cunnyfunt's SD Biab Blog

Lloyd

From your boiler's 4" top port, add a 4x2 reducer then a 2" butterfly valve. Then a 6x2 reducer for the pipes. A 6x2 torpedo reducer would be ideal - although I haven't made one yet.

irishman

Even a 4" valve isn't tooo bad i suppose.
http://www.glaciertanks.com/TriClamp_Butterfly_Valve-Butterfly_Valve_Pull_Handle_4.html

cunnyfunt

I do like that idea. I don't have to get anything fabricated then

cunnyfunt

Did a bit of google action to see if this idea is sound and found this guys build that he has been working on.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/55-gal-16500-watt-rims-braumeister-ish-brewery-build-450017/

CothermanDistilling

running a mash tun in reverse will not lauter(filter the fine particulates), so I doubt this guys setup will yield good beer... and his tippy dump pivot locations are totally wrong... The 2bbl brewery my friend Chris and I built 10 years ago used a lauter grant and the pump just recirculated it when it was full... The only thing that did not work great on that original system was the HERMS coil in the way too small 15 gallon HLT.. http://www.clearwaterbrewery.com/

cunnyfunt

i guess every braumeister user would beg to differ with you about how good it does lauter running in reverse. I suppose i could run it anyway. It doesnt really matter because it is a closed system. Cool little brewery @CothermanDistilling Is that a boat paddle for a mash paddle? lol

CothermanDistilling

boat paddles work awesome!

irishman

I have to admit, i'm curious the results of pumping up, but i'm not willing to try it myself. I like my downward water path.

cunnyfunt

I will give it a good crack mate. Failing at something is sometimes just as fun at winning:)

cunnyfunt

I stipped my biab peated malt tonight and got 15L+. I cut it off at 30%abv.

MY FIRST WHISKY!!!! I shall name it 'Doctor Cooperville and Sneaky Peat' because I credit my inspiration to that quirky video made by 'the Doctor' that I stumbled on one drunken night when I was searching AG whisky. It was the very first time I saw the SD dash and I NEEDED it. Also @cooperville. I've watched his peat reeek videos literally 50 times. Cheers ole mate.

BTW lovin SD. I fashioned a pot still out of bits and pieces I just happen to have laying around :) It was a sexy looking pot still if you ask me.

cooperville

I think thirty maybe a little close but give it time .its great to hear that you have used the videos I think there important it's why I made em For me I'm looking at a 2 or so months then I will have my gear to re assemble Then I might make a video or two Scored a C02 fire extinguisher yesterday which I'm going to use for the beer and soda water

Oh I wanna see pics of the potstill

Drunkas

nice work mate I also found that same video one drunken night and it also lead me to SD. Got any pic's of this pot still you put to geather.

cunnyfunt

Ha she looked sexier lastnight. Must have been the beer goggles

Looking forward to future vids @cooperville

Thanks @Drunkas

FullySilenced

Looks like a fine Pot Still there sir.... keep on playin with it...

cunnyfunt

Been working on a set up for my mashmaster mini mill. Finally got time to finish it today. Going to do a few more malt whiskey mashes soon with a 2 vessel system. Will update soon.

punkin

Flash as a rat mate. I love my new minimill.

I used the motion dynamics motor in the end.

Home Brewer Special! Worm Drive Motor + DC Speed Controller! @ Motion Dynamics

cunnyfunt

wow nice torque.. 20nm and a controller. I wish I saw that one 4 weeks ago lol

cooperville

I like the progress of your cf Interesting take on biab good work it's a lot of work to get a full boiler but I can see it being very rewarding Do you plan on Aging in barrels or glass? For this first few runs

cunnyfunt

I plan on using both coops. I would really like to get a few barrels for long term 5-10 years but have something to sip in 6-12 months. What are you brewing in atm @cooperville

Lloyd

Small (less than 3 gallon) glass with oak is OK in 2 to 4 months - very OK.
Large barrels of 50+ gallons need about 2 years or more but even samples at 6 to 8 months is plenty good.
Small barrels of about 5 to 10 gallon will do VERY nicely for the serious hobby distiller as they work the magic quicker.
You kind of need a mix of everything. And adding some Punkin dominoes to an old, spent barrel gives it a very nice touch too.

