Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

kenflow · Post by **kenflow** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:59 am

I'm rather new to distilling, and would like to know whether it is necessary to filter the grains out of the mash prior to a beer stripping run?

Post by **theholymackerel** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:50 am

No, technically you can distill on the grain if yer runnin' a rig specifically designed to do so...such as a steam rig.

If yer usin' a basic potstill, then for all practical purposes you must filter yer mash. The better a job you do of filterin' and rackin' yer mash the better the end result will be.

Keep in mind that a whiskey mash that gets scorched is ruined... you can use it for fuel, but a scorched whiskey can't be cleaned up good enough to taste good.

confederatecondenser · Mon Jun 21, 2010 4:26 am

I dip mine from the main fermenter to another container. I pour it thru a 600 micron filter on the way to get out the big stuff. Let it go undisturbed in the secondary container for 24 hrs.. It will settle and be nice and clean all but the bottom 2 inches.

Post by **ScottishBoy** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:55 am

I just do a basic rack with mine. But its usually directly from the carbouy into the pot. I leave the solids behind. Most of the time my wash is sort of cloudy. I dont worry too much about it because I use a pot that has a tri-ply bottom. If your wash is going to stick and burn, its usually because of hotspots or thin bottoms on your boiler. Both of which can result in heat being concentrated in one spot too long. You can also do it if you use a heating element inside the boiler. That will contact directly with any solids and make for a messy run. I heat up fairly slow. Takes a good 45 minutes or so for the temps to start moving on the thermometer. This is one a stovetop with a seven gallon boiler. I also use gobs of melted glass which you can get at any hobby store. Makes a great boil break ( AKA Boiling chips) other wise you end up "puking" into your cooling tubes and arms. When I used to use propane, I would occasionally have a problem if I didnt filter well and heated too fast.

One time, I got impatient and burned it and I couldnt save it for the life of me. Tasted like bitter coffee and barbecued corn and I ran it through three times thinking I could save it. No go.

Post by **WalkingWolf** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:33 am

ScottishBoy wrote:This is one a stovetop with a seven gallon boiler.

SB,
What still design are you using on this setup? I'm currently running a pot unit and would like to build a column for my stovetop.

WW

Post by **ScottishBoy** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:26 am

Its a modular unit. It can do tall reflux, mild potstilling, air cooled stilling and strip runs. I designed it so it would be very easy to change around.The Reflux is a boca and I use the boca with no tower extesnsion for fast stripping. The air still is a coil and towerpiece. I use the tower extension because of the small amount of return it does. I also designed an inline thumper, just havent gotten around to building it yet.

Post by **LWTCS** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:53 pm

ScottishBoy wrote:I also designed an inline thumper

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:56 pm

"filtering" is probably going to be way more trouble than its worth.

Waiting till things settle on their own or using some fining agents is better than filtering.

Like others said, if you have a rig that you can run with solids in there then yeah, go for it. I did a lot of that... One run with everything in it, then one more run low and slow to bring those big flavored low wines up to high proof... I made some amazingly good stuff that way...

kenflow · Post by **kenflow** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:24 am

Anyone have a good design for a steam rig? If not steam, how about putting the pot in a water bath, and heating the water. Would that provide enough protection from the flame to distill unfiltered mash?

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:20 am

a water bath will eliminate all scorching and burning problems. I tried many versions until I settled on a big pot that holds the keg. I fill the gap between the keg and top of the pot with a piece of armaflex wrapped in heavy aluminum foil. This keeps the steam in, eliminating the problem of boiling off the water. It also exposes the sides of the keg that are inside the big pot to the steam. That is important because steam is more efficient at transferring heat to the keg...

Use lots of insulation to minimize energy losses... This method does take longer... but the results often speak for themselves.

good luck...

confederatecondenser · Sat Jul 03, 2010 8:38 am

ScottishBoy wrote:I just do a basic rack with mine. But its usually directly from the carbouy into the pot. I leave the solids behind. Most of the time my wash is sort of cloudy. I dont worry too much about it because I use a pot that has a tri-ply bottom. If your wash is going to stick and burn, its usually because of hotspots or thin bottoms on your boiler. Both of which can result in heat being concentrated in one spot too long. You can also do it if you use a heating element inside the boiler. That will contact directly with any solids and make for a messy run. I heat up fairly slow. Takes a good 45 minutes or so for the temps to start moving on the thermometer. This is one a stovetop with a seven gallon boiler. I also use gobs of melted glass which you can get at any hobby store. Makes a great boil break ( AKA Boiling chips) other wise you end up "puking" into your cooling tubes and arms. When I used to use propane, I would occasionally have a problem if I didnt filter well and heated too fast.

One time, I got impatient and burned it and I couldnt save it for the life of me. Tasted like bitter coffee and barbecued corn and I ran it through three times thinking I could save it. No go.

I heat with gas and take it slow. I also put a round steel plate under my boiler. The plate is about 3/8" thick and does a good job of dispersing the heat evenly.

Post by **Bushman** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:08 pm

On the subject of Filtering I have a couple of questions. My last run was not quite to par with my others (off smell and taste). I have been reading up of racking and wondering when to rack and if necessary. I am doing a basic sugar wash that I use in my VM still. When I think it is done fermenting I have given it an extra day to settle then I syphon it with a hose into another bucket and transport it to my boiler (keg). I have read a few strands on HD about using a racking cane, I also read in a wine making section at another site to rack several times during the fermentation. Since I am making spirits is this necessary? I am not wanting to add extra agents to clear the fermentation, also my neutral has come out very clear and is between 92-96% so I think that part of the process is working fine.

Post by **Dnderhead** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:33 pm

you can just let it settle rack into still. if your going to let it sit for several weeks then rack into a carboy/water bottle.
the several rackins with wine is to remove from trub then to git it as clear as possible.this is not necessary.

Home Distiller

Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.

Re: Filtering the mash prior to distillation.