sweetfeed whisky

Refined and tested recipes for all manner of distilled spirits.

Moderator: Site Moderator

User avatar
Konrad Arflane
Novice
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Konrad Arflane »

BaxtersDad wrote:The five pounds of sugar in five gallons woud not have resulted in the necessary original SG to get the alcohol after distillation. He got conversion of starch in the grains into fermentable sugar, I doun't think here can be any doubt about that.
Well...yeah...because it's video. And we all know it's not possible to mislead, misdirect or outright falsify through video...right?
User avatar
S-Cackalacky
retired
Posts: 5990
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

BaxtersDad wrote:Here is a video on making sweetfeed hooch. There are a lot of nits to pick with how he does it, but the one thing he does right, I can tell you as a professional brewer, is the mashing process. I can only assume that this succeeds because the sweetfeed has enough malted barley in it to provide the diastatic power to convert all the starch in all the other ingredients into fermentable sugar. He is using Onata sweetfeed. I would probably include a significant amount of additional crushed malted barley in addition to the sweetfeed, but this worked for him without it.

The key point is that you do NOT boil the sweetfeed. You mash it, exactly as brewers mash malted barley. When we mash malted barley and adjuncts, we mix it with hot water to bring the temperature of the mash to between 135 degrees F and 160 degrees F. So I cannot argue with his use of 150 degrees as the mashing temperature nor the approximate one hour as the mashing time, nor with how he separated the sweet wort from the grain. It certainly appears that he got conversion of the starches to the sugars, based on the results. I would not mash in a pot on a stovetop. I would mash in in a cooler with a false bottom or an EasyMasher to drain off the sweet wort and sparge as brewers typically do. But his stovetop method is equally valid, the key thing being the 150 degree mashing temperture for one hour.

The nits? OK, what is the weight of the sweetfeed that results from "about 4" in a five gallon bucket"? How does he know he got conversion without an iodine test? What is the starting SG of his sweet wort? Without that, and then the final SG after fermenttion, he dose not know that the ABV of the wash is. He did not force cool nor cover the sweet wort after straining, presenting a huge risk of infection. He did not rehydrate the yeast properly to pitch. He did no apparent cleaning or sanitation of any equipment. But hey, it apparently all worked for him.

All in all, I think there is a lot here in the idea of sweetfeed whiskey...
That video is misleading BS. This is my response from a few pages back in the thread:
S-Cackalacky wrote:That recipe is basically derived from this Youtube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-nGbAf81Zs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow . The author does a lot of work that, for the most part, accomplishes nothing - like taking incomplete mashing steps out of context and leading the viewer to believe that conversion is actually taking place.

There is also other misleading and downright wrong information in the video. Much of what is in this video is the same stuff that new members bring here in their early posts. To the uninitiated the author sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Read the links in my signature and you'll know that he doesn't.

I would suggest that anyone coming here to make a SF whiskey, at least read the first post of this thread and follow the recipe as it is written. If you think you can succeed by getting it from Youtube, you are mistaken.
This was discussed starting from somewhere near the end of page 110 and continuing on page 111.
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
Kegg_jam
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1167
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:29 am
Location: Appalachian Mountains of MD

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Kegg_jam »

According to the ingredient list of the Onate brand. It has rolled oats, rolled barley, and cracked corn.

I could be wrong but even if the barley was malted (do horses usually eat malted barley?) would any enzymes survive the 'rolling' process?

I'm guilty of watching that video multiple times but then I found HD.
MashMaker
Swill Maker
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:53 am

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by MashMaker »

Kegg_jam wrote:According to the ingredient list of the Onate brand. It has rolled oats, rolled barley, and cracked corn.

I could be wrong but even if the barley was malted (do horses usually eat malted barley?) would any enzymes survive the 'rolling' process?

I'm guilty of watching that video multiple times but then I found HD.
Guilty as well before I found HD
Really glad I found HD before I tried to distill any beer
User avatar
HDNB
Site Mod
Posts: 7360
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:04 am
Location: the f-f-fu frozen north

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by HDNB »

malt enzyme will survive milling, so they would make it through rolling...and i have seen horse people spend money on some crazy ass shit...but i don't think they would put malt barley at a buck a pound in any brand of sweetfeed when they can use .10 a pound grain.

now a horse "treat" on the other hand that sells for about 5 time what you pay for breakfast cereal...that's a different story.

here is the list o stuff in that brand. http://www.onatefeedmill.com/wp-content ... tshine.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
personally i try to stick to corn, oats and barley and molasses. plus it's cheaper if you mix it yourself.
I finally quit drinking for good.

now i drink for evil.
Hound Dog
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3002
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:45 pm
Location: Hounds Hollow, VA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Hound Dog »

