Thumper?

[S-Cackalacky]

Yes, that was the whole point - to run washes on-the-grain to prevent scorching. As a side note, you could also use the same (similar) technique to cook your grain for mashing. Just another of the many uses for a thumper.

[BoisBlancBoy]

Alright thanks! Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing more to it.

[ScotchGuy]

I have read this thread the whole way through, and hopefully have soaked up some valuable information on thumpers. I plan on making a new still and thumper for next year's projects. I see a lot mentioned on NOT using glass jars for the thumper for safety reasons. Fine, I understand that. Most of the users here appear to be using stainless pots with a few using copper. That brings up my question.

Are there advantages to using an all copper thumper as opposed to stainless? I have read many threads that talk about how copper is very useful in removing the sulfides, But this seems to only be mentioned as it being part of the pot or as the tubing in the other components. Sure, copper is more expensive, but it is a foregone conclusion that a GOOD still setup is just going to cost money. If I missed a post where someone has brought up the subject of copper for a thumper, I apologize but I really did look for it.

[BoisBlancBoy]

Scotchguy, you are right that copper in the still is beneficial. It removed sulfates but it doesn't take all the much copper to do the job. With that said whatever thumper you are able to get your hands on will work just fine and you wont be able to tell the difference. Mind you that anytime someone has an all copper thumper that does look pretty sharp.

[corene1]

I was getting ready to do a spirit run today and decided to inspect the inside of my thumper and clean it if need be. It probably has 50 runs through it and when I pulled the lid you can see rings where it has been working during the run. I typically put a couple of inches of whatever I am running to charge it then you can see the darker ring where it fills a bit from the charge coming over from the boiler then a really clean area this must be the boiling alcohol vapors and where all the work is taking place then back to a darker patina where the sulfides are being absorbed. I just thought it was kind of neat.

[BoomTown]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

[Truckinbutch]

I totally agree , Boom . Just never heard it put exactly that way .

[BoomTown]

I totally agree , Boom . Just never heard it put exactly that way .

[BoisBlancBoy]

That's the best analogy I've heard in awhile!

[Dan P.]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

Thumpers are like condoms if you are someone who pays for sex. Wow!

I don't use a thumper, I don't pay for sex, I don't wear condoms, and I am very happy about all of those facts.

[Truckinbutch]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

Thumpers are like condoms if you are someone who pays for sex. Wow!

I don't use a thumper, I don't pay for sex, I don't wear condoms, and I am very happy about all of those facts.

Well , I use a thumper . One out of three isn't enough to send me to hell is it ?

[shadylane]

A thumper is a versatile addition to a pot still.

[W Pappy]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

Very well said friend I do concur.

[ShineRunnah]

A thumper is a versatile addition to a pot still.

I think some may have pushed the envelope a bit farther than that, as recent comments would suggest....

[Dan P.]

Well , I use a thumper . One out of three isn't enough to send me to hell is it ?

I think as long as you don't wear it as a literal condom, you should be okay.

[Dan P.]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

Very well said friend I do concur.

Honest question that anyone can answer if the feel like it; How is using a pot still without a thumper risky? In what way?
I've made my feelings on thumpers quite clear earlier in this thread; I think they're a load of cobblers, lo-tec hi-tec, invented out of commercial necessity to make proof spirit asap, etc. Your opinion may differ, that's fine, but how has not using a thumper become "risky business"? Or are people agreeing with BoomTown's colourful analogy because they like the analogy? Very strange!

[ShineRunnah]

This confused me as well. Analogy is strange, funny, but I can't draw any similarity or conclusion from it.

[W Pappy]

Well fellas it just seems some folks just don't have a sense of humor about things.Some people like their chicken boiled plain.Then you have the BBQ and Gumbo fellas.

[Dan P.]

Well fellas it just seems some folks just don't have a sense of humor about things.Some people like their chicken boiled plain.Then you have the BBQ and Gumbo fellas.

Is this your way of not answering the question? Are you a politician in real life?

[shadylane]

I'd kind of like to get this post back to about thumpers.

[LWTCS]

I was getting ready to do a spirit run today and decided to inspect the inside of my thumper and clean it if need be. It probably has 50 runs through it and when I pulled the lid you can see rings where it has been working during the run. I typically put a couple of inches of whatever I am running to charge it then you can see the darker ring where it fills a bit from the charge coming over from the boiler then a really clean area this must be the boiling alcohol vapors and where all the work is taking place then back to a darker patina where the sulfides are being absorbed. I just thought it was kind of neat.

PB300002.JPG

Very cool, and pretty insightful illustration.

