The primary function of a thumper keg is to expedite the distillation process. Using this method, you can distill a high-proof spirit without having to pass it through the still several times. What exactly is a thumper keg in the context of a moonshine still?

What Is the Function of a Thump Keg? As a result, the distillation process is accelerated, and your low-alcohol wine is transformed into a liquid with a greater alcohol content, which is necessary for the production of moonshine or bourbon.

Do all moonshiners use a thump keg?

Although not all moonshiners opt to utilize a thumper or a thump keg, these devices have been widely employed since the earliest immigrants began distilling moonshine in North America more than 400 years ago. A thump keg is a small component that may be placed between a still pot and a condenser to enhance the distillation process.

What is a thumper keg and how is it used?

To put it simply, the term ″thumper keg″ refers to a container that is fitted in a distillation system between the still pot and the condenser. Traditionally, it was employed in hillbilly stills to raise the alcohol percentage of the distillate because conventional stills only produced products with an alcohol content of approximately 50-60 percent.

Why is a thumper used in distillation?

However, because of the large amount of heat released by the phase shift, the contents of the thumper quickly rise to a boil, and the vapor is delivered to the product condenser. This condensate/reboil process causes the thumper to operate as (nearly) another stage of distillation as a result of its operation.

What is the best Thumper material for moonshine?

As a result of its flexibility, glass is one of the most commonly used thumper materials, particularly when Mason jar thumpers are employed. When it comes to moonshine brewing, the design of mason jars is great since these glass containers can be readily removed from the thumper gasket for cleaning and replacement.

How does a thumper moonshine still work?

Essentially, how the thumper works is that it draws water vapor from the head of your kettle and directs it via a tube to the bottom of the thumper. Once it enters the liquid in the thumper, it cools and condenses, while simultaneously heating the liquid in the thumper, which results in a condensed vapor and heated liquid.

Do I need a thumper for my still?

It is recommended that you purchase a thumper keg for your still if you are interested in raising the strength of your spirits or manufacturing a classic backwoods moonshine. It is an ingenious invention that will improve the potency and purity of your distilled spirits significantly.

What is the purpose of a thumper on a whiskey still?

One of the most ingenious and iconic design aspects of the classic hillbilly still is a thump keg, which serves the goal of distilling the output of a pot still a second time without having to pass the distillate through the still twice in the first place.

What does a slobber box do?

The slobber box, which is similar to a thumper, is a simple way of collecting undesired condensate from the distillate that is extensively used by moonshiners to collect unwanted condensate.

Can you drink the heads of moonshine?

These include the most volatile alcohols and should not be consumed due to the presence of methanol and other undesirables in their composition. Commercial distillers never use or eat the foreshots since they are always discarded.

What is a stripping run in distilling?

It is known to as a stripping run because we concentrate and strip off all of the alcohol from the wash during our initial distillation, which is referred to as a ‘Run.’ In this run, we want to gather all of the many types of alcohol that come over at different temperatures — the good, the terrible, and the downright ugly.

What does it mean when someone calls you thumper?

Thumper (countable and uncountable, plural thumpers) is a person who thumps on something. In slang, a single-cylinder engine, especially one that is four-stroke or has a big engine displacement, is defined as follows: In this drinking game, participants are required to recall personal hand gestures while being distracted by other players beating on a table. (uncountable)

How much head do you throw away when distilling?

Commercial distillers have also discovered that just dumping a set quantity of product every batch, dependent on the batch size, is sufficient to keep things safe. When distilling wash, the rule of thumb is to discard 1/3 of a pint jar for every 5 gallons of wash that is being produced.

What size Thumper do I need?

Size. As previously stated, the size of your thumper keg should be at least 25 percent the size of your main boiler (or more). It’s best to start out with a thumper keg that’s around 40 percent the size of your main boiler since this will allow your spirit to distill easier and with a more fluid motion.

What do you do with heads and tails distilling?

Once the first cut is made by the distiller, the heads are either discarded or redistilled in order to extract even more alcohol from the still. They will then cut to ″hearts″ if they have determined that the quality of the incoming distillate is sufficient for drinking purposes.

John Wheeler