Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
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Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
So I'm getting lazier as time goes on and I'm thinking of an easier way for on grain ferments and distillations.
I'll mill 16.6lbs (1/3 sack) rye malt, add 9.5gal (should give enough head room for stripping) of 160f water to a 1/2 barrel keg (160f after transfer), add the grains to the water 1/3 at a time and stir it with a drill stirrer that fits in the unmodified keg hole. Should end up around 148f. Let it slowly drop to 83f and pitch French saison yeast.
When it finishes, I'll set up the thumper connection in the fermenter and steam strip it.
Now the question... Anyone have any experience getting a full fermented and stripped on grain mash out of the 2in hole of a keg? I can suspend the keg upside down over a couple of buckets, but I doubt the shit will want to come out without some help. I'm thinking a hose to flush the stuff out might be necessary.
Any opinions?
I'll mill 16.6lbs (1/3 sack) rye malt, add 9.5gal (should give enough head room for stripping) of 160f water to a 1/2 barrel keg (160f after transfer), add the grains to the water 1/3 at a time and stir it with a drill stirrer that fits in the unmodified keg hole. Should end up around 148f. Let it slowly drop to 83f and pitch French saison yeast.
When it finishes, I'll set up the thumper connection in the fermenter and steam strip it.
Now the question... Anyone have any experience getting a full fermented and stripped on grain mash out of the 2in hole of a keg? I can suspend the keg upside down over a couple of buckets, but I doubt the shit will want to come out without some help. I'm thinking a hose to flush the stuff out might be necessary.
Any opinions?
- Tummydoc
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
I invert mine over bricks, and often have to rock it vigorously until the slop starts to flow. Buckets arent likely to support the weight. I set upside down on a garbage can to hose out after draining the grain. It is a bit of a PITA, but I'd rather use my time to mash more than cut another hole to solder a drain valve.
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- Master of Distillation
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
Getting another keg and setting it up for stream work, worth the effort all around, making stripping with stream an easy task..
Mars
Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
– Albert Einstein
– Albert Einstein
Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
It will be suspended by hooks on a pulley. I figure I can put a triclamp cap on it, flip it over, hoist it up over a bucket and remove the cap. That way I'll be able to move it around to get stuff flowing. I'm also thinking of adding a triclamp element port so I can use a hose to help empty it out.Tummydoc wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:49 am I invert mine over bricks, and often have to rock it vigorously until the slop starts to flow. Buckets arent likely to support the weight. I set upside down on a garbage can to hose out after draining the grain. It is a bit of a PITA, but I'd rather use my time to mash more than cut another hole to solder a drain valve.
- Tummydoc
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
Mars, he's running grain in the thumper so he is steam stripping, just using wash in the boiler instead of water.
Seabass, I like the idea of a hose port with a triclamp blank. Guess i have more cutting and soldering to do!
Seabass, I like the idea of a hose port with a triclamp blank. Guess i have more cutting and soldering to do!
Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
I'm thinking of using steam. Just gonna plug the thumper connect in the keg with the wash in it and run the boiler with water. Not even going to have to transfer it. In theory, I should have 4.5gal of head space, so I don't think it will over fill
Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
As for the triclamp port, it will also allow for an element to be installed which I might use at some point for preheating the thumper when it's not filled with slop. Thinking I can run a 5500w element on 120v as a preheater so I don't have to rewire my 240v outlets with thicker wire.
Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
This will also hopefully be my method for shochu and anything that requires fermenting on grain. I'm already set up to ferment in kegs and I can fit 2 kegs in my chest freezer. Make a koji starter with 5lbs of rice. Add 10gal boiling water to keg, add 15lbs rice and stir. Let drop to 90F and add koji rice. Let drop to 80F and add sake yeast. When it's done, attach to boiler and steam strip. No transferring, cleanup is the hard part and I'm thinking if I can get most of the solids out, I'll fill it with pbw and just let it soak for a while. Then throw the keg on the 1hp keg washer and let it run or a while.
My biggest concern will be the yeast in the keg. The beer brewer side of me feels bad for cooking all of my yeast and I'm worried about what that would do for flavor. They normally get a nice home in the compost heap after their work is done.
My biggest concern will be the yeast in the keg. The beer brewer side of me feels bad for cooking all of my yeast and I'm worried about what that would do for flavor. They normally get a nice home in the compost heap after their work is done.
- jonnys_spirit
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
The koji turns the rice pretty much to a nice goo so it’ll come out pretty easy with a couple sprays. Step feed it with new rice every couple days till capacity makes a nice sake btw.
Cheers,
-jonny
Cheers,
-jonny
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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- Tummydoc
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
You wont have yeast flavor in the distillate. Most (maybe all) commercial bourbon distillers dont separate out the yeast or grain, all goes in the boiler.
Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
I know you're right. I'm getting more hung up on the idea than I should be. I had a bottle of balcones single malt and all I could taste was what I perceive as charred yeast. I know I'm being paranoid, but I really appreciate the reassurance.
- Tummydoc
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Re: Fermenting and steam stripping on grain in keg
Haven't tried their whiskey, but got two Balcones 5 gallon unused charred barrels when the stopped using small barrels. The whiskeys are only a year in the barrel so far, but a great smokey flavor that I really like. I'm partial to the Tennessee process that imparts a smokey background like Gentleman Jack.