Homemade parrot. Features of using a parrot with moonshine

Witty masters of home brewing called a parrot continuous strength control device, with the help of it you can determine the strength of the liquid that it gives out in real time.

Why is this needed? First of all, to determine the moment when it is already necessary to “cut off the tails” and get the distillate into a separate bowl.

“Tails” is a very useful liquid for a moonshiner. Although it is no longer usable due to its low strength, but added to, it will help to get more strong moonshine in the future.

The design is called a parrot, probably for some resemblance to a bird with a beak. Consider the device of a parrot and find out whether it is possible to build a high-quality parrot for a moonshine with your own hands and what material to choose for this.

Briefly, the parrot device that you can see in this picture can be described as follows:

  • Two interconnected vertical tubes, acting on the principle of connecting vessels.
  • The first of the tubes (thin) brings the distillate coming from the refrigerator from below to the main vessel.
  • In the main vessel (it is in the form of a cylinder of a larger diameter), distillate is collected and gradually accumulates. A hydrometer floats in this cylinder, constantly reporting the strength of the alcohol-containing liquid filling the vessel.
  • At the top of the main cylinder is a tube through which the finished product flows into the substituted jar.

Pros and cons of the device

The parrot for the moonshine still makes it possible to continuously control the strength of the moonshine that comes out of the moonshine still. A parrot is installed behind the refrigerator, and an alcohol-containing liquid is collected in it.

We list the main Benefits this design:

  1. The parrot allows you to monitor the strength of the distillate in order to cut off the “tails” in time.
  2. Easy to use and DIY.
  3. Connection to a moonshine of any design, including.
  4. Relative cheapness.

Reference. The last jets of moonshine, the strength of which is below 40 °, have a high content, and therefore are undesirable in moonshine. Their selection into a separate vessel already during the first (especially the second) distillation ensures a pure product.

Flaws:

  1. Approximate measurement of the fortress. The discrepancy with the real degree is within 3 °.
  2. distillate flow. The hydrometer cannot instantly respond to a changing fortress, therefore the readings are delayed in time, and therefore the degree may already be lower than that shown by the aerometer at the moment.
  3. The generally accepted temperature for measuring the strength of alcoholic beverages is 20 ° C, which does not happen when moonshine only flows out of the tube, going through the cooler.

Attention. If you need accurate strength indicators, additionally equip a parrot thermometer.

Knowing the temperature of the distillate and seeing the readings of the alcohol meter, it is easy to calculate the real strength of moonshine using online (or a program downloaded to a PC).

How to do it yourself according to the scheme?

Building a parrot for moonshine with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem. Parrots are made from a wide variety of materials - from medical syringes to PVC pipes. But before choosing a material, it is important to make sure that it does not emit harmful compounds and will not give moonshine an unpleasant smell and taste.

Consider the most popular option - from stainless pipes.

Schematically, the device is shown in the figure:

It works like this:

  • the distillate first enters the inlet tube through the funnel (1). There are two options here: either a do-it-yourself parrot is simply substituted under the coil, from where moonshine drips (then a funnel is needed), or they are tightly connected to the coil;
  • from the tube, moonshine enters the cylinder (2), equipped with a hydrometer on the weight. The weight is needed so that the device stands in an empty cylinder and cannot hit the wall, and when it is filled, it floats along with the liquid;
  • liquid rises up to the end of the cylinder (3);
  • and begins to overflow, falling into a funnel (4), specially designed for collection;
  • Moonshine flows through the tube (5) into a jar or other container.

If you are not fixing a hard-made moonshine parrot with your own hands, then be sure to worry about stable foundation for him, so that he does not roll over from an accidental touch.

Important! The cylinder must be at least 3 cm higher than the alcoholometer, and the same - wider (taking into account the weight on the aerometer). The intake funnel must always be higher than the main cylinder!

From syringes

This homemade for 50 rubles will help to control the strength of moonshine at the stage of "exile" and will require a little effort. You will need:

  • two syringes with a volume of 50 ml (three are possible if you need a tall parrot;
  • refilled glue gun;
  • dropper;
  • mini gas burner or lighter;
  • gypsum;
  • metal lid (screwed) for the jar.

