sweetfeed whisky

[rad14701]

Wow, Corn, Oats and Barley with a touch of molasses and low in protein. Looks like the perfect whiskey fixens.

Damn it Rad, now you got me wanting to do a sweetfeed! Ever mash this up with malt and no sugar?

No, I've never tried mashing sweet feed... In fact I don't recall ever doing more than bringing some to a boil prior to adding sugar but that was years ago and not in line with the methods posted here...

[McShiner]

Same as I used, and I had the same question. Malt rather than sugar? What would be the ingredient list for a (using round #'s for ease of 2x, 3x, 1/2x) 10 gal ferment?

[Jimbo]

Shiner, shooting for a 12 gallon ferment (10 gallons squeezed out to still in a 15.5), I would go for 25 lbs total grain to get a nice AG style SG. So to get a DP of >30, use 7 lbs malt and 18 lbs sweetfeed, conservatively. Or if you have 6 row (160-180DP) , or use a wheat malt (180-190DP) you could get away with 5 lbs malt and 20 lbs sweetfeed.

My next concern is putting this stuff through the malt mill. The molassses might gum up the works?

Another on the list of TODO's

[jarheadJoker]

since my temp in the head of my still was around 205 that would imply my abv was less than 5 percent. what could I have done wrong or is that normal for this wash

[rad14701]

since my temp in the head of my still was around 205 that would imply my abv was less than 5 percent. what could I have done wrong or is that normal for this wash

That would depend as much on your still as the wash but that sounds a bit low... What kind of still, etc... The more we know, the better we can help...

[jarheadJoker]

it is a 4 gal stainless pot with 1" column which turns down at the top to make a integrated thumper. after the thumper it rises back up and down the condensing arm. So basically it is a pot still with about a 32" tall kneck. I plan on redoing the kneck with 2" and not making it so small. Now that I have ran it once I think it would just be easier to take out the thumper and run the wash twice instead of trying to get everything balanced out just right.

[jarheadJoker]

The only way my still would affect the temp is if it is not a pot still....Correct? Dnderhead stated on the last page that the temp is determined by the vapor which is determined by the abv of the wash.

[Dnderhead]

the temperature is determined by the alcohol in wash and that determines the amount of alcohol in the vapors and the amount of alcohol determines the temperature of either.
the difference between a reflux and a pot,is that the reflux separates out the alcohol and brings all up up the column and maintains it there until it starts to run out.there for the head temperature stays steady threw out most of the run.but the boiler temperature will rise as the alcohol is depleted.

now a pot still does not reflux or separate alcohol out as well,so the alcohol in the vapor will be determined by how much is in the wash,so the temperature of both will creep up as the alcohol in the wash is depleted.

[Jimbo]

If your thermo is at the top of the head, where the vapor makes the bend into the condensor then this chart in RAD's thread tells you everything going on, takeoff ABV, wash ABV remaining. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 4#p6787756

I have my thermo in the top of the boiler, so its not exact but no matter, cause for me I know from measurements when the thermo beeps at 210 Im drawing 19-20%, and its not worth the propane anymore.

[jarheadJoker]

would it help to stir this wash once a day or something. I have it in a 7.9 gal bucket with sealed lid and airlock.

[metalsmith]

Good morning everyone!!
Has anyone converted this to a full 50# bag? I would if I knew how much " 4" of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket" weighed. Just seems to me that a 50# recipe would simplify things- unless it worked out to more then one run through a 14 gallon keg I have this nifty 30 gallon stainless steel barrel to ferment with........

[Truckinbutch]

Good morning everyone!!
Has anyone converted this to a full 50# bag? I would if I knew how much " 4" of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket" weighed. Just seems to me that a 50# recipe would simplify things- unless it worked out to more then one run through a 14 gallon keg I have this nifty 30 gallon stainless steel barrel to ferment with........

