Pure Distilling High Yield Tap Conversion Kit

A ball valve tap upgrade for the output arm of pre 2018 Pure Distilling Reflux Condensers.

The High Yield Tap has been modified so that when the tap is turned to the
off position, distilling continues at a higher reflux rate. This is referred to
as slow mode, more distillate is returned to the boiler so the purity of the
output remains high allowing the collection of up to an additional 500mLs of
quality distillate.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Unscrew your existing tap and copper product arm from your reflux condenser.
   Undo the nut attaching the copper output tube to your existing tap. Don’t remove the entire brass fitting. 
2. Remove the nut and olive from your new High Yield Taps’ brass fitting and put aside.
3. Screw the nut with the output tube onto your new High Yield tap. Do not
   overtighten, use a spanner to nip tight.
4. Leaving the red silicone ring on, fit the tap and copper product arm to your
   condenser. It only needs to be finger tight, make sure the tap handle and vent hole are facing up and the output tube is sloping slightly downwards. 
   Note: There is no need to use thread tape on your new tap. If the old product tube fits nicely onto the new tap, congratulations you are done. If the
   old nut wont screw nicely onto the new fitting, you have some more work to do, keep reading.
   
5. You will need to replace the existing nut and olive as well. Cut your output tube
   carefully with a fine hacksaw just behind the existing olive and slide off the nut.
   
6. Slide on the new nut and then the olive and tighten the nut by hand, when finger tight use two spanners (a vice or clamp is better) to carefully tighten it by 1 ½ extra turns, no more as you risk stripping the thread.
7. Make sure the breather hole you can see on top of the brass fitting is facing up.
   
8. Refit the tap and copper product arm to your condenser, it only needs to be finger tight, make sure the tap handle and vent hole are facing up as per previous photo and the output tube is sloping slightly downwards.
   
9. All done, you are ready to do your next batch. Enjoy!

Using the high yield tap:

1. During the heat up process, switch the tap to ‘slow’ mode, as shown in photo below.
   
2. Collect 50ml - 100ml or nearly the volume in the hydrometer container, this is
   discarded (this liquid is great for cleaning windows or floors), it is not suitable for
   consumption.
   
3. Replace the heads collecting container with the container to be used for collecting the alcohol (neutral spirit or ethanol).
   
4. Turn the tap to the open position, as per below.
   
5. Between 2 and 3 hours after starting distillate collection the temperature will start to rise, and the thermometer alarm will sound, turn the tap back to the off position, this will return the reflux action to slow mode. The temperature may take a few minutes to return to the steady temperature of around 78 degrees.
   
6. We recommend you change collection vessels at this point, you have completed
   collecting the purest and cleanest neutral spirit. There is nothing wrong with the
   remaining neutral spirit that is being collected now, it will contain a slightly higher
   percentage of tails or feints and these will be removed in the filtering process. We
   suggest you use this product to make liqueurs. Remember to filter separately, after the initial collection has been watered down and filtered.
   
7. Reset the thermometer alarm again for 2 degrees higher than the steady
   temperature shown on the display
   
8. After approximately 30 minutes the temperature will again start to rise and the
   alarm will sound. Turn off the boiler, water and alarm. WARNING: the boiler and
   the condenser are very hot and must be allowed to cool down before moving
   or starting clean-up.