whiskeytango

On 9/20/2023 at 5:47 AM, Georgeous said:

so was the mash successful in the end? 

It was.  We might have a little better conversion after we added the bottom arm but it all make whiskey. 

What region was your order from?  I had good luck with the juniper coming out of Albania. 

We removed our false bottom and would get a nice pile of grain in the center around the rake shaft since the rake is about 7 inches up from the bottom of the mash ton. We just made a cross bar that bolts on that rider an inch or so ups from the bottom and added that below the original rake.  Works great now 

31 minutes ago, Golden Beaver Distillery said:

Shouldn't the valve be at the output of the final condenser? 

I run all mine at the input but Im not totally sure that on the output wouldn't do the same thing.  

My temp stays pretty consistent.  Do you have the bypass valve closed?  In the end of the day its all about how your still is running and not what temp its at. How is your still running? 

1 minute ago, Pofarmer said:

That's gonna stick to everything, like, really bad. Processing equipment, transfer equipment, everything. Anything above around 20% moisture is a problem. Most dried grain is 15% or lower. It will stick to rollers and hammer mills and plug screens. It will stick in down spouts and augers and cake conveyors. What's the issue you're trying to "solve" other than dust?

There is a system out there where you would just transfer the mash thought a grinder/blade of some sort as a liquid.  So it's more of a giant in line immersion blender situation than just a damp grain (iv done damp grain and you are 100% correct it sucks).  I just cant find where it was being talked about.  

5 hours ago, Pofarmer said:

I think when you price out trying to do this, a modest dust control system is going to look really cheap.

 

Yeah if it was only dust for sure.  Liking to mill slightly moist (not kiln dried) grain 

59 minutes ago, PeteB said:

I use a butchers meat grinder (mincer) for wet milling.

I malt some of my rye and while it is still wet it runs through the mincer really well.

I have soaked un-malted barley in water for a short time and that also works.

I haven't tried corn.

The plate on the front of the mincer needs to have the correct size holes, too small and it blocls, too large and some whole grains get through.

Looking to do batches of 2000 lb.  How big is the meat grinder?

I remember reading on here a long time ago about people who would wet mill to help cut down on milling dust and possible dust relate explosions.  I seem to think there was a couple ways people where doing it.

1 basally just have a huge immersion blender in their mash tank 

2 there was some sort of in line milling.  Where the grain would be in liquid suspension and pushed through hoses and milled during transfer 

Anyone know what these are called or where I can fine one? 

Going larger would also lower your volume to surface area so it might be bigger but it might not cool as well as forcing it through a smaller tube. 

How many pounds of grain are you running through per run?

Hand sanitizer business is booming!

On 5/31/2023 at 1:43 PM, Bier Distillery said:

Where are you finding Ravi zest for $14/1.1 lb?  That seems pretty cheap to me considering what a PITA zest is.

A quick Google search was about 2x that price.

Ok I’m a big fat liar.   I actually pay $17.50. Just bought a bunch today. 
 

4 hours ago, Jake Lipscomb said:

I was in distillation equipment sales for over a decade and now I am helping distilleries with all aspects of their shipping needs.  I joined Sims Global Solutions about 7 months ago and can assist you with anything from small packages up to oversize tanks/equipment.... I can be your one stop for it all.  My years in this industry and knowing the needs of distillers makes working together a more enjoyable experience.  I know the difficulties that can occur managing this aspect of business and will help direct you on how best to make all shipments safe and handled with care. Let's partner up and set your mind at ease with any transportation needs!  My direct email is jlipscomb@simsglobalsolutions.com and my cell is 417-848-2113.  

Cheers!

Jake

 

I tried emailing and it won’t go through send me a pm.  
 

8 minutes ago, Pofarmer said:

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of you could take a "Light Whiskey" but something not distilled all the way to 190  proof. I'm playing with a Grain Sorghum Mash I think would make an interesting Gin.

I would say yes.   I dont think your base has to be 190 proof.  

5 hours ago, Pofarmer said:

Is there any necessity that the base spirit for Gin be a "Neutral"?  The way I read it, it can be basically anything "distilled from a base of grains."  It doesn't say anything about proof.  I figure somebody here will know.

 

Thanks!!

§ 5.144 Gin.

(a) The class gin. “Gin” is distilled spirits made by original distillation from mash, or by redistillation of distilled spirits, or by mixing neutral spirits, with or over juniper berries and, optionally, with or over other aromatics, or with or over extracts derived from infusions, percolations, or maceration of such materials, and includes mixtures of gin and neutral spirits. It must derive its main characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less than 40 percent alcohol by volume (80° proof). Gin may be aged in oak containers.

(b) Distilled gin. Gin made exclusively by original distillation or by redistillation may be further designated as “distilled,” “Dry,” “London,” “Old Tom” or some combination of these four terms.

Where does it say it must be from

a base is grains ?

23 minutes ago, Bier Distillery said:

Where are you finding Ravi zest for $14/1.1 lb?  That seems pretty cheap to me considering what a PITA zest is.

A quick Google search was about 2x that price.

Contact your local food specialty store. Retail isn’t the way to go.  Can’t really tell you what they will charge only what I’m paining.  But it’s probably less than retail

Just now, Pollyanna Ed said:

Once peeled, the weight is 24 lbs.

Thats a bunch.   I know the Ravi comes in 1.1 lb bricks and it cost us about $14 per so yeah that gets speedy but its not burnt man hours and its always consistent 

1 hour ago, Pollyanna Ed said:

I've tried Ravifruit but it's quite expensive. I'm hoping to find a more affordable option. Currently, it takes one person about 5 hours to peel enough citrus for one batch (25 gallons). If I double the batch size I'm not sure I will have enough labor available. 

How much do you use in one batch?   

Ravifruit has a fresh frozen zest option 

Yeah no added O2 here.   I have a pipe that is clamped down a bit on one end that I shoot the mash through.   Mostly so it cools more by getting a thinner stream on the inside of the glycol jacket when pumping into the fermenter.  I guess it would also add quite a bit of O2 to the mash as well.  

20 hours ago, Golden Beaver Distillery said:

Water is the best way to transfer heat - more efficient than Glycol. 

As a blanket statement yes I agree.  But at what temp does this change.   IE. if in the summer my ground water is 70 degrees vs the 24 degree glycol?  

2 hours ago, Golden Beaver Distillery said:

We use water and can drop 400 gallons of mash from 190° to pitch in about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 

Dam not sure what im doing wrong but it takes me a hell of a lot longer and from a lower temp.  And we are using 20 degree glycol

You know that all those rye's on the shelf come from the same place! 

$1700 per barrel for 7 year old whiskey?