How to make a plastic still – Part 4

Then use a digital oven thermometer to indicate the temperature of the mash as it is difficult to know if one has the right setting of the immersion heater. 45 – 50 degrees C is about right.

Immersion heaters for heating tea water are available but are not recommended!
They work to begin with but do not stand up to the damp conditions in the vessel and short circuit after a time.

After you have acquired an immersion heater you need to fix a rubber bung over the flex to seal the entry of the wire through the lid when you fit the immersion heater to the apparatus. Rubber bungs usually already have a hole in the middle. Cut off the flex near the electric plug, put in the rubber bung and re-connect the flex with a terminal block or put on a replacement plug. Seal the hole in the rubber bung with silicon sealant or tape to make it airtight. Alternatively saw through the bung to the hole and slide in the flex, thus making it unnecessary cut the flex.

 

The immersion heater is in position. Now one only has to plug it in and wait. After an hour vapour forms in the container and then spirit starts to flow down the edges of the vessel. As you will appreciate spirit also forms on the inside of the lid and drops back in the 10 litre container. The strength of the spirits increases somewhat thanks to this. However there is sufficient speed in the drips nonetheless. ½ to 1 litre per 24 hours will be produced if the vessel is kept at room temperature.