Thumper or Not

Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.

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ER70S-2
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: Great White North

Thumper or Not

Post by ER70S-2 »

I've noticed in the past little while a lot more people are speaking about building a thumper or are using one. I must admit I'm getting caught up in this and thinking about building one, probably more for the fact that I enjoy working with metal and building things.
For the most part I run a 20L pot still on my stove top at home, but have recently built another 50L keg still for myself. I was thinking about building a thumper for the 50L keg.
From experience what is the main advantage to running a thumper as opposed to doing a stripping run and a second spirits run in regards to the quality of the final product.
For the most part I make UJSM and Rum, will I be able to infuse more flavours in a single run with a thumper using dunder in the thumper as opposed to a spirits run diluted with dunder or would I notice any difference at all.
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
regards
Er70S-2
trthskr4
Distiller
Posts: 1324
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: South

Re: Thumper or Not

Post by trthskr4 »

Run a thumper if you like, it's gotta be neat. Run it with wash in the thumper. The thumper is a parasite off the still, the one advantage I can think of is only doing one run but getting two in essence.
15 gallon pot still, 2"x18" column with liebeg condensor on propane.
Modified Charles 803 w/ 50gal boiler, never ran so far.
Hack
retired
Posts: 904
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:45 pm

Re: Thumper or Not

Post by Hack »

I use a thumper and I'd like to think I'm getting every bit as good of hooch as I would from doing stripping runs and spirit runs. It took some refining of my thumper to get there though.

The biggest advantage is being able to get the final product in one pass. Also if I saved up enough low wines to do a spirit run I'd end up with way more hooch than I need.

I'm sure if you take the time to refine your process you can get spirits you like from a rig with a thumper.
ER70S-2
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: Great White North

Re: Thumper or Not

Post by ER70S-2 »

Thanks Hack and Truthskr, I think I may work on building one of those self filling ones like you have there Hack, great id ea. I think i'll cut a keg in half and weld a flat plate across the bottom to make the thumper.
Looks like it takes a bit of practice to get good at running it, thanks for the input.
Regards
ER70s-2
evilpsych
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:47 pm

Re: Thumper or Not

Post by evilpsych »

ER70S-2 wrote:I think i'll cut a keg in half and weld a flat plate across the bottom to make the thumper.
ER70s-2
or you could just find a short pony keg.
I just realized that my life is a very complicated drinking game...
ER70S-2
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: Great White North

Re: Thumper or Not

Post by ER70S-2 »

I thought about a pony keg, but I have 3 big kegs just sitting there and I'll use one half for myself and the other for my brother. I was thinking the flat bottom might be nicer for the thumper as well and I have half a sheet of 316ss I can use for the bottoms.
May as well use what I already have.
Er70s-2
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