sweetfeed whisky

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T-Pee
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by T-Pee »

DesertStill wrote:why is glass frowned upon?
I'll answer your question with a rhetorical question of my own.

How would you like high order alcohol all over the floor with an open flame nearby when that mason jar breaks? Hmmm? :problem:

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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by S-Cackalacky »

There's plenty written in the forums about why a glass thumper isn't a good idea. Let's not carry the SF thread any further off topic than it has already gone with all the discussion about AG versions. Let's try to keep the thread on topic with discussion about the original recipe.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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Now, I'm all confused.Bought a bag of Southern States Sweetfeed,,was assured by salesman it had no pellets. He wouldnt let me nip the bag to check,,,bugger . Got home, got sugar all melted,opened teh bag,,all pelleted.What the hell,mixed it up, fermented it , ran it,,turned out great.Fast forward to a coupla weeks ago.Was at big farmers feed supply almost to ohio,,got me a50# bag of cracked corn, one of rolled oats, n one of rolled barley. Equeal parts of each, a bit of mollasses,7# sugar to each 5 gal,,let it go.Ran it this week,,smelled great, wound up with 3 gal of 90 proof outta two runs.
This stuff is the worst tasting stuff evvver out of my rig. Not bad as spoiled or something just awful tasting.When i went to clean fermenter out,, literaly had to dig the gunk outta the bottom ,, gluey mess. I dont think my proportions are right,,anybody kno the proper mix????
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Truckinbutch »

This is a definite head scratcher , Sackett . I been doin sf hand mixed for a year without those problems . I mix 5# cracked corn , 5# rolled oats , and 5# of 6 row baley that I hand mill . Put that in a 44 gallon fermentor
and add 60# white sugar and 7# brown sugar and mix it all with 15 gallons of boiling water and then top up the fermentor with tap water . Drops temp to 90 degree range and I add baker's yeast . That mix works well for me even on first run . 55-60% abv on strip runs . 40% overall average start to finish .
Dumped 82# total sugar in one run and like to never got the ferment to finish . Went back to 67# .
I usually save multiple strip runs and dilute and rerun as a spirit run .
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Sackett »

Did another batch of sweetfeed this week. The bad taste was definately the grain mix.I went back to my southern states pelleted mix, n it turned out great.
Lesson learned, there's a flavor profile in either the oats, or barley that i dont care for.I'll give the oats n barley to a bud for his horses, n try to find unpelleted sweetfeed somewhere
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Raging56 »

S-Cackalacky wrote:Well, a little research never hurts, but it's butt simple. Rack off your wash and leave the grain bed and other trub in the bottom of the fermenter. Run your wash and when finished, use a gallon or two of the hot backset left in the still to dissolve the sugar for the next ferment. Add enough cool water to this to make up the difference in volume. Before you add it to the fermenter, scoop out about a third or so of the old grain and add that much fresh grain back into the fermenter. Add the backset/sugar/water mix to the fermenter and let it work. It might take a few hours or maybe a day to start up again. Just keep doing this for several generations. Some folks have gone up to 7 or 8 gens before having to reset and start over.

The biggest issue seems to be PH. The backset is fairly acidic, so keep a check on the PH and adjust it as necessary.

I got a couple questions (and I might just be over thinking this)

1. Do I HAVE to use the backset? ..I assume not. But, is there a benefit to using it? I'm just trying to understand what it might do to help (besides raise the PH that I need to correct). Its a little harder using the backset. plus, it usually sits for a few days before I get around to collecting it. 99% of the time I finish my run late at night, I shut off the gas and I just go to bed. I assume its still ok after sitting if its sealed...but, I just checking. making more "sugar water" by itself is easy enough if there is real no up side to using the backset.

2. I got a 55 gallon barrel of sweet feed wash...I'm going to drain it down to just above the grain...Then Ill add a sugar wash mix (with or without backset..not sure yet) Then what? Do the yeast that's been sitting there in the bottom "come alive"? its been sitting in the garage without any heater for a couple weeks. temps never got below say 55* just curious if more yeast will be needed or if what I have in there now works.

3. The liquid that is mixed in with the sweet feed currently at the bottom of the barrel...will that mess up my SG at all of the new sugar water I add? Or do I just make a sugar wash with a SG of say 1.07, top off the barrel and call it good? I got a feeling the water in there now about 5" worth wont much matter. ...again, I want to confirm.

4. one more bonus question... in a 55 gallon (plastic) barrel....has anybody installed a spigot just above the grain line to make it easier to take out the liquid rather than a racking cane? just curious if there is any down side to doing something like that (maybe grain possibly clogging it etc) Seems like it would be pretty slick if I leave enough space above the grain bed.