Now the fun part:

  1. We remove the needles and pistons for now.
  2. On the tips (where the needle is inserted) of both syringes we put on a tube from a dropper 10-15 centimeters long.
  3. We take the case in which the needle is hidden and turn it into a tube (we cut off the deaf end).
  4. In the upper part of one syringe, right under the side, we drill a hole according to the size of the tube obtained from the case.
  5. We heat the hole with a mini gas burner and insert the tube there - “soldering” it at an angle of 40 degrees. This is the nose of a parrot.
  6. Additionally glue the nose with a glue gun.
  7. At the 50 mark, glue the second syringe to the first, connected to it by a tube. The second is higher than the one with the spout.
  8. We make legs from the pistons by disconnecting the rubber bands that “work” inside the syringe during injections. We glue the legs on both sides of the syringe with a spout.
  9. For the stability of the structure, we breed gypsum, pour it into the lid and fix the legs of the parrot in it.

Such a parrot will not fall. Works like this: the upper syringe is substituted under the receiving tube, from which the distillate drips, gradually filling the parrot. An alcoholometer is placed in the lower syringe, and in which the device floats, it is drained into a jar through the beak. Process under control!

From copper tube

To create a continuous alcohol content flask for 300 rubles from a copper tube, you will need:

  • copper tube with a thickness of 22-25 mm in inner diameter. Its length is 25 cm;

Important. Choose the height of the tube depending on the length of the hydrometer (the average length of the device is 22 cm, the thickness is 1.9 cm). The alcoholometer must be 2-3 cm below the edge of the parrot.

  • copper tube 07 - 10 mm (the day of the parrot's nose and the supply tube from the refrigerator);
  • copper adapter from the 22nd pipe to the 35th;
  • cap for the main tube.

You see a schematic drawing of a parrot in the figure, and act on it.

Attention. If you do not plan to connect to the device, you will need additional funnel on a thin receiving tube of a parrot, into which the distillate will drain after passing through the cooler.

Recently I managed to test and work with an intersting device for continuous monitoring of the fortress, in the common people - "Parrot". In this mini-review I will tell you why it is needed and how to use it.


Everyone who drove moonshine certainly faced such a problem - how to find out what is the strength of your original product? Of course, there is a special device called a hydrometer, which just serves to measure the strength of the drink. But in the process of the haul itself, it is not very convenient to use it. You have to constantly use measuring cylinders during distillation by filling them with moonshine to measure the strength of the drink with a hydrometer. This process has to be repeated several times to keep track of the fortress. Some use the folk method, "drive while it burns." If it burns, then the fortress is above 40%, if not, then it is lower, and the distillation process must be stopped. But this, of course, is not good.


And, just to solve such problems, they came up with the device "Parrot". It is made of stainless steel (AISI-304 brand). The parrot consists of two vertical tubes that communicate with each other.



The principle of operation is very simple. Distillate enters one tube (thinner) from the distillation tank, according to the law of communicating vessels, it fills the second tube. The second tube, almost at the very top, has a drain hole through which the original product exits. The top of the tube has a funnel into which the hydrometer is inserted.



He controls the strength of the product at the exit throughout the entire process. Thus, we can measure the alcohol content of the drink in real time. A very practical thing that helps in the selection of "heads" and "tails", greatly simplifies the process of hauling. Of course, in addition to the “parrot”, there are other methods for measuring the strength, but under certain conditions, the “parrot” will most accurately help track the strength, which will have a better effect on the quality of moonshine. This device is underestimated by many, but in practice it greatly simplifies the process of distillation. I definitely recommend it, especially for those who are taking their first steps in home brewing and for whom accuracy in cooking is important. The price is quite adequate, fluctuating around 1700-1900 rubles per copy.


To know exactly when to finish the moonshine process, you need to know the strength of alcohol in the product at the moment. You can use an alcoholometer, a hydrometer, folk methods (“drive while it burns in a spoon”). However, all these methods are not as convenient to use as we would like.

Smart people came up with a new "miracle of technology" - a parrot for a moonshine still, showing the degree of alcohol in the stream right during distillation.

The bulk of the devices are portable - they have a receiving funnel to the distiller.

If the base is unstable, they can turn over, so they are “tightly” attached to the cooler with the help of connecting tubes, thereby eliminating the risk of turning over, but their versatility and mobility are reduced.

