What Machinery Does the Distilling Industry Use?

The list of machinery and equipment used in the modern distillery industry is very long and inclusive. Going through it would require a good portion of time and lots of effort.

However, it is much easier to find out what kind of machinery your distilling business needs if you take your time to determine how many pieces of distillery equipment you need to ensure your business operates efficiently.

Each machine and piece of distillery equipment has its own specific uses and functions and can benefit your production line in different ways. They also have different water, electricity, cooling, and heating requirements.

The more you know about each requirement and function of each machine, the easier it will be to choose the right type of machinery for the task at hand. Before you start purchasing distillery machinery, we recommend that you carefully inspect the building where your production is to take place.

It will give you the configuration and the right requirements for gas, water, and power. Look for machinery tailored to your distillery needs and the type of product you plan on making. Let’s take a look at the major components of a distillery to better understand its functions.

Mills

There are two types of distillery mills – roller mills and hammer mills. Popular in the brewing industry, roller mills are the best option for separating the husk from the malt. This type of distillery mill also leaves a larger grist size, which is needed for the lauter tun.

Even though they require more maintenance and are more expensive than hammer mills, roller mills are more durable and reliable when it comes to separating out the in-fermentable husk. On the other hand, Hammer mills are common machinery for the grain businesses.

They are mostly used for making various flours. Compared to roller mills, hammer mills make a much finer grist and quickly mill vast amounts of grain. They also require less time for the enzymes, heat, and water to act on the grain particle. In other words, they can decrease mashing times and increase yields. Hammer mills work best with on-grain fermentations.

Mash tun

The mash tun equipment is essential to your distillery efforts as it allows you to convert starch to sugar. A mash tun has a screen, 16–12 inches above the bottom, that allows you to monitor a liquid layer during the process of converting starch to sugar.

This type of distillery equipment helps distilleries absorb sugar into water. They use a mash tun to heat the water and mix in molasses, honey, agave, sugar, or any other substance they desire.

Fermenter

Even though fermenters are often overlooked, they are essential to getting your distillery to operate at peak performance. Their role is simple but necessary. Fermenters contain the liquid of your mash, wort, and wash while allowing for the release of CO2 from your solution. It also monitors the temperature for consistency.

Stills

Stills differ by the way they operate. Depending on whether you’re running a batch or continuous operation, you’ll need a different type of still. Batch stills are common for the craft distilling industry. Stills help create the reflux needed for the separation between water and ethanol.

When choosing the right still for your distillery needs, keep in mind the type of spirit you want to make. If you’re making a spirit using high fermentation temperatures, you'll still need a low-reflux still.

Packaging equipment

Once your spirit is distilled and finished, it’s time to prepare it for the market. While you can always rely on your assembly line as the most commonly used solution for distributing your product, we recommend that you opt for something more modern and automated.

Choose a perfectly tailored bottle filling solution

Automating your bottling process can greatly increase your efficiency. That’s where E-PAK Machinery, Inc. can help. We custom manufacture a wide range of bottling and filling systems for distilleries of all sizes. We offer manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic filling systems.

Our goal is very simple – to provide our clients with the finest, most effective, perfectly tailored, and affordable, user-friendly packaging and bottle filling solutions.Visit our website today to browse our bottle filling and packaging systems to find the best solution that works according to your needs.