How does the Thumper work on a moonshine still?

How does the Thumper work on a moonshine still?

The thumper keg uses the waste heat emitted by the steam pot, making it a very efficient distillation apparatus in moonshine stills. Let me explain. A standard still will heat the wash or fermented solution to a high temperature. This releases the alcohol vapors.

What is the purpose of a thumper in a still?

The main purpose of a thumper keg is to speed up the distillation process. It lets you distill a high-proof spirit without running it through the still multiple times.

What do you put in a thumper?

Finally, it should be added that a thump keg can be used to impart flavor in another manner as well: it can be used just like a gin basket. Fruit, herbs, or spices can be placed in the thumper where their essences are, in effect, steam-extracted along with the alcohol during this virtual second distillation.

How does a Mason jar Thumper work?

How Does a Thump Keg Work? With a thump keg, the hot vapor that exits the still arm into the wine that is already condensed at the bottom of the thumper once again evaporates before it reaches the condenser. When the alcohol is vaporized again, the alcohol content increases dramatically.

What is a thump keg?

thump keg (also thump barrel, thump chest) noun A second condenser added to a whiskey still between the cooker and the coil, eliminating the need to run liquor through a second time to strengthen it.

Can you flavor moonshine?

There are many ways to flavor moonshine, but the easiest way to do it is to add the fruit directly to a jar of finished shine (or vice versa). Cut the peach into slices or (if they’re small enough) stick two or three whole peaches in a quart jar, add shine, and leave it sit.

What to add to moonshine to make it taste better?

Here are the best things to mix with moonshine.

1. Coke. Moonshine is whiskey, so the classic combination of whiskey and Coke works whether that whiskey has spent time in a barrel or not.
2. Grapefruit Juice. Flavorwise, this is sort of the poor American cousin of the Paloma.
3. Ginger Ale.
4. Sweet Vermouth.
5. Lemonade.
6. Iced Tea.

Why does my moonshine taste bad?

Contagion with methanol can be noticed by the bad smell and taste of your moonshine and needs to be avoided, since it is toxic. Now, if you successfully made your moonshine alcohol, here are is how you properly ensure that the process went well and that you, in fact, made good moonshine: First, smell it.

What does good moonshine smell like?

Moonshine is usually distilled from corn, malted barley, rye or some combination thereof. “If I had to drink moonshine, this is the winner.” “Smells like bread. Tastes like soggy bread on fire.” “Strong, ethanol nose, chemical taste.” “Peppery, super burny on the back of my throat.” “Sweet, then bitter.

Is it safe to drink the tails of moonshine?

I wouldn’t drink tails on their own, but some of it in your distillate won’t kill you. At worst, it will give you a raging headache, and make your distillate taste & smell bad. Lots of people save the tails, along with the heads, to rerun them after they have enough.

Why does moonshine get you so drunk?

The alcohol in moonshine is the same as that of beer, wine, gin, etc. Pick your poison, and it’s the same alcohol. It is called ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, and it’ll get you drunk–some faster, some slower. Shots of Tequila tend to get downed much quicker than a 12 oz.

Can you drink heads and tails?

Once the distiller makes the first cut, the heads are generally either disposed of or redistilled in able to collect more alcohol from them. After the distiller has decided that the quality of the incoming distillate is good enough to keep for drinking purposes, they will cut to “hearts”.