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Help with the setup


rickthenewb

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Hi guys, I have posted a few times and I can not thank you enough for all the feed back.  I have also had the pleasure of talking to a lot of craft distillers out there and you all have been nothing but helpful.

So after having some ideas about still size and type and going over prior setups and just reading and experimenting a lot I decided to change a lot of things and as always I want to run it by some of you guys for some feedback and words of advice.

I am looking at a 250 gallon direct fire Alembic still with 1 thumper and a lentil, I like them a lot, they look beautiful and I have always done direct fire anyway so why change now if I am comfortable.  I am going with (2) 1000L comipak fermenters.  I am going for a 600 gallon mash tun and I plan on feeding it with a commercial tank less water heater rated at 185F.

Here is a quick question, I am trying to calculate the correct size for a mash tun because of all the grain, I think a 600 gallon would be enough as I use 2lb/gal

As far as separating grain, I always did it by hand after the mash but this would be silly with such a large volume so what is a good way to separate after the mash and transport to the fermenter. I have been looking at screener separators but was curious to see if a false bottom would be good enough.

I plan on using the Yamada NDP-20BSE-FDA for transfering between the mash-fermenter-still

I will also be using this pump for circulation in the still during operation

Does anyone know a good high alcohol explosion proof pump? Oh and I as I have been reading about the amount of measuring you have to do I have been talking to Fred over at Prime USA scales, my question is how many do you wish you had.

I just want to say thank you again in advance.

Also, I plan on making vodka, gin, whiskey and brandy (eventually)

 

 

 

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Rick,

Best of luck with your project! If you havent found your pump yet, I have a Yamada NDP-20BSH-FDA that im going to be looking to get rid of.

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Hi rick,

 

What grains will you be mashing?  Are you sure that your fire marshal will allow you to have a direct fire still?  Since the fire at  twister distillery in  OK, and the fire and  explosion at the distillery in Hardin KY, most states and municipalities do not allow propane or gas fired stills.

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If you are going to distill mashes with grain bills that are mostly corn, purchasing a direct fired still is not the best option.  If you will be using the cook method to convert the starch in the corn to sugar then your best option is to distill on the grain.  Separating the liquid from the solids in cooked corn mashes is a time consuming and or expensive proposition and depending on how it is done you can lose up to 30% of your ethanol.   Also if the cooked corn method is used you will need a jacketed mash cooker.  I have jacketed baine marie stills that are priced very reasonably.  They are fired by an electric heating system that will pass inspection anywhere in the US and Canada.  We also have jacketed Mash Tuns with crash cooling capabilities and we have combination mash tun still units.  Our stills have defuser plate assemblies that give you more copper vapor interaction than an all copper still.  Call 417-778-6100 or  Email paul@distillery-equipment.com http://distillery-equipment.com 

http://moonshine-stills.co

 

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