Watch a video that explains what a parrot is for a moonshine still:

The principle of operation of the continuous strength control device

The device works very simply:

  • Moonshine through the inlet tube (1) from the distiller's refrigerator enters the measuring cylinder (2) with a hydrometer, passes to the end of the "parrot" body (3), then overflows, enters the safety funnel (4) and the collecting container flows out through the outlet tube (5 ).
  • Thus, throughout the entire process, the strength of the product at the exit is controlled.

A simple device helps to track the degree of alcohol in a drink in real time. For moonshiners, this is a godsend, because it is so important not to miss the moment when water, and not alcohol, is already running from the coil.

Reference! "Parrot" greatly simplifies the process of driving. The device is unequivocally recommended for those who are just starting their journey in moonshining and for whom accuracy in cooking is important.

Producers set the price in the area 1-5 thousand for one "parrot". But such a device can be made at home, while spending 5 or even 10 times less money. How to do this - read the next paragraph.

How to do it yourself?

Method one (more expensive)

To get started, you need to get necessary materials:

  • A measuring tube, which can be bought at any pharmacy;
  • Approximately 40 centimeters of silicone hose;
  • Funnel with a long spout;
  • Hot glue.

The principle of operation of the system is described above, but we recall: moonshine enters from below, fills the test tube with itself and leaves through the upper hole.

1. First of all, it is necessary to drill two holes in the test tube: at a distance of a centimeter from its bottom and 0.5 cm from the neck.

Important! At this stage, it is not necessary to drill a test tube with a through hole, enough passages in one of its walls.

2. Next, you need to take a pre-prepared silicone hose and insert one end of it into the bottom hole of the test tube, drilled in the previous step. The test tube is installed under the coil. Then it becomes clear how much hose should be left and how much should be cut. We must not forget that a funnel will be located on top of the hose.

3. Insert the funnel into the hose so that when the liquid level rises, the hydrometer does not cling to the sides of the funnel, because in this case the readings will hardly be accurate, and this may affect the final quality of the product.

4. From the cut hose, make a “spout” through which the product will leave the device into a container for collecting distillate. The length of the nose should not be more than 5-8 centimeters. This part of the silicone tubing is inserted into the top hole in the test tube.

5. All connections of hoses and passages are carefully sealed with hot-melt adhesive. With the same composition, the inlet hose is tightly glued to the wall of the test tube. A hydrometer is inserted through the neck of the test tube, showing the direct strength of the liquid passing through the "parrot".

Method two (cheaper)

Necessary devices and materials:

  • 2 syringes of 50 cubes each;
  • Approximately 20 centimeters of hose that will be put on the nozzles of the syringes;
  • Tin lid from a jar;
  • A little plaster;
  • Hot glue.

Although this version of the device will come out cheaper at cost, it will take more time to manufacture.

So be patient!

Important! After the syringes are unpacked, they must be left - they will still come in handy.

So, step by step instructions:

  1. Cut off the finger stops on one of the syringes.
  2. Remove both pistons, and glue the remaining empty tubes together so that one of them is higher. But the place of overlap should not be more than 2-3 cm in height.
  3. Put a hose on the spouts of both syringes. If difficulties arise at this stage, you can warm up the tube, this will facilitate the process.
  4. Leave the upper syringe alone, and make a hole in the lower one almost at the very top. It is in this place that the moonshine will leave the "parrot".
  5. From the remaining pistons, make legs and attach them with hot glue to the tubes.
  6. Put the bottom of the legs in a tin cover and pour them with plaster. This stage is necessary so that the device does not enter a state of imbalance, since in this case it will constantly fall.
  7. Remove the casing from one of the needles and cut off the sealed edge so that a hollow tube is obtained. It is inserted into a hole drilled in the lower tube. The connection point is insulated with hot glue.

This "parrot" passes the same tests as previously described. Empirically, one can establish where the apparatus is leaking and how it works in general.

How to make a parrot for a moonshine with your own hands is described in the video:

Results

"Parrot" is a fairly useful device that you can not only buy in a store, but also easily make it yourself from improvised materials at home, however, it has both pros and cons.

Pros:

  • monitoring the level of alcohol content in a constant mode;
  • ease of assembly and use;
  • relatively low cost (compared to other methods);
  • can be used with any moonshine stills.

