Thanks!
@@theworldisastage1984 Thanks. Good luck on the build.
@@BeardedBored I am possibly pretty confused here, but in your title you say this condenser is for a pot still. Couldn't it be used for a reflux still too if you just put a pre-cooler on the still column?
@@BanjoNoob2 Sure, it'll work on a reflux column.
Glad to see a new video, I was starting to get withdrawals...
Hey brother, thanks for the patronage!
Finally decided I really love the content you put out, I'm learning a ton! I can't wait to make my Fist batch of the cherry hard cider!
@@kb3kyx Let me know how it turns out!
I didn't understand why the wire was welded to the tube like a screw. Thanks
I also work with latex gloves. Flux eats my fingertips away lol. Nice video.
The flux is some harsh stuff.
Enjoyed the build, at some point I am going to have to try this. Right now my condenser is built onto my column. Going to be doing some changes hopefully soon
Go for modular upgrades. Makes everything so much easier.
I bought mine and it's the same way (one piece build). In the near future I'm going to modify it to be modular via tri clamps. The liebig condenser that came on it is undersized anyway as it's made of stainless which makes a poor heat sink.
Good concept and easy to follow.
Looks like a build . I going to keep this in mind .
I was wondering if a air cooling system would work for a condenser . Have your half inch tube and surround it the same way but with maybe 4" pvc with a sort of tall chimney to draw cold air up and through . Would probably work in cooler climates . Great and informative video, thank you.
I saw one with fins made of thin copper like a heat sink with pc fans blowing on them. His tube was at least 6 feet long, but it was neat, and it worked;-)
Water is about 50 times more efficient for taking the heat away...you might as well just put a fan on it without a jacket.
Just build something like that and works greatly!!
nice work Cheers!!
Thanks brother:-)
That's the same way I'd build a heat exchanger, to preheat cold water coming into your bathroom shower with the waste water going down the drain. At much larger diameters, obviously, but it's that simple. The result is using more cold water and less of your hot, thus saving energy. 👍
Awesome I love it if people think out the box and design and build their own stuff and put it through the test like myself. Well done sir and very nice build. Love your work.
Thanks!
Exellent info, can you make a vidio of how,to make bubble plates from sight glasses.
I want to, but that's a future project. In the meantime you can check out the Angry Parrot channel. He builds stills and I think he has a few bubble plate vids.
FYI, copper conducts heat 20-30x better than SS. So don't be fooled by those fancy SS condensers. This copper Liebig probably works as good or better. For better efficiency, put the wire in the vapour tube as well.
40k Awesome congrats broer
Woohoo! Thanks broer! Moving on up:-)
@@BeardedBored Broer? That's dutch for brother. Is bearded & bored secretly a dutch person?
@@folkmarcmetal BeaverDIY is South African. He speaks Afrikaans, which is a Dutch dialect. He's my friend, so I refer to him as broer.
Great job man just I didn't get the use of 3' heavy gauge copper wire?
Yeah, forgot to explain that. It's to create a little turbulence in the water flow so it slows it down and improves the cooling efficiency.
What about the 2" part that fastens to the Keg???
Less reading more talking. Lol. Good video over all probably one of the best ones on this topic so far.
I usually get complaints for talking too much, LoL:-)
@@BeardedBored honestly you can never get them all. So keep doing what your doing.
@@JasonBelliveau Thanks!
I made one of these with smaller diameter pipe. it’s got a very tight water path. But it seems over powered for my current setup. It starts to condense the environment on the outer as well. 😅
Reduce the water flow if it's too cold.
That’s a solid condenser. Definitely long enough for a lot of things I think. I’m not an expert but it just looks like good surface area.
I've seen smaller ones handle a propane heated keg boiler without any issue, but I don't really know what the limit is. Good enough for now:-)
@keith moore Good to know;-)
great video. why the copper wire around the 1/2" pipe and is there a link to the wire you used? I don't see it listed with the other parts. Thanks
Its 12 or 10 gauge copper wire. Its meant to make the cooling water swirl and get agitated instead of quickly going straight through the water jacket. It's been proven to make the Liebig cool the alcohol more efficiently and be able to knock down more heat than without the wire.
@@davidmetz1893 ok thank you I was thinking something along those lines but just wasn't sure.
Lovely job and vid
I once successfully torch welded a hard copper pipe T with copper rod. So it would be possible to sheath this contraption with 2 inch rigid copper & fittings.
