Can you make moonshine without a thumper?

An ordinary pot still, without a thump keg, is capable of distilling a wash to only a “low wine”, which will be about 40-50% alcohol. A second, or even a third, distillation is needed to achieve the high alcohol content necessary to make high-proof whiskey or other spirit.

Does a moonshine still need a thumper?

This is true, whether you are making moonshine or some other alcohol. What is this? In the end, though, we recommend going for a thumper if you want to achieve that higher alcohol by volume or proof without having to run your distillate through a more expensive set-up. We're talking to you, home moonshiners!

Why do you need a thumper for moonshine?

A thumper keg is used to reduce the amount of water in distilled liquid. In producing alcoholic beverages and spirits, it's used to increase the alcohol content.

How much does it cost to put in a 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.

How much head do you throw away when distilling?

Additionally, commercial distillers have determined that simply discarding a standard amount per batch, based on batch size, is enough to keep things safe. The rule of thumb is to discard 1/3 of a pint jar for every 5 gallons of wash being distilled.

How does bad MOONSHINE make you go BLIND?

Can you use cracked corn for moonshine?

What Type of Corn Should I use in my Moonshine? Our favorite type of corn to be used in moonshine is cracked, dry yellow corn. This type of corn is considered field corn and it needs to be clean and food-grade. It is recommended to use air dried corn rather than gas dried.

Can you use a mason jar as a thumper?

Glass is one of the most common thumper materials because it is so flexible, especially when you use Mason jar thumpers. The design of mason jars is ideal for moonshine brewing because these glass jars can easily be removed from the thumper gasket for cleaning or replacing.

What temp do you run a moonshine 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).

How big should my Thumper be?

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.

What proof is moonshine usually?

What Proof is Moonshine Usually? With a reputation for being notoriously potent, moonshine is known for having a strong “kick” to it. When it comes to what proof moonshine is, the figure usually hovers around 150 proof, which is about 75 percent alcohol.

Can moonshine make you blind?

If you're drinking moonshine, yes. Although alcohol that's properly manufactured and regulated does not by itself cause blindness, people sometimes do go blind from drinking bootleg beverages. One common concern with moonshine is lead poisoning, which has been linked to blindness.

What is a slobber box?

Similar to a thumper, the slobber box is a simple method of collecting unwanted condensate from the distillate which is used widely used by moonshiners.

What's the difference between a thumper and a slobber box?

Re: Thumper keg and Slobber box

A slobber box was designed to prevent any foam or puke getting into the worm condenser and blocking it. A thumper will catch puke, just like a slobber box, but will also re-distill the product and a slobber box won't. If your not distilling on the grain probably isn't necessary.

What is inside a thump keg?

Smaller copper pot in center is thump keg. An ordinary pot still, without a thump keg, is capable of distilling a wash to only a “low wine”, which will be about 40-50% alcohol. A second, or even a third, distillation is needed to achieve the high alcohol content necessary to make high-proof whiskey or other spirit.

What is a stripping run?

When we perform our first distillation – called a 'Run' – it is referred to as a stripping run, because we concentrate and strip all of the alcohol out of the wash. Different alcohols come over at different temperatures and in this run, we want to collect them all – the good, the bad and the ugly.

How much will a 5 gallon still produce?

General Alcohol Yields

You can generally assume that your alcohol still will produce a final batch that is about 20% of the size of your copper still's pot. For example, the average run in a 5 gallon still can be expected to produce about a gallon or a gallon and a half of moonshine.

Does moonshine improve with age?

Aging Moonshine Can Enhance Its Taste

Although it is a fact that the flavored spirit can be consumed right on the very same day it is distilled, many distillers suggest that you will benefit a lot if you let your spirit sit in the bottle for one month or more in a dark place which enhances its taste.

What to do with tails distilling?

Some distilleries discard the whiskey heads and tails but many municipalities require onsite remediation before dumping them down the drain. Many other distilleries recycle the whiskey heads and tails by adding them to the next batch of fermenting mash.

What is a moonshine thumper?

A thumper is essentially a parasitic kettle connected to the primary distilling kettle. The thumper gets heated with the heat already produced to feed the primary kettle. Evidently, the thumper gets its name from the sound it makes while in operation.

How much sugar do I need for 5 gallons of mash?

How Many Pounds of Sugar to Make 5 Gallons of Mash? A 5-gallon of mash requires 5 pounds of white sugar when using 5 pounds of corn which will yield a 15% finished product of 5 gallons or 3 quarts.

How much corn do I need for 5 gallons of mash?

For a 5 gallon mash: (201)

7 lbs (3.2kg) cracked corn. 6-8 pieces/kernel is the proper crack. If using bird feed, make sure it is perishable, or in other words is free of preservatives. 7 lbs (3.2kg) of granulated sugar.

What does barley do for moonshine?

Barley develops enzymes during malting that are needed to convert starches into sugar during the mash process.