Moonshine still from a pan: what container to choose, how to assemble

It is difficult for a novice moonshiner to immediately decide to buy a good moonshine still, but learning the basics of distilling requires something.
We will tell you how to make a moonshine still from a saucepan with a minimum of parts.

Even if you don’t have a large saucepan and you have to buy one, a distiller will cost you 5–10 times less.

Required parts

To create a simple distiller you will need:

a saucepan with a volume of 7 to 40 liters, always with a lid;
a stainless steel or copper tube 2 meters long - for the coil;

Peculiarities . A copper tube can be used from an old broken refrigerator. A copper coil will ensure the release of a delicious, aromatic distillate, especially when using grain or fruit mash.

a piece of plumbing pipe with a diameter of about 45 mm for the refrigerator and two plugs for it;
thermometer. This is not a necessary thing, but very important for a moonshiner. It is the thermometer that allows you to qualitatively divide the distillate into fractions and take for consumption only the highest quality moonshine, which contains a minimum of harmful additives.
fittings, couplings, fum tape, epoxy glue;
materials for fastening the cover. They are selected based on the specific situation. This could be a pair of anchors and a piece of aluminum profile (if the lid is flat and you can remove the nozzle from it), small clamps or strong clothespins, a specially cut holder (if the handles of the pan rise above the lid), etc.

Reference . The most harmful substances are contained in the distillate, which drips very first, at a temperature of 60 to 75 ° C.

It contains poisonous methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, ethers and acetone. This liquid is called heads and is poured out mercilessly. There is no drinking alcohol in it at all, since ethyl alcohol begins to evaporate at 76°C.

And at temperatures above 85°C, “tails” rich in fusel oils begin to appear. They are collected separately and used during the next distillation. Added to the mash, they will increase the yield of high-quality strong moonshine.

Alambiki Samodel.ru, Pivovarnya.ru, Alambis

Portuguese devices called alambics are considered elite equipment. which is entirely made of copper. Most often they are given as souvenirs (with a cube volume of 5 liters), but there are also much more serious things for 20, 30, 60 and even 100 liters of mash.

Approximate prices from the official website Samodel.ru for Alambiki Lux-plus:

Classic alambic.

For 5 liters - 17 thousand rubles.
For 10 liters - 24 thousand rubles.
For 20 liters - 30 thousand rubles.
For 30 liters - 38 thousand rubles.
For 60 liters - 88.5 thousand rubles.
For 100 liters - 140 thousand rubles.

As you can see, the cost of these devices is noticeably higher than classic stainless steel distillers, so not everyone can afford such luxury.

You can read about the difference between copper and stainless steel here -.

If you have little idea what an alambik is, you can watch the video on the Bondarnaya Lavka Youtube channel. The author spoke in detail about the design of this device and its differences from the classics.

Making a refrigerator

1. Making a coil. We take a prepared stainless steel or copper tube and any round oblong blank of such a cross-section that the resulting coil fits freely into the plumbing pipe, leaving a 0.5 - 1 cm gap on both sides.

We plug the tube on one side using an accessible method (we clamp it with pliers, put a plug) and fill it tightly with sand. We put the same plug on the other end. We wind the spiral, leaving a gap of up to 0.5 cm between the turns.

On both sides, the coil should have a straight part of 3-4 cm for connecting tubes (supplying alcohol vapor and discharging the finished distillate). After making the plug, remove it, pour out the sand, and rinse it under running water.

Peculiarities. It is strictly forbidden to wind a tube that is empty inside - it will either flatten or crack.

2. Assemble the cooler. Let's consider the option of using a plumbing pipe, as one of the simplest:

Important. Before the coil is ready, you should not cut the PVC pipe, since it is very easy to guess the length.

We determine the length so that the coil fits inside, and the straight parts protrude a couple of centimeters outside. Cut off the pipe.
Now you need to cut off the threaded part from the two fittings (for water inlet and outlet) to get a flat bottom.
Holding the fitting with pliers, heat its bottom over a fire and apply it to the plumbing pipe in the places where they will be attached, slightly melting the landing spots.
We clean, degrease these parts of the pipe with acetone and glue the fittings with epoxy glue.
After complete hardening, we drill the pipe directly through the fitting. We clean the back side.
Having tried on the coil, we make two holes in the plugs (choose durable ones!) exactly along the cross-section of the tube.
We stretch the tubes into the holes, glue the plugs to the pipe with epoxy, and carefully treat the exit points of the coil tubes with it.

