zach wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:48 am
There is no substitute for power and size. I started with a 5 gallon stockpot using Rad's apartment LM design on a 1.8 kw hot plate.
It's been 3 years since I've run that rig. I opted to move outside with a 100 kBtu/Hr propane burner next to the swimming pool.
Now with a 15 gallon keg boiler and a 23 gallon milk can thumper, I can strip 28 gallons in 2 hours after set up, with clear in the keg and slop in the thumper.
I've thought about using an oak wine barrel for a thumper / fermenter. It is possible to install manways and tri clamp fittings on oak barrels.
oakbarrel.jpg
I've been thinking of doing a left-over barrel fermenter as well!
I dont see the point in spending the money on a manway and all that for an oak barrel fermenter. Just put a sheet over it.
I think a wooden barrel would be a great open air rum fermenter.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
zach wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:48 am
There is no substitute for power and size. I started with a 5 gallon stockpot using Rad's apartment LM design on a 1.8 kw hot plate.
It's been 3 years since I've run that rig. I opted to move outside with a 100 kBtu/Hr propane burner next to the swimming pool.
Now with a 15 gallon keg boiler and a 23 gallon milk can thumper, I can strip 28 gallons in 2 hours after set up, with clear in the keg and slop in the thumper.
I've thought about using an oak wine barrel for a thumper / fermenter. It is possible to install manways and tri clamp fittings on oak barrels.
oakbarrel.jpg
I've been thinking of doing a left-over barrel fermenter as well!
I dont see the point in spending the money on a manway and all that for an oak barrel fermenter. Just put a sheet over it.
I think a wooden barrel would be a great open air rum fermenter.
You’re probably right Deplorable . But I think the notion was to ferment and steam strip in the wooden barrel
Mind you , you’ve got me thinking about the Rum fermenter idea though , heck even the Scots use wooden vats for fermenters .
You're right, Yummyrum he did want to steam in it.
I'd love to ferment in one, but I'm not sure how mashing corn in one would work.
I wish molasses was as cheap and readily available here in the PNW as it is down under.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
I too started with a small boiler/still. Now I have several, four to be exact. I have copper 2.5-gallon alembic still, 3-gallon stainless boiler, a 13-gallon boiler, and a 26-gallon boiler.
I started with the copper 2.5-gallon alembic, then upgraded to the 13-gallon with a 3-gallon thumper. After a few years of using the 13-gallon, I upgraded to a 26-gallon boiler. I am so happy I did. I still use the 13-gallon boiler for some spirt runs and sometimes as a thumper for the 26. As for the 2.5-gallon, I have not used it for many years. The 3-gallon, I use maybe once a year at best when I want to make some gin.
I love the 26-gallon. With the 26-gallon, I make 45 to 50 gallon ferments (55-gallon food grade barrels), and sometimes up to 90 to 100 gallon ferments (two 55-gallon food grade barrels). With the 26-gallon boiler, I can and have stripped all 90 to 100 gallons of ferment in a long day. It generally takes me a little over two hours per strip, which is approx. the same amount of time it would take me when using the 13-gallon boiler.
So, if you have the space and the ability to go big, I say do it.
Are small stills worth the effort?
Absolutely, you can learn more from multiple small runs than you can from a single big one.
1 to 3 gallon pot would be usable, easy to hide and small enough a prosecuting attorney wouldn't dare bring before a judge.
From a practical perspective a 3 to 5 gallon stove top still would be good.
I prefer something that's in the 10 to 20 gallon range to keep ahead of my kinfolks consumption.
I'm fortunate enough to have a range of sizes. A strip from the largest can be spirit run in the mid-sized one. A strip from the middle one can be spirit run in the smallest. Very handy when you are offered a smallish quantity of an uncommon or expensive fruit.
Because it has a preheater, the largest can punch well above its weight and processing one large ferment on a weekend can easily produce ample bulk spirit for use in the smaller stills for a year or so.
Edit:
Interesting, i can see a use for that. It's a little over my head right now. I'll have to file that under "Future Projects" along with "Steam Stripping"
I have a 5 gal pot still ... Yup, it's small but most of my friends don't drink hard liquor. The ones that do drink, it's usually just beer ... so what I make is pretty much just for me.
So, a 5 gal capacity pot certainly fills my needs.
Last edited by Turbo6ta on Sun Mar 30, 2025 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
I started on a 13 gallon vevor and then got a 10 gallon copper beauty. 10 gallon is a bottleneck in my operation so I’m upgrading. Live and learn, but there’s no replacement for displacement imo.
zach wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:48 am
I've thought about using an oak wine barrel for a thumper / fermenter. It is possible to install manways and tri clamp fittings on oak barrels.
oakbarrel.jpg
Dude, do you have a link this?
Problem with wooden thumpers is they need to be dedicated to one spirit. They hold on to flavor. But then that too could be a good thing.
zach wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:48 am
There is no substitute for power and size. I started with a 5 gallon stockpot using Rad's apartment LM design on a 1.8 kw hot plate.
It's been 3 years since I've run that rig. I opted to move outside with a 100 kBtu/Hr propane burner next to the swimming pool.
Now with a 15 gallon keg boiler and a 23 gallon milk can thumper, I can strip 28 gallons in 2 hours after set up, with clear in the keg and slop in the thumper.
I've thought about using an oak wine barrel for a thumper / fermenter. It is possible to install manways and tri clamp fittings on oak barrels.
oakbarrel.jpg
I've been thinking of doing a left-over barrel fermenter as well!
I dont see the point in spending the money on a manway and all that for an oak barrel fermenter. Just put a sheet over it.
I think a wooden barrel would be a great open air rum fermenter.
What had in mind was an open top fermenter, outfitted with a large drain to accommodate bourbon mashes. no manway
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g jacketed 4" stripping still
12,000watts of fury
NZChris wrote: ↑Sat Mar 29, 2025 4:09 pm
I'm fortunate enough to have a range of sizes. A strip from the largest can be spirit run in the mid-sized one. A strip from the middle one can be spirit run in the smallest. Very handy when you are offered a smallish quantity of an uncommon or expensive fruit.
Because it has a preheater, the largest can punch well above its weight and processing one large ferment on a weekend can easily produce ample bulk spirit for use in the smaller stills for a year or so.
Excellent point on a small boiler size! I was gifted about 8 gallons leftover wine from a bottling. If I had a similar sized still I could of had more options for it. ended up running through a column.
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g jacketed 4" stripping still
12,000watts of fury
If someone offers you a boiler above a quarter of the size of your current pot, gratefully accept their offer. I don't use my middle still very often, but it doesn't take up much room on the shelf. Designed well, you can use an existing condenser or reflux column, think Lego and use the same connections where possible.
