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Pillow case is too dense a strainer bag.
But nylon window screen is perfect.

Efficiency level: Great!
'What was I waiting for?' level: D'oH!

Another brilliant idea courtesy of HD. What took me so long to get one of these??

Legend Still Life

I use paint strainer bags in my mop wringer .

i got some nylon bags from the HBS. dunno what they use 'em for making wine, but they work damn nice for m,akin' whiskey with a wringer.

I'm sitting here, staring at some finished fermenters and thinking about the siphoning and straining of grains to come. :-(

I think I need to look into getting one of these. That, and also look at making more storage space for all my stillin equipment. .

OtisT wrote:I'm sitting here, staring at some finished fermenters and thinking about the siphoning and straining of grains to come. :-(
I think I need to look into getting one of these. That, and also look at making more storage space for all my stillin equipment. .

I'm telling you, Otis. Life changer.
I dreaded the grain strain before this.

Yes, I dreaded them too. Of both grain and fruit.
I found a way around them by filtering, then diluting the filtered mass with water and filtering again. Hoping/assuming that would collect the alcohol and taste from the sediment.
Now that I have a thumper I put the sediment in it.

I know this device from our working, but doubt if it really does make the solids dry.
Nice idea, though!

Is that a 35 quart model? The smaller ones are dirt cheap.

yes, it's the 35-quart.

Don't forget! The best size is the one that is the size of your fermenter!

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:Don't forget! The best size is the one that is the size of your fermenter!

Cool. Time for a larger fermenter then. Been waiting for an excuse.

I get the most efficiency by doing 3+/- quarts at a time in the strainer bag . Twist the top closed , squeeze , flip 90 degrees , squeeze , flip one last time . 30 gallons of mash take me about 35 minutes .

Good idea still life.. Will this work for pressing fruit?

Still Life wrote: I'm telling you, Otis. Life changer.

Let The Change Begin!

(I hear the theme music to 2001 A Space Odyssey in my head)

Soon some of these ...... will be going through this.

I should've gone into marketing.

Welcome to the club, Otis!

Old Town. It mushes up pretty good, but has a gap when fully "closed", unlike a fruit press.

I love mine. Have even used it to squeeze alcohol out of fruit after a maceration.

Success!

12 minutes from this..... to this.... My grains were much drier after the squeeze and my yield for two ferment buckets went up by about 3 to 4 liters.

When you get to 50 gallon plus ferments you will either get a wine press or build a steam injection rig. Mop ringer lasted 2 weeks for me lol.

Take heart . I been using the mop wringer on 30 gallon ferments since December and am happy with it .
I got the material and hydraulic cylinder on hand to build a large press and see no need to . I'm getting small volume grains drier than I could if I dumped 5 gallons of grains in a 20 ton hydraulic press .
45 minutes of mop bucket vs fabricating that big press for less efficient results .

Is this okay to use on all grains? Corn, rye, barley ect? and can it be used to squeeze grains before fermentation and/or after? I have been hand squeezing a BIAB after mashing and before fermentation. Just wanted to see if it causes any negative change in flavor it fermentation if it was done before fermentation vs fermenting on the grain and squeezing after fermentation and before going into the boiler.

METALHEAD81 wrote: ↑Sat May 15, 2021 10:28 am Is this okay to use on all grains? Corn, rye, barley ect? and can it be used to squeeze grains before fermentation and/or after? I have been hand squeezing a BIAB after mashing and before fermentation. Just wanted to see if it causes any negative change in flavor it fermentation if it was done before fermentation vs fermenting on the grain and squeezing after fermentation and before going into the boiler.

It'll just be sticky as all hell. Just ferment on grain, and squeeze after. It'll make cleaning up afterwards much easier.

One of these is going to be my next purchase. Makes it look so easy, and reducing how long I squeeze grains will mean more time make the next batch or more time drinkin'

METALHEAD81 wrote: ↑Sat May 15, 2021 10:28 am Is this okay to use on all grains? Corn, rye, barley ect? and can it be used to squeeze grains before fermentation and/or after? I have been hand squeezing a BIAB after mashing and before fermentation. Just wanted to see if it causes any negative change in flavor it fermentation if it was done before fermentation vs fermenting on the grain and squeezing after fermentation and before going into the boiler.

It can be done ahead of fermentation, however it's less efficient that way. Starches will continue to be converted and fermented (although slowly) throughout the process whereas when squeezed, all that stops. Plus the yeast will do a very effective job of scrubbing all the sugar out of the grains, which would otherwise get left behind. Also it would be a sticky nightmare.

Unless you have the skills/equipment to lauter your mash you're better off fermenting on the grain.