The refrigerator is ready. First, make sure it is tight and you can test it on water - rinse it and get distilled water.

We recommend reading: Important rules for washing and cleaning a moonshine still

What to consider when purchasing

To buy a safe and durable pressure cooker, carefully study the specifications and accompanying documents. Remember that this is not just a pan, but a complex device that works under pressure.

To choose the right pressure cooker for a gas stove or electric hob, consider the following points:

If you can pay more, choose stainless steel. The bottom and walls should be thick. The lid must have at least two valves - the main one and the emergency one. It is better if the valves release steam to the sides. A sealing ring made of good silicone is better, as it does not dry out and is not afraid of high temperatures. Good tires will also last a long time. Check the reliability and convenience of the lock. It is necessary to have an opening lock if there are children or elderly people in the house. The lock will not unlock until the pressure drops to a safe level. Cool handles - a useful addition and increased safety

Pay attention to the quality of the handle fasteners. Glass lids or a viewing window in a metal one are needed to control cooking. The built-in thermometer is an additional convenience for monitoring and regulating the culinary process. Different modes with pressure switching expand the housewife’s capabilities and allow more delicate products to be cooked in a gentle manner. A timer helps you control the time and not forget that cooking is going on in the kitchen. An additional simple lid turns the pan into a regular one.

Carefully read the operating instructions and certificates, make sure that everything specified is included in the kit.

Sukhoparnik

This detail, although not mandatory, improves the quality of the distillate significantly , since the lion's part of the fusel remains inside the container, which serves as a steam chamber. The design is very simple: a glass jar with a screw cap, in which two holes are made and fittings are installed - for the supply of vapor from the distillation cube and the outlet - to the refrigerator.

On the way through the jar, the vapors cool and lose fusel oils, which remain at the bottom of the container without getting into the final product. The steamer is installed on silicone hoses between the distillation cube and the refrigerator.

More on the topic: What is a steamer needed for and how is it used?

How to provide heating

To carry out the process of distilling raw materials into moonshine, it is important to ensure reliable heating of the distillation cube. It is provided in the following ways:

Open source. The most commonly used methods are the open fire of a gas stove, a separate firebox or a fire. The disadvantage of such a source is the difficulty of regulating heating and its inertia. You should also take care of fire safety.
Thermal electric heaters. The evaporator can be heated using electric stoves with external heating or using built-in elements. Built-in heating elements will cost a little more and complicate the design of the device, but it becomes possible to control the temperature regime.
Induction heating. It is provided by an electric coil wound around the evaporator. The main disadvantage is the high energy consumption.
Steam generator. Heating of the cube can be achieved by supplying heated water steam through special pipes. To implement such a system, you must have the appropriate equipment.

Moonshine is considered a traditional drink, and when prepared well, it can compete with factory-made drinks. A moonshine still helps to prepare it, the manufacture of which can be done with your own hands.

Alembic

It is the pan that will serve as the distillation cube. The most suitable materials are stainless steel or enameled steel . Aluminum is not the best solution due to the ability of the metal to enter into chemical reactions with mash, forming compounds harmful to health that will be added to moonshine.

You don’t have to “spoil” the pan itself, but only remake the lid, so that in the future it can be used for its intended purpose.

But sometimes it makes more sense to connect the steam pipe to the side in the upper quarter of the pan. Here it’s the moonshiner’s choice. Let's consider the sequence of actions.

Regardless of whether the tube for removing alcohol vapor is in the wall of the pan or in the lid, you need a hole for it. Here are some options:

There are homemade devices where a ready-made hole in the lid (usually glass) is used for the steam line, to which a handle is screwed. In its place they put a fitting on which a silicone tube is placed leading to the refrigerator. There is no need for a distiller - just put the handle in place. Glass lids almost always have an additional hole for steam to escape. There are two options - either seal it (for example, with epoxy glue), or expand it a little, equip it with a capsule and put a thermometer;
drill a separate hole in the lid and also install a fitting;
a hole is made in the wall of the pan, retreating 3 - 4 cm from the top, and a connecting fitting is installed.

