The production of strong alcohol is usually reduced to the distillation of fruit, sugar or grain mash in a home-made or factory-made moonshine still.
But if the volumes obtained in the process of such distillation are not enough, you can try to organize your own distillery at home.
In a broad sense, a distillery is an enterprise for the production of strong distillates (vodka, alcohol, whiskey, etc.), and in short, nothing more than a good old distillery. At home, it is quite possible to arrange a mini-distillery.
Selecting a room
The easiest way is to equip a home mini-factory in the countryside, since it is not always possible to allocate a whole room for it in an apartment.
In a private house, it is better to allocate a basement, part of a barn, a room in the basement for a distillery.
If opportunities allow, you can build a special small building with a concrete floor and frame walls or a brick one.
The premises must meet the following requirements:
Be well ventilated as the distillation process will be accompanied by strong odors and high temperatures.
Have access to cold water and a sewer connection.
Have the possibility of installing a stove (placement of a steam generator, heat engine).
Have a high ceiling (4-4,5 meters) or a niche at the top for the output of the column (if it is planned).
It is optimal to make the floor of the distillery gable with a drain in the central part of the room. It is important to choose an easy-to-clean coating for it.
Distillery equipment
How the mini-factory will be organized depends on the capabilities of the distiller.
The simplest set includes:
A table with a wide top for placing equipment and ingredients.
A stove with an extractor hood, a heat engine or a wood-burning steam generator.
Stable, durable racks, shelves or cabinets for storing utensils, containers, finished products. It is best to attach them to the walls for reliability.
A sink or other tank for washing the boiler (cube). Optimally – a pressure washer or a regular shower.
Fermentation containers. They can be made from a large keg by cutting it in half.
The distiller itself (with a refrigerator, a thermometer, a reflux condenser, a distillation column, dry steamers, and other elements at your discretion).
You can use the factory or handicraft, for example, from the same keg. The optimal volume of a cube for a distillery is 200-300 liters.
Malt house
If possible, you can allocate a separate room for a malt house (if you plan to make beer, whiskey, and other drinks from malt).
It should contain:
Water supply for grain washing.
Own drain to the sewer.
Ventilation and heating (to create suitable conditions for sprouting and mashing).
Mill for grinding.
As an alternative to the malt house, a square stainless steel tank (1,5×1,5×0,3 m) is used.
You can also select a separate area for a fermentation room (optimally – in the basement) with a temperature of 15–20 ° C.
Relevance: 22.10.2019
Tags: Tips and life hacks