thumper with strip run?

[bobtuse]

Hi all,
Just thinking about process as I wait for ferments to finish up and was wondering if anyone had thoughts on benefits of running a thumper during a strip run. I know it can help with cuts on a spirit run, but if you're not making cuts.... I ran a thumper during strip and spirit on my last batch and noticed no problems. Will be potstilling for both runs.

Thoughts?

[evilpsych]

I thought the whole point of using a thumper was so that you didn't have to do stripping runs! It's thought of more as a second distllation anyway

[bobtuse]

I'm also curious about the effect of smaller diam. pipe inline. My existing rig, the lyne arm tapers from 3/4 to 3/8 ,goes in the thumper and out to a 3/8 worm. New rig in build stage is going to be 2" My question is, is there a problem with pressure or output speed if I use same thumper rig and condenser or should the imput to the thumper be big and only reduce on the output side or directly before condenser.

Bob

[bobtuse]

True, but I had read that Pint equated two thumper runs to more like 3 distillations than 4. Perhaps I am a glutton for punishment, but my strip runs came off around 65% and my spirit was 75%. I think I would still run the thumper on the spirit run. It can only help right?

[evilpsych]

I guess if you are trying to acheive a very light spirit or a neutral like vodka, I guess it might be of benefit starting out with water in the thumper and doing multiple runs... For me, I do whiskeys, and age around 120-130proof. I'll post pics of my completed thumper setup shortly.

[evilpsych]

True, but I had read that Pint equated two thumper runs to more like 3 distillations than 4. Perhaps I am a glutton for punishment, but my strip runs came off around 65% and my spirit was 75%. I think I would still run the thumper on the spirit run. It can only help right?

What are you trying to make?

If you do a search, most folks on stripping runs use a simple potstill with no thumper. A stripping run is meant to be hard and fast, and to not make cuts at all to speak of (some do though) Using a thumper during a stripping run does present the problem of using more energy total.

[bobtuse]

That does make sense. More and more as I look at the new build, it will be easier to just ditch the idea of the thumper altogether and go with the strip/spirit method. I loved the idea of getting an 'extra' distillation without much more effort, but it just might not be worth it....

I've been making rum, will give whiskey a go go soon, and am getting together bits for a VM column for neutrals faster than planned.

Thanks for your input Evil!

Any other opinions want to chime in?

Bob

[rad14701]

Nostalgia aside, I've never been a fan of thumpers on small stills because I've never considered them effective... I'm sure they're beneficial on larger production stills... One of these days I may just build another pot still...

[evilpsych]

dunderhead has some nice pics of the 'triple thumpers' some rum distilleries utilize to concentrate the 'rum oils' there's a lot of info about that process, and what goes into each thumper or double too..
Pugi has posted some good info about rum making too.
honestly, I probably wouldn't triple or quadruple distill a rum or whiskey that i wanted to have any flavor at all.

One 'spirit' run from a thumper setup with just wash in the boiler should provide aging proof full flavored product in one run.

Again.. all in the cuts, there's a hundred ways to skin this cat, and do it to your personal taste..

[goose eye]

what you gona be putin in it.

[bobtuse]

I've charged the thumper with water, and low wines with backset from a previous run. Still had quite a bit of flavor, iwouldnt call it a light rum really...

[goose eye]

ole boys aint much sure how them upright outfit work.

doublein keg is your friend if you let it
a pain in the ass if you dont.
so im tole

[bobtuse]

Im with ya goose, I dont unnerstand 'em yet either.....yet.

Using the doubler wasn't much of a pain in the ass, its just configuring it into this new setup. I may be able to work it, for this next batch Im a going to go without it and see what happens...