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== About ==
== About ==


This is about people who want to learn the art of building, maintaining, and/or operating a still
This page gives people some info about the art of building, maintaining, and/or operating a still...as well as some other associated things.


== Class ==
== Fermenting ==


Sean is planning on teaching a hands-on class on distilling basics, but needs to decide a time! Vote for your favorite below. I'll release the final choice to noisebridge-discuss. If you'd like to be informed and are not on -discuss, add your e-mail contact info below. You can vote more than once. Total time for the entire class will probably be about 3-4 hours or so since physics is a slow mistress. A basic outline of the class is as follows:
A lot of stuff in a still is fermented. We've been keeping [[fermentation logs]] of stuff we've brewed in the space and then distilled. If you are new to this whole thing, the logs are a good place to start for some guidance on how to run some of your own brews.


* Overview of what distilling is, and why it works
== The Equipment ==
* Things you can distill, and what you can expect out of the other side
* Intro to the still, and what all the crazy valves do
* Post- and pre- processing operations, and why your really do need to do them (a.k.a. Brita filters are useful)
* And of course...hands on use of the still, and a chance to try the fruits of your labor!


Wednesday, January 5th @ 7PM
=== Still Components ===
* Namez
* [[User:Miloh|Miloh]] 10:43, 21 December 2010 (UTC)
* [[User:Lamont|Lamont]]
*[[User:Zazenergy|Laura]]
* [[User:Hephaestus|Hephaestus]]
Tuesday, January 14th @ 7PM
* Namez


Wednesday, January 15th @ 7PM
A pot, and a condenser :). Optionally, a reflux column. Some [[Noise Extraction and Brewing]] equipment is available in the space, and could potentially be used to accomplish some of this.
* Namez


== The Equipment ==
=== Materials ===
 
* '''Glass''' is awesome for teaching and for beginners, but has crappy thermal properties.
* '''Copper''' with integrated heating coils is the choice of many pro distillers, but it is a real bear to keep clean, and reacts very badly to acids and bases.
 
== Resources ==
 
=== Table of Boiling Points ===
 
* Methyl Acetate = 56.9C [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_acetate]
* Methanol = 64.7C [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol]
* Ethyl Acetate = 77.1C [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_acetate]
* Ethanol = 78C [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol]
* 1-Propanol = 97.1C [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propan-1-ol]
* Acetic Acid = 118C (though this and other acids can react to form esters!) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetic_Acid]
 
=== Incredibly Useful Graphs ===
 
* '''[[Media:Distillation t graph.png|Vapor Phase composition vs. Distillate Temperature]]''' - for EtOH / Water
* '''[[Media:distilling_efficiency.png|Vapor Phase composition vs. Pot Composition]]''' - assists in determining efficient reflux ratios when operating a reflux still (EtOH / Water)
 
=== Other Neato Stuff ===


For the class, a 20L custom designed glass still will be used since its a great teaching aid (you can actually see what is happening!) It can handle both reflux and pot distillation modes with just a couple of minor adjustments (if you don't know what that means, but want to find out, you should come to the class!). However, I'll cover how to "roll your own" out of a variety of different materials.
* '''[[Media:proof_table.pdf|Proofing table]]''' - relates specific gravity of a liquid to its US Proof value.
* '''[[Media:ind_solvents_etoh.pdf|Industrial Data for Ethanol]]''' - otherwise known as everything you could have ever possibly asked about the solvent ethanol, in a 47 page document.


== Legality ==
== Legality ==

Latest revision as of 18:23, 1 March 2011

Noisebrige Distilled[edit]

About[edit]

This page gives people some info about the art of building, maintaining, and/or operating a still...as well as some other associated things.

Fermenting[edit]

A lot of stuff in a still is fermented. We've been keeping fermentation logs of stuff we've brewed in the space and then distilled. If you are new to this whole thing, the logs are a good place to start for some guidance on how to run some of your own brews.

The Equipment[edit]

Still Components[edit]

A pot, and a condenser :). Optionally, a reflux column. Some Noise Extraction and Brewing equipment is available in the space, and could potentially be used to accomplish some of this.

Materials[edit]

  • Glass is awesome for teaching and for beginners, but has crappy thermal properties.
  • Copper with integrated heating coils is the choice of many pro distillers, but it is a real bear to keep clean, and reacts very badly to acids and bases.

Resources[edit]

Table of Boiling Points[edit]

  • Methyl Acetate = 56.9C [1]
  • Methanol = 64.7C [2]
  • Ethyl Acetate = 77.1C [3]
  • Ethanol = 78C [4]
  • 1-Propanol = 97.1C [5]
  • Acetic Acid = 118C (though this and other acids can react to form esters!) [6]

Incredibly Useful Graphs[edit]

Other Neato Stuff[edit]

  • Proofing table - relates specific gravity of a liquid to its US Proof value.
  • Industrial Data for Ethanol - otherwise known as everything you could have ever possibly asked about the solvent ethanol, in a 47 page document.

Legality[edit]

Owning and operation of a still is legal in California as given by part 23367 of the ABC code. Full unabridged (read: annoying) text of the 2010 ABC code can be found here: [7]

Note: Still laws vary state to state, so check to make sure you aren't breaking any laws!