Search found 1001 matches

by MDH
Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:35 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: Odin's gone wrong
Replies: 29
Views: 3368

Re: Odin's gone wrong

The cloudiness are volatile terpenes which have a low solubility in water, but a high solubility in ethanol. There are a few ways you can do this: -Dilute the gin with water to <20% ABV, store it at almost freezing temperatures and do not move it. The terpenes will settle and accumulate. Decant the ...
by MDH
Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:48 pm
Forum: Craft Distillers
Topic: Atomic vodka made in Chernobyl
Replies: 8
Views: 3315

Re: Atomic vodka made in Chernobyl

unintentionally microwave rapid aged
by MDH
Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:34 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: The Blue Gin
Replies: 56
Views: 8758

Re: The Blue Gin

It looks as wild as you'd imagine.
by MDH
Thu Aug 01, 2019 3:56 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: The Blue Gin
Replies: 56
Views: 8758

Re: The Blue Gin

Years ago I worked at a Sushi Restaurant. We used to cook rice with butterfly pea flower to make colorful rolls for people with young children. It's been used for centuries to make tea in Thailand and it actually kind of surprises me it's only just caught on here in North America.
by MDH
Thu Aug 01, 2019 3:36 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Peach Brandy!
Replies: 169
Views: 48293

Re: Peach Brandy!

Going to post a great image again, http://culinarium-signor.at/WebRoot/Store6/Shops/f4eded1e-48ed-4169-902e-3c1f1b2e6c10/545F/6C56/261B/BF57/2234/0A48/351F/601C/IMG_0975.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow Long story short, aging spirits in "neu...
by MDH
Sun Apr 07, 2019 12:58 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Dried apricots
Replies: 11
Views: 2772

Re: Dried apricots

The amount of sulfur is negligible, as well as sorbate. Dried apricots have a naturally low water-activity level and are shelf stable - the added preservatives serve only as a form of long term stability since the sugars within the fruit are hygroscopic and will gradually absorb water from the air o...
by MDH
Sun Mar 10, 2019 4:03 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: First run, disgusting
Replies: 26
Views: 3180

Re: First run, disgusting

If the wine smelled and tasted good, so will the distillate. If it smelled and tasted bad, so will the distillate.

Was it sulfited?
by MDH
Mon Feb 18, 2019 8:55 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Jokes on me - infected ferment
Replies: 5
Views: 1445

Re: Jokes on me - infected ferment

IMO you can't ester your way out of a butyric acid mess. The thing about esterification is that at a certain point during aging, the speed of esterification tapers off as less free hydrogen ions are available to help it along and a certain aspect of unpleasant-pukiness will remain. In other words th...
by MDH
Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:29 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Refining lentil
Replies: 23
Views: 3944

Re: Refining lentil

No, because it is immediately above the boiler. The heads are condensing back into the rest of the fractions and remixing with them.
by MDH
Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:24 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Refining lentil
Replies: 23
Views: 3944

Re: Refining lentil

The lentil exists solely to increase heart yield by way of tails re pression, and finding the correct temperature of water to allow continued extraction of hearts while continuing to prevent tail from passing the lentil will be a learning process on a case by case basis - such as how fast you are ru...
by MDH
Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:26 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Oldest thread on HD?
Replies: 24
Views: 3135

Re: Oldest thread on HD?

https://web.archive.org/web/20040401115 ... iller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Head to "Resources" and then forum. 2004 the earliest one I could find intact.
by MDH
Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:27 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Lacto infection or yeast?
Replies: 12
Views: 1786

Re: Lacto infection or yeast?

That's just solids. You're quite fine.
by MDH
Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:31 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Apricot Brandy Project
Replies: 14
Views: 3437

Re: Apricot Brandy Project

With = more almond aspect just after hearts portion, bitterness. Free cyanide not a concern especially with proper heads removal.
Without = straightforward fruit flavor
by MDH
Sun May 06, 2018 11:37 am
Forum: Grains
Topic: The Maillard Reaction
Replies: 139
Views: 63654

Re: The Maillard Reaction

correct, it was unmalted. Then that is your issue. There are probably sugars in the grain but not enough to generate a substantial amount of the desired maillard product. I would recommend instead roasting your grain at 240-260f. Any darker and you will have overwhelming chocolate/coffee flavor in ...
by MDH
Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:44 pm
Forum: Grains
Topic: The Maillard Reaction
Replies: 139
Views: 63654

Re: The Maillard Reaction

The problem is that you denatured any enzyme within the rye berry which would have converted some of the starch into sugars which then would have reacted with nitrogen compounds in the grain. Crystal Malt is made in two stages, first by heating to the temperature of alpha/beta amylase balance and th...
by MDH
Thu Mar 08, 2018 2:45 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: Using reflux to encourage Fischer Esterification
Replies: 48
Views: 7332

Re: Using reflux to encourage Fischer Esterification

I'm still researching this but it appears that beyond Fischer Esterificaton, copper in the still may also catalyze ester formation. https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69935 All the transition metal oxides are known catalysts in organic chemistry, e.g. MnO2, Cu₂(OH)₃Cl, etc. Cop...
by MDH
Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:21 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Oak and whiskey
Replies: 190
Views: 71695

