Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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zach
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Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by zach »

I purchased a slightly used 14 gallon stainless fermenter with a clamp on lid for a good price. I'm thinking about adapting it to use as a mash tun / fermenter / stripper . I'm thinking about using this for a steam injection mash tun/ thumper. I want to use it for fermenting on the grain or fruit pulp then stripping with steam.

The steam injector I was thinking of using is just a 1/2" copper pipe with three tees to four open ends in the bottom of the fermenter below a perforated plate.

How loud will the thumper be heating up? ( I live in an apartment and don't want to disturb the neighbors )
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Antler24
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by Antler24 »

zach wrote:I purchased a slightly used 14 gallon stainless fermenter with a clamp on lid for a good price. I'm thinking about adapting it to use as a mash tun / fermenter / stripper . I'm thinking about using this for a steam injection mash tun/ thumper. I want to use it for fermenting on the grain or fruit pulp then stripping with steam.

The steam injector I was thinking of using is just a 1/2" copper pipe with three tees to four open ends in the bottom of the fermenter below a perforated plate.

How loud will the thumper be heating up? ( I live in an apartment and don't want to disturb the neighbors )
I just finished my thumper build and ran it for the first time a week ago. It'll be pretty load heating up, loud enough for my wife, upstairs at the other end of our house to wander down the stairs to see what the noise was. It'll quiet down as it heats up though.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
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Yummyrum
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by Yummyrum »

Yup pretty much that . During initial Thumper stabalisation ..:. If there is a word for it ... there will be a lot of noise . Time for some loud music ... until the thumping settles down . :D
Then chill and let the .......good .....stuff .......roll . :thumbup:
OK putting that into reality . I got a bout a 50 liter charge. Takes me about an hour at least until it starts to boil then its about another 1/2 hour off top of head until it starts to boil the thumper when all the noise starts. Then I don't care too much as noise simmers right down to a typical pot still'n noises ..:. Well to these deaf ears anyways
L
At the end of day . How long it takes from fire up go thumper noise is dependant on your rig . .... just givng you a ball park :thumbup:
zach
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by zach »

Thanks Yummy and Antler for the feedback.

Do you have multiple holes or just one pipe for the steam to enter the thumper under the liquid? Would multiple smaller holes quiet down the rig during warm up?
Antler24
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by Antler24 »

zach wrote:Thanks Yummy and Antler for the feedback.

Do you have multiple holes or just one pipe for the steam to enter the thumper under the liquid? Would multiple smaller holes quiet down the rig during warm up?
I left the end of the pipe open, but drilled about a hundred very tiny holes within about 3" of the end of the pipe. It does quiet it down a bit, but you have to cut the power back a fair amount to keep it quiet, which will take longer to get it up temps.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
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nerdybrewer
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by nerdybrewer »

Yummyrum wrote:Yup pretty much that . During initial Thumper stabalisation ..:. If there is a word for it ... there will be a lot of noise . Time for some loud music ... until the thumping settles down . :D
Then chill and let the .......good .....stuff .......roll . :thumbup:
OK putting that into reality . I got a bout a 50 liter charge. Takes me about an hour at least until it starts to boil then its about another 1/2 hour off top of head until it starts to boil the thumper when all the noise starts. Then I don't care too much as noise simmers right down to a typical pot still'n noises ..:. Well to these deaf ears anyways
L
At the end of day . How long it takes from fire up go thumper noise is dependant on your rig . .... just givng you a ball park :thumbup:
I've got a big sub and some nice Bose speakers in my shed, I put on Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd and let her rip.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
Shine0n
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by Shine0n »

My thumper has a 1" open end pipe and sounds like a dwarf with a ball peen hammer trying to get out for a about 20 minutes or so.

Insulation will knock down the noise tremendously though :thumbup:
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by Shine0n »

Sorry, for the double post. lol

Also preheating will reduce time needed to heat up, I have my thumper sitting on my extra propane burner and during the winter I'll have a nice low flame to keep it warm if I'm not doing grains or something that could burn to the bottom.

I know you said you're indoors so maybe a wide hot plate ? same principles just different heat.

Alot of times if running mucky stuff I'll keep the still disassembled during heat up and constantly stir and when I see signs I'll close her up and keep on. You should still have plenty of time before vapor starts forming, I've never had any problems and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has or does this.

Just don't forget that if using steam that the slower you heat up the more it will fill your thumper so I think that either preheating or fast heat up is in order.

Shine0n
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

I feed my MFT (mast tun/fermenter/thumper) with a TC cross and have 3 bazooka screens as diffusers. I am always using slop in the thumper mode and can't hear anything at more than about 5 feet away. I believe that the screens give smaller vapor bubbles and therefore less noise when they collapse. The slop will also act as a sound dampener as well. I'm not sure if this is practical for you because my MFT is a bit larger than yours.
zach
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by zach »

Thanks ShineOn and Redwood.

I've got a 1/2" thick yoga mat that I'm going to cut and make a koozie that slips over the MFT. It should help with noise and maintaining temperature during mashing.

I like the idea of the boozka screens to make small bubbles.

I've got an induction hot plate, but it will not take the 100+ lbs of weight with 10 gallons of water and 20 lbs of corn. I like the idea but most of the home units look too flimsy. The commercial units have more power (3500 watt on 230 v) which I like but are $300. If I pony up to and buy a 230 v hot plate, I think I'll build an agitator like der wo has in his signature instead of the steam powered MFT.
zach
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Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by zach »

RedwoodHillBilly wrote:I feed my MFT (mast tun/fermenter/thumper) with a TC cross and have 3 bazooka screens as diffusers. I am always using slop in the thumper mode and can't hear anything at more than about 5 feet away. I believe that the screens give smaller vapor bubbles and therefore less noise when they collapse. The slop will also act as a sound dampener as well. I'm not sure if this is practical for you because my MFT is a bit larger than yours.

RHB

I looked at the photo of your rig on the artisan distiller site. Very Nice!

Do you heat water to cook corn with steam, another heat source, or in another kettle?

Do you mash with lid off and have an agitator to stir the mash?

If you cook with steam with the lid on , does the steam provide enough mixing of the high temp enzyme?

Thanks in advanced for your input
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: Mash tun / Fermenter / Stripper

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

zach wrote:
RedwoodHillBilly wrote:I feed my MFT (mast tun/fermenter/thumper) with a TC cross and have 3 bazooka screens as diffusers. I am always using slop in the thumper mode and can't hear anything at more than about 5 feet away. I believe that the screens give smaller vapor bubbles and therefore less noise when they collapse. The slop will also act as a sound dampener as well. I'm not sure if this is practical for you because my MFT is a bit larger than yours.

RHB

I looked at the photo of your rig on the artisan distiller site. Very Nice!

Do you heat water to cook corn with steam, another heat source, or in another kettle?

Do you mash with lid off and have an agitator to stir the mash?

If you cook with steam with the lid on , does the steam provide enough mixing of the high temp enzyme?

Thanks in advanced for your input
I think that my procedure is in that thread. I heat the water to boiling using the electric elements that are in the MFT, then disconnect the power, they won't be used again. I then start the agitator and add my corn and a small (2 mL) of Sebstar-HTL to keep it loose. At 180 °F I add the rest of the HTL and agitate for a bit. I then remove agitator and put the lid on until the mash drops to 146°F at which time I put the agitator back in and add my malts and some backset for ph control. At 140 °F I add the gluco enzyme, stir and remove agitator. I put the lid on until I reach 90 °F, I then agitate to introduce oxygen and pitch the yeast. I ferment closed with a 1/2" tube into a jug of water as an airlock.
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