Anyone mash in their boiler?

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TRK41
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Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by TRK41 »

Its kinda a general still question lol. But last night i was just sippin a few dunkles and was thinking about my brewing/fermenter situation and thought, can i actually mash in my boiler? It would save a metric ton of steps and would give me the opportunity to distill on the grain for whiskies, gins, and things i want to retain flavor from. I know with things like corn I would have to be temps up then mashed but straining seems like such a pain and distilling on the grain just makes so much more sense. Am i alone on this? Any feedback is welcome
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by acfixer69 »

Many here have been steam distilling in the boiler for years. The steam wand needs to be removable and removed during the fermentation. https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=92
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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Thanks acFixer69, I just went thru that whole sub forum and found a lot of good reading! I think the only few things im worried about would be fermentation and cleaning. Cant imagine something being in there for that long not smelling like all to be damned.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by BlackStrap »

Hey there TRK41. I was once challenged to cook, ferment and distill all in one vessel. It can be done! Although there are easier methods.
I have a 15 gallon steam injected boiler into a 15 gallon kettle... Cooked the corn, added barley when the temps dropped to the 15x.xx range gave it a good stir, capped it, with a blow off tube and waited. after she was done bubbling plus a couple days...gave er a good stir, stuck the steam wand down into it and fired the boiler back up...made a good drinkable corn spirit. my set up didn't scorch or turn anything nasty out... Guess I'm perplexed about the comment about something
Cant imagine something being in there for that long not smelling like all to be damned.
I didn't think it smelled all that bad after it was done fermenting...but then again my wife claims my sniffer is broken...LOL
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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BlackStrap wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:37 pm Hey there TRK41. I was once challenged to cook, ferment and distill all in one vessel. It can be done! Although there are easier methods.
I have a 15 gallon steam injected boiler into a 15 gallon kettle... Cooked the corn, added barley when the temps dropped to the 15x.xx range gave it a good stir, capped it, with a blow off tube and waited. after she was done bubbling plus a couple days...gave er a good stir, stuck the steam wand down into it and fired the boiler back up...made a good drinkable corn spirit. my set up didn't scorch or turn anything nasty out... Guess I'm perplexed about the comment about something
Cant imagine something being in there for that long not smelling like all to be damned.
I didn't think it smelled all that bad after it was done fermenting...but then again my wife claims my sniffer is broken...LOL
Thanks for that feedback Blackstrap, I guess its because ive left some grain in the kettle a few days after brewing a beer and its something fierce lol. What are the easier ways you are talking about if I may ask? Im thinking this reason because im stuck in the 15 gallon section of brewing and fermenting but my boiler is gonna be 26 gallons. So im in the friend zone with trying to do it all in one vessel or be stuck with trying to make enough "beer" in 2 back to back mashing sessions, then transfer it to the boiler, which seems like a huge headache. Doing it one a single vessel just seems to make more sense to me but im open to all other opinions.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by bluc »

I am slowly headed in same direction. I think i have tried nearly everything sieving, sqeezing, straining, draining off the top of the grain, pressing ,sparging and swearing.
Only two ways left i can see both "on the grain" steam and agitating...steam is next contender..
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by Corn Cracker »

I fermented on grain in my boiler, i did not distill on grain. I had no nasty smells or infections show up.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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Reducing your material handling is definitely a logical approach. It's why so many pro outfits ferment and distill on the grain.
At the pro scale doing it all in the same vessel would be counter productive because if you're distilling then you ain't cooking or fermenting.
But we don't have the burden of maintaining a production schedule so doing it submarine style shouldn't be an issue.

Man I think setting up a modular, rotating thumper / kettle system that allows for steam cooking, steam stripping, fermentation and distillation would be kinda the bees knees.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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bluc wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:48 am I am slowly headed in same direction. I think i have tried nearly everything sieving, sqeezing, straining, draining off the top of the grain, pressing ,sparging and swearing.
Only two ways left i can see both "on the grain" steam and agitating...steam is next contender..
An agitator is something i opted for when getting my boiler. Of all the things ive read, the jacketed boiler can do a couple things direct-fired cant, so I just thought buy once cry once and the agitator was a nice little upgrade also when thinking about mashing corn and how thick ive seen it get. Just 2 things I really wanted when i picked out a boiler.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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LWTCS wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:33 am Reducing your material handling is definitely a logical approach. It's why so many pro outfits ferment and distill on the grain.
At the pro scale doing it all in the same vessel would be counter productive because if you're distilling then you ain't cooking or fermenting.
But we don't have the burden of maintaining a production schedule so doing it submarine style shouldn't be an issue.

