Wet Milling

[whiskeytango]

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? 

 

 

[jeffw]

The immersion blender (high shear mixer) approach was at Headframe Spirits.  The same company that sold that equipment suggested a high shear pump that could grind things, but I had little faith that it would handle corn (the pump specifically).  The sales guy at the company said a company was using the pump to do cashew milk but had to let the cashews presoak for a few days, which I took as a total non-starter.

 

Here is some super old contact info for a quote I got:

LARRY MILLER

SCOTT TURBON MIXER

9351 INDUSTRIAL WY

ADELANTO,CA 92301

760-246-3430 OFFICE

760-246-3505 FAX

760-701-0046 CELL

[PeteB]

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.

[whiskeytango]

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?

 

 

[PeteB]

Mine has a 4 inch bore and a 3 phase motor, it might be a bit slow for that much.

I would think there are bigger mincers out there. 

[Pofarmer]

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

 

[whiskeytango]

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 

 

 

[Pofarmer]

On 8/30/2023 at 7:14 PM, whiskeytango said:

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

 

 

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?

[whiskeytango]

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.  

[JustAndy]

https://issuu.com/artisanspiritmag/docs/artisanspirit_issue011_web/24

7 hours ago, whiskeytango said:

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.  

 

[Pofarmer]

On 9/1/2023 at 4:44 PM, JustAndy said:

https://issuu.com/artisanspiritmag/docs/artisanspirit_issue011_web/24

 

Their example is a 30,000 lb grain order. Many"small" distilleries I'm around don't do 30,000 lbs a year, let alone an order.   And even then, the "payback" is 12.5 orders. That's a pretty long payback for a "small" distillery.