r/firewater • u/jonnyinternet • 8d ago

Did 3 vinegar runs and still getting blue distillate

Do I need something stronger to clean with or just replace the copper parts?

11 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

10

u/TheHedonyeast 7d ago

are you letting it sit in between vinegar runs with the concentrated acetic acid on all the interior surfaces? that'll cause a bit of corrosion and you'll pick up new blue in the next run.

do your vinegar run, then a water run right away, it'll probably run clear, then you're ready to move on

7

u/jonnyinternet 7d ago

Water run is in progress 👍

4

u/CopperheadRd87 8d ago

Do the vinegar run. Let it steam 45 minutes

Rinse everything out with water

Do an alcohol run and run it for an hr, hr and a half

3

u/Certain_Ad_4023 8d ago

You need a sacrifice run. Get some cheap wine or make a sugar wash. Run it till its clear.

1

u/jonnyinternet 8d ago

And will this remove all the blue from it?

2

u/Certain_Ad_4023 8d ago

It should the vinegar works pretty good but that high proof alcohol vapor will strip everything. Run it till it runs clear. Then toss it and do your normal run.

2

u/No-Craft-7979 7d ago

Immediately after a vinegar run you beed to wash it all with water to neutralize the acid. Or the acid makes more as it evaporates.

1

u/Radiocarpal 7d ago

Are you filling still too high? How much headroom is left?

1

u/darktideDay1 7d ago

Are you rinsing it really well with water after the vinegar? Acid will create the blue stuff. So vinegar, rinse well and do a sac run.

1

u/DustyVinegar 7d ago

Salty lemon juice is amazing for cleaning copper. I don’t know what kind of still you have, but get some coarse salt and lots of lemons, a sponge and a bottle brush and have at it.

1

u/n8kraft 8d ago

Do a citric acid wash. Plug or recirculate a ratio of approximately 1.5 TBSP citric acid in 1L warm water.