What To Charge Moonshine Thumper With?

Can you Increase the Potency of your Still with the Thump Keg? – via GIPHY Moonshiners that want to create extra potent alcoholic beverages can choose to “charge” the thump keg by adding undistilled mash or alcohol to the keg. The steam that passes through the liquid will pick up some of the alcohol vapor before rising back up into the condenser.

The still in the heated thump keg will now begin to re-evaporate. This process also filters out all mash pieces that drifted along into the thump keg. The alcohol will now rise through a second copper tube where the vapors are cooled down in the condenser. When the vapor escapes the thump keg, it rises into the condenser.

The condenser is also called the worm because it consists of a length of coiled copper pipe inside a worm box that is filled with cold water. Many worm boxes are fueled by constantly circulated cold water so the condensation process will remain constant.

What should I charge my thumper with?

Infusing Flavors Using A Thumper Keg – We’ve already given you a pretty good idea of how a thumper keg works. But did you know you can also use it to add more layers of flavor to your moonshine? Before you start distilling, fill the thumper keg with a small number of spirit tails from a previous batch (best option), some wash from the current batch, or water (water is the last resort).

1. Add fruit-infused spirits to your thumper keg – You can place your chosen fruits, spices, and herbs into a big container of low wines or head/tail spirits. Then, let it sit for about a week or two to gradually infuse these flavors into the liquid. Once it’s time to distill, just add this solution to the bottom of the thumper keg to impart its flavors into your final moonshine.
2. Add juice or oils directly into your thumper – In case you want a simpler and faster process than the one above, you can also add liquid ingredients like juice (apple, lemon, peach, blackberry, etc.) and coconut oil directly into your thumper keg.
3. Add raw ingredients directly into your thumper – Now this is a combination of the first two flavor infusion methods we’ve mentioned. You can choose to add fruit peel, herbs, spices, and mashed ripe fruit directly into your thumper keg. Just remember that in the case of mashed fruit, you will need to add large quantities to impart that flavor. Also, it can result in quite a mess.

Regardless of which method you choose, you need to extract the heads from the ethyl alcohol before infusion. This will make sure the flavors will infuse the distillate that you will drink.

What liquid do you put in a thumper?

How To Infuse Flavor Into Moonshine with a Thumper Keg – Distillers usually add spirit tails, low wines, water, or whiskey to their thumper keg to cool the alcohol vapors coming from the potstill. However, you can include other fruits, herbs, or spices to add different flavor combinations to your spirits.

Adding fruit infused spirits to the thumper keg Place your chosen fruits, herbs, and spices into a large container of low wines or head/tail spirits and let it sit for a week or two. The flavor of your ingredients will gradually infuse the solution. Add this solution to the bottom of the thumper keg to impart the flavors it contains. Adding juice or oils directly to the thumper keg Ingredients like apple juice, peach juice, blackberry juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut oil can be added directly to the thumper keg to impart flavor. Adding raw ingredients directly into the thumper keg Some distillers will add fruit peel, herbs, spices, and mashed fruit directly to the thumper keg. Just be aware that mashed fruit will need to be added in large quantities and may be messy to clean up. If using this technique to add fruit, make sure your produce is very ripe.

When using the thumper keg to add flavors, it’s best to add your ingredients after the spirit’s heads have been extracted. This will ensure the flavors are impacting the part of the distillation which you actually drink. Related: Beginner Moonshine Stills

Do you have to put liquid in a thumper?

Best Liquid To Use in Thumper Making moonshine with a thumper instead of a pot still is great because thumpers essentially perform two distillations in one—without stripping the flavor the way reflux distillation does. Depending on your thumper, it’s typical to plan to fill it about halfway with liquid.

Does a thumper need to be heated?

Home Distiller Distillation methods and improvements. Moderator: Site Donor Posts: Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:54 pm by » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:33 pm How do you bring a thumper to a boil? I feel like I should probably be turning down the heat when the main boiler reaches a boil so I don’t push all sorts of tails into the thumper.

• Is this correct? Whats the optimal way to bring the thumper to a boil and get the “best” run? Some related questions.
• Do you usually run strippings through your thumper or do you just do spirit runs? If you do use strippings, what is your dilution process? Are single runs through a thumper going to provide enough “scrubbing” for a quality whiskey? I’m noticing a lot more tailsy flavors.

Not bad necessarily, but, not as smooth as stripping runs before spirit runs. retired Posts: Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:40 pm Location: The Ol’ North State by » Sat Mar 24, 2012 5:26 pm It doesn’t actually boil Astro, but the hot vapor from the main boiler definitely builds enough heat in the thumper to heat the wash (or whatever you charged it with) and do a phase change, and second distillation in there,

You’ll definitely get better separation and less smearing by running it slower. NChooch Practice safe distillin and keep your hobby under your hat. retired Posts: Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:34 am Location: UK, in the heather by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:24 am You insulate your thumper or do what they used to do in the old days – add a heat source under the thumper.

Initialy with a cold thumper charge most of the vapour passing through the thumper will actually condense. As this is high proof you get an increase in both the volume and ABV of the thumper charge in addition to it heating up. More insulation = faster heat up.

• Later when it is hot some of the vapour going in will pass straight through and some will condense, dependent on their respective boiling points.
• Eventually the thumper charge will reach its own boiling point.
• Towards the end of the run when the vapour going in is actually mostly water, the thumper will now truly act like a vapour heated parasitic boiler and evapourate off any remaining alcohol that was previously transfered into the thumper charge.

You end up with a thumper charge that has more volume and less alcohol than you started with. It makes sense to insulate the vapour path going into the thumper, and you can regulate the final volume of the thumper charge by how much insulation you use on the thumper itself. Posts: Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:54 pm by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:59 am Thankyou, but these responses aren’t answering the part of the question that I’m confused about. “I feel like I should probably be turning down the heat when the main boiler reaches a boil so I don’t push all sorts of tails into the thumper,

• Is this correct?” Without teh thumper attached I need to run at a steady stream or I’ll smear the heads deep and pull tails early.
• What I’m wondering is if I bring the thumper to a boil cranking 5000 watts will I end up causing a smear into the thumper that results in a smear in the final product? My logic is that if I would be smearing with no thumper at 5000w than I must be smearing into the thumper at 5000w.

At this point, I’m wondering what will produce better fractions. I have the thumper and its routing insulated and I actually have a hotplate underneath it. I’ve tried heating w/ 5000watts and dropping to my collection speed when the thumper reaches a boil and I’ve also tried binging the main boiler to a boil and then dropping the heat to 2400watts and flipping on the 1500watt hotplate beneath the thumper.

