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mattymonkey
Feel Like aStranger...


Registered: 11/07/04
Posts: 973
Last seen: 11 years, 22 days
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Steam Pasteurization 1
#5344759 - 02/27/06 10:22 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Well we tried our first steam pasteurization, and it went off great!
We have a large bale shredder that we shredded the straw with, then loaded into burlap sacks, one 35lb bale into about 6 sacks, for ease of handling. I could fit 3 sacks into the 55 gallon drum, this is how we pasteurized.
We put the drum up on two cinder blocks, and made a fire underneath it using hardwood we used to heat the house. We put about 8 gallons of water in and another cinder block inside the drum to hold the substrate above the water. After the water was boiling we just put the sacks in and laid the lid on gently. After a little while, when the drum got really hot and everything was pumping, steam was POURING out of this, and it was hot! We let the steam pour out heavily for about 2 hours then called it done, laid it out on a table outside, while it was snowing, let it cool and inoculated. Got about 16 5/lb bags out of a half bale of straw. Pretty neat! Super easy! And really didnt take up too much resources at all.. no propane used, just wood heat.. I like this tek.
-------------------- "listening for the secret.. searching for the sound.."
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ohmatic
searcher


Registered: 02/28/04
Posts: 6,742
Loc: europe
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: mattymonkey]
#5345148 - 02/27/06 12:41 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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sounds awesome !
i sure would so love to do oyster mushrooms or other edibles for a living but sadly, i lack money to start the project. also, no idea if the market would even be good here.
anyways, what did u inoculate the straw with ? peace ohm
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MONOTUB tek HEATBOMB tek RIP #cultivation! ....can't associate? well FUCK U !
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GnuBobo
Frilly Cuffs Extraordinaire


Registered: 06/17/04
Posts: 43,754
Loc: Charisma
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: mattymonkey]
#5346260 - 02/27/06 05:10 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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So, no need to use a thermometer here? The steam is, by definition, in the pasteurization temp range?
-------------------- Jerry Garcia. JERRY GARCIA! JERRY GARCIA!!!!
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AkashaPrinciple
Think ForYourself


Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 289
Last seen: 10 years, 8 months
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: GnuBobo]
#5346285 - 02/27/06 05:21 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
GnuBobo said: So, no need to use a thermometer here?
Yeh i thought the same thing, arent you suposed to make sure the water doesnt go over a certain temerature, or is that only with horse manure??
-------------------- And in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping. The moon tells me a secret. "My confidant, As full and bright as I am, this light is not my own, A million light reflections pass over me, It's source is bright and endless" TOOL - 'Reflection'
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GnuBobo
Frilly Cuffs Extraordinaire


Registered: 06/17/04
Posts: 43,754
Loc: Charisma
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No, that's for all pasteurizing. But if you're not submerging the substrate in the water, and only using the steam to heat it, is there a constant temp of steam that's below 180? That's what's confusing me here.
I suppose I should just check some Stamets books.
-------------------- Jerry Garcia. JERRY GARCIA! JERRY GARCIA!!!!
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micololo2
Stranger