I gotta ask, what is the purpose of the wire wrapped around the inner tube for? I'm in the process of building my own and thought I would look through more how to videos before I close it up.
I creates turbulence in the water to slow it down and make the cooling a little bit more efficient.
@@BeardedBored thank you! I will add some myself.
I have the very same thing and works great
Me too.
Hey, me too!
Mine is 1/2 in 3/4 with #14awg copper between... actually too much knockdown for my rig had to shorten it
I will definitely be doing this! Looks so good. Going to try and make a beer keg boiler too, if you have any videos on that? Cheers
Always love soldering practice
Anyone looking to build anything like this check out stotes that sell used/excess building supplies. Like habitat for humanity restores. My experience to the 4 around me, not all have a good selection of plumbing stuff, but one I was able to pick up 2' of 2" and 5' of 1" and tons of fittings for about $15
Really great tip, brother. Thanks!
What volume of pot can this nice condenser handle properly for grape wine distilling?
What would be the best way to connect something like this to a tri clamp fitting?
See if you can get some smaller triclamp fittings, like 1/2 and solder them on instead of the copper union fitting. I'm probably going to swap mine out for triclamps someday too.
This is probably overkill, but I put a strip of copper twisted into a spiral inside the distillate tube to prevent laminar flow of the vapor inside the tube
Hey, Bearded and Bored, Not sure if I just missed it or not in your video but what is the reason for adding the coil of copper wire around the pipe... Is if for fluid movement?
Forgot to mention in the video, it's for turbulence to slow the water down slightly and make the cooling a little more efficient.
@@BeardedBored In a shotgun condenser based on the same size of pipe what would be better ? Less condensate pipes and more water in the jacketed area or more pipes with potentially less water around each pipe ?
@@Lixmathing More pipes because you can always turn up the water flow or ice down the water.
@@BeardedBored Thanks lots for the help. Im getting ready in the next three weeks to build my very first still.. Should be lots of fun and I'm sure, some frustration.. My plan is to film the progress.
@@Lixmathing Good luck on the build! Hit me up if you post the vids:-)
Just thinking…couldnt a reducing tee replace the reducer and tee used here?
One more super video, I need to increase the length of my condenser, do you think adding a second small one on the front will work or redo the whole thing
I think an addition technically would work since it's really the same as having a longer one. But for your rig, you might want to make a new one with a thicker water jacket and longer vapor tube( maybe 15cm longer than it is now) so it fits inside the main profile.
Or you could make a shotgun style condenser, and make it modular with ferrules so it'll fit on your current still as well as your bigger "community" still once you finish it;-)
@@BeardedBored thank you bearded, I need to upgrade that condenser, still was built using bartered parts, and a shotgun will be awesome to build, just need to get the tri-clamps here in SA they are really hard to get.
@@BEAVERDIY Yeah, I bet it's tough to get parts. They use triclamps in dairies I think, so if there is a dairy equipment supplier in SA that might be an easier source.
@@BeardedBored there is a company called NPE, but they are all the way down in Cape Town, and shipping will cost same as the clamps, but will be doing a bulk order soon for the community still, so then shippi g will be worth it.
Your are up very late...
@@BEAVERDIY Yeah, I'll go to bed soon. No kids:-) Can't wait to see the big still.
Howdy Brotha, I am planning on making one of these for a project I’m working on with steam… have you used this since making it and can you speak to its effectiveness in going from superheated vapor to a saturated liquid mixture?
My steam will be running around 600-800 degrees F out of a turbine so I am trying to gauge how many linear feet of this style condenser it would take to pull it back down to 212 degrees F.
Wow, no idea if it could knock down superheated steam. It's been used many times and works great, but 600-800F? No idea how many feet you'd need. You might want to look into a shotgun condenser. Lot more surface area in a smaller space and better potential to knock down the temps you'd be working with without needing a 20 foot long condenser.
@@BeardedBored I just looked into shotgun condensers a lot more, and I think that might be a good option… effectively a very similar concept but far more compact from what I’ve seen.
Have you used shotgun condensers in the past?
If you have or have talked personally with anyone who has, did you find them exponentially more efficient than their Liebig counterparts?
Did I miss it? What is the point of the copper wire wrapped around? Is it is encourage a certain water flow pattern?
I forgot to mention it. It creates turbulence and slows down the water to make the cooling more efficient.
I was wondering this too. My 28" leibig doesn't have that as I didn't know about it but it works so good that I barely run a trickle through it on my keg.
Brilliant video great soldering. What is a sacrificial alcohol run? I did my vinegar claening.