Years ago, in a galaxy far far way on a very different forum, Punkin told me and everyone else that, to get properly aged spirits you had to have more enough stock built up so you wouldn't need to drink it too soon (paraphrasing here as it was a long time ago but you get his meaning).

Run your calculations however you like but the bottom line is simple... get as much GOOD stuff aging as soon as possible because it gets better and MUCH MORE valuable over time. How much 20 year old stuff do you have? 15 year old? 10 year old? Even 1 year old?

punkin

We use 50 sheng barrels and try to keep the ujsm in there for around three years. Even then the product is finished off with domino's as we draw out 4l at 65% at a time to top up the 10l stainless domino vessel. It's cut to 40% at bottling when we need it.

My neighbour starts in barrels and then moves the lot to 50l kegs and starts diluting after six months or a year and ends up at 40% after 2,5-3 years, still in kegs with dominoes.

cunnyfunt

Excellent info thanks. This answered many of my questions. Is there a saturation point with the domino's? Is too many per litre a bad thing? How long can it sit on domino's? Woody?

punkin

Yes, you want the domino's to get the spirit right over a 6 week to 3 month time period. So in my opinion you can certainly use too many and get a harsh wood taste.

If you get it right and then take the bulk of the sticks out, it can sit on one or two indefinately, specially if they are getting a little old and have already given their best.

cunnyfunt

Perfect.

Im going to get some barrels @Lloyd. Trick is not to tell the Mrs. Get them delivered to work. Stick them someplace she will never find, like in the cupboard where the vacuum lives:)

punkin

My neighbour told his missus he got two of his cheap, refurbished second hand.:D

Roll out the barrel 50 l units....nice.

cooperville

@punkin do we have an ozzy 20-50 ltr barrel supplier ?

punkin

Roll Out The Barrel Cooperage

These people have looked after me and those i have recommended very well over the years.

Mom an pop business and truely well crafted. Tell em punkin for Tamworth sent ya.

50l is by far the best value and easy to fill. 100l would be tempting too.

I got a 25l and wasn't happy with it, if you go for one of those tell them you want recycled staves not new and the highest toast they are willing to give it. Retoasting is good and cheap too, although freight may be a little pricey for you :))

nick

Yeah can agree, just used roll out the barrel and got a quality product at a fair price, will be using them again for sure.

Also trying to chase the pen folds Octavian barrel, did you ever use yours punkin?

punkin

Mines still sitting on my workbench. Neighbor keeps trying to buy it off me. :))

cunnyfunt

Doing another Doctor cooperville peated malt wash today. Thought I would post some upgrades I have been working on.

I sort have put the Biab on hold and got a cheap 150l Ss pot I will use as a mash tun. Had 3 x 2 in Tc's welded on.

Still using RIMS but will be using a dedicated herms vessel next time. Reason being is I like to slow down the recirculation during steps and have noticed if it's too slow, I am getting bad scorching. My element will attest to this. I also think switching off the element in the rims before switching off the pump to change configuration is a pita..

I also got back from the welder my 4inch Tc endplates welded up with gas and beer lines and a thermowell. Will be using 50l sanke kegs for fermenting and kegging from now on. Hopefully will be getting the kegs back with the 4in Tc ferrule fitted this week.

This suits me. I can ferment 200L at a time in my freezer/stc1000. Transfer via co2. Purge air out of the kegs before transfer etc.. Generally more for my beers but I will use the kegs for my washes as well.

I'm mashing in atm so more pics to come. I'm also trialing blichmann auto sparger. I like it:)

Going to fab up a longer coil for the herms to utilize the full length if the SD 510mm Tc pipe. The one I have is too short I think.