StillSmart

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Mmm!!! Ok lol I will just see how I get on

Scotty,

Welcome to the forum.

I read your post and can truly say that I did not understand a word of it. That has nothing to do with your proposal just my total lack of understanding of the darker side of distillation. There are a few members here that may be able to assist you in your quest but I for one will just standback in admiration and look forward to more instalments.

Brian

Welcome aboard Scotty,

Your description of the equipment you're intending to build sounds like a complex grain mashing system capable of handling everything from grain drying and roasting to water in and chilled wort out.

Sounds like you're intending to get into serious grain mashing and although I admire your plans I am not person to advise you here either.

Hopefully someone with extensive all grain brewing experience will chime in and assist you.

Good luck.

AM

Scotty.
I have been all grain brewing for years but I am at a loss trying to understand what you want to build, are you intending to carry out the whole mashing process in this one “tun”? would you walk me through the mashing procedure you have in mind from start to finish IE fill the tun with water bring to strike temperature then add grain etc etc in order to give me a better understanding of this in use.

I read that the other day and the noise it made as it went straight over my head was an ear splitting WHOOOOOOOSH!.

Not being any kind of grain brewer, its all a complete mystery but maybe a diagram of the object design might help.....?

It might not be my world, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in learning about it........

And of course, welcome.......

Hi ikonos,

One thing bothering me is your ref to a grain dryer and roaster Why?

That's the first thing that's throwing me. I mean, when you buy your barley etc, it has come, originally, from a grain merchant who will have dried it to make sure it doesn't develop mold from being damp and as for roasting

Plus, as a brewer you will, presumably, be buying malted grains so you definitely don't want to be drying or roasting them

Most HBS that supply grains offer a range of malted and un-malted grains in different grades, types and degrees of roastiness from pale to amber to black. Here's where I buy mine from http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/grain-c-69.html
All nice guys there, and while no good to you for actual supply, given that they're in Ireland, it may point you in the right direction about the need to dry and roast grains and where to source supply near you, even if you are near a loch

There are a few members here from Bonnie Scotland who do grain brewing and may be able to offer specific help on sourcing malts in the highlands. I'm sure they'll chip in soon too

As P said, drawings, sketches, etc would be a great help in trying to see where we can provide any assistance or advice. There's a lot of technical know-how on here so I'm sure we can rustle up the help you need if you provide enough info for us to go on

AM

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I'm with you now Scotty. Wow! I'm impressed that you know about germination and malting barley to not to mention smoking the grain in a peat oven. I wouldn't have a clue where to start with that stuff.

On the mash tun and the false bottom, I personally wouldn't mash grain in a boiler with an electric element. You're going to get burnt grains on the element, even with a false bottom, as the small particles will get through whatever screen you use.

Grain mashing requires temp around 67oC for conversion of the starches and the more common cooler box mash tun keeps the mash at the required temp for the required time quite nicely. Once you draw off the wort you simply refill the cooler with boiling water (sparge) and stir then draw off the liquor and add to tHe already collected wort. I t is at this point you could squeeze or press the grains to get every last drop on liquid from them but in my experience it's big effort for little return.

If you are actually making beer a false bottom in the keg boiler to keep the hops off the element would be a good idea but for spirit making this is a process that you want to leave out.

Your plans, as I understand them, would be a great boon to an all grain beer brewer

Can't wait to see your pics, Good Luck with the build

AM

Thanks aidanmac, yeh I was thinking about the small particles of grain
On the elements that's why I thought of an air bubbler ie, a half turn coiled pipe capped
And with holes in it and a ball valve on the outside of the keg, similar to a worm coil but just air going through it to keep the wart Moving but not sure how that would turn out tho ?

It will be interesting to see how it turns out. There's nothing like a good old experiment to get the creative juices flowing

AM

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I never liked Irish Whiskey except for medicinal purposes as a hot whiskey, along with a few paracetamol, to fight off a cold. For this it really does work but for social drinking I always found the stuff too coarse for my taste.

Consequently, I never had any interest in it's making either.

Poteen is one of those Irish myths that go along with the Lepreauchans and the Banshee. Irish Poteen is just moonshine by another name and, like their hillbilly counterparts, the makers of Poteen didn't much care about spirit cuts and the like. Whatever came out of the worm went into the mix and into the bottles or jugs it was sold in.

I've tasted the so-called 'best' Poteen that's made these days and it's really vile stuff full of heads and fire that will burn your mouth and throat.

Anyway, got to go, I'm stripping today, seeing as it's pissing rain

AM

Aiden, this may change your mind: http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16763.aspx

Not likely Chuck, my Dad was a Redbreast man and preferred the 15 year old but I never took to it.

Even in my youth when I worked bar during the holidays and weekends I tried every brand on the Irish market and couldn't tell the difference between the cheapest and the premium Whiskeys so it was all wasted on me

AM