1. Haven’t done enough tests to really know which is best.
2. That latter results in lower abv since the thumper gets less alcohol from the boiler before starting boiling.
3. I turn off the hotplate once the thumper begins boiling and let the main boiler do its thing.
4. I’m just looking for some logic in the best way to run it.

Last edited by on Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total. retired Posts: Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:34 am Location: UK, in the heather by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:14 am A boiler produces heads, hearts and tails at the same time, all of the time, in various proportions.

• In basic pot still mode if you run too slowly then the heads will still be in the sytem right through the run.
• So you run fast enough to deplete the heads quickly (loosing some ethanol in the process) but this enables you to have a clean hearts cut before the proportion of tails starts to predominate.

Heads and tails both contain ethanol too, it can’t be avoided. If you run too fast you also bring on the tails early. So each potstill has its own ‘sweet spot’ that is unique to the still and your taste perception. Then you add in a thumper, and if you run your boiler the same as before, it should tighten up the cuts.

The reason is that at the start of the run it is behaving like a dephlegmator. The first vapour going into the thumper is heads rich but the thumper is cold. It introduces a thermal delay which in effect condenses the ethanol into the thumper charge, but allows the heads to go through easier, so it should compress the heads as it is warming up.

You will also be getting some passive reflux which should help to recondense some of the ethanol that is coming off the thumper. Remember that at this point in time the thumper charge contains more heads and hearts but less tails, than the wash in the boiler, so the vapour coming off it has a different composition to what is coming off the main boiler.

1. Once you are into the hearts phase the thumper should have heated up so the ethanol from the boiler should go straight through, but you will also be liberating some of the ethanol that was transfered into the thumper charge a bit earlier.
2. Hence higher ABV output than you would get without it.
3. Once the tails start to come over I would expect them to be slightly delayed by the thumper (assuming you are not externaly heating the thumper) because the temperature of the thumper charge should be slightly less than the temperature of the boiler contents.

At this point in time the thumper charge should have a higher ABV than the wash remaining in the boiler, so your hearts cut should last a bit longer than without the thumper. I would not want to be providing extra heat to the thumper at this point as I would want it to be holding back the tails.

1. I suppose what I am saying is to find the sweet spot for your still and run exactly the same with your thumper attached.
2. I have not previously considered directly heating the thumper, but it does have possibilities and I suspect you would need to be selective.
3. You really need to try and think about the composition of the liquid in the boiler and thumper at the same point in time, as they will both be different.

By using power management with your thumper you could consider NOT heating the thumper during the heads phase, providing a bit of a boost to the thumper during the early part of the hearts. Then cut the power to try and hold back the tails, but once you notice the tails coming out of the thumper, running at full power to both boiler and thumper to drive off the tails rapidly. Posts: Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:54 pm by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:24 pm Thanks myles. Seems like I had it kinda mixed up. The heads compression makes sense. Now I’m thinking about using some of that advice and tweaking my method. Im going to try and drive her hard until the thumper is up to heat, then cut a lot of the power from the main and flip on the thumper hot plate so I can run off the heads without introducing any more hearts to the thumper.

1. Once most of the heads are gone ill bump the heat on the main and turn the hot plate off.
2. Then I’ll slow her down when tails approach to try and maximize my hearts cut.
3. I think my flaw was that if I slowly heat the thumper with less power from the primary I will end up driving a lot more hearts into the heads.

thanks for the detailed response! You gave me a lot to think about and tinker with. Always in pursuit of a finer spirit. Admin Posts: Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:19 am Location: occupied south by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:46 pm Why heat up the thumper? Thats what boiler does your not understanding whats going on by using a thumper. Posts: Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:47 pm Location: Pacific Northwest, USA by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 4:42 pm Myles, that was a very interesting read, thanks for taking the time to write out your thoughts. I run my keg pot still pretty much the same as I did before I added the thumper.

My thumper is a five gallon sanke keg. I’ve insulated the copper pipe from the keg boiler to the thumper, and I’ve wrapped about three wraps of Relectix around the thumper. It’s kind of like the guy that couldn’t figure out how a thermos knew to keep hot stuff hot, and cold stuff cold. Bull. Life is hard, it’s harder when you’re stupid.

Site Donor Posts: Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:54 pm by » Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:45 pm Tater wrote: Why heat up the thumper? Thats what boiler does your not understanding whats going on by using a thumper. You’ll notice that there is no mention of auxillary heat in the initial post.

The reason I put the hot plate under the thumper is so I can run a reflux column over my thumper without it filling up really high and overflowing. Haven’t had much of a chance to play around with that yet. Even if it doesn’t work, I’m out nothing. I already had teh hot plate. I had always thought that there was a full phase change in a thumper, but, now I’m not so sure.

It seems like its the lag phase during heat up that really causes the raised a/v. Heres a hypothetical question for you, “If the thumper and the primary came to a boil simultaneously, would I still see a noticable gain in a/v?” Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:19 pm Location: Somewhere hot, USA by » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:14 pm I don’t understand the thought process to heating a thumper.

I am no chemist, so someone jump in and correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like having the thumper be colder initially would aid in removing foreshots, wouldn’t it? Akin to running a boiler slower, you would have a greater gap between the first amount of distillate and the hearts, right? And once the thumper begins getting really hot, it seems like you’re actually losing some efficiency since the etoh will pass through with more water, will it not? Experience is what you get right after you need it.

Site Donor Posts: Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:54 pm by » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:32 pm rad14701 wrote: you will need to account for the large volume of water that would be returned to the thumper as it is returned after higher proof alcohol is stripped away and collected.

1. Your thumper would need to be able to drain any overflow back into the boiler, similar to how an inline thumper would.
2. I’ve been thinking about this very problem (water is returned).
3. The whole idea came about when LWTCS had mentioned in his video that his inline thumper didnt even get up to the overflow line (sometimes).

I dont have the vertical height to do an inline thumper wiht a return drain, so, I thought my 7G thumper may work if I manage the power correctly. I’d really like to get a sight glass on it for trying this so I can monitor liquid levels. Anyhow, no harm no foul.

• I just thought I’d build it into the design so I could play with it.
• GuyFawkes wrote: I don’t understand the thought process to heating a thumper If I put in 12% wash it comes off my thumper at a 74% average after cuts and blending (with no auxillary heat).
• When I use the same wash charged the same way I get 63.5% average on my cuts (primary element at 2200W and 1500w hotplate turned on after primary boils).

So If I add a bit of heat to the thumper I can detune it a bit so that I’ll average my hearts at barrel proof. Thats the only “benefit” I’ve noticed so far. I did note a lower yield on this batch, however. I think that it could be a nice tool if you knew how you wanted to implement it.