Attention . It is extremely important to seal all connections so that alcohol vapor enters only into the tube provided for it, and does not break through the cracks. Not only does this result in a loss of the final product, but it also poses a risk of fire.

We recommend reading: What causes moonshine stills to explode and how to avoid it?

How to make a homemade moonshine still with your own hands at home

Do-it-yourself moonshine unit.

Other containers (milk cans, kegs, etc.) are converted into moonshine units according to a similar principle:

the rubber seal is removed from the can and replaced with a cut silicone tube or a layer of sealant;
a hole with a diameter of 20 mm is made in the lid (the keg already has a hole that only needs to be expanded);
a brass fitting is inserted into the hole and clamped with a nut;
a metal gas hose (for a can) or a wide steel tube (for a keg) is put on the fitting;
the hose is connected to the steamer and the refrigerator;
if necessary, an additional hole for a thermometer is made in the lid of the can and keg;
Before starting distillation, all connections are checked and the nuts are tightened.

An electric heating element (TEH) can be welded or screwed into large containers. This will allow you to distill moonshine without an external heat source. The lower rim is equipped with legs for stability, and the upper rim is equipped with handles for easy transportation.

When using a multicooker or pressure cooker, even the need to drill holes disappears: the tubes are connected directly to the pan valve. The only drawback of kitchen appliances is the small volume of the distillation cube.

Assembly

If everything is done correctly, there should be no problems. But the most important thing in ensuring tightness is to secure the lid. Here - who will come up with something:

if the handles are welded in metal, located on the sides of the container and do not protrude upward, the lid of the pan can be firmly and securely fastened using anchors and a strong strip (aluminum profile, strip of thick metal, strong board, etc.) with corresponding holes on the sides. In this case, the anchors are hooked onto the handles of the pan and tightened with nuts until they are firmly connected. And the top of the pan with mash already poured in 3-4 layers is wrapped with fum tape, which will ensure tightness;

Advice. If you cannot remove the handle from the lid, you will have to make a cutout for it in the upper clamping profile you are using.

The raised metal handles of the pan make it possible to firmly press the lid with any durable material by threading the clamp into the handles. Moreover, these can be two clamps on both sides, and the presence of a handle on the lid in this case is not a hindrance. Don't forget about fum tape;
Often pans have plastic handles, so it is better not to use the option with anchors - the handles can break at the most inopportune moment. When seating the lid deeply, try to press it at least with clothespins (preferably with small clamps) and coat it with the usual dough together with the clamps. This ancient method of sealing a moonshine still works well today.

The creation of a moonshine still from a saucepan is not limited to the described methods. Many people add reinforcing and even distillation columns to the design, and come up with their own ways of attaching the handle.

How do you feel about making a moonshine still from a pot? Are you ready for such creativity? Tell us in the comments. Like and share the article with your friends.

Design features

Structurally, a moonshine (steam) still is no different from an ordinary laboratory distiller. The product is designed as follows:

a container for storing the main raw material - mash (depending on the type of drink chosen, its composition may vary);
coil refrigerator;
tubes.

This is the simplest design, and it is not difficult to make it yourself. There are also more advanced models that are equipped with angles, reflux condensers, and filters for cleaning on coal or wood.

The simplest device for moonshine brewing, made with high quality by yourself, will not differ in any way from the factory-produced design in terms of technical characteristics. It can also be used to make pure alcohol.

It's all about the mass production of fake vodka, which is made from technical alcohols of synthetic origin. Such raw materials have nothing in common with natural wheat or yeast alcohol.

Design options for water tanks for baths

Water tanks designed for use in a bathhouse can have different designs. There are 3 main options: a built-in tank, a remote container and a unit installed on a pipe. You can see the features of each type of design in the following table.

