Search found 76 matches

by lacedspirits
Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:13 pm
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Crosby & Baker distillers yeast
Replies: 8
Views: 4752

Re: Crosby & Baker distillers yeast

Most yeasts marketed as "Distillers Yeast" are intended for ethanol fuel production. They're a turbo yeast strain w/o the nutrients added. Most of the professional distillers that I've met with use wine yeast, brewers yeast, or a proprietary strain that started from one of the two. IMO, ba...
by lacedspirits
Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:29 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whiskey?
Replies: 9
Views: 1550

Re: Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whis

lacedspirits , I used to brew a lot of wheat beer styles, so I have fiddled with malted wheat a bit. I've never tried a 100% wheat malt mash...hhhhmmm...have you done this before? I'll bet seperating the grain from the fermented wash will be fun. In a normal beer mash, you far exceed the gelanitiza...
by lacedspirits
Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whiskey?
Replies: 9
Views: 1550

Re: Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whis

That's weird because I gave a 25 gallon wash using strictly 50#s of wheat malt a protein rest (@120-130F for 30 mins) and at the end of the rest, it passed the iodine-starch test and checked out @ 15 Brix (around 1.061). It's 3 days in and working hard... we'll see...
ls
by lacedspirits
Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:19 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whiskey?
Replies: 9
Views: 1550

Is a saccharificatio rest nessecary for single malt whiskey?

Like I've posted earlier, I've been doing a few all malt whiskey washes. The thought just occured to me, do I even need to do a saccharification rest for 60-90 mins @ 153F if my grain bill is 100% malted grain???
Any insight would be appreciated.
ls
by lacedspirits
Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:25 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Single Malt Wheat Whiskey & other SM Styles
Replies: 6
Views: 2529

Single Malt Wheat Whiskey & other SM Styles

Hey all, it's been awhile. Anyways, I put together a 30 gal wash w/50# White Wheat Malt last week. I did it mostly for some backset but I couldn't be happier with the spirit! I used Coopers Dry Ale yeast (15g for $2). The still knocked out around 3 gallons @ 100pf. I bottled up two 200mL glass bottl...
by lacedspirits
Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:41 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Record keeping
Replies: 20
Views: 4695

Re: Record keeping

If ever came the day when the cops walked in, it wouldn't matter if you were a hobby distiller or a hobby meth chemist, your setup would be considered a clandestine lab. I'm in no way saying that a little bit of liquor is the same as crystal methamphetamines, but then again, what I think doesn't mat...
by lacedspirits
Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:24 pm
Forum: Grains
Topic: The odor of an all grain mash
Replies: 17
Views: 10681

Re: The odor of an all grain mash

It's funny I stumbled on this thread. Just this morning I walked into the Mash Room and thought, "God, I love the smell of yeast workin' hard in the morning!" It reminds me of back in the day when I was working as a night baker. It smells just like fresh "proofed" bread dough. Lo...
by lacedspirits
Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:10 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Record keeping
Replies: 20
Views: 4695

Re: Record keeping

Here are a few sheets from the mountains of paperwork I do everyday in the DSP. Personally, if I wasn't on the up-n-up, I would stick to homebrewing/winemaking forms...just incase...
ls
by lacedspirits
Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:41 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: I never get enough reading material
Replies: 13
Views: 2427

Re: I never get enough reading material

There seems to be a lot of books on how to become a distiller but nothing on how to become a better distiller. I've moved onto brewing books to improve my grain alcohols and winemaking books to better my brandy, eau de vie, ect. Just take what you need and leave the rest. I'm also very interested in...
by lacedspirits
Wed Sep 15, 2010 7:44 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: A few questions about copper
Replies: 12
Views: 2198

Re: A few questions about copper

Menards has 10ft sticks of 2" DWV Copper tubing for under $80. Lowes has thicker gauged 2" tubing for around $150.
by lacedspirits
Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:41 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: how to get a keg
Replies: 46
Views: 3841

Re: how to get a keg

I think sometimes new distillers get stuck on kegs when all you really need is a stainless steel container. 15 and 17 gallon s/s barrels or drums make fantastic boilers, are about the same price as kegs, and are far easier to find than kegs most some areas. I love my 17 gallon ss drum and would neve...
by lacedspirits
Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:06 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Room temperature to ferment with bakers yeast
Replies: 18
Views: 10966

Re: Room temperature to ferment with bakers yeast

I'm from the school of cool n' slow is better than hot n' fast. I think there is alot less stress on the yeast this way and we all know stress=congeners. I keep bread yeast fermentations between 65-70F and wine/ale/distillers yeast fermentations between 60-68F. The longer I plan on fermenting a wash...
by lacedspirits
Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:12 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: What would make a good purchased still?
Replies: 18
Views: 1740

Re: What would make a good purchased still?

I think you could corner the market with a boka/vm combo still at a reasonable price. I really like manus' condenser control still. No gimicks, just a decent products at a decent price.
ls
by lacedspirits
Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:07 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Taking notes...
Replies: 2
Views: 560

Taking notes...

Here are the spreadsheets that I use at the distillery and at home. The first one is a Wash/Fermentation Record and the second is a Spirit-Run Record, a slightly modified version of the one found in Ian Smileys Corn Whiskey book.




If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to pipe-up.
ls
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:04 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Yet another Boka Question
Replies: 5
Views: 2395

Re: Yet another Boka Question

Yeah, Larry. I use the PDA-1 for our gins and vapor infusions.
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:58 pm
Forum: Safety and Related Issues
Topic: What's stronger?
Replies: 14
Views: 2306

Re: What's stronger?