There is nothing forcing me to use the heating on the thumper and it in no way obstructs its use in a typical fashion, so, why not. Cost me nothing and it gives me things to mess around with. retired Posts: Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks by » Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:15 am I have been entertaining the idea of building a thumper setup that I could mount a reflux column to.

I’ve been thinking about using two 15.5 gal kegs. One for the main boiler and one for a thumper. I was also thinking of having an element mounted in each keg. If course the main boiler would control the still. But I was thinking on the thumper use a PID that was set to shut off just below the thumper operating temp.

1. Just to get it up and going faster.
2. But then shutting it down and controlling the still with the main boiler for the actual run.
3. And I was thinking the thumper being a 15.5 gal same as the boiler I wouldn’t need to worry about the drain return to the main boiler.
4. It would hold enough that I wouldn’t need to return it.

If charged with the proper amounts. Two main reasons I was thinking about this. One to see if it would increase the take off rate of my packed column. Kinda like doing a stripping run and a spirit run at the same time. Much like LWTCS thoughts with his inline thumper.

• Just not inline.
• Two I was thinking this system could be a good way to run a AG ferment on the grain.
• Could charge the thumper with the AG with the grain.
• And use the main boiler as a steam generator.
• This option I wouldn’t use the element in the thumper.
• But I will add using a heat source on the thumper after the heatup period is kinda counter productive in my mind.

You would be bypassing the usefulness of the thumper. Let the boiler do the work of heating the system. So the thumper can do its job. And take advantage of it being there. Providing a point of phase change. : Home Distiller

What happens if your thumper is too big?

Thumper Still – A Thumper Still works like this: You boil your wash in your kettle and the vapors pass through the tubing and into the thumper, which is already filled about halfway with a liquid of your choice (e.g., water, fermented mash). The hot vapor from the kettle enters the thumper through a tube and exits that tube towards the bottom of the liquid inside of the thumper.

The hot vapor heats that liquid, which at the same time cools the vapor in a heat exchange. Initially, no vapor comes out because the temperature has been reduced, but the temperature of the liquid in the thumper rises as the distillation process continues. Then lower-boiling-point compounds will vaporize and rise, exiting the thumper through the condenser and dripping into your collection container.

So now you can see how the thumper part of the Thumper Still works as kind of a second distillation, because when you use one, you are basically double distilling, or doing two runs in one. The lower temperature that occurs in the thumper during this second distillation allows many of the by-products and water to stay in the thumper since the temperature remains below their boiling points.

1. Therefore, distillate that leaves the thumper is actually at a higher percentage of alcohol than the vapor that leaves the kettle.
2. Something important to keep in mind is the size of your thumper.
3. If a thumper is too small or if you didn’t put enough liquid in it, then that liquid will heat up too quickly from the incoming vapor.

Then that vapor will just bubble up right through the liquid without being cooled and condensed first, exiting straight through the condenser. In that case, you don’t achieve the second distillation and don’t see the increased purity or proof from it.

On the other hand, if your thumper is too big or if you have too much liquid in it, the incoming vapor won’t be able to heat the liquid up properly. Then all the vapor is condensed and actually becomes diluted by the liquid in the thumper, which is the exact opposite of what you want. Overall, Thumper Stills are great for when you want to achieve a higher proof and purity in less time for less money, but you will want to do your research before buying or building one to ensure that you get the right size that will meet your needs.

: Types of Stills Series: Thumpers & Doublers

How long does it take for a thumper to heat up?

Running a 120 gallon SS pot still with a 20 gallon copper thumper. I usually charge the thumper with around 6-7 gallons of tails and 100 gallons in the pot. With the four 5500 watt elements running full tilt, it takes about 2 1/2 – 3 hrs (depending on ABV% of tails in the thumper) to get the thumper up to temp.

I am not new to distilling, however I am new to thump keg science/art. My question. How do I speed up heat up time? Or, do I even want to speed up heat up time? I’ve insulated the TK, put a hot plate under it to pre-heat, even pulled out my heat gun one time to help pre-heat. I’m now thinking about installing a 4500w element directly into the thumper.

My partner, who is relatively new to distilling, suggested starting a run on an empty thump keg. My gut tells me that running an empty thumper would sort of defeat the purpose of the thump keg all together, but I’m in need of some more thorough advice and thought I would consult the experts here.

Does a thumper increase proof?

Home Distiller Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling. Moderator: Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:23 pm by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 4:42 am Hello all, I am a newer member. Everything about distilling is new to me so I have read extensively on this site, I am wearing out YouTube watching Still It and Barley and Hops channels.

1. I have also read two books on the subject.
2. I do not have equipment yet, I am still in the learning phase (I must say I am enchanted by the Mile Hi copper milk can still).
3. My first question concerns thumpers.
4. My goal is to get a pot still as I generally prefer bourbon and rum and not much into neutral spirits.

Can I get a satisfactory whiskey in a single run with no thumper? Or is stripping runs followed by spirit run always required without a thumper? My thoughts are since ageing should be done at around 120 proof and the final product will be cut to 80-90 proof do I really care if the output is 140, 150, or 160 proof? Does a thumper just give a smaller amount of higher proof alcohol? Thanks in advance for straightening out my addled newb mind.

Jim Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 6:28 am boda65 wrote: Can I get a satisfactory whiskey in a single run with no thumper? Or is stripping runs followed by spirit run always required without a thumper? With a potstill, the single “one & done” run will push a lot of the wash’s flavor through throughout the run.

And it’ll also smear the heads & tails in the hearts as well. And starting with a 10%ABV (potential) wash, you’ll probably get the product to start coming off the spout at 110-120 proof maximum. By the time you get to the start of the tails, you’re collected product will be too low to put on wood.

And it won’t taste very good with the heads & tails smeared throughout. So, no, you probably won’t get good whiskey from a “one & done” without a thumper. But, collecting 3 stripping runs as low wines and then running those through as your spirit run will give you a product that you’ll be able to age on oak.

Using a thumper with the spirit run will also give you the opportunity to put some wash into the thumper and increase the flavor in the product. And the thumper will give you another plate of distillation, increasing the purity offstill as well. boda65 wrote: My thoughts are since ageing should be done at around 120 proof and the final product will be cut to 80-90 proof do I really care if the output is 140, 150, or 160 proof? Does a thumper just give a smaller amount of higher proof alcohol? Yes, as noted, the thumper gives you another plate of distillation.

1. It’ll boost the purity by 10-20 proof in your run.
2. A thumper will take a little while to come online, so your run will take longer.
3. Also, the amount of propane used will be greater (if you’re not electric, which I highly recommend, especially if buying a boiler).
4. Electric control is so much easier to regulate.

