Potato Processor

[MattBeamer]

I'm looking for equipment to process potatoes for vodka. Is there specific equipment I should be looking for? I'm thinking of a hammer mill for wet applications or a processor? Any Suggestions? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Matt Beamer

Sagaponack Farm Distillery

Sagaponack, New York

[Artisan Still Design]

I haven't done any potato processing equipment as yet, but you'll want to cook them first before breaking them down. steam without the addition of any more water is your best bet, as there is dvery little starch and a lot of water in potatoes already.

I visited a Shochu distillery in Hawaii where he steam cooked sweet potatoes on a palate, then ran then through a grinder. he was using Koji, but in your case Liquid enzymes would be best.

[Natrat]

I've seen it done both ways...broken down before cooking, or broken down after cooking.

The system I saw that broke down the potatoes first used a Voran shredding machine with a washer and elevator. They shredded the potatoes and added them to a vat where they steamed them until they broke down, then they were transferred to an agitated kettle where enzymes were added to liquefy and convert the starch. The guy from the plant told us that they used to cook the shreds in water to a slurry, but that by using steam they had cut their chemical use and cleaning time down to a minimum. It looked like a bit of water was added with the enzymes and the yeast.

A vodka producer that I visited two years ago chipped the skin off the potato with a machine similar to the ones that de-skin grapes, and then the potatoes went into a vessel with perforated plates, where they injected sanitary steam until the potatoes reached a predetermined inside temperature (they sorted the potatoes by size, and ran batches on different times based on potato size), and then they went though a belt press into what they called the "reactor, where they were pitched with enzyme solution and yeast at the same time. They claimed that they recovered 104 Liters of pure ethanol from each 100 kg of potatoes, which is somewhere north of 12 PG per bushel!

If Mr. Valerii Fedorov is around, I'll bet he knows a lot about it!

[MG Thermal Consulting]

Matt,

I remember visiting Sag Harbor when I used to drive to Alex Bay with son's sports team.

My Father had a potato farm down in Steuben County when I was young before we moved to Corning. I still remember the potato bins being filled up.

I have a company I work with down in this area who may be able to help you out (located in AL, tho). I plan to be more involved with their food processing and automation services in the future since they have processed potatoes, grains and other sources for mash, so if you are interested, give me a shout.

Regards,

Mike Gronski

770-995-4066

[TetonDistillery]

Skip the raw potatoes. Just use potato flakes. Then you don't have to deal with all of the grief of whole potatoes in the distillery.

75% of a potato is just water. You don't need that 75%. You just want the 25% potato material. That is all in the potato flakes

We are in Idaho and specialize in vodka distilled from potatoes.

[MG Thermal Consulting]

Ugh, wrong Sag Harbor....sorry 'bout that!

[MattBeamer]

Teton,

Potato flakes are not an option as I'm on a potato farm. I'll have the first pick of the potatoes. Whole potatoes are the option.

Matt

[MattBeamer]

Ham,

Thanks for the info! Who is the distiller you visited two years ago? Do you have any contact info?

Matt

[Dehner Distillery]

I would say use a "Fritz mill" .

[Muckle]

Hello all,

Working on potato vodka, not getting very good yields with fresh potatoes.   

Any way to increase yields with fresh?  getting a low sugar wash, SG 1.025-30 

Trying to use local potatoes, so was avoiding flaked if I can.  But economic feasibility is important. 

 

Cheers, 

ken

 

 

 

 

 

[Artisan Still Design]

Talk to Sherman Owen, he has a process for separating the starch from the potato, I think thats where you'll have to go to push to a more reasonable SG

[MattBeamer]

Muckle,

Can you describe your process?  Temps, enzymes, times, peeling, water additions?  I typically achieve 17 Plato.  

[Muckle]

Current process.  

Cleaning and slicing potatoes, skin on.   have commercial slicer so that part is quick.  

Enzymes are amyl 300 and malted wheat.   

Soaked the potatoes while I slice, then heat slowly up to 140, while mixing.  hold then go to 160 and hold.   

Potatoes are not turning to mash, stay pretty firm.  have cooked for 2 hours and then tried longer little over 3 hours.  still not getting good conversion.  

My Whiskey mash is doing great, but potatoes have escaped me.  

Any corrections to process would be helpful. 

Thank you,  

[Muckle]

On 5/17/2016 at 10:50 AM, Artisan Still Design said:

Talk to Sherman Owen, he has a process for separating the starch from the potato, I think thats where you'll have to go to push to a more reasonable SG

Thanks,  not really getting the whole,  just call a consultant thing on this forum.   

[MattBeamer]

On 6/7/2016 at 7:11 PM, Muckle said:

Current process.  

Cleaning and slicing potatoes, skin on.   have commercial slicer so that part is quick.  

Enzymes are amyl 300 and malted wheat.   

Soaked the potatoes while I slice, then heat slowly up to 140, while mixing.  hold then go to 160 and hold.   

Potatoes are not turning to mash, stay pretty firm.  have cooked for 2 hours and then tried longer little over 3 hours.  still not getting good conversion.  

My Whiskey mash is doing great, but potatoes have escaped me.  

Any corrections to process would be helpful. 

Thank you,  

Muckle,

Your slicer is not breaking up the potato enough.  The smaller the particle size, the better chance of complet conversion of starches.  You are going to have to grind/slice the potatoes as much as possible.  I use a commercial shredder with the smallest grate holes available. I wouldn't add very much water, perhaps enough to rinse your grinder.  I recommend agitating the slurry while heating.  I heat up to 210F and hold it for 90 minutes.  Your 160 temp is not high enough to gelatanize the starches.

Upon cooling I add Termamyl SC, San Extra L and Viscoferm at their ideal temperatures and times making sure each has a least 25 minutes of working time.  Do a starch test and be sure to add yeast nutrients and adjust pH for each enzyme you use. I also add more Termamyl at pitching time.

[Artisan Still Design]

to boost your gravity you could do a cold starch separation, basically do a fine grate on your potatoes and wash with water.

you can separate most of the potato starch out from the rest of the potato matter. might even be able to sell off the "waste" as hash browns.

this will give you a water starch suspension, that can easily be dewatered by settling to make a starch rich slurry.

now if it settles out too far, it will form a Non Newtonian fluid (think cornstarch and water, called oobleck i think).

PH correct, ad a pre dose of enzymes, cook then second set of enzymes, and you have a higher SG potato water mash.

 

your starch extraction will not be 100%, probably closer to 50%. but if potatoes are free or cheap, and have pigs to feed or a customer to buy the left over potato, it may be a potential solution to the potato process predicament.

 

 

[Muckle]

Buying more potatos this week for a trial, will run higher temps.   I do agitate during the cook process, with the slicer will be working to get a finer grind, it has a french fry cutter that does fine, so that will take some tinkering.  

Ordered more enzyme, what that arrives will give it a shot.  

thank you all for your help.  

 

ken

 

[Artisan Still Design]

when using enzymes,PH is critical, they will give you a ph and tempurature range, these are not suggestions follow them closely, and check and recheck your PH throughout the cook, as it will change, you will need to adjust.

 

Steve