Home Distiller

So this is long overdue. I've promised a few times to get this up here and have put it off for one reason or another. So here ya go. Detailed process of my steam cooks. Making ag available for anyone with a pot still and some extra copper.

The pictures are warped due to resizing. I'll figure out how to fix it on the computer later. All I have atm is my.phone.
This attachment connects to my condenser via a union.
Half inch copper. 1/8 inch holes around the base top and bottom of the steam head.
I fill boiler with about 10 gallons of 140f water.

Attach steam head to condenser (while in the barrel)


Add grains and hot water. This will bring water and grain to 110f
Only need to bring up the mash to 190. To be continued...

At this point while the boiler is bringing the water to a boil I have added my high temp enzymes. These denature above 190f so I will have to be careful not to heat to quickly or it will denature the enzimes to early.

I have a ball valve on the bypass pipe (top of steam wand,offset away from the barrel ) this is open until it starts to generate steam. At which point I close it and give the mash a good agitation to ensure that there are no clogs. I've never had one clog yet and there are lots of little 1/8 holes in the head so there should be no pressure build up.

This will sound like a thumper coming online as the steam will be collapsing in the barrel causing a thumping or small explosion type sound. This is normal.

Steam should be coming shortly.

To be continued...

10 28 am reached steam generation. Closed valve and agitated. Now for the waiting game.stir every few minute,note to self. Need an mash paddle system for continual stiring.

Hell yea buddy! You're having a better Monday than me!

Those pics remind me of the old kung fu movies I used to watch as a kid. I bet this is how Bruce Lee made likker lol.

Haha yah. I'll update pics later today.

I'd rather be working. Been laid off for a bit. But hay. I'm cooking so all good.

Yak

Its a good day...when you can fire up the kettle or boiler.

Cheers.
ss

still_stirrin wrote:Its a good day...when you can fire up the kettle or boiler.

Cheers.
ss

Can I get an AMEN?!?!?

Amen brother!


Mash is sitting at 154f climbing slowly. I'm not pushing this full throttle as I want a nice even cook as its a 1/3 corn bill.

Awesome! Love it!

B

3pm yesterday cook was finished. Allowed to rest till 9 when I could get back to it. Was at 185. Wort chiller is apparently broken so I figured I'd let it drop on its own over night.

This morning there was a nice dark layer of cleared mash on top. Already pretty sweet. That's just from the hight temp enzimes which is step one for breaking the starch.

After mixing temp was 135. To low as far as I know for conversion with malt but because I am using liquid Enzime they won't care. It will just take a little while longer to fully convert.

Added in the honey malt and enzymes and gave it a good stir and covered and insulated again. This afternoon I will check temp and conversion and pitch yeast. After separating barrels. This is going to be a very active ferment.

Yak