You take some crappy wine or other cheap alcohol or some saved up feints and run it through your system like the vinegar run. It's called a sacrificial run because it is not drinkable once it has cleaned the last bit of flux and junk out of the still. Save it for hand sanitizer.
@@BeardedBored Great thanks.
Being that I'm not very good at soldering I was wondering if for starters, till I was able to build something, would one of the water distilling pots they sell on amazon be a good starting point or no? I made some rice wine that is too dry and I think it would be better if it had a few runs.
Jesse did a video on one of those water distillers a few months ago on the Still It channel. Definitely recommend watching it to help you make up you mind. th-cam.com/video/RCbGKbieDzc/w-d-xo.html
Keep a wet rag handy. When your just finished soldering a joint, wipe it off. Most of the black/burnt flux will come off. You can wipe flux on a freshly soldered joint to take a lot of the black off too.
Thanks!
@@theworldisastage1984 Thanks!
Never never never put a wet rag on a fresh solder joint.
Again, NEVER!!!
It can cause the solder to crack. It will be a hair line fracture.
Clean the solder joint after it has cooled off.
This is basic plumbing soldering 101.
That's strange. In 20+ years I've never had that happen but you do you.@@lancelavallee8487
have you (or anyone else) been able to test this build yet? Wondering if the length and widths are good for condensing. Would love to see the whole thing assembled! What is the section called that would go between this condenser, and the column that attaches to the boil pot?
The piece in between is called a Lyne Arm. The design I used is really common, as are the dimensions. It works great with just about any pot still. When you get into large diameter columns, especially for reflux, you'll probably want to switch to a "shotgun condenser".
3' 2" column, has a shorter,condenser,works well. Input at bottom so vapor runs through cooler pipe as it drops.
Love yer vidios.
Thanks!
Quick question I’m thinking of going from a classic worm condenser to a shotgun condenser and I’m looking to use your build as a reference and building platform. Anyways, what is the copper wire that could up the vapor pipe used for. Is it used to keep that pipe in place or is it more for giving the water a better flow? Anything helps, thanks for the great build video
The copper wire is to create turbulence and increase the cooling efficiency a little. Just an FYI, this is a liebig condenser. The shotgun condenser has several pipes in a larger water jacket. Good luck on your build:-)
@@BeardedBored is there any kind of advantage of using a shotgun over a Liebig condenser? I planned on making a shotgun but after watching this I feel like it would be way less of a headache to do it this way. Only thing I could think of would be that it has better vapor flow but if it’s nothing extreme then makes the most sense to me to do it this way
@@BeardedBored I know that using shotgun condenser is a more compact but I actually enjoy the streamline look of your build much more just want to make sure that I won’t be missing out on a crazy jump of vapor in the end comparatively. And I’m just rocking a 5 gal. torpedo keg pot with a 2x 12 in. column so it’s nothing that’s gonna be roaring out vapor
@@michaelrice2081 Having only used a liebig, I don't have any advice on the shotgun. If you try this one and it's not knocking down all the vapor, like if your rig is too robust for the condenser, then you'll need to upgrade. But I've seen folks use slightly shorter liebigs on keg stills with propane heat and they seem to work just fine, so I think you'll be ok with it.
@@michaelrice2081 Yeah, you should be fine with the liebig on that sized rig:-)
Hey. 🧐 just gotta say: Great video an I can't wait to see the "hypothetically" thing put together an to good use 🥂 hypothetically that is 👍🏼 How long before the barenjager video comes out ? 🥳
Hmm, might not be til next year since mead takes a while to ferment. But I'll see what I can do. Lots of folks are asking for a mead and/or honey spirit video:-)
Hay mate I've just about finished making one of these but does it matter what ones the water in and out ,how do I tell the difference before I finish soldering it all together.
Awsome video and cheers for the inspiration to build something else to use on my keg instead of just my Nixon stone 👍
It's best to have the water come in at the water jacket pipe closest to the main condenser outlet at the bottom so it flows uphill. It cools a lot better that way.
@@BeardedBoredawsome, thankyou so much for the reply and the information.
Love it.
Thanks Rand!
What's your view on brass in the are vapor path? The threaded connectors you used on this are brass right?
Those brass nuts of the copper union fittings are on the outside of the copper pipe and don't contact the vapor path. The connection point is a male and female copper end, snugged together by the brass nut. I do not recommend brass ever come in contact with the vapor or finished distillate.