The whole point of this recipe is that it is a simple mix and go sugar head that makes a pretty good faux whiskey. If you want to cook, mash, malt and carry on with that work it is another game for another thread. Nothing wrong with it but it should not be confused with this recipe.
LM Still Operating Instructions
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search

Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
User avatar
Truckinbutch
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 8107
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Truckinbutch »

Hound Dog wrote:The whole point of this recipe is that it is a simple mix and go sugar head that makes a pretty good faux whiskey. If you want to cook, mash, malt and carry on with that work it is another game for another thread. Nothing wrong with it but it should not be confused with this recipe.
Thank you , sir , for helping steer these folks back on topic . Often times folks can come to the conclusion that they can fix what ain't broke .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
User avatar
S-Cackalacky
retired
Posts: 5990
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

I think this recipe would benefit from having a stickied condensed (abridged) version, as has been done with most other T & T recipes. I think it has gotten so big that its size discourages new members from reading it. THAT may be some of the reason it tends to go off topic.
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
Bigbob
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3128
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: SE Oklahoma

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Bigbob »

I agree S-C, more and more I see new guys trying to change the recipe. As TB said, no need to fix what ain't broke.
If you wear underwear then it's a dress!
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=62150 How I run a small still
User avatar
Haus
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 414
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:31 am
Location: When you get to the fork in the road, take it

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Haus »

Ol' Popcorn must be smilin' on me. Just found a store with the apparently discontinued Producer's Pride All Grain. 35 bags to be exact, now they have 31. :D
you can lead a horse to water but it's hard as hell to drown it
User avatar
FreeMountainHermit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1769
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 6:45 pm
Location: Two Dogs Holler, West Virginia

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

Discontinued ???? Damn, my store is showing that they have some in stock.

Bettah hit the road Monday AM.
Blah, blah, blah,........
User avatar
WhiteDevil504
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 287
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:34 pm
Location: Corn Country

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by WhiteDevil504 »

Man I lucked out if it's discontinued, they don't carry any up north but I was driving back through Paducah ky and grabbed 6 bags... Guess I am glad I did now... Not that it's not replicable but ill have to make sure I use it for good and not evil :)
User avatar
Truckinbutch
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 8107
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Truckinbutch »

WhiteDevil504 wrote:Man I lucked out if it's discontinued, they don't carry any up north but I was driving back through Paducah ky and grabbed 6 bags... Guess I am glad I did now... Not that it's not replicable but ill have to make sure I use it for good and not evil :)
Evil would be feeding it to animals instead of using it in washes :twisted:
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
User avatar
Haus
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 414
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:31 am
Location: When you get to the fork in the road, take it

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Haus »

Let me clarify "discontinued". The TSC store manager I spoke with said it was "discontinued by the manufacturer".

That being said, they did have a new brand of sweet feed in an all white bag that simply said sweet feed. Generic maybe. Need to snap a pic of the ingredient tag.
you can lead a horse to water but it's hard as hell to drown it
MashMaker
Swill Maker
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:53 am

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by MashMaker »

Haus6565 wrote:Let me clarify "discontinued". The TSC store manager I spoke with said it was "discontinued by the manufacturer".

That being said, they did have a new brand of sweet feed in an all white bag that simply said sweet feed. Generic maybe. Need to snap a pic of the ingredient tag.
It's been discontinued I my neck of the woods for awhile now I have resorted to making my own and really like the outcome
bentstick
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1444
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 5:41 pm
Location: Great Lake State

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by bentstick »

MashMaker wrote:
Haus6565 wrote:Let me clarify "discontinued". The TSC store manager I spoke with said it was "discontinued by the manufacturer".

That being said, they did have a new brand of sweet feed in an all white bag that simply said sweet feed. Generic maybe. Need to snap a pic of the ingredient tag.
It's been discontinued I my neck of the woods for awhile now I have resorted to making my own and really like the outcome

Be good to see more making thier own with the seperate ingreidents,very tune able for taste,and no "Pelletized" crap to taint the final out come!
It is what you make it
User avatar
S-Cackalacky
retired
Posts: 5990
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

I haven't bought the Producer's Pride All Grain in quite awhile, but when I did, I noticed that it had a lot of trash in it - pieces of corn stalks, stems, and leaves. Mixing your own probably gives a much cleaner product and also gives a lot of flexibility in what you choose to make with it.

Posted while Bentstick was posting.
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
frodo
Distiller
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 11:55 pm
Location: hiding behind a pine tree. bout 100 miles east of new orleans

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by frodo »

would there be a problem putting the feed into a cheese cloth bag,

putting it into the pot

then just pulling it out and squeezing it dry ?

like a tea bag.. :crazy:
User avatar
Haus
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 414
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:31 am
Location: When you get to the fork in the road, take it

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Haus »

S-Cackalacky wrote:I haven't bought the Producer's Pride All Grain in quite awhile, but when I did, I noticed that it had a lot of trash in it - pieces of corn stalks, stems, and leaves. Mixing your own probably gives a much cleaner product and also gives a lot of flexibility in what you choose to make with it.