There, my answers probably confirm what you already knew from your reading. But you got your first inquiry out of the way without a “tongue lashing”. Keep reading. Be safe. Be responsible. And be discrete. ss Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:23 pm by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:56 am Thanks for the info, SS.

• That explanation makes sense.
• Distiller Posts: Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm Location: Sweet Home by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:05 pm Welcome Sir! A bit of advice.
• Safety (as outlined by Cranky’s thread) is MANDATORY! Everything else is personal choice.
• And that makes it DAMNED difficult.
• Scan through the Recipes for a drop you like.

You will find discussions in that thread about single runs vs multiples with or without a thumper. I’ve found even a seemingly simple question like “Thumper or not” isn’t that simple. In the thumper: Water, wash, or backset? Run it for the stripping run as well, or just spirit run? Choices.

• IMO, do a simple sugar wash to get comfortable with the process.
• Reinforcing what SS said, ferment enough wash for 3 stripping runs followed by a spirit run.
• It’s no more trouble for the larger wash and it will save you time and money before you tackle your whiskey run.
• You can experiment with your thumper for flavor infusions as well.

Good Luck! Angel’s Share Posts: Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:53 pm A good advice, My thumper stays deployed on all runs, Doubles my strip run capacity (equal boiler/thumper size) and enhances spirit runs, If you ain’t the lead dog in the team, the scenery never changes,

1. Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that,
2. Don’t drink water, fish fornicate in it,
3. Novice Posts: Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2018 5:18 am by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 6:22 pm Though I am still new as well, I look at this a different way.
4. If your after full heavy flavours then a one run pot still will get you there.

Though many will not agree with me I consider this to be moonshine. Something a little more refined ( dryer) would be a one run through 3-4 bubble plates. This still allows an amazing amount of flavour but cleans up your spirit in one run. Could also be equal to a couple of runs in a pot still.

1. Since I want my rum to be heavy on flavour but light on the palate and not leave my mouth full of oils I will be hooking up the still to a double thumper.
2. No one system will do everything you want on a single pass, different setups are better for different spirits and tastes.
3. All of which is personal preference and part of the discovery your starting on.

My simple advice is a bubble plate still in which you can add or reduce the amount of plates to achieve your desired style. A 2-4 plate still will also do rum and many distillery’s use this setup, it also does a fine all grain whiskey and can be run in pot still mode for Moonshine style.

The double thumper just suits my desired outcome better. Also as a note, my description of moonshine is far different from most people. It has nothing to do with the history of the word, I use the term to describe a rough and heavy, oily spirit. This is not a bad thing as many love the heavy flavours, I’m just not one of them.

Unless we are talking about Rum! Mark STILL’in Canada Site Donor Posts: Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:53 pm Location: Best State in the Union! by » Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:43 pm I always run a thumper and it doesn’t hurt the flavorin one bit, My last run of UJ started at 80 ABV after the fores and I ran it down to about 35.

• Round abouts 50 it started to cloud up but don’t matter cause thats goin into a later feints run.
• I gotta say there was a tun of great corn smell and taste in them jars, too.
• You’ll also find a thumper great for adjunct flavorin.
• Double, Double, toil and trouble.
• Fire Burn and pot still bubble.
• Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am by » Thu Aug 23, 2018 10:21 am Might want to see why they recommend agein in the 120s.

Why oak? Why not ? What temp char ? Why char? xy an z. Ain’t gotta age if the answers are so. So I’m tole Site Donor Posts: Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:48 pm by » Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:13 am I have been running my pot still for several years and wasted a lot of alcohol. I’ve been considering adding a thumper. My boiler is a 15.5 gal keg with a 2″ column and a liebig arm. Posts: Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm by » Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:06 pm ibfestus wrote: I have been running my pot still for several years and wasted a lot of alcohol. I’ve been considering adding a thumper. My boiler is a 15.5 gal keg with a 2″ column and a liebig arm.

• I have a 12.5 gal keg I could use for the thumper but I read where 30 – 40% is the correct size.
• I can see it would take longer to get the heat up on a 12+ gal keg than it would on a 5 or 6 gal thumper.
• Is that an issue or am I OK with the bigger thumper? Equal sizes will be just fine,
• Disparate size recommendations are suggested minimums to prevent overrunning your thumper with too large a boiler,

Your heatup time will be dependent on charge sizes,12.5 gallons in boiler and thumper work for stripping runs and run hard and dirty,6 Gallons of low wines in the boiler and a couple gallons of water or whatever in the thumper works fine for a spirit run,

• If you ain’t the lead dog in the team, the scenery never changes,
• Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that,
• Don’t drink water, fish fornicate in it,
• Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 1:35 pm by » Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:16 pm Hi Jim, welcome! I built my own still a few years ago.

It’s a 10 gallon stainless pot with and elbow in the center of the lid and a 1/2″ copper arm. I initially went straight to the condenser but, without any reflux, my runs were low in alcohol so I tried adding a thumper. It helped considerably. I went from a peak abv during the run of 35-40% to 55-60%.

1. I don’t use sugar, am straight all-grain, I usually end up around 8-9% abv.
2. In the thumper I run about a gallon of filtered water.
3. I do two stripping runs of 6 gallons of my all-grain and get about 5/6 of a gallon of each, about 40%.
4. I then do a spirit run, again with filtered water in the thumper, of both strips and the left overs from the last spirit run.

When it’s all said and done I end up with about a gallon of 75% from my spirit run. The thumper did well for me. I’m considering a new rig, something a little less effort-intensive. I like a 16 gallon milk can with a tower and a liebig, I can either use with or without reflux.

• If you’re going to stay with your pot still I’d def add in a thumper.
• You can run mash in it or anything for that matter.
• I like water, it gives me a nice clean spirit after the spirit run with just the right amount of flavor to age on Oak or, my favorite, cherry.
• Good ‘still’n! Smokee Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am Location: Pacific Northwest by » Fri Nov 02, 2018 10:50 pm Truckinbutch wrote: A good advice,

My thumper stays deployed on all runs, Doubles my strip run capacity (equal boiler/thumper size) and enhances spirit runs, Hey truckinbutch. When and how do you pull foreshots? Do you collect them from the thumper output on the spirit run? I have been pulling foreshots from my pot only, then shutting down and adding the thumper for the remainder of the run. Posts: Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm by » Sun Nov 04, 2018 8:03 pm On a 25 gallon strip run I pull the first quart as fore shots and run the rest into a carboy down to 20%, I pull a pint of fore shots from the spirit run and then collect the rest of the run in half pints down to 20%,

• Air that for 24-36 hrs and then cut and blend,
• If you ain’t the lead dog in the team, the scenery never changes,
• Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that,
• Don’t drink water, fish fornicate in it,
• Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am Location: Pacific Northwest by » Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:14 am Truckinbutch wrote: On a 25 gallon strip run I pull the first quart as fore shots and run the rest into a carboy down to 20%,