Minuses:

  • the error of even an absolutely correctly made device is 2-3% (for more accurate results, the product must have a temperature of strictly 20 ° C and be static, not dynamic, which cannot be achieved in this design);
  • real readings are observed on the hydrometer with a delay;

The correct assembly and use of the apparatus determine the accuracy of measurements, which is quite sufficient to determine the moment the distillation is completed - for this the device serves in the first place.

How to use to achieve clear results:

  1. Before starting the distillation, connect the moonshine collection tubes to the “parrot” inlet tube or substitute a watering can (funnel) to the outlet of the coil.
  2. Connect the hoses to the outlet tube to collect the finished product or simply place the dishes under the outlet hose.
  3. Install the alcoholometer in the graduated cylinder.
  4. Start the distillation process by heating, carry out and complete it, and then disassemble the entire structure in the reverse order.

And now let's look at how to spend not a thousand or five, but only 300 rubles and get a device that is in no way inferior in functionality to purchased ones. For this we need:

  • measuring tube;
  • About 40 silicone hose;
  • Funnel with a long spout;
  • Hot glue.

Everyone remembers the principle of the device under discussion: moonshine is supplied from below, fills the test tube and leaves through the top hole. And now let's start making:

  1. We drill 2 holes in the test tube: at a distance of a centimeter from the bottom and 0.5 cm from the neck (we drill only one wall, and not through the entire test tube);
  2. We take a silicone hose and insert one end of it into the bottom hole. We put a test tube under the coil and measure how much hose we need to leave (remember that a funnel will be inserted into it from above);
  3. We insert the watering can (funnel) in such a way that when lifting the hydrometer does not cling to the side of the watering can, otherwise you can forget about the exact readings;
  4. From the cut hose we make a “nose”, through which the moonshine will leave the “parrot” into a container for collecting the product. Its length should be no more than 5-8 centimeters. We insert the hose into the upper hole;
  5. Now carefully cover all the joints with hot glue. We also glue the inlet hose to the wall of the test tube;
  6. We insert a hydrometer through the neck of the test tube;
  7. We carry out tests first with water, then with the existing moonshine, and then you can look at it in work.

DIY for 50 rubles

This do-it-yourself parrot for a moonshine will come out even cheaper. But here you have to spend a little more time. And here's what we need:

  • 2 syringes of 50 cubes;
  • About 20 cm of a tube that will be put on the nozzles of the syringes;
  • Tin lid from a jar;
  • Quite a bit of gypsum;
  • Hot glue.

After the raid to the nearest pharmacy is completed, we proceed to manufacture:

  • When unpacking syringes, do not throw anything away!
  • At one of the syringes we cut off the finger stops;
  • We remove both pistons, and glue the remaining tubes together so that one is higher than the other. The place of overlap should be no more than 2-3 cm in height;
  • We put a hose on both spouts of syringes. Also, it can be warmed up so that it “sits down” better;
  • We do not touch the upper syringe, but in the lower one we make a hole almost at the very top. Here the moonshine will leave the "parrot";
  • We make legs from pistons - we also fasten them with hot glue to the tubes;
  • We put the bottom of the legs in a tin cover and fill them with plaster. If this is not done, then the "parrot" will constantly fall due to imbalance;
  • We remove the casing from one of the needles and cut off the sealed edge to make a tube. Now we insert it into the drilled hole in the lower tube. Again, isolate the connection with hot glue;
  • We are doing field tests.

So, you can easily and quickly make a "parrot". Both designs are taken from the Internet and are the most successful. All the rest have certain disadvantages. The advantages of these designs over both competitors and factory copies are quite obvious:

  1. They have transparent walls;
  2. Their cost is 3-100 times cheaper than store counterparts;
  3. They are assembled with almost no third-party tools or materials;
  4. Everything about everything takes no more than an hour of time;
  5. It's nice to know that you made something with your own hands.

To correctly cut off the “tails” and determine the moment when distillation is completed, it is important for moonshiners to know the strength of alcohol in the stream. folk method- drive until it burns in a spoon. More advanced distillers, towards the end of the process, pour the outgoing product into small volumetric flasks, where the alcoholometer is lowered. The method is accurate but time consuming. Home craftsmen have found a way to automate this process by creating a Moonshine Parrot that measures the strength online (in real time with some delay). The device can be used with a distiller of any scheme.