[Truckinbutch]

Just my opinion, but a pot still without a thumper is like a hooker without a condom.

It's a risky business...

Boom

Very well said friend I do concur.

Honest question that anyone can answer if the feel like it; How is using a pot still without a thumper risky? In what way?
I've made my feelings on thumpers quite clear earlier in this thread; I think they're a load of cobblers, lo-tec hi-tec, invented out of commercial necessity to make proof spirit asap, etc. Your opinion may differ, that's fine, but how has not using a thumper become "risky business"? Or are people agreeing with BoomTown's colourful analogy because they like the analogy? Very strange!

I think the humor of the analogy is the key . Have you no sense of humor ? I started with a simple pot with good results and , at the behest of several members , graduated to a thumper . I am happy with the results . Since I am the one I need to satisfy I have accomplished my purpose .

[W Pappy]

Well fellas it just seems some folks just don't have a sense of humor about things.Some people like their chicken boiled plain.Then you have the BBQ and Gumbo fellas.

Is this your way of not answering the question? Are you a politician in real life?

[W Pappy]

I was getting ready to do a spirit run today and decided to inspect the inside of my thumper and clean it if need be. It probably has 50 runs through it and when I pulled the lid you can see rings where it has been working during the run. I typically put a couple of inches of whatever I am running to charge it then you can see the darker ring where it fills a bit from the charge coming over from the boiler then a really clean area this must be the boiling alcohol vapors and where all the work is taking place then back to a darker patina where the sulfides are being absorbed. I just thought it was kind of neat.

PB300002.JPG

Kinda makes ya think just how much copper do you need in your stainless setups? Thanks corene for the pic.

[BoomTown]

Sorry guys, been out of the loop on this for a few days....missed most of the action I guess. Glad some of you got the joke, thanks.

Kinda makes ya think just how much copper do you need in your stainless setups? Thanks corene for the pic.

I'm of the opinion that you simply can't have too much copper in your rig, from start to finish. I use a SS pot and thumper into which I've inserted copper sleeves, that are discolored a lot like the picture that Corene posted. I use a 15' copper coil rather than one of those short liebig chillers for that reason.

As for using my thumper, it's really easy to detect the transition between phases. I get very little 'blurring' in the transition. That's the risk that get's mitigated, in my mind. Also, my pot is small, 20L, and find that when using a thumper, I don't have to accumulate beer runs to make a spirit run. The proof out of the thumper is high, 160 to 110 while the run is in the hearts range. I usually snag about 1500ml of hearts, after 300ml of fients, 400ml of heads and before 350ml of tails. I collect the heads and tails and store them in a 1/2 gallon mason jar. I top off 1/2 gallon with the back wash from the previous thumper run. On a run, I charge the thumper and the pot, fire up the pot, and run real slow.

Again, it's just my opinion, I've no science to refer, just my gut feeling that the output tastes a lot 'sweeter'. And the liquor being produced tastes very much the same each run. I do strict AG mashes and I have several 1/2 gallon mason jars, one for a Corn/Wheat/6-row malt, one for a Corn/Rye/6-row, one for an all corn using enzyme, one for a Corn/Oat/Wheat/rye/ 6-Row, etc... I'm doing that to capture the congenors from each recipe because I've made several small aging projects just to compare the final taste. I'm hoping that next year around Easter, I'll be able to taste each aged recipe, side by side and make more of whichever I like if I wish.


Boom

[NattyBoh]

Great thread. I'm still new and currently running a 7.75 g boiler pot still (2" column to a 2" shotgun condenser). Results are good so far. I am getting on average 35-40% combined on my stripping runs then 70-75% on my spirit runs. I want to make bourbon and rye whiskeys. With a new 15.5g keg and a 7.75g thumper, will I be able to get to aging/cask strength (60-65%) on a single slow run? Thanks.

[BoomTown]

Great thread. I'm still new and currently running a 7.75 g boiler pot still (2" column to a 2" shotgun condenser). Results are good so far. I am getting on average 35-40% combined on my stripping runs then 70-75% on my spirit runs. I want to make bourbon and rye whiskeys. With a new 15.5g keg and a 7.75g thumper, will I be able to get to aging/cask strength (60-65%) on a single slow run? Thanks.

Good luck Natty, enjoy the forum, you'll find lots of help and knowledge here.

[NattyBoh]

Thanks Boom. If I do convert to the thumper set up I descibed, will I be able to reach oaking strength in one slow run?

[BoomTown]

Thanks Boom. If I do convert to the thumper set up I descibed, will I be able to reach oaking strength in one slow run?

I do.

[NattyBoh]

Roger that. Thanks.