I pull a pint of fore shots from the spirit run and then collect the rest of the run in half pints down to 20%, Air that for 24-36 hrs and then cut and blend, Thanks for that info on your process. I’ll have to try that quad distilled run some time, a few strips with my pot/thumper then a pot/thumper spirit run. Posts: Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm by » Mon Nov 05, 2018 9:47 pm OtisT wrote: Truckinbutch wrote: On a 25 gallon strip run I pull the first quart as fore shots and run the rest into a carboy down to 20%, I pull a pint of fore shots from the spirit run and then collect the rest of the run in half pints down to 20%,

1. Air that for 24-36 hrs and then cut and blend,
2. Thanks for that info on your process.
3. I’ll have to try that quad distilled run some time, a few strips with my pot/thumper then a pot/thumper spirit run. Otis.
4. Don’t mistake me on runs,
5. I do that 25 gallon strip and then cut to below 40% for a boiler charge and use a couple of gallons of water or leftover mash in the thumper for a spirit run,

I don’t combine multiple strip runs for a spirit run with the size of my boiler and thumper, If you ain’t the lead dog in the team, the scenery never changes, Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that, Don’t drink water, fish fornicate in it,

Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am Location: Pacific Northwest by » Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:16 am Truckinbutch wrote: OtisT wrote: Truckinbutch wrote: On a 25 gallon strip run I pull the first quart as fore shots and run the rest into a carboy down to 20%, I pull a pint of fore shots from the spirit run and then collect the rest of the run in half pints down to 20%,

Air that for 24-36 hrs and then cut and blend, Thanks for that info on your process. I’ll have to try that quad distilled run some time, a few strips with my pot/thumper then a pot/thumper spirit run. Otis. Don’t mistake me on runs, I do that 25 gallon strip and then cut to below 40% for a boiler charge and use a couple of gallons of water or leftover mash in the thumper for a spirit run,

I don’t combine multiple strip runs for a spirit run with the size of my boiler and thumper, Thanks for being specific. It matters here. Unfortunately, I’m not blessed with such a large boiler (with a small minimum volume) and one strip (diluted) won’t cover my element so in my reply text I translated your process in to what I would need to do to replicate your process.

Sorry for the confusion. I did get what I was asking about from your original post, that you collect fores out of your thumper on both passes and that you do four distillations (pot/thumper x 2) per batch. Thanks again. Otis : Home Distiller

How much alcohol will a 10 gallon still produce?

Collection efficiency – One final note is that all of the alcohol produced during fermentation will not be collected during the run. Generally only about 85 or 90% is collected because it takes too much time and energy to get the last little bit.and it isn’t the good stuff anyway.

A 1 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 10%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 2.72 cups. A 1 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 20%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 5.44 cups. A 5 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 10%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield,85 gallons. A 5 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 20%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 1.7 gallons. A 8 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 10%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 0.89 gallons. A 8 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 20%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 1.79 gallons. A 10 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 10%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 1.7 gallons. A 10 gallon run with a starting alcohol of 20%, a final proof of 100, and a collection efficiency of 85% will yield 3.4 gallons.

Remember, it is illegal to distill alcohol without the proper permits. Kyle Brown is the owner of Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company which he founded in 2009. His passion is teaching people about the many uses of distillation equipment as well as how to make beer at home. When he isn’t brewing beer or writing about it, you can find him at his local gym or on the running trail.

What temperature should a still run at?

What temperature do I run my still at? Different stills run at different temperatures, and if in doubt you should check ­with the manufacturer/supplier of your particular brand of still. However majority of stills are designed to run similarly. The temperature that ethyl alcohol boils off at is 78C-82C and therefore if your still has a temperature gauge in the top of the condenser (usually in a rubber bung situated at the top) it should run between 78C-82C (with 78C being ideal).

• If your still has a water outlet thermometer to gauge the temperature, it usually sits between 50C-65C (dependant on the brand of still).
• For an Essencia Express Condenser (or Essencia water outlet thermometer used with any still) the temperature is 50C-55C.
• With a Turbo 500 Condenser, the water outlet temperature should sit between 55C-65C (with 60C being the ideal).

Post navigation : What temperature do I run my still at?

Does thumper size matter?

Home Distiller Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper. Moderator: Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:49 pm by » Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:36 am With a 220v heated 20 gallon boiler and a 2″ coper pot still head down to 1/2″ outlet, what would be a correct size thumper to add on? I have two stainless vessels, a 13 gallon olive jug that was the boiler on my first still and a 5 gallon corny keg. Posts: Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:25 am Location: Tennessee by » Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:21 pm A thumper should be 30-40% the size of your main boiler, so the five gallon would be marginal at best. Plumping is simple: the inlet from the main boiler should extend almost to the bottom of the thumper; the outlet should just penetrate the lid.

Big R “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” William Pitt Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:49 pm by » Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:29 pm Thank you. Is there ryme or reason to the 30-40% rule? Also, how do you run the thumper, do you put feints or mash or anything in it to start off with? Does it make sense to pypass a thumper to collect foreshots, then use switch to the thumper? If that makes sense I was going to do some sort of valve set up to make it work that way.

Thanks again. Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:49 pm by » Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:49 pm I just read up a bit on thumpers and i see that theres a relationship in size and also that the starting liquid should be of high ABV for best results. I also read that bubbles from the dip tube make the thumper more effective. Posts: Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:25 am Location: Tennessee by » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:08 am I’m not sure I’d try anything like an airstone because thumpers do create some back pressure and you need to keep that at a minimum. You’re working with volatile gasses so you want the system to be open as much as possible.

I have read that some individuals do not recommend using thumpers because of the potential for excessive back pressure, although IMO that’s mostly caused by carelessness and lack of knowledge. The thumper size is important because part of the process involves transfer of liquids from the main boiler to the thumper, so the liquid volume in the thumper does increase throughout the run.

You need sufficient size to accommodate that. The ABV of the thumper charge doesn’t have a significant effect on your final distillate; at best you will only gain a 2-3% increase in your distillate’s ABV. You can charge the thumper with just about anything, wash, low wines, feints, backset, or even water, the difference being the effect on the flavor profile.

When I do brandies I charge my thumper with a combination of fruit concentrate and low wines, for an example. I’m not sure trying to valve off the fores would be of any value. A thumper, to some degree, compress the fractions, so when you switched back to the thumper it would compress more fores that would be in the heads.