What weighs more, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers???
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:01 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Yet another Boka Question
Replies: 5
Views: 2395

Re: Yet another Boka Question

OFFTOPIC Lacedspirits, U running that Bok at work? Or just for personal use? Noticed in one of your passed comments that your work rig had some issues. The Bok is my personal still. At the distillery we have a PDA-1 and a larger 4" CM still from Mile HI with the crossed cooling lines running t...
by lacedspirits
Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:18 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Yet another Boka Question
Replies: 5
Views: 2395

Yet another Boka Question

What would the disadvantages/advantages to using a 3/8" take-off tube/needle valve instead of a 1/4" setup for a Boka slant plate be???
The only thing I can think of is that the distillate take-off would be a little bit faster for use in pot still mode. Maybe, maybe not... idk...
ls
by lacedspirits
Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:35 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: boiling chips possible alternative
Replies: 16
Views: 4707

Re: boiling chips possible alternative

I've got 100lbs of 1/4" boiling stones and over 200lbs of 1/2" boiling stones, all ceramic. If anyone's interested in a few quart jars full, send me a PM. Let me know how much you need and we'll work out a price. Then again, if you want me to send you 300lbs of boiling stones, I could do t...
by lacedspirits
Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:20 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Here is how I carbon filter.
Replies: 34
Views: 3373

Re: Here is how I carbon filter.

proper cuts and "stillmanship" would eliminate the need for this process. +1 I don't think you guys realize how much work you're creating for yourself with carbon filtering. Don't get me wrong, activated carbon has it's place and it's place is at a distillery running continuous "coff...
by lacedspirits
Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:22 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello From Michigan
Replies: 6
Views: 737

Re: Hello From Michigan

Hello from the Tip-o-the-Mitt! Nice to see another Michigander around. The best part about being from Michigans' Lower Penninsula? We use our right hands as road maps!
by lacedspirits
Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:23 pm
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Cheap DAP found!
Replies: 12
Views: 4650

Re: Cheap DAP found!

manu de hanoi wrote:Use home made urea, it's sterile, cheap, no nasty chemicals, and easily made.
As far as I can tell from my Googling, making urea entails peeing in a bucket and diluting it with h2o. Do I really want to start adding this to my wash?
ls
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:41 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Coffee liqueur
Replies: 1
Views: 777

Re: Coffee liqueur

If you want to try a coffee liqueur recipe with guaranteed great results, try mine. It makes killer White Russians and is smooth straight out of the bottle. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14489 I have tried "instant coffee liqueur" recipes and for the most part, the...
by lacedspirits
Sat Aug 14, 2010 10:34 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Questons regarding a watermelon wash.
Replies: 7
Views: 1686

Re: Questons regarding a watermelon wash.

Watermelon has a very delicate flavor. Even if it didn't sour before you distilled it, the best you could hope for would be a watermelon scented vodka. However, I would love to be proven wrong.
ls
by lacedspirits
Sat Aug 14, 2010 10:22 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Pear-in-the-Bottle
Replies: 21
Views: 2821

Re: Pear-in-the-Bottle

Think outside the Bottle, That should be HDs mantra...
ls
by lacedspirits
Sat Aug 14, 2010 10:18 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: New to distilling
Replies: 4
Views: 530

Re: New to distilling

First off, welcome to HD. Secondly, this is a common misunderstanding with new distillers. Even though Ethanols' Boiling Point is 78C, you're boiling a mixture of ethanol and h2o. As I said before, Ethanols' boiling point is 78C and Waters' boiling point is 100C so... A mixture of the two is going t...
by lacedspirits
Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:36 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Pear-in-the-Bottle
Replies: 21
Views: 2821

Re: Pear-in-the-Bottle

The bottle is put on the tree when the blossom begins to bud. Pears are the easiest because pear trees hold on to most of their fruit. Apples are tricky because they drop half their fruit as the crop develops. Quite a few perry producers from France (perry is the pear equivalent of calvados) put pea...
by lacedspirits
Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:29 pm
Forum: Resources and Reviews
Topic: Ian Smiley's "Pure Corn Whiskey"
Replies: 58
Views: 13435

Re: Ian Smiley's "Pure Corn Whiskey"

Apparently we're getting the short end on water heaters over here in The States. As for Mr Smiley, the man knows his whiskey, I'll give him that. I just wouldn't let him build my next still. Unless maybe he brought over one of those Aussie type h20 heaters. Even smart guys have bone-head ideas. Ther...
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:44 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: How long should I let my fruit wash sit before I make brandy
Replies: 5
Views: 2281

Re: How long should I let my fruit wash sit before I make br

I know it's a bit late to reply but for future reference, I've made some very nice "white", or unaged brandy from welches wine. It took about 6 weeks to finish with ec1118 and another 2 weeks to clear it with gelatin. I ran it soon after, just 1 semi-slow run, let it air out for 2-3 days, ...
by lacedspirits
Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:01 pm
Forum: Resources and Reviews
Topic: Ian Smiley's "Pure Corn Whiskey"
Replies: 58
Views: 13435

Re: Ian Smiley's "Pure Corn Whiskey"

W O W :oops: I bought a still from stilldrinkin.com Not really sure what that says 'bout my brain . . . or my dick :?: Don't take offense, WW. I was just trying to make a point and throw in a li'l quick wit. Your posts are some of my favorites. I never considered myself a smart man so I don't know ...