Large boiler

In our view 30 gallons and under is considered hobby size. Do not bring anything larger than this to our site.

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jonnys_spirit
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Large boiler

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Hi! I am starting to research larger boilers just so I can do a single stripping run instead of multiple strips then charge my smaller boiler for the spirit run. Ultimately would like to spend less time on a batch and make life easier with appropriate heater/fill/drain/cleaning/column ports.

So, with the 30 gallon hobby limitation are we talking 30 gallon max capacity or 30 gallon use-able capacity (with some headroom for foaming / etc).

I may just be whacked enough to get a mig welder and install the various ports myself if I can source the right boiler or maybe I bring it to a local welder...

Any recommendations are appreciated.

Cheers,
j
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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Re: Large boiler

Post by acfixer69 »

Rule 10. 30 gallons and under.
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HDNB
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Re: Large boiler

Post by HDNB »

30 gallon is the max size that is discussed.

really, 30 gallons of wash will net 6 gallons of low wines, prolly close to 3 gallons of finished spirit. thas a lotta booze.

5 strips in a 30 with a 30 gallon spirit run and you're gonna be able to fill a 15 gallon with barrel proof in one shot pretty much.

i mean you can do whatever you want, it's just what you can discuss about it here. I'd also say that there is a diminishing return on the size/work ratio. I have been to many craft distilleries running 50-350 gallon kettles and the bigger you go the bigger your problems...

can you handle disposing of 150 to 650 lbs of spent grains? do you even want to squeeze that much wort, or are you thinking fermenting and distilling on the grain? ...'cause then you gonna need pumps, waste tanks,equipment to move the weight...a nice expensive steam setup...mixers and agitators...hoses, fittings...strong back, weak mind.... :shifty:

nothing like stalling a great big ferment at 1.05 and throwing out a couple hundred in materials too. the losses at hobby size are much more palatable.
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Large boiler

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Hi and thanks for the pointers,

I stripped one 12 gallon run a couple weeks ago and two 12 gallon runs this weekend and have grain for 3 more for this batch. Right now I've got low wines from three of those 12g strips so I can plan to put the full batch new make into a barrel or into glass on oak fingers for a couple+ years. I know I'll be dipping into it over the year or three so to test and monitor... I just want to have a good amount at the end of that 3/4/5 year ageing period that the batch is not "almost gone".

I've been stripping deep down to "0" ABV which has been almost 1/3 of the wash volume. On a couple occasions I did a triple distilled where I top up w/backset as needed and increase ABV through each run - wash, low wines, high wines, new make.

Squeezing and racking the 24 gallons wort wasn't bad at all. Had it squeezed racked and clearing within about 1h and the total grain on that was closer to 50# which I compost easily. I currently use 3x 20 gallon brutes for primary ferment so a stalled ferment is no huge loss and if I was unable to restart it I'd still run it...

Not really interested in running 30g of low wines! I have a 13g boiler that is perfect size for about a 10 gallon spirit run off one 30g strip. A dedicated 30g strip boiler would be quite convenient and I guess I'll eventually be needing that flute too.

Not really interested in excessive capacity rather spending less time running the batch and enough capacity for significant ageing.

Cheers and thanks!
-j
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: Large boiler

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

jonnys_spirit wrote:Hi and thanks for the pointers,

I stripped one 12 gallon run a couple weeks ago and two 12 gallon runs this weekend and have grain for 3 more for this batch. Right now I've got low wines from three of those 12g strips so I can plan to put the full batch new make into a barrel or into glass on oak fingers for a couple+ years. I know I'll be dipping into it over the year or three so to test and monitor... I just want to have a good amount at the end of that 3/4/5 year ageing period that the batch is not "almost gone".

I've been stripping deep down to "0" ABV which has been almost 1/3 of the wash volume. On a couple occasions I did a triple distilled where I top up w/backset as needed and increase ABV through each run - wash, low wines, high wines, new make.