Re: Oak and whiskey

The transition of higher ABV to lower or vice versa over time means a wide range of compounds are extracted gradually in conventional aging.
by MDH
Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:37 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Nuclear Whiskey / Nuclear Rum and Spirits Rapid Ageing
Replies: 1076
Views: 237969

Re: Nuclear Whiskey / Nuclear Rum and Spirits Rapid Ageing

Alcohol is also incredibly good at absorbing volatile compounds that happen to come in contact with it. While there is no known scientific study showing this or discussing it (...yet), I can say from personal observation from a number of distillates I have tasted have "cellar character" fr...
by MDH
Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:56 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Peach Shine ...is it possible
Replies: 32
Views: 8027

Re: Peach Shine ...is it possible

The answer to this is to literally just ferment a mash of very ripe peaches. It's vitally important to pick up and smell the peaches. They're best when in an almost overripe state, practically falling off the tree, and then stored for a day or two together in a box which will soften them even more. ...
by MDH
Thu Dec 21, 2017 11:19 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: Using reflux to encourage Fischer Esterification
Replies: 48
Views: 7332

Re: Using reflux to encourage Fischer Esterification

I like the thought but the problem with this idea is that you are going to be proofing to 60-70% and barrel aging it. Barrels impart their own acids and other things the spirit reacts with. In other words, you are going to still be aging this for a long time anyway, so why bother with the additional...
by MDH
Thu Dec 07, 2017 3:40 pm
Forum: Essential Oils
Topic: Non-alcoholic distillates
Replies: 14
Views: 4991

Re: Non-alcoholic distillates

Not sure why your hydrosol is weak tasting. If your material is abundant in volatiles they will make it into the hydrosol no matter what. Do you leave it sitting out after you distill it or do you cool it down and bottle it asap? You could just be leaving the warm liquid out and losing the good stuf...
by MDH
Mon Dec 04, 2017 12:38 pm
Forum: Sugar
Topic: The problem with cheerios
Replies: 5
Views: 2854

Re: The problem with cheerios

You can actually fix this with a very small amount of zinc sulfate. Stir it into the mash while very hot, mix extremely thoroughly and leave for some time, It precipitates as a solid (Within the mash) that does not affect the yeast anymore. You have to be careful of course as too much zinc will stop...
by MDH
Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:34 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Just curious... Why do we make alcohol?
Replies: 70
Views: 7253

Re: Just curious... Why do we make alcohol?

For me it is all in the framing of what a spirit exactly is. I realized that "terroir" is a very real thing some time after starting this hobby; beforehand it was sort of an ambiguous word which people used to describe wine. The idea you can trap a cohesive "image" of taste, of a...
by MDH
Thu Oct 12, 2017 8:47 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: Removing ethyl acetate by room temp fractionation
Replies: 139
Views: 21109

Re: Removing ethyl acetate by room temp fractionation

Not sure of the relevance of phenols to this discussion. We're talking about oxidation of ethanol. As has been pointed out a few posts above by Chris' citation, alcohol is oxidized by O2 to acetaldehyde, to acetic acid which then reacts with remaining etOH. Plus, Don Livermore is not the kind of per...
by MDH
Thu Oct 12, 2017 12:52 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: Removing ethyl acetate by room temp fractionation
Replies: 139
Views: 21109

Re: Removing ethyl acetate by room temp fractionation

http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwin ... alker.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

just read this, hit control+f and type in "Acetate".
by MDH
Wed Oct 11, 2017 11:40 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: !!! -> Need questions for an interview on esters ASAP!
Replies: 40
Views: 5684

Re: !!! -> Need questions for an interview on esters ASAP!

The article says higher ABV can kill bacteria needed for esterification, and also says the ester creation process takes place over time in the barrel. 62% must not enough to kill all the bacteria (I hear some can live in space) No direct question here other that “hugh?” I am guessing that some bact...
by MDH
Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:39 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Idea using 45lb honey, possibly a rum
Replies: 5
Views: 1557

Re: Idea using 45lb honey, possibly a rum

Agreed that honey spirit is disappointing; crush some peaches, get a few oak barrels, make a fruit mead.
by MDH
Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:56 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What water is "good water"? - Wiki question
Replies: 12
Views: 2613

Re: What water is "good water"? - Wiki question

Here's WhiskyScience to the rescue on fermentation waters (because I don't feel like typing it all out myself): http://whiskyscience.blogspot.ca/2014/04/fermentation-waters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow Plus, you can understand the problem wit...
by MDH
Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:07 am
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: High ester yeast for whiskey
Replies: 94
Views: 26429

Re: High ester yeast for whiskey

Look at non saccharomyces strains e.g. Pichia Fermentans, move over to high-ester ale yeasts from standard offerings (WLABS, WYEAST) then also look at high attenuating finishing strains to cleave out the remaining sugars (e.g. "Trois"). Use all three at different stages with the conditions...
by MDH
Tue Aug 29, 2017 12:49 pm
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: High ester yeast for whiskey
Replies: 94
Views: 26429

Re: High ester yeast for whiskey

This isn't an "either one or" situation. Yeasts produce both esters and acids. Both conditions that lead to esters, and acids that will lead to more esters with time during distillation and spirit aging is the correct goal. Standard brewing yeast can be engineered to produce fatty aldehyde...