A weighed 15 pounds for 30 gallons worked for me on the first run and I added 2 gallons for what the grain soaked up on the second . That all fit well in a 44 gallon ferment vessel with plenty of room for a cap . Used 50 pounds of sugar . Hope that helps .

[seaguy]

would it help to stir this wash once a day or something. I have it in a 7.9 gal bucket with sealed lid and airlock.

A typical answer will get you either a yes or a no . I have found on my wash that after reaching 1.04 it almost stalled...veryfew bubbles at all.The fermenters' sediment is so 'pudding like' that I can stick it with my wooden spoon and it will still release large bubbles so a good stirring every other day releases a lot of gas even though the wash was started 2 weeks ago. So far my SG has dropped .01 every two days since I began stirring an "almost stalled" wash. I think in my case the stirring will help to reach that 'favored' .99 SG a lot sooner than if I didn't. BTW I did not wrap or heat my buckets. The ambient temp varies from 68-70F thus the slower ferment for me.

[metalsmith]

Good morning everyone!!
Has anyone converted this to a full 50# bag? I would if I knew how much " 4" of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket" weighed. Just seems to me that a 50# recipe would simplify things- unless it worked out to more then one run through a 14 gallon keg I have this nifty 30 gallon stainless steel barrel to ferment with........

A weighed 15 pounds for 30 gallons worked for me on the first run and I added 2 gallons for what the grain soaked up on the second . That all fit well in a 44 gallon ferment vessel with plenty of room for a cap . Used 50 pounds of sugar . Hope that helps .

Thanks for the information, I thought it would get too large to handle reasonably

[Jimbo]

Good morning everyone!!
Has anyone converted this to a full 50# bag? I would if I knew how much " 4" of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket" weighed. Just seems to me that a 50# recipe would simplify things- unless it worked out to more then one run through a 14 gallon keg I have this nifty 30 gallon stainless steel barrel to ferment with........

I do batches with 25 lbs of grain, 15.5g cooker and 18g fermenter. Makes 12 gallons runs for a 15.5 still. Works out perfect. 2 of those batches gives 5-6 gallons low wines to run in a 7.75 spirit still but that 5-6 gallons could be run just as well in the same 15.5g still. I only use the smaller one cause its less steel to heat up. Piss through a lot of propane in this hobby.

[jarheadJoker]

I just keep my wash in the back room with the house temp set at 72 deg F. The last batch was my first batch, and I just ran it after 5 days kinda like the recipe calls for. I didn't take any SG readings so I didn't have any idea what the ABV was. This time I raised my lv-1118 yeast to 3 grams per gallon and took an initial sg reading of 1.071. I asked the question about stirring the mash because I noticed on the last batch that before I ran it I could get it to release bubbles with stirring. Would you all siphon off this mash or strain it through something? I will keep updating my results as I go. Any further advice would be appreciated. I am new to this and so far have been having a good time figuring everything out. Thanks to all the help I have gotten on HD.org

[crazyk78]

Wow guys 171 pages..

I'm interested in this post and am starting to get interested in pot stilling..

I have available to me in Aus

http://www.barastochorse.com.au/products/Completo.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

What are your thoughts? Is this the same as the sweetfeed you refer to?

[seaguy]

Wow guys 171 pages..
I'm interested in this post and am starting to get interested in pot stilling..
I have available to me in Aus
http://www.barastochorse.com.au/products/Completo.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
What are your thoughts? Is this the same as the sweetfeed you refer to?

Only thing I didn't see that would help is cracked corn. Might help to add a half cup per gallon of feed.

[F6Hawk]

Sweetfeed can be called sweet COB (Corn, Oats, Barley), and is basically those three grains with molasses added. Formula will vary with producer, of course. If one grain is missing from your feed sack, just buy it separately and add it yourself.

[crazyk78]

Is the chafe a problem? That's basically grass !

