Over the last months work has been moving ahead on a steam distillation setup for doing stripping runs. After doing a vinegar run and a cleaning run with left over heads the first actual distillation run was yesterday.
Goals of steam distillation were to minimize movement and transfer of mash, fermentation and distillation from different vessels and locations. To mash, ferment and distill stripping runs in same vessel. To move away from mashing and fermenting in BIAB, Straining and squeezing. Those goals are accomplished.
System consists of a 50L keg, 80L anvil brew pot, 240 V 4500 w element, PWM controller. Propane assist heat.
Top of the keg has a pressure relief valve of my own design similar to a pressure cooker. It uses weights in the form of bearings. The manometer is polycarbonate that will get trimmed after a few more runs.
Anvil pot lid gets sealed with a self made Teflon gasket and the Anvil silicone gasket over that as a safety backup.
Stripped a 55L mash yesterday with an additional 5L tails. Stripped off 22.5 L .
The steam added a significant amount of water to the pot. Ended up with 65L after stripping run was finished. I believe this can be addressed by adding insulation, and adding propane assist to heat once steam starts “stirring” the grains. This will use less steam/water and prevent scorching. I hope. There is also the ability to add a stir mechanism through another 2” ferrule on the lid.
It was very cold and a lot of energy was lost through the bottom of the pot although everything was wrapped with blankets except the bottom of pot and boiler.
Boiler worked great. Pressure relief worked, manometer worked, new condenser knocked down everything with element running at 100% stripping rate was at 8L / hour..
Cleanup of the spent grain and water was easier than straining a BIAB and the mop squeeze routine :D