Squeezing and racking the 24 gallons wort wasn't bad at all. Had it squeezed racked and clearing within about 1h and the total grain on that was closer to 50# which I compost easily. I currently use 3x 20 gallon brutes for primary ferment so a stalled ferment is no huge loss and if I was unable to restart it I'd still run it...

Not really interested in running 30g of low wines! I have a 13g boiler that is perfect size for about a 10 gallon spirit run off one 30g strip. A dedicated 30g strip boiler would be quite convenient and I guess I'll eventually be needing that flute too.

Not really interested in excessive capacity rather spending less time running the batch and enough capacity for significant ageing.

Cheers and thanks!
-j
I personally use a 55 gal SS drum to mash in, ferment in and then transfer the clear beer to a 30 gal dedicated stripping boiler I then convert the MFT (mash tun/fermenter/thumper) to a thumper and strip on the grain. This gives me between 7 & 8 gals of low wines to run in my 15 gal spirit boiler.

My procedure, not saying it is right for anybody else, but it works for me. I find it less work than stripping smaller batches, not to mention not having to squeeze the ferment. One of these days I'll probably have to document it.
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Re: Large boiler

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Yeah! That sounds like a nice sizing protocol for mash ferment strip spirit and I'm adding a small alembic or something about 10 liter boiler w/dedicated column / gin basket for infusions of ~40% neutral or whatever already cut.

Cheers,
j
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
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Re: Large boiler

Post by jonnys_spirit »

RedwoodHillBilly wrote: I personally use a 55 gal SS drum to mash in, ferment in and then transfer the clear beer to a 30 gal dedicated stripping boiler I then convert the MFT (mash tun/fermenter/thumper) to a thumper and strip on the grain. This gives me between 7 & 8 gals of low wines to run in my 15 gal spirit boiler.

My procedure, not saying it is right for anybody else, but it works for me. I find it less work than stripping smaller batches, not to mention not having to squeeze the ferment. One of these days I'll probably have to document it.
What does your grain bill look like in that scenario? About 35g to 40g water to 70-80# grain depending?

Thx,
johann
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: Large boiler

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

jonnys_spirit wrote:
RedwoodHillBilly wrote: I personally use a 55 gal SS drum to mash in, ferment in and then transfer the clear beer to a 30 gal dedicated stripping boiler I then convert the MFT (mash tun/fermenter/thumper) to a thumper and strip on the grain. This gives me between 7 & 8 gals of low wines to run in my 15 gal spirit boiler.

My procedure, not saying it is right for anybody else, but it works for me. I find it less work than stripping smaller batches, not to mention not having to squeeze the ferment. One of these days I'll probably have to document it.
What does your grain bill look like in that scenario? About 35g to 40g water to 70-80# grain depending?

Thx,
johann
My general bourbon is 75# corn, 12.5# 2row barley malt and 12.5# red wheat malt or rye malt depending on which kind of bourbon I'm making. All grains are ground to flour in a hammer mill. All of this in 7.5 gal backset and 40 - 42.5 gal water. Generally OG is 1.068 to 1.072 and FG is 1.000 - 1.002

I'll generally have 25 - 27 gals of clear beer to put into the stripping boiler, leaving the rest in the MFT.

Hope that helps.
RHB
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Re: Large boiler

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Thanks RHB! That does help. I was wondering what kind of headroom you had for the grain-cap and what you experienced with capacity like that.

Appreciate it and cheers,
j
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: Large boiler

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

jonnys_spirit wrote:Thanks RHB! That does help. I was wondering what kind of headroom you had for the grain-cap and what you experienced with capacity like that.

Appreciate it and cheers,
j
There is maybe 1 inch of headroom. I ferment under airlock, so I use a 2" spool into a bucket of water for an airlock. I would plug up a simple 1/2" hose. Don't ask me how I know.
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Re: Large boiler

Post by Reverend Newer »

I have the exact same issue jonnys_spirit, messing around wastes gas, setup time and pisses away the cool weather season we use to make prime swill. weuu!

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but please do a writeup on your rig sometime RedwoodHillBilly!

So you use a 30 gallon boiler and a 50 gallon thumper, I would guess you preheat the thumper? Propane? What size pipes?


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