Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I'm going through a bourbon phase, it started about 25 years ago and doesn't look like it's ending soon. I've found a good (cheap) supplier of flaked maze and have been mashing out 200ltr drums using a mix of 78% flaked maze, 15% rye and 7% barley.

It's all going swimmingly, except for the part where I strain out the mash and load the wash into the boiler.

The problem is the corn clogs up everything. I put it though a BIAB corse mesh, then BIAB fine mesh and finally through a fine stainless filter into the boiler. It takes hours, upon hours, it's messy, smelly. The whole process is starting to test my love affair with bourbon (keep this quiet she doesn't know yet).

Does anyone have any equipment or process that makes this a much less of a chore?

Just look at this mess.

Pot still with a thumper is one option but there are dangers associated no what your doing before attempting. Failing that a mop bucket with a mop squeezer is another option as is adding rice hulls and sparging the corn mash and never squeezing..

Btw how much for the flaked corn and where to get it :D

I've currently got 200L of bourbon fermented on the grain In a barrel. Your making me think twice about trying to run it.....

Or there is a ratchet strap and sheet method use a cotton sheet ot muslin cloth use a ratchet strap to hold sheet in place and let gravity do the work... personally I use the sparge method :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Final option drain off the liquid write the pudding off as a loss..

Westshine wrote:I'm going through a bourbon phase, it started about 25 years ago and doesn't look like it's ending soon

I been going thru same phase for about as long an doubt it gunna end anytime soon :teasing-neener:
Straining sucks, after the 1st time I did it, I looked for easier way.
I now use an agitator on my boiler. I can mash, ferment and distill on grain, just take the liquid backset out for next run and dump the rest, is too easy now :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yes this straining part is a chore ,I use a 24inch by 24inch reinforced straining bag hung from the shed roof beams,and load it up with 60lt with a 50lt fermenter underneath with a funnel and leave it overnight,then throw 5lt water on top of the muck to rinse thru,can take a day or two,but am still lookin for an easier option.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wobblyboot wrote:

Westshine wrote:I'm going through a bourbon phase, it started about 25 years ago and doesn't look like it's ending soon

I been going thru same phase for about as long an doubt it gunna end anytime soon :teasing-neener:
Straining sucks, after the 1st time I did it, I looked for easier way.
I now use an agitator on my boiler. I can mash, ferment and distill on grain, just take the liquid backset out for next run and dump the rest, is too easy now :handgestures-thumbupleft:

No shit, distill on the grain! I've got no idea how you manage this. Any chance you could post a photo of how you agitate the boiler? I've never suffered from scorching an element, mostly because I'm shit scared of doing it so have always filtered really well. If there is a way to use electric elements and not worry about scorching, I'm in.

I believe the big producers don't filter either, but they use steam to heat so scorching isn't a problem.

BTW I'm typing this while drinking heart cut straight off the still of said bourbon mash, the love affair will endure she's worth it.

You ever tried sparring?

bluc wrote:Btw how much for the flaked corn and where to get it :D

I'm now buying Thompson and Redwood from my local stock and station. I just called up the company and asked for the local distributors. Paid $28 for a bag.

And I've not tried Sparging, it won't work with corn there is too many fines that block all filter paths.

One idear I have seen is,to have a second boiler with just water in it then the output goes into your first boiler to the bottom with everything in it ,a bit like a thumper,would take longer ta get going but the steam would not scorch the corn mash.May do a few drawings and figure it out a bit more once this summer F's off,as I have a 50lt boiler as well as the 80lt one and had a bit of scorching with the last scotch whiskey batch I did that I was a bit lazy with filtering flippin cost me half a batch ,''not happy Jan''.Could be useful for fruit mashes as well.cheers hillzabilly ;-)

What about a grape press.

Centrifuge?

Check out my all grain whiskey thread.. :D geez $28 a bag would be awesome

Bluc, I'm with Westie. It would be almost impossible (I'm gonna say, impossible) to sparge that recipe with all that gooed up maize. I've done 2 ferments the traditional way (as already noted by Westie) and I said fuck it, too hard. I stick to making Aussie bourbon with either a tin of goo and grains or by mashing/sparging all grains like a beer. Tastes just as good IMHO. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I did 3 mashs ground cracked corn rice hulls and sparged it. If you look at corn mash number 3 in my thread will give you a good rice rulls ratio. Spend a couple minutes mixing hulls and corn and it will sparge like barley.. :handgestures-thumbupleft: mind you I have not tried flaked corn, but the cracked corn was about 3/4's way to flour... flaked corn is on my radar for this year so I can skip gelatinization. Now I know you can get it at feed stores :happy-partydance:

Hey Bluc,try find a feed store that sevices horses,as that's what its mostly for ,could be called Micrmaize like this https://www.hygain.com.au/feeds/micrmaize/ unfortunately not much for expensive horses is cheap $28 /20kg a bag is great price have seen 22kg bags go for over $100,wich is not good for the bottom line.PS an address for that place would be appreciated Westshine me bourbon stocks are getting low . cheers hillzabilly :D

Hey hilzabilly if you go to his link the manufactirer has all their suppliers listed all seem to be in W.A :crying-blue:

Oh shit I must need new glasses ,I canna see no link.cheers hillzabilly :wtf:

:laughing-rolling: oops https://thompsonandredwood.com.au/grains/flaked-maize :whistle:

Westshine wrote:Any chance you could post a photo of how you agitate the boiler?

Posting a pic on this forum is pita. Easier to describe it. It’s an electric motor on a controller, small gearbox going into the shaft which has a mechanical seal. It clamps to boiler with a 2” tri clamp. I do use a 4 ring gas burner as electric not an option where I run my still. A steam generator is way to go imo, agitate or steam is only 2 easy options that Iv seen so far. If u choose steam, make sure u research it well.