@@BeardedBored damn that's what I thought. I'm having problem sourcing those kind of connections on Sweden, have emailed a company about their brass if it's lead free or not. Other wise I'm gonna have to go with solder connection that I don't solder and use PTFE tape and friction fit, since tri-clamp connectors are a bit to expensive for me right now if I'm buying a Swan tea urn to use as the boiler (think T500 boiler)
@@elektrobear2027 You can also look for small triclamp fittings instead. I know they make 1/2 inch fittings www.brewershardware.com/1-2-Tri-Clover-Ferrule-Medium.html?category_id=283
@@BeardedBored problem is that the only "cheap" tri-clamps I've found have been 1" 3/4 and that's an odd measurement for copper in Sweden, and the only "screw down" tri-clamp for a decent price is of course 2" 😭😂😭😂😭
@@BeardedBored if was able to flare pipe and fittings at home things would be easier. Oh and ordering from outside the EU is not on the table sadly since the shipping is brutal.
why we need to use a wire around the 1/2" pipe?
It creates turbulence in the water so it flows a little slower and helps cool the vapor better.
@@BeardedBored It also creates a bit more surface area for heat transfer.
Whats the copper wire for?
Add turbulence to the water flow in the jacket to give better cooling and fewer stagnant hot spots.
Roger Barrett for the win! I knew I forgot to mention something in the video, damn it:-)
Oh ok I hadn't seen that before but makes since thanks
This condenser would have been much more efficient and thus so much shorter if you had flattened the central section of the inner pipe, leaving a 1-2 mm wide section through it. This reduces the cross sectional open area, while the surface area stays the same, meaning that you have a much better surface area to open cross section area, giving much more efficiency. The open cross sectional area of the vapour tube doesn't need to be very big, -your hot vapour volume is probably a thousand times greater than the volume of the condensate.
Morning to you once again. I have 20 litres of sugar wash. Can I use some of the hearts as sacrificial. This will be my first run and a learning one aswell..
Not sure I understand. If you're asking if you can toss the first portion of your run and call it the sacrificial run, then continue the run and collect the rest, I don't recommend that. The best practice is to do the sacrificial run, then rinse out the still parts thoroughly, then move on to your actual run. The sacrificial run doesn't need to be a full run, just about 30 minutes of blasting the system with ethanol vapor. If you only have the one batch of sugar wash, save that and get a few gallons of cheap wine to mix with water for the sacrificial run, or brew a separate wash for that.
@@BeardedBored Fantastic. I will do this. Also was not sure. Your channel is excellent. Next try is your freeze distilled Apple Cider.
@@charlesdovey9449 Have fun:-)
Did I miss something, what does the copper wire do?
Forgot to mention it causes a slight turbulence in the water jacket and slows it down a little, which helps make the cooling a little more efficient.
@@BeardedBored gotca thanks!
Hay bud I'm in the process of building my still and I'm shopping around for the best build for a Liebig condenser .long ,short, fat,skinny ,to long ?.....what works best?
The size I built will work for most stills in the 20-40L size.
Or you could coil a couple of meters of 6mm copper tube around 1" diameter dowel, then slide it inside an appropriately sized outer tube. This works amazingly well.
I built one just like it 8 years ago. It works great and uses very little cooling water.
Are these specific lengths. I’ve seen some pictures where they seem shorter.
I went a bit overboard. Feel free to go with a 24 inch water jacket. That will handle an 8 gallon still without any trouble.
What would you get if you ran a sweet mead through that?
(Hypothetically)
There is a spirit called Barenjager from Germany that is a honey based liquor. It's quite delicious. So it's definitely something to try. Hypothetically;-)
As far as I know they dont have an Official name of honey spirits.. though some call it.. well.. Honey Spirits
Don't let George and Jesse give you gruff about the size of your condensor, mine looks almost identical and it works great. The main thing!!!!
Any feelings of inadequacy are my own. George and Jesse were really pleased to see how it came out when I should it to them last year. I just have still envy, haha:-)
you mention a keg?? what size you have in mind. i use a 15.5 way different set up. been thinking of making a condenser like youv shown
Check out Olympic Distillers for examples. That's one of the places I get ideas.
I keep reading it as Lie Big. How do you size a Liebig condenser appropriately? i.e. 5500w burner,. 3" column, Keg still, stripping runs? Not sure column volume makes any difference but I may be in reflux mode
Can you make the condenser too long?
I'm assuming as long as the drips are constant coming off the end and you waterflow is correct you can't make it too long
Thx
Any time
How do i Connect it to my boiler
That's my question!!