Big R “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” William Pitt Admin Posts: Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:19 am Location: occupied south by » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:52 am Seen thumper from 1/3 to same size as boilers.Tube that runs to near bottom of thumper can be cut at angle or l or t shaped with slots/holes in it to spread steam from boiler or just open at ends Ive only used tube cut at angle and opened ended t.Couldn’t really tell any difference.On a 20 gallon boiler 3/4 in would be minimum Id run 1 1/2 maybe 2 all the way through worm included on boiler that size would be ideal for me.Remember bigger tube easier it is to push steam through it.

1. I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:45 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:54 am I’ve learned that this can easily be determined by a very simple formula using only multiplication and division.
2. Be sure to keep in mind that the calculations may vary from each wash you make so it would be ideal to have more than one size thumper available.

I made mine with soft copper and compression fittings attached to different sized glass jar lids so they can easily be changed out. (I’m only distilling 10-12 gallon wash on my rig) Very simply take the amount of wash or mash that you make and multiply it by the amount of alcohol present in your mash.

1. Remember percentage is always divided by 100 when used in calculations) Here is an example: 5 gals.
2. Wash/mash) x,10% (alcohol) =,5 gallon (thumper) So a 5 gal.
3. Wash containing 10% alcohol will require a 1/2 gallon thumper, and so on.
4. The higher your volume and the higher your alkeehol the larger your thumper as the lower your volume and lower your alkeehol will require a smaller thumper of course Hope this helps! Cheers! WhoDat! Last edited by on Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Trainee Posts: Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:45 pm by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:50 pm DwhoDat you are way off. First off as Bushman said. “NO GLASS” second your calculations are totally wrong. As stated your thumper should be 30-40% the size of your boiler so for a 5 gal.

1. Boiler the minimum would be 1.67 gal.
2. So I think you need to forget what you have seen on you-tube and read elsewhere and a lot of research here before you proceed.
3. If you are not living on the “Edge”, then you are taking up too much space!!! Trainee Posts: Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:45 pm by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:55 pm Yankee, I put a 90* elbow at the end of my down tube so I have a piece of pipe running parallel to the bottom of my thumper which I drilled about 20 small holes into in order to distribute the bubbles out.

I am not sure if it makes any dif. in my outcome or not though. If you are not living on the “Edge”, then you are taking up too much space!!! Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:45 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:11 pm Guys, I see no problems using glass at such a low temperature, I’ve used glass with no issues and have seen it done with no issues many times.

I agree that there are much better materials out there to design a more solid well functioning thumper, but in a pinch it works. If me mentioning using glass here is an issue then I will keep it to myself from now on but I am personally certain in heat well under 200* F there will be no issues. And OBX Phantom, please point out to me exactly how I am “way off” and how these calculations I mentioned above are “totally wrong” As far as your YouTube comment goes I’d rather take advice from a 3-year-old girl than to take any advice from most of those YouTube jack-wagons distilling out of a coffee can and a plastic pickle jar in their mother’s basement so you can miss me that one bud.

Nice try though Last but not least the calculations I mentioned in my reply can be found in a book written by Rick Morris owner of Brewhaus America inc. and author of “The Joy of Home Distilling” Rick lives in Keller Texas about 20 minutes from me and has a store there that I frequently visit.

1. I’m sure he would love to know a better formula if you have one, I will be glad to take it to him just to see the expression on his face.
2. Cheers! retired Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:23 pm As to sizing.the big issue is that there is some liquid transfer during the run to your thumper.

As long as your thumper is large enough to handle this.along with whatever volume you start with in the thumper.and still have some headroom left.then you are ok. The sizing should roughly be based on what you expect the output volume of the potstill to be.for a given still charge.PLUS.whatever you start with when you fill the thumper.PLUS some overhead.

1. That’s the way I learned it.and what I see when I run one.
2. I’m sure there’s probably some way to figure out a calc based on that.
3. But, it’s not that hard to figure out.
4. Glass.it’s not just how high the temp goes.but tollerances to temp swings (cold/hot).
5. Different types/grades of glass.have different tollerances for that sort of thing.

Hope you pick the right one for any given task. How a thumper runs when filled to different volumes is another issue. Lots of people are running thumper same size as the pot for extra room. I think most of them are actually using the extra space to add more wash during stripping runs.

Having the extra metal could add to heat up times. But, you wouldn’t have to worry about overfilling it. You can always run “less” volume.but when you run out of room, you run out of room. Lastly, the downtube.the main issue is that you don’t clog it up.which could create a backpressure situation.

So, whatever you do.slant cut it, or drill holes.etc.make sure you have it so if something solid comes over, or you put something that has solids in it in your thumper.that it won’t clog it up. Site Donor Posts: Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:20 pm Location: The wilds of rural California by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:24 pm DWhoDat wrote: If me mentioning using glass here is an issue then I will keep it to myself from now on but I am personally certain in heat well under 200* F there will be no issues.

• It is and please do.
• We consider it a safety issue and most here will not entertain discussion.
• Ok? In the meantime, please do the reading that has been requested of you.
• Avoid doing so at your own peril.
• Tp Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:45 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:31 pm Also to the following comment, “.thumper should be 30-40% the size of your boiler so for a 5 gal.

boiler the minimum would be 1.67 gal.” The size of your boiler is irrelevant when there is no calculation to what is in it. By this statement if I had a 5 gal. boiler with only 1 gal. of wash @ 5% then I would need almost a 2 gal. thumper??? I don’t think so.

• Even if I had a 5 gal.
• Wash at 20% and a second 5 gal.
• Wash @ 5% both would require different sized thumpers to get the most potential ABV.
• Too big, no good, too small no good.
• There is no midpoint.
• Retired Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:45 pm I don’t reckon most folks would want to be computing a new build for their thumper based on what they were running each time.

So, more commonly, the “minimum would be based off the potential max of the size of the “rig” (ie., how much it holds). You can always run less volume in it.but you can’t run more than the size it is. retired Posts: Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm Location: Virginia, USA by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:50 pm DWhodat, you’re not winning any friends here with your attitude.

• The issue with glass thumpers has been beaten to death here on the forums – you won’t win that argument.
• Use it if you think it’s a safe option for you, your property, and your family, but please don’t try to persuade any other newbie coming along that it’s OK.
• Rick Morris is well respected around here because of his work toward trying to legalize the hobby, but as far as I know, he’s not an authority on distillation – that is, he doesn’t participate in the open forums very often.

The guidelines we have here for thumper size come from years of experience among the members of the forums. We recommend at least 1/3rd the size of the boiler to assure that it doesn’t overfill and puke. It’s not something you need to switch out with every size wash you run. retired Posts: Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:03 pm DWhoDat wrote: I agree that there are much better materials out there to design a more solid well functioning thumper,. No arguments here. DWhoDat wrote:,but in a pinch it works.

