The review considers the characteristics of all equipment (as of September 2018) manufactured under the Ivanych trademark: both conventional distillers and columns.
Classic devices
Moonshine stills “Ivanych” are inexpensive variations on the theme of a cube-steamer-flow coil. Sukhoparnik is made of stainless steel (with or without a tap), and simply in the form of a lid for a glass jar. The number of dryers is also for every taste. In this, in fact, the models differ from each other, here it is more correct to speak not about individual models, but modifications.
All Ivanych distillers are equipped with an unusual flow coil made of a thin-walled corrugated tube with a diameter of 10 mm and a length of 1 meter. On the one hand, this increases the efficiency of the coil, but on the other hand, after the selection of the “heads”, it smears their remains in the corrugation over the “body” of the drink. Therefore, this solution has not received distribution from other manufacturers.
Steam tubes with a diameter of 12 mm can easily become clogged when distilling the mash with cake and require careful filtration of the mash before pouring into the cube. Along with the lack of a blast valve, they suggest the acquisition of more modern devices of competitors, equipped with safety features.
The apogee of this line of devices is the Ivanych BBBTF distiller, which has three dry steamers! The crown of dreams for a beginner with misguided views on cleaning moonshine with cans. True, not for long. The lids will quickly loosen up and lose their tightness. This is an inexhaustible source of alcohol losses during distillation and labor exploits of the owner.
Output. In general, these are budget devices with a minimum configuration, producing a capacity of 1,5-2 liters per hour when heated on a gas stove and aimed at unpretentious moonshiners.
Lukstal TsBF, Ivanych-TsBF and Ivanych-Ts
Paying tribute to the time, the manufacturers included in the lineup the moonshine still of the Lukstal TsBF column type. The “Luxtal” in the name means that the Chinese pan “Luxstahl” was used as the cube.
The cover is tightly welded and a hole of 120 mm is made with fastening for a standard flange for this manufacturer. A drawer with a height of 40 cm is quite capable of coping with the spray and replacing all dry steamers. But the manufacturer nevertheless stuck one can of a dry steamer into the design, apparently believing that this would cause more confidence in his customers.
True, you can use this jar as a bad gin basket. The only pity is that after a dozen or two unscrewings, the tightness of the lid will also leave much to be desired. Yes, and the bank is located too close to the column, which causes understandable inconvenience and unnecessary heating. Absolutely ill-conceived design. It was enough to move the tube outlet closer to the column edge, as it is done on the refrigerator, and there would be no problem.
The thermometer moved from the cube to the top of the drawer. In this place, with his “unsurpassed accuracy”, he became completely useless.
The main advantage of this apparatus over its predecessors was the possibility of heating on any type of furnace, somewhat higher productivity and safety.
The model is also produced in the modifications “Ivanych-TsBF”, completed with native cubes and “Ivanych-Ts” – without a steamer. These modifications do not have any other significant differences.
Output. Taking into account the poor configuration, the devices are clearly overpriced by a couple of thousand rubles compared to their closest competitors, for example, Merkel Pro or Alcovar Krepyshok.
“Ivanych-CLAMP”
After the release of column-type apparatuses, the manufacturer launched its own version of a stainless steel beer column. They called this model modestly – the Ivanych-KLAMP moonshine still. It’s good that they didn’t equip them with a dry steamer out of habit.
Let’s take a closer look at what happened in the end. So, “Ivanych” did not want to share glory with the Chinese, so he chose his own cubes for the flagship, but slightly modified. The tanks received a 3 mm ferromagnetic bottom and became suitable for all types of stoves. Commendable. In terms of volume, three options are offered: 13, 20 and 35 liters. The range is quite acceptable.
Neck diameter – 120 mm, wall thickness – 1,5 mm cover – 2 mm. The flange is attached to the cube with 4 lambs through a 4 mm O-ring, which does not inspire confidence. Definitely, with a slight increase in pressure in the cube, this gum can be squeezed out at the most inopportune moment and you will have to remember about the test.
With a volume of 13 liters, the cube diameter is 25 cm, which makes it possible to work with heating capacities up to 2 kW, taking into account a height of 33 cm – with a bulk of up to 8-9 liters. For a 20 liter cube, with the same allowable power, the bulk can be up to 15 liters. For a 35 liter tank with a bottom diameter of 32 cm and a height of 49 cm, power up to 3 kW and bulk up to 28 liters are allowed. A relatively large pile is possible due to the conical shape of the top of the cube.
All cubes are made without safety valves and vinasse drain taps. Thermometers are archaic bimetallic and located in the steam zone. Cubes can be equipped with cheap Chinese heating elements for 2 and 3 kW, which, on the one hand, seems to be not bad, but in this configuration the manufacturer does not provide for a ferromagnetic bottom. That is, we are not talking about retrofitting the existing cube model, but about its other modification.
“Ivanych-CLAMP” is one of the few devices that you should not buy from the manufacturer. This is due to the fact that traders, understanding the obvious shortcomings of the cubes, complete the devices with more functional cubes from other manufacturers to increase demand.
The column of the Ivanych-KLAMP apparatus has a diameter of 38 mm and a length of 45 cm. The rated power is 950 W with SPN, or about 1200 W with OLTC.
The reflux condenser and cooler are shell-and-tube, with three steam tubes with an inner diameter of 10 mm. Dephlegmator length – 230 mm, refrigerator – 460 mm. Utilized power dephlegmator – up to 1200 W, refrigerator – up to 2000 W.
When using a heating element with a power of 2 kW, during the first distillation at the output, we will get warm moonshine, or simply an amazingly large water consumption.
During the second distillation, the reflux condenser will become a bottleneck. With the on-load tap changer, its utilization capacity will be at the limit, but sufficient, but the steam speed will reach 3,8 m/s. It is clear that this is already a lot. There will be phlegm spitting into the selection, and a high probability of choking. A simple decrease in power to stable operation will bring the tap changer out of the zone of maximum separating power – you will get a fortified, but poorly cleaned moonshine.
Replacing the on-load tap-changer with the SPN will reduce the operating power to 900 W and reduce the steam speed in the dephlegmator to 2.9 m/s, however, the extraction rate will also drop. As you can see, this does not solve the issue, but it was enough just to increase the number of tubes in the dephlegmator to 5 or make them larger in diameter. Say, 4 tubes of 12 mm each would solve this problem and make it possible to reduce the length of the dephlegmator to 15 cm.
Of course, there is an option proposed by the manufacturer – to increase the selection rate to 3 liters per hour. Yes, in this situation, the return of phlegm will be minimal, the choke does not threaten, but the phlegm number will become less than one, as a result, the output will be just a slightly fortified moonshine with all possible impurities, led by sivukha.
Special mention is worthy of the diopter offered in the configuration. It is not known what precious metals it is made of and what it is inlaid with, but judging by the price, it is clearly not made of stainless steel. The manufacturer estimated the diopter at 3000 rubles. Having opened the first sites that came across, I did not find a diopter for a 1,5 ” clamp more expensive than 1700-1800 rubles. Probably bad looking. In any case, this part is not worth buying here.
“Ivanych-KLAMP” is not in vain called the moonshine still by the manufacturer. In this capacity, he can work and strengthen moonshine. The manufacturer’s statements about the speed of the first distillation up to 6 liters per hour, and the second – up to 3 liters per hour in the rectification mode are exaggerated and do not correspond to the real capabilities of the equipment.
Output. It is impossible to obtain a degree of purification of the finished product at least close to rectified alcohol on this apparatus.
Reviewed by IgorGor.