Parrot for moonshine still- a device for automatic and continuous control of the strength of the water-alcohol mixture at the outlet of the moonshine still (cooling module). The theoretical basis is based on elementary physics - the law of communicating vessels and the Archimedean force. The main part of the device is made in the form of a cylinder filled with moonshine, in which a hydrometer floats. The distillate supply pipe from the coil is connected to the vessel at the very bottom, and the pipe leading to the receiving tank is connected from above.

The shape of the bends of the tubes, the finished structure resembles a bird, hence the name - "parrot" or in the English manner "parrot".

Principle of operation. Moonshine through the inlet tube (1) from the distiller's refrigerator enters the measuring cylinder (2) with a hydrometer, passes to the end of the "parrot" body (3), then overflows, enters the safety funnel (4) and flows into the receiving container through the outlet tube ( 5).


circuit diagram

Design features. Most of the “parrots” for alcohol are simply substituted with a receiving funnel to the moonshine, but some models are fixed to the coil “tightly” with connecting tubes. In the first case, the advantage is in versatility, in the second - higher reliability, since there is no risk that the device will accidentally turn over.

Sometimes, to improve accuracy, the "parrot" is equipped with a thermometer that measures the temperature of the liquid, and then a correction is made for the fortress depending on the temperature.

The thermometer allows you to adjust the accuracy of the alcoholmeter readings using the calculator below

Advantages:

  • control of the fortress in real time;
  • ease of manufacture and operation;
  • low cost (in comparison with other methods);
  • suitable for any moonshine stills, mash and distillation columns.

Flaws:

  • the error of even a correctly made device is 2-3% (for more accurate measurements, the liquid must have a temperature of strictly 20 ° C and be standing, not flowing, which cannot be achieved in this design);
  • inertia - real readings are visible on the hydrometer with some delay (after the volume of the flask is completely replaced by moonshine with other strength indicators).

Proper design and operation create a measurement accuracy that is sufficient to determine the end of the distillation or the start of the selection of "tails", which is the main task of the device.

Operating technique:

  1. Before starting distillation (rectification), connect the moonshine extraction hoses to the “parrot” inlet tube or substitute a receiving funnel to the outlet of the coil.
  2. Substitute (attach with hoses) a container for collecting the main product under the “parrot” outlet tube.
  3. Insert the alcoholmeter into the graduated cylinder.
  4. Start heating and distillation, then disassemble the structures in the reverse order.

It is advisable to know the temperature of the moonshine and adjust the hydrometer readings based on the values ​​obtained from the calculator.

Counting in progress...

Enter the initial data on the left

Real strength: % (vol.)

How to make a parrot for moonshine with your own hands

We will consider the requirements for the device in terms of safety and functionality, without touching on the issues of soldering metals, bending pipes and the nuances of connecting different elements.

1. Material. Food-grade stainless steel, copper and glass are suitable for the manufacture of the "parrot". Some craftsmen make the device out of plastic or plumbing pipes, but keep in mind that plastic and other materials, when in contact with alcohol, emit harmful substances. The most common option is stainless steel.

2. Dimensions. On the one hand, the alcoholometer should float freely in the flask, without touching the bottom and walls of the vessel. On the other hand, the larger the volume of the "parrot", the lower the speed of the system's response to changes in the strength of the liquid (inertia increases).

We have to look for the optimal proportions for a specific hydrometer. In height, the flask should be 2-3 cm higher than the used alcoholometer and at least 4-6 mm wider in diameter of its most dimensional part - the bottom with a weight. In most cases, tubes with an internal diameter of 26-30 mm and a length of 25-28 cm are used. The longest of the common alcohol meters is ASP-3 40-70 (diameter 19 mm, length 220 mm). Household (glass) analogues are usually smaller.

Attention! If the hydrometer fits snugly against the walls of the flask, a piston effect occurs, which significantly reduces the accuracy of measurements. With a lack of height, the alcoholometer simply will not rise, and accordingly, it will not show the correct values.

In order not to slow down the operation of the moonshine still, the diameter of the inlet and outlet pipes of the “parrot” must be equal to or greater than the diameter of the coil tube.

3. Features. The funnel of the inlet tube is necessarily located above the upper part of the “parrot” flask, and the hydrometer tube is above the drain level, otherwise the law of communicating vessels will not work.