• Trying to imagine that scenario.
• Oh, crap, I left my thumper in my other car, can I use your Skippy jar to whip up a quickie? Shouting and shooting, I can’t let them catch me.
• Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:45 am by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:12 pm Bellybuster it can effect the distillation process if the content of the thumper isn’t matched properly to the wash amount and/or wash alcohol % so yes, it can.

S-Cack. I’m not attempting to win any friends I’m just responding to comments made in contradiction to my reply. As far as Rick goes I’m not sure how one could determine who is an authority on distillation and who isn’t but I do know that he has many years of distilling just as I am sure many here do and many here don’t.

As far as assembling a thumper, in aspect to the theory I mentioned here, it could easily be designed to be removed and replaced on smaller sized stills with quick fittings or even compression fittings. These are my opinions, I thought that’s what forums were all about not everyone gang up on the new guy.

these statements are simply my opinions just as everyone else here has their’s as well right? retired Posts: Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm Location: Virginia, USA by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:06 pm DWhoDat wrote: Bellybuster it can effect the distillation process if it the content of the thumper isn’t matched properly to the wash and/or wash % so yes, it can.

Do you have factual information to support this? S-Cack. I’m not attempting to win any friends I’m just responding to comments made in contradiction to my reply. And why do you think members here might be contradicting you? They must feel that what you’re throwing out here as fact is wrong. As far as Rick goes I’m not sure how one could determine who is an authority on distillation and who isn’t but I do know that he has many years of distilling just as I am sure many here do and many here don’t.

Rick doesn’t post here about his involvement in distillation and that’s why I don’t cite him as an authority. Being a business man, selling stills, and using his real name, I would imagine you’ve done him a big favor by outing him as being involved in the hobby.

Hope he has a license. As far as assembling a thumper, in aspect to the theory I mentioned here, it could easily be designed to be removed and replaced on smaller sized stills with quick fittings or even compression fittings. These are my opinions, I thought that’s what forums were all about not everyone gang up on the new guy.

these statements are simply my opinions just as everyone else here has their’s as well right? You didn’t present any of it as an “opinion” for others to weigh in on. It was presented as factual information which can be confusing to someone new to the hobby. Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:54 pm Location: Hiding In the Boiler room of the Insane asylum by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:41 pm bellybuster wrote: so thumper size has effect on ABV??? I ask because I seriously had no idea that was even a factor.

1. Just a thought, a bigger thumper has more passive reflux.
2. With enough reflux a thumper acts like a big bubble plate and the output ABV goes up.
3. HD Distilling Goddess Posts: Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:05 pm Location: The western Valley by » Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:13 pm DWhoDat wrote: I’ve learned that this can easily be determined by a very simple formula using only multiplication and division.

Be sure to keep in mind that the calculations may vary from each wash you make so it would be ideal to have more than one size thumper available. I made mine with soft copper and compression fittings attached to different sized glass jar lids so they can easily be changed out.

(I’m only distilling 10-12 gallon wash on my rig) Very simply take the amount of wash or mash that you make and multiply it by the amount of alcohol present in your mash. (Remember percentage is always divided by 100 when used in calculations) Here is an example: 5 gals. (wash/mash) x,10% (alcohol) =,5 gallon (thumper) So a 5 gal.

wash containing 10% alcohol will require a 1/2 gallon thumper, and so on. The higher your volume and the higher your alkeehol the larger your thumper as the lower your volume and lower your alkeehol will require a smaller thumper of course Hope this helps! Cheers! WhoDat! You’re formula assumes you are only bringing pure alcohol into the thumper,

Unfortunately that is false, at best with a 10% ABV wash you will be bringing only 65% ABV distillate to the thumper you failed to factor in the other 35% plus as the run continues the incoming ABV will lessen increasing the amount of residual fluids left in the thumper taking up volume of you’re theoretical 1/2 gallon thumper.

In the full run of 5 gallons of 10% ABV you will transfer in excess of 1 gallon to the thumper plus the original charge you put into it. You sir will have a mess with those calculations. That is why we recommend 1/3 the size of the boiler for a thumper,

• It factors in a safety margin.
• Glass is definitely no good.
• You say it will handle 200 plus degree vapors but if something accidently hits it and it shatters you again will have serious problems.
• Have you seen what hot glass does when something cold hits it.
• Typically it cracks.
• If you chose to run glass that is you’re decision do not recommend it to others on this site, period.

I am also curious why you brought this back up, you responded to a post that was 2 years old. I too see you have 6 posts here, that doesn’t determine your experience but as a statement of fact, how many ferments and runs have you made with your 1/2 gallon thumper to be able to state your theory as fact.

Retired Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am by » Fri Feb 20, 2015 5:19 pm If I could offer a bridge here.this is what i’d say: It’s often in the translation that things get lost. Somebody who actually knows something.tells somebody else.who remembers part of it.and just passes on what they heard.without really understanding it.

That’s really inherent in this kind of format. We know and understand that. And would not certainly hold that against anyone who admits.that’s the case. It happens all the time. But, you have to realize.that people here been runnin stills (of all kinds) for many years.who know how much output/volume a given still might have (given a still charge) to realize that those calcs attributed to you (or whomever) are off. Posts: Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:20 pm Location: The wilds of rural California by » Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:19 pm bellybuster wrote: shadylane wrote: bellybuster wrote: so thumper size has effect on ABV??? I ask because I seriously had no idea that was even a factor. tp (with no room to talk) Novice Posts: Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:45 am by » Sat Feb 21, 2015 5:12 am I stand by my calculations and will respectfully disagree with those who believe differently here. With that being said I will agree that glass can be a safety issue with heat change and don’t recommended anyone to use it although I have seen it work fine over years of use on a small still.

I would definitely recommend other material than glass in any case though. This I agree with. retired Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am by » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:46 am WhoDat.so be it. When you get your rig built using those calcs.you be sure to document it good (pics, etc) and let everybody know how it runs/works.

retired Posts: Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am by » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:58 am DWhoDat wrote: Here is an example: 5 gals. (wash/mash) x,10% (alcohol) =,5 gallon (thumper) So a 5 gal. wash containing 10% alcohol will require a 1/2 gallon thumper, and so on.

• The higher your volume and the higher your alkeehol the larger your thumper as the lower your volume and lower your alkeehol will require a smaller thumper of course Ok, first of all I don’t have a thumper, never run one.
• BUT, I am planing to make one so I have been following the thumper threads, trying to understand the ins and outs.

Looking at this math, I think it just shows that the idea to have a thumper at least half the size of the boiler is a good one. Yes, looking at the example given, 5 gals. x 10% (not,10% btw) = 1/2 gallon thumper. But suppose you’ve already done a strip run and you are charging the boiler with 40% spirits.

