Tupper Lake Distillery

Wow, that's embarrassing...how did I not see that the first time? I really like that idea, if your fermenter was 45 gal instead of a 20L pail, it would work exact same, and after draining the liquid just upend the drum (using a fixture) to dump the grain into a wheelbarrow....hmmm, the wheels are turning now.

Iskiebae, so to be clear (no pun intended) you are vorlaufing your liquid until a good bed is formed and then draining through the original drain in the fermenter? The purpose of your drop in grain filter is to make a good bed in the grain that is quick flowing and doesn't plug? That's interesting too......

Van, any updates? Curious to see how you're making out. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one checking back on this thread every few days/week!

REALLY? That's the first time I've ever heard that. I've shied away from columns thinking a pot still will give more flavor. Can anyone else concur? Am I the only one to not know this? LOL.

http://www.racelabel.com/rltc-sp/ This one has a spring plate so you can do oval (or square, etc) bottles. Haven't used it so I can't comment on it, but others who have speak highly of them.

Can I ask why no Chinese bottles? Are they inferior or is it people just want "made in USA" instead? I'm going with a company in Montreal, but just curious as to why people are specifically pointing out china.

Wow, thanks for the links. I'll show the farmer (or any other farmers I come across) and I certainly won't have any issue getting rid of it! It's always nice to have documented proof.

Heat exchanger eh, so do you pump the mash water through it or do you submerge it in the mashing water in the tun? Do you have a picture possibly? Very interesting indeed. I take the mash water to 155* and add corn then run the agitator until it's broke down, adding heat when necessary to keep it at 150-155*. Then I add enzymes and continue agitating for a bit and letting cool. Then wrap in blankets and let it slowly come down to pitching temp. (usually the next day, 12hr's or so later) But if I understand you correctly, your taking it up to 200 and shutting off the heat, adding grain etc and doing your mashing as the temp drops. If your getting 11% it's obviously working. (you must be higher than 2lb's per gal to get that right? I'm getting complete conversion according to my iodine tests but at 8-9%) Now I'm tempted to try 200*, I've never gone higher than 155* as the saccharification temp for corn is 145*-170*....crap... I'm realizing as I write this I've mistaken saccharification temps for gelatinization temps. Now I understand why I've seen others post they go to 200*. Huh, go to bed tonight a little less stupid! So, if you're using a screen to get the liquid out, how do you get the spent grains out of your mash tun?

Quote from Skaalvenn "Remember, you will rarely wish you bought the lesser quality product, but may end up wishing you spent a couple more bucks to get what you want." Sounds like words to live by!

If I dewater it I'm thinking it should cool pretty quickly, regardless it wouldn't be instant delivery anyway. How much can you give cows/pigs/etc? Just curious as if I drop off 200lb's of grain all at once will they eat until they hurt themselves or will they eat till full and stop? Not that it's what I should be concerning myself with at this point but just curious. Wondering if I should just get a couple pigs....besides the kids I mean....

James, excellent points! 45 gal drums and clamp on lid...yeah, your dead on. My problem is I'll spend a day making something (because I can) that only cost $10.00 to buy. Then as you say I look back and go "what was I thinking?" I'm cheap FRUGAL, but sometimes it clouds my judgement. Mash/ferment and distill on the grain and then dump through a slurry trough/plastic barrels etc with decreasing dia holes to dewater then into a tote or open top container that can be dumped at the farm. I'm trying to use gravity so pumps/etc won't be required. I'll have the set up on the second floor of the building (if I get the property I'm bidding on) so pump water up and forklift the grain up then everything flows downward. Of course seeing a car crusher working, my thoughts are, "what if..."

Corn, barley and rye. I've seen commercial separators and that's out of my price range. No, after seeing the feedback on here and doing more research I think I'll go the extra bit and distill on the grain too. Haven't talked to the farmer but if he will accept it wet I'll just put it in a tote. If he won't I'll find another farmer LOL! I could drain it into some sort of sieve or series of plastic barrels with smaller and smaller holes maybe. I have time to keep thinking/planning. Being a one man set up, it can't be too labour intensive, dump and let it do it's thing. Too many other things to be doing. As far as mashing with direct flame, that was my intention but I'm not set in stone now, I'll see what the still manufacturer recommends. Steam injection could be done economically but I don't have any experience. Not sure whether I'd have to keep moving the wand or would the wand be fixed permanently inside, etc.

Looks like the simplest way isn't the cheapest way. Mash/ferment and distill in one vessel and flush it out at the end, I think while expensive would be a better step then trying to nickel and dime it like I was thinking. Local farmer selling off a lot of SS dairy equipment I was going to re-purpose (pasturizing tank, lines, valves,etc) but getting the grain out of the tank (or even 45gal ss drums) is a step in the wrong direction. Time to re-jig the business plan again.

Good point, I've thought of that and am moving this spring/summer to a farm property with acreage for that (and other) reasons. Another micro around here takes their spent grains to the town dump/composting spot with the towns approval. It is looking like the simplest answer though is to ferment and distill on the grain and then dump it all at the end. Which makes me think perhaps outside the box, but, SS 45 gal drums to mash in, then ferment in the drum and then clamp on a top with an agitator and potstill head. Have several SS drum going in succession, as each one is ready, run it off. Propane heat and the drums on their own rolling chassis.....hmm, rethinking the whole set up now. I can make everything myself but in one way I'm thinking it wouldn't have "the look" once I opened. You know, everyone wants to see the shiny stuff. Functionally it would probably work but marketing/looks has a huge effect on sales obviously. Wow, that's switching everything from my original plans. Thanks again.

Thanks for the quick reply! This will be a limited budget start up (yeah, right) so I could get a still with an agitator I suppose, can't afford a steam system/jacketed system though. Distilling on the grain would really solve a couple issues but raises others. I'm starting at how much end product I want and am working backwards to see if this is feasible. I'm 4 years to retirement so want to start doing small batches and barreling it (and paying permits and bond etc) then when I retire I can open the storefront and start selling the 3 year old whisky. I know the norm is to jump in with both feet and sell vodka because you "need" instant income, but I have no interest in selling anything other than whisky. Volume will be really small, enough to pay bonds and permits etc and have a little bit of profit. Both the wife and I will have income as it's getting off it's feet. (which will be filling a small barrel a week).