DIY steam boiler for home brewing

On a holiday it’s not a sin to drink sometimes. However, the quality of in-store products, even certified ones, is a big question - alcohol poisoning is not uncommon. Another thing is good moonshine, but under a sump made personally with quality products. A steam-water boiler is useful for its manufacture. What it consists of, and about the features of its manufacture, will be discussed in the article.

What a steam boiler consists of

A key feature of the device is that the mash is heated not by direct heating, but by means of water heated by the heating elements. The boiler consists of the following elements:

• stainless steel tank with a flat or concave bottom, equipped with a drain valve; sometimes the tank is made with double walls, between which water circulates, heating the mash;
• domed lid with steam outlet;
• TENY;
• coil;
• thermometer for temperature control;
• hydrometer for measuring the alcohol content.

Now let's start designing it.

What will be needed for work

The following elements are required:

• one or two containers, depending on the design - the first, smaller, for mash, the second for water;
• Heating elements for heating;
• lid with a pipe or valve for venting steam;
• heat insulating material for the tank, for example, mineral wool;
• drain cock;
• a thermometer and a hydrometer are required.

You will also need a drill, grinder, glue to fix the insulation, depending on the type of boiler, other tools may be required.

How to make a self-brewing steam-water boiler

How exactly the device is assembled depends on the mounting options and the features of its device. The following are general recommendations that apply to most cases.

1. Measure the size of the can for the mash and shirt with the calculation of the presence of a sufficient gap for free circulation of water between the walls of the tanks. A large milk can is perfect as a shirt.
2. The installation of a valve or pipe on the boiler is a matter of principle, since steam overheating requires a tap.
3. The most suitable material for the boiler is stainless steel or duralumin.
4. As a filter, you can adapt a sieve, slightly smaller in diameter than the capacity under the mash, putting it upside down inside the tank.
5. A hole is drilled in the tank under the drain valve, which is also desirable to equip with a filter.

On a note!

It is recommended to connect the heating elements through the regulator, for example, through a rheostat. This will enable temperature control. To facilitate the operation of the apparatus, it is useful to equip it with a wort pump that works in both directions.