How big of a thumper do I need for a 10 gallon still?

3.3 Gallon Copper Distillation Thumper with 3″ access and triclamp, temperature gauge, and 1/4 turn boiler drain. This Copper 3.3 Gallon Thumper/Doubler is the perfect addition to an 8 to 12 gallon still. The advantages of a thumper would be gaining a higher proof on the first run and/or to add back flavor that is lost during the first distillation process from the pot.3.3 Gallon Thumper 3″ ferrule with locking triclamp, gasket and stainless sanitary end cap Temperature gauge placed at the vapor line to help you manage your still 1/2″ ball valve drain to maintain levels 1/2″ copper pipe stubbed out ready for plumbing to your still (if you need help with this part, please contact us as will need measurements to help you).20 oz Revere copper and silver based, lead-free solder

How do you charge a thump keg?

Can you Increase the Potency of your Still with the Thump Keg? – via GIPHY Moonshiners that want to create extra potent alcoholic beverages can choose to “charge” the thump keg by adding undistilled mash or alcohol to the keg. The steam that passes through the liquid will pick up some of the alcohol vapor before rising back up into the condenser.

1. The still in the heated thump keg will now begin to re-evaporate.
2. This process also filters out all mash pieces that drifted along into the thump keg.
3. The alcohol will now rise through a second copper tube where the vapors are cooled down in the condenser.
4. When the vapor escapes the thump keg, it rises into the condenser.

The condenser is also called the worm because it consists of a length of coiled copper pipe inside a worm box that is filled with cold water. Many worm boxes are fueled by constantly circulated cold water so the condensation process will remain constant.

How do you keep moonshine clear and flavored?

How Commercial Brewers Flavor Spirits – Commercially produced spirits are usually stored in wooden casks or to enhance the taste of the spirits. Some commercial brewers allow their products to sit for a minimum of one year where others may choose to age their products for many years which increase both the taste and price of the product.

The type of wood you use for aging your spirits can also affect its taste. For instance, scotch whiskey is usually kept in sherry cask to combine the different flavors of sherry, sugars present in the wood as well as the distinct flavor of the whiskey. The resulting product is quite unique and more flavorful.

If you will take a look at commercial whiskey products, you will find that the age is about three to eight years and even twelve. You may also begin to wonder why your spirit soaked with oak chips to achieve aging takes only a few days instead of years.

The answer greatly depends on the surface area of the oak wood chips that come in contact with a certain amount of spirit. Essentially, the surface area of the oak chips is greater than that of the barrel which makes the exchange of flavor more rapid. Using Fresh Wood Chips Is Ideal For Enhancing Taste New wood can age spirit more than old wood does.

It is recommended to use fresh wood chips rather than the old one because your spirit can have a woody taste if the chips are very old and this can negatively affect the flavor of your finished product Sweet Bourbon Essence Can Also Enhance Your Flavor To intensify the taste, even more, you can filter it in a muslin cloth and include the sweet bourbon essence into it.

1. After this, you can proceed with bottling the product into 700g bottles which should be stored in a cool dark place for one month or more.
2. With this, you can achieve bourbon that is smooth and mellow to drink.
3. Avoid Using a Carbon Filter You must not filter it using a carbon filter to remove wood chips because it will only remove much of its flavor which makes you lose all your efforts.

Using a muslin or tea towel is highly recommended in this case so that you can retain all the flavors that you would like to keep. You may also try a coffee filter which may take slowly compared to muslin, but it is really quite effective too. Adding sugar can also adjust the taste of your moonshine To add final touches, you can add 5 teaspoons of caramelized raw or white sugar per liter of your spirit.

What size thumper do I need for 15 gallon still?

4.3 Gallon Copper Distillation Thumper with 3″ access and triclamp, temperature gauge, and 1/2″ ball valve drain. Vertical piping with 1/2″ pipe. This Copper 4.3 Gallon Thumper is the perfect addition to a 12 to 14 gallon still. The advantages of a thumper would be gaining a higher proof on the first run and/or to add back flavor that is lost during the first distillation process from the pot.

Why use a thumper on a still?

While generally associated with the backwoods whiskey still, the thump keg, or “doubler”, is a very old design element that probably arrived with the early settlers and was incorporated into the stills they built on arriving in North America (Fig.1).

Do you add water to a spirit run?

Stripping Runs – I did three spirit runs over three days, the first two runs I used low wines, They were 6 gallons each @ 35%ABV, I watered them down to about 10 gallons each for the spirit runs. I heard that adding water is a good thing and that it can actually act as a filter removing undesirables.

How do you charge a thumper keg?

Can you Increase the Potency of your Still with the Thump Keg? – via GIPHY Moonshiners that want to create extra potent alcoholic beverages can choose to “charge” the thump keg by adding undistilled mash or alcohol to the keg. The steam that passes through the liquid will pick up some of the alcohol vapor before rising back up into the condenser.

The still in the heated thump keg will now begin to re-evaporate. This process also filters out all mash pieces that drifted along into the thump keg. The alcohol will now rise through a second copper tube where the vapors are cooled down in the condenser. When the vapor escapes the thump keg, it rises into the condenser.

The condenser is also called the worm because it consists of a length of coiled copper pipe inside a worm box that is filled with cold water. Many worm boxes are fueled by constantly circulated cold water so the condensation process will remain constant.

How long do thumper batteries last?

The average life expectancy of a Thumper battery pack is approx.5-7 years, but what do you do if the battery finally dies out? The answer is REPACK IT!

How should I charge my vape battery?

Ways to charge your vape – How do you charge a vape? The short answer: Attach the vape to its charging cable, insert the micro-USB connector into the power plug, head to an outlet, plug in, and wait until the vape is fully charged. Of course, every vape model is different, so those instructions may not apply to the specificities of your vape.

Rechargeable pens (built-in batteries) :

Step 1. Locate your vape’s charging cable. Step 2. Insert the USB connector into the vape’s USB receptacle. Step 3. Plug the power plug into an outlet.

Rechargeable pens (removable batteries) :

Step 1. Transfer the empty batteries from your vape into a battery charger. Step 2. Align the battery symbols with the accompanying plus and minus signs on the charger. Step 3. Plug the battery charger into an outlet.

Box mods :

Step 1. Identify whether your box mod vape has built-in or removable batteries, Step 2. Follow the instructions above depending on the type of battery.

How should I charge my cart?

How do you charge a weed vape? – Depending on what type of charger you have, you can charge your cart battery using one of two methods. Some chargers screw into your cartridge attachment (if your pen is 510-threaded). Others plug directly into the bottom of your device, typically with a USB-C charging port.