[djc]

I have always used Tractor Supply 10% all grain before. Now my store stopped selling it.
So I guess I'll mix up my own. Any idea the relative amount of corn, oats, barley and molasses?

Thanks

[Truckinbutch]

I have always used Tractor Supply 10% all grain before. Now my store stopped selling it.
So I guess I'll mix up my own. Any idea the relative amount of corn, oats, barley and molasses?

Thanks

My TS did the same thing and I did what you are going to do . I used 30% corn , 30% oats , 30% 2 row barley , and 10% molasses by weight . Not volume . Working fantastic for me . Also gives me the option to vary proportions to change the flavor if I so choose .

[pounsfos]

This may be a silly question but I have read through most of thoe notes here and haven't found it.

after putting 4' into my bucket after fermentation the sweet feed expands and I can only get about 15litres out (3.5ish gal)

is this normal??
Also, how clear do people get it?, Mines beeing clearing for a week now in 0-12c weather and it's still quite brown.

when I am no longer at work I will take a picture, but I have racked it off 3 times now and pretty much no sediment, but still very hazy.

[Dnderhead]

d I can only get about 15litres out (3.5ish gal)
is this normal??"
Of course it soaked into the grain.

and it's still quite brown"
when we say "clear" we mean lack of sediment ,not clear like water.

[pounsfos]

usually I do sugar washes so use to getting crystal clears on them, thank you dndr

I knew it would be right but wabnted to check.

brew time tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

[cracker 1]

I've been working on my own grain bill for this mash due to the Sweet Feed from commercial sources keeps changing. The three mixtures are:
1st. Basic-Equal parts Corn Oats(flakes) Barley(flakes) plus 12oz molasses.
2nd. 2 parts Corn(Yellow cracked), 1 part Oats(flakes), 1 part Barley(flakes), 12oz molasses.
3rd. 3 parts Corn(White cracked), 1 part Oats(flakes), 1 part Barley(Flakes), 12oz molasses
The third mixture is my favorite. It has the best taste by far. I use red star bread yeast from publix, and publix brand un-sulfured molasses. I use 5lb sugar to 3 gallons water, 2 gallons back set. Open top fermentation approx 5 days(air lock afterwords until distilling)(I only distill on Wednesday). I add my heads and tails from last run (approx. 2 quarts) making the same cuts on this run normally gives me one gallon of 105 proof after cut. I gass off finished product in quart jars covered with coffee filters and rubber bands(this really helps the taste.)
I have gotten away from oaking, whiskey is good but white dog is a developed taste, my favorite drink is 50% chilled white dog 50% chilled water. Good sipping when you are piddling around the vegetable garden watching the corn grow! You can add ice..
Recent bad news was new girl friend dropped by on her way to church, opened refrigerator to get a drink of water, grabbed the wrong jug took a big swig and spit out a large mouthful of my shine. Consequently I had to drive her intoxicated butt to church. I've little hope this relationship will last, I just am not going to church every other year.
I travel out of town for weeks at a time(occupation), I place used grain in 1-gallon plastic zip lock bag into freezer along with two plastic gallon jugs of back set. Upon return I thaw add new mixture to top up container 4 inches approx. let it ferment. I've not had to add any yeast since the first run, I've lost count on what generation I am on.

[rad14701]

Wow guys 171 pages..

I'm interested in this post and am starting to get interested in pot stilling..

I have available to me in Aus

http://www.barastochorse.com.au/products/Completo.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

What are your thoughts? Is this the same as the sweetfeed you refer to?

That mix contains pellets...

[Saltydre23]

I just finished my first run of sweet feed. I got much lower ABV than I have been reading about in these posts. Anyone got any tips? Would running it slower get me higher ABV? Highest ABV I got was 65%

[WV Shine]

That sounds about right for a single run Salty. To get much higher with a standard pot still you'll have save up a couple runs, dilute to 40% with water (if necessary) and run it again.

[Saltydre23]

Then that's what I will do. Thanks.