Registered: 11/05/05
Posts: 388
Loc: Québec, Canada
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: mattymonkey]
#5346774 - 02/27/06 07:24 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
mattymonkey said: Well we tried our first steam pasteurization, and it went off great!
We have a large bale shredder that we shredded the straw with, then loaded into burlap sacks, one 35lb bale into about 6 sacks, for ease of handling. I could fit 3 sacks into the 55 gallon drum, this is how we pasteurized.
We put the drum up on two cinder blocks, and made a fire underneath it using hardwood we used to heat the house. We put about 8 gallons of water in and another cinder block inside the drum to hold the substrate above the water. After the water was boiling we just put the sacks in and laid the lid on gently. After a little while, when the drum got really hot and everything was pumping, steam was POURING out of this, and it was hot! We let the steam pour out heavily for about 2 hours then called it done, laid it out on a table outside, while it was snowing, let it cool and inoculated. Got about 16 5/lb bags out of a half bale of straw. Pretty neat! Super easy! And really didnt take up too much resources at all.. no propane used, just wood heat.. I like this tek.
Hi Matty
I'm not used to work with straw, almost only with sawdust and wood chips. Anyway I respond because I have years experience using 50 gallons drums and hopping that I can help a sympatic guy like you.
I think using wood stove for heating the water will probably shorter the 50 gallons drum's life use. But if you got the wood stove and the drum for low price or doing the wood stove yourself... Anyway it's your first experiences with that.
You said it was snowing on that day. If you work outdoor and there is a breeze, the temp of the upper part of the drum may vary from the bottom part. But for straw I think you don't need that much heat. For that I think it'll work. Maybe you could shorter the steaming time?? or lower the temp? maybe it's perfect like this? Keep us up date.
Inoculating outdoor is specially good before pollenisation time. Using a clean table,cloths, tools, gloves, and hair net, and inoculating wind in your face, contaminations rate are similar to using flow hood workbench if not lower. During summertime inoculate only one bag at a time and fast as you can. Contamination rate get higher on summertime.
When it's between -8 to 9C I install a metal sheet at 6" to 1' from the drum and around it to cut the breeze, I insulate the drum with fiberglass insulation sheet too. Another thing is the metal sheet will help to keep a regular fire flow under the drum. Breeze or not at 10C or more I use only a metal sheet around the drum. Ho yah, I use 4-5 gallons water up to 2.5 hours steaming for 24/6 Pd's. bags sawdust woo chips blocks.
By putting a weight on the lid that will give a little steam pressure in the drum, but really little. All that procedure is for sawdust wood chips blocks. You'll find the good way for straw.
Good luck Matt Micololo2
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xxanxx
Mycophile


Registered: 12/13/05
Posts: 343
Last seen: 10 years, 6 months
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: micololo2]
#5351272 - 02/28/06 09:33 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Your technique sounds good. And yes, steam provides consistent heat that doesn't really need much monitoring. Great method for doing oyster columns!
-------------------- "The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -Hunter S. Thompson, RIP
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mattymonkey
Feel Like aStranger...


Registered: 11/07/04
Posts: 973
Last seen: 11 years, 22 days
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: micololo2]
#5352587 - 03/01/06 08:04 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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ohmatic: i inoculated about 17lbs(dry) of straw w/ four 1/2gal jars of ryespawn, about 10lbs worth.. way over inoculated really, im still grasping that i only need a little bit to get this to go.. i always seem to inoculate around 40% when really 20% would probably be fine..
gnubobo- nope no thermometer, no over heating seems possible.. the steam stays at a constant temp, no idea what temp that is though really... it took awhile for it all to get hot but then it just stayed hot and we just raged the fire underneath.. it was kinda nice, sitting outside around a fire(and drum stoking it.. hanging out, getting fresh air..
thanks for the input micolo, the metal around the drum sounds like a good idea, ill see if i can find some..
-------------------- "listening for the secret.. searching for the sound.."
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ohmatic
searcher


Registered: 02/28/04
Posts: 6,742
Loc: europe
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: mattymonkey]
#5353051 - 03/01/06 10:32 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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i mean with what mushroom mycelium did u inoculate it with 
guess oyster ? peace ohm
--------------------
MONOTUB tek HEATBOMB tek RIP #cultivation! ....can't associate? well FUCK U !
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micololo2
Stranger

Registered: 11/05/05
Posts: 388
Loc: Québec, Canada
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Re: Steam Pasteurization [Re: mattymonkey]
#5354080 - 03/01/06 04:20 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
mattymonkey said: really... it took awhile for it all to get hot
A metal sheet will help you to cut that time. For me it's start boiling after 10-15 minutes using a propane burner. I count that it cost $0.70 energy per 6 Pds. sawdust woodchips block using a 100 Pds propane tank the way I do it. At the end a block cost me $2.08 (final substrat, transfer substrat, laboratary costs and packaging the shrooms etc.). I sale the mush. between 9-14$ a pound. At those prices it is sale direcly to custumers or little distributors or restaurants and auberge. Big distributors want to pay only between 3.5-6$/Pd. A block give me usualy around 2 pounds (I love Shiitake for this, high yield, high price and easy to sale).
I made a new tub for poeple who live in the city. Now with this tub they will grow shrooms on the balcony. This tub will keep the flies away while keeping the humidity inside. On the balcony, no problem for the air exgange. Just have to create a bit of shade. It can take 18 Pds substrats or 3 blocks. I just sold a few yesterday, blocks will come in 2 months.
Later+ Micololo2
Edited by micololo2 (03/01/06 04:23 PM)
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