Man I think setting up a modular, rotating thumper / kettle system that allows for steam cooking, steam stripping, fermentation and distillation would be kinda the bees knees.
Yeah no schedule I need to keep, just want to make the best product I can without cutting corners. Honestly LWTCS, Ive read a bunch but cant grasp of how to use a thumper. Just like clearing a wash, I dont get it or if its important.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by shadylane »

TRK41 wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 7:48 am Ive read a bunch but cant grasp of how to use a thumper.
Think of a thumper as being a 2nd still.
That get's it's power from the 1st still.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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shadylane wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:35 pm
TRK41 wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 7:48 am Ive read a bunch but cant grasp of how to use a thumper.
Think of a thumper as being a 2nd still.
That get's it's power from the 1st still.
Yes .
And / Or the first vessel in the line up acts as the steam generator for steam cooking the wort in the second vessel.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by Demy »

Certainly that you can do if your conteineris suitable. Generally I like to ferment in a separate container but never filter the solids, I built the steam jacket for that ...
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by shadylane »

Here's a steam rig I built awhile back.
It's designed to mash, ferment and strip.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 92&t=59138
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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shadylane wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:05 pm Here's a steam rig I built awhile back.
It's designed to mash, ferment and strip.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 92&t=59138
Did you finish that build Shady?
How did it drive for you?
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by shadylane »

It works great for bourbon.
With minimum effort, In 4 or 5 days it will turn grain or malt into low wines.
I've loaned it out several times and it's even found it's way back home. :lol:
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by BlackStrap »

link to a Simple Steam Build... Completed and works great. (pics of my rig are posted near the end of the post)
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 92&t=60248

Not my design, but I used this as a platform for a mash, ferment and distill all in one vessel. (was a challenge someone presented) It worked although, there are better ways of doing things.

Steam will not scorch, so distilling on the grains is not an issue. Cooking with steam does wonders with difficult things to cook like corn or potatoes.

This setup can be used a pot boiler thumper combo as well... I've constructed a lid for the thumper (2nd boiler) for "shooting the thumper for added flavors in things like fruit brandies and such.

being modular a setup like this has many combinations...
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by shadylane »

Anyone mash in their boiler?

I'm kinda too far in my cups to give a proper answer.
But that never stopped me from voicing my opinion. :lol:

First, are we talking about only mashing in the boiler ?
Or mashing, fermenting and stilling ?
Or doing all the above with a single boiler and several thumpers ?
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by jonnys_spirit »

A big resounding Yes!

Cheers!
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EDIT:
But no i’ve never done that... Except in the small boiler for a yeast bomb starter.
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by squigglefunk »

yup, I have done this, I use a propane fired boiler and I can ferment and run a batch in the boiler. I didn't use steam, I just kept the still open and stirred it a bit while it heated then sealed it up.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

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shadylane wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:27 pm Anyone mash in their boiler?

I'm kinda too far in my cups to give a proper answer.
But that never stopped me from voicing my opinion. :lol:

First, are we talking about only mashing in the boiler ?
Or mashing, fermenting and stilling ?
Or doing all the above with a single boiler and several thumpers ?
Good point, im talking about mashing, fermenting, and distilling in a single boiler. I dont know why im didnt point that out in the first place, thanks Shadylane.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by Durham »

I use a grainfather to mash my grains. I transfer to a stainless steel fermenter then back to the boiler for distillation. The integral pump on the grainfather makes this all a one handed job. I could ferment in the boiler but it is so easy to pump it across to the fermenter and the fermenter is easy to clean and I run a much smaller risk of scorching the mash.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by Eric »

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Steam mash some booners and ferm-solutions enzimes, set up mash controller, plug in 3 back heaters (2 sides one bottom) and wrap in a blanket, steam strip on the grain, ill get 5 gallons low wines out of 20 +/- gallons of beer fast and easy during winter. Thank you for all who have posted wish I found this hobby 10 years ago. I have much more reading to do and a 4 foot manometer to build.
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Re: Anyone mash in their boiler?

Post by Eric »

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Used copper for ss mesh easy to clean bugger still pokes thou
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