Table. Stainless steel water tank designs

Construction type Description

Built-in water tank

Installation of representatives of this category is carried out during the construction of a sauna stove, as a result of which the stove and tank become a single structure. Heating of water in a built-in stainless steel tank is carried out by the forces of fire, due to which the efficiency of the water tank itself is kept at a fairly impressive level. The key disadvantage of this design is the fact that a significant part of the heat is spent on heating the water in the tank, as a result of which the heat transfer directly from the sauna stove noticeably drops. Helpful note! Much easier to manufacture and use is a mounted/mounted tank installed on top of the heater.

Remote water tank

A more convenient and practical option compared to the previous model, especially if the tank is designed and installed for permanent use. If desired, a ready-made stainless steel water tank can be installed in the washing room of the bathhouse, connecting it with a pipe system to a furnace heat exchanger. The optimal material for making pipes is copper or brass

The only significant drawback of an external water tank is the likelihood of getting burned in case of careless handling - this situation is especially important if children go to the bathhouse.

Pipe water tank

A pipe water tank can be installed either directly above a sauna stove or in the attic space. In such designs, water is heated in the shortest possible time.

At the same time, the heat transfer rates of the furnace unit do not decrease. The undoubted advantage of installing a water tank in the attic is the ability to “unload” the steam room by eliminating the container from its surroundings and providing more free space.

The table does not include another possible option for installing the tank - on the side of the stove.

Stove with side tank

Stove with a side tank - photo

This method has been neglected for the simple reason that it is the worst. The water in such a tank will boil very quickly

If the steaming process drags on, the constantly boiling water will make the atmosphere in the steam room simply unbearable. Yes, and servicing such a tank is a complete inconvenience: in order to save space, the container is made high, but very narrow.

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A Question of Choice

There are not yet too many models of fully automatic moonshine stills for home on our market. This is explained by the high cost and low public confidence in the reliability of the “bells and whistles”, for which you have to pay a lot of money.

In addition, such devices are not easy to find without knowing the brand. Sellers offer either ordinary devices with heating elements, or outright “mockery”.

Rating of the best slot machines

Since we haven’t seen any detailed reviews on brands and models of automatic moonshine stills, and we can’t yet call them a high-demand product, we offer the three best (in our opinion) developments:

Universal system "Grand"
from St. Petersburg. It consists of three installations: rectification; distillation; wort boiler with preset temperatures, pauses, automatic built-in mixer for grain mash and brewing beer. Characteristics:
steam-water boiler for 37 or 65 liters;
productivity in distillation mode – up to 6 l/h, in rectification mode – up to 3 l/h;
wort boiling and distillation are automated, including separation into fractions. You set the parameter and substitute the containers, you don’t need to control anything else;
equipped with an automatic pressure release valve;
price – from 80 thousand rubles.

Alcohol machine KV-3
, developed and produced in Podolsk, Moscow region. Interesting development, can be used as:
multicooker (all functions except frying);
air-cooled alcohol machine;
incubator for mash heated to 35°C.

The device is patented as an invention. It is made of stainless steel in two sizes - with a boiler (or cube) of 14 and 36 liters. Powered by mains power. With its help, distillate alcohol is produced with a strength of 80 to 96°. The cost is 18,500 rubles and 39,000 rubles, depending on the size of the container.

Copper mini-alcohol SIMPLE-2018
from Doctor Guber. It is a steam-water boiler of 40, 60 or 80 liters with a full-fledged distillation column and full automation - raw materials were poured, parameters were set, three containers were placed on the heads, body and tails. The device will do everything itself, and at the end of the journey it will turn off. Equipped with:
automatic control of parameters: temperature - shirt closure; in a column; in the tank and at which the installation is switched off;
valves for selecting heads and tails;
valves for the shirt and water supply to the refrigerator;
safety sensor in the refrigerator. If the water supply suddenly stops, the device turns off.

Everyone would love a device and obtaining pure 96-proof alcohol is tempting, but the price is “off the charts” - 242 thousand 250 rubles.

In the age of the Internet, you can easily order a moonshine still from China. Although what you receive will not always serve you for a long time and reliably, the enterprising Chinese have already hit the mark and are offering such devices. They are designed like multicookers, and even the control panel resembles this home assistant.

But what to choose if you really want to shift the worry about hauling to electronics is up to you to decide. We hope that our review was useful to you, which you will mark with your article ratings and likes.