Maybe i missed it in the video but why do you wrap the wire around the pipe?
I forgot to mention it:-) The copper wire creates turbulent flow in the water jacket which slows the water down and make the cooling more efficient.
Did you put your water in and out tubes on the same side of the water jacket on purpose?
If so.. why? Just curious..Thanks
No real reason, just the way I've seen it done. Not sure if it makes much difference.
@@BeardedBored I really dont think it would matter on a tube that skinny.. but all I know is reading on forums.. I've just seen some people put them on opposite sides.. but with your wire.. I doubt it matters
@@kevind7617 I think if it matter to the layout of your equipment, like where the pump is etc, it's fine to position them however works best for your rig.
Why the wire around the half inch
I forgot to mention the purpose of that. It helps create some turbulence in the water which slows it down slightly and makes the cooling more efficient.
What diameter hose? 3/8 ID?
What is the point of the wire though?
Forgot to mention it in the video that the wire helps create turbulence in the water and increases the cooling efficiency a little bit.
So in my first still I ran a vinigur and methylation spirits run. Is metho safe for this?
I don't recommend using methylated spirits unless you need to clean paint brushes or strip varnish. Better to make a simple sugar wash to use as a sacrificial alcohol run.
Haha, read the label and you will see that modern "methylated " spirits is usually 95-99% ethanol , -exactly what you are intending to condense out of your wash. The additives are usually dyes and bittering agents like denatonium benzoate, which will stay behind in the pot and can be rinsed out with a bleach solution.
I'm curious...The copper tube inside the condenser is the only thing in the vapor path, and there are no soldered joints with that. Why should you have to do a saccrificial run? Wouldn't cleaning it with vinegar be enough? You aren't cleaning out any solder contamination.
There is a solder connection to go from the condenser to the lyne arm so there may be some flux at the end. I recommend it on any new piece mainly for flux residue, but also because there may be some unknown contamination in the pipe from the factory. But that's just my preference.
Can you make some George Washington Rye Whiskey please?
Might do, but you know George over at Barley and Hops did one. I think the only thing missing from his vid is a tasting and blending. I might put it on my list if I can add some new perspective on it. Check out George's video, and if you think of something you'd like more detail on, let me know:-)
did you ever run this and did it work
Works like a dream:-)
@@BeardedBored thanks for quick reply.
being a plumber it will only take me 10 mins to knock up.
cheers from uk
What is the purpose of that wire?
The copper wire creates turbulent flow in the water jacket which slows the water down and make the cooling more efficient.
@@BeardedBored have you mentioned that in the clip?
I've made several of these in various sizes and lengths. While they are more compact and simpler to use, I think I still prefer the copper coil in a bucket or tub of water. I get better results that way.
The old "flake stand" is definitely very reliable. I like those too:-)
first baby yea
Noice
10th!
I’ve had this guy or like 3-4 years it works but I feel a shotgun condesnro would work better
Shotgun condensers are great. They can knock down a lot of vapor. If you have a bigger system it might make sense to go with one.
On a tight budget? You can use PVC for the outer jacket as it never contacts any spirits. It certainly won’t look as cool but it will work. “Hypothetically”, ha!
A guy I knew did that. Eventually the marine weld putty would break down from the heat just before the water jacket. He kept repairing it for a while then replaced it with an off the shelf stainless steel one.
The only thing I didn't like was the paste, should have used the liquid solder fluid.
Nice, looks like you're feeling more comfortable with the plumbing, or you are just getting more selective with your editing.
I still suck at soldering, but copper to copper is way easier:-)
... When I check the calculator on homedistiller I says I need 120" of 1/2" to knock down 5k. So confused
That's above my pay grade, brother. I just went with a style I knew would handle my potential needs.
Is it 120 linear inches, or surface area? Either way, with that number a liebig condenser is not going to cut it. A shotgun condenser packs a lot more feet of pipe into a smaller space. Once you get to higher power it's probably your best option.
@@BeardedBored linear inches w/ 1/2" jacketed @ 2 litres per minute flow rate I s what I am reading
@@robertfontaine3650 Yeah, that's a 24 inch long shotgun condenser with 5 pipes in it. th-cam.com/video/fxblncdgw7Q/w-d-xo.html
Good video Bearded. I even like the 70's porn music you added to the montage.
Just trying to let my funk out a little at a time.
Yeah the music has me thinking about waking the wife up
if you're sure tig it