Posted while Bentstick was posting.
I too noticed the "free extras" in Producer's Pride. One other thing I noticed and stated somewhere else is the balance seems off. I don't see much corn compared to other grains. So I add in my own now and eye-ball it to balance. There's no rocket science behind it, you can look at it and tell it looks even or not.

Drifting from the original recipe a bit here. I am kicking around an 80/20 corn/SF using the same steps as the OR. By 80/20 I mean 3" corn and 1" SF or "close enough".
you can lead a horse to water but it's hard as hell to drown it
User avatar
S-Cackalacky
retired
Posts: 5990
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

Haus, many folks here run it with different grain bills and more or less molasses. Another thing about the producers pride brought up by someone else a long while back - there's no guarantee of the grain proportions. It may have more of one than another depending on availability of the individual grains - another advantage of mixing your own.
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
FreeMountainHermit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1769
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 6:45 pm
Location: Two Dogs Holler, West Virginia

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

S-Cackalacky wrote: Another thing about the producers pride brought up by someone else a long while back - there's no guarantee of the grain proportions.
Heartily disagree on that. I've found TSC Producers Pride 5021132 SF to be very consistent.
Blah, blah, blah,........
User avatar
S-Cackalacky
retired
Posts: 5990
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

Well FMH, I seem to get myself in a lot of shit by disagreeing with people, so you can have that one.
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
FreeMountainHermit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1769
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 6:45 pm
Location: Two Dogs Holler, West Virginia

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

S-Cackalacky wrote:Well FMH, I seem to get myself in a lot of shit by disagreeing with people, so you can have that one.
I wasn't keeping score my friend !!!!!!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :th :) :) :) :) :)

PEACE !!!!!!
Blah, blah, blah,........
User avatar
Truckinbutch
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 8107
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Truckinbutch »

FreeMountainHermit wrote:
S-Cackalacky wrote: Another thing about the producers pride brought up by someone else a long while back - there's no guarantee of the grain proportions.
Heartily disagree on that. I've found TSC Producers Pride 5021132 SF to be very consistent.
Gotta disagree with ya , Denny . Grain bills only guarantee a protein analysis . Market conditions govern the mix employed to meet the guaranteed protein level . If corn is cheapest it composes most of the mix . And so for the other grains ......... Feed mills are driven by profit . They don't give a shit what we or cattle prefer for taste .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
User avatar
FreeMountainHermit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1769
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 6:45 pm
Location: Two Dogs Holler, West Virginia

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

Could be true dat but my observation was driven by eyeballin' a few bags in the past including the one sitting in our bedroom right now.

No very scientific but senility is right around the corner and I'm goin' to embrace it when it gets here. :wink:
Blah, blah, blah,........
User avatar
BaxtersDad
Swill Maker
Posts: 242
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:11 pm
Location: Upper Left Coast of US

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by BaxtersDad »

Sweetfeed purchased! Local horses must have champagne tastes, it was $15 for 50 lbs.!!!!

Only questionable ingredient is "propionic acid, a preservative." Does not say percentage. Web says it is added to both animal feed and food for human consumption as an anti-mold and anti-bacterial agent. I doubt that it will prevent a good pitch of yeast from fermenting!
Last edited by BaxtersDad on Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Bigbob
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3128
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: SE Oklahoma

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Bigbob »

That's brought up on page 5 of this post. Apparently it does not cause a problem.
If you wear underwear then it's a dress!
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=62150 How I run a small still
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by rad14701 »

Propionic Acid, at the amount used on grain, is a non-issue... If that's the worst listed ingredient, that sweetfeed should do just fine...
saltwatersaint
Novice
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:26 pm

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by saltwatersaint »

In the begging of the recipe, after letting it sit for 90 minutes, you say to "fill to 6 gallons with cool water". I know this is for a 6 gallon wash. So does that statement mean to add four more gallons to reach your 6 gallons, or does it mean fill to a 6 gallon mark including the ingredients already in the barrel, which would mean using less than 4 more gallons of water? I want to be as exact to your directions as possible.
User avatar
Haus
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 414
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:31 am
Location: When you get to the fork in the road, take it

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Haus »

I use a 7.5 gallon ferment bucket so I use the 6 gallon liquid volume (2 then 4). At least a "gallon" (4") in measurement of space in the bucket is used by the grains.

I know that sounds like I cut it close and may get a foam over but then again I have yet to get a head grow that much with SF. I also just place the lid on the bucket over night but not sealed just in case I do. I place the bucket in a shallow bin to catch any overflow if it ever happens. After a day I seal it up and watch the witchcraft happen.
Last edited by Haus on Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
you can lead a horse to water but it's hard as hell to drown it
Post Reply