Thanks in advance!
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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Raging56 wrote: 1. Do I HAVE to use the backset? ..I assume not. But, is there a benefit to using it? I'm just trying to understand what it might do to help (besides raise the PH that I need to correct). Its a little harder using the backset. plus, it usually sits for a few days before I get around to collecting it. 99% of the time I finish my run late at night, I shut off the gas and I just go to bed. I assume its still ok after sitting if its sealed...but, I just checking. making more "sugar water" by itself is easy enough if there is real no up side to using the backset.
The backset is what makes a sour mash a sour mash. Add sugar to the backset then add to the fermenter. Top off with water for your 1.070 SG. As long as you leave the still sealed, the backset will remain fairly sterile.
2. I got a 55 gallon barrel of sweet feed wash...I'm going to drain it down to just above the grain...Then Ill add a sugar wash mix (with or without backset..not sure yet) Then what? Do the yeast that's been sitting there in the bottom "come alive"?
Yep!
3. The liquid that is mixed in with the sweet feed currently at the bottom of the barrel...will that mess up my SG at all of the new sugar water I add? Or do I just make a sugar wash with a SG of say 1.07, top off the barrel and call it good?
Add sugar/water until the SG in the fermenter is 1.070. Keep records of your ferments. You'll need them in successive generations.
4. one more bonus question... in a 55 gallon (plastic) barrel....has anybody installed a spigot just above the grain line to make it easier to take out the liquid rather than a racking cane? just curious if there is any down side to doing something like that (maybe grain possibly clogging it etc) Seems like it would be pretty slick if I leave enough space above the grain bed.
You can do that. Sure.

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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Raging56 »

awesome...thanks. I was pretty sure I knew the answers but I wanted to double check. the last thing I want to do is screw up 55 gallons of liquid awesome. :)
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by murdoch »

I just started a sweetfeed wash about 24 hours ago. I followed Kentucky's recipe as close as possible. Starting SG was 1.080. This is the 2nd time I have done this wash. It is remarkably good. This time I plan on multiple generations. Will be sure to keep my results posted. Thanks again Kentucky Shiner for a great recipe.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by murdoch »

Failed to mention that I added about 6# more cracked corn to it. My co-op's sf mix is a little lighter on the corn than I prefer. I also converted it while the sf was sitting for a bit. I hope this works out. I may should have stuck with what works. But then again why not try something different. Who knows......
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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Well, now dont i feel :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: . Seems my trouble wit sweetfeed was my molasses. did a rum run, n it it had the same awful taste as last sweetfeed. back to my original source for molasses, n we'll see
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by 335Guy »

I ran my first sweetfeed the other day. Not so sure yet on the results. I did it just like KS's recipie when he went to 30 gallon. I used Tractor Supply's All Grain Sweetfeed. As it was the first gen, I didn't use backset (I had some from some UJSSM, but I wanted to keep it sweetfeed...). I did use some heads and tails from a UJSSM to charge my thumper. It seems a little "light" on flavor w/ little "mouth." I did add five gallons of backset for the next generation ferment which is happily bubbling away... I'm hoping it is just that I am comparing it to multi generation UJSSM, and that when I get a couple generations in the seetfeed, it'll flavor-up better w/ a little more mouth.

Then again, it still hasn't aired completely, and I need to blend my cuts... :roll:
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by murdoch »

Update on my SF. I seemed to have liked the taste a little better by adding the 6# of cracked corn. Its not quite as sharp. Started 2nd gen. Its been going good for almost 3 days now. I did use tails from the last run in the thumper. Very good results. Anxious to see how the 2nd gen does. Will post results.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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Update on my first SF...

It's quite good flavor-wise! I still think it is a little thin which should take care of itself in future generations. When I pulled spent grains, I added about four pounds of cracked corn w/ another two pounds of SF (I think my Tractor Supply all grain SF is a little lite in the corn department...). I'm hoping that, and the backset, will help.

Anyway, good flavor. I think I maybe went a little too deep into the tails when I blended cuts, because I got a little haze/clouding. It's actually really hard to notice unless you hold it up to a light. I didn't think I went that deep as I didn't add anything below 50abv. Taste-wise, I didn't notice any tails on that end when I was blending. Pretty good, none-the-less... Lookin' forward to the second generation!
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by goblin »

did you dilute any with water?
something similar happened to me, i think my water, or not adding product to the water, i added water to the product. maybe i had tails. i dont mind a little haze, i am going to drink it any how.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by rager »

quick question about the feed Im using

first bag I bought was pellets . I ended up giving the bag to a friend with a horse. a year later (last week ) I bought another bag of sweet feed. it was " vitality reform 12" (textured) . anyone use it before? I tasted the grain and the molasses "chunk" and tasted good enough for me to eat. read the ingredients , everything looked good.

anyone use this before? I got 10 gallons fermenting. if it turns out bad ill give the bag to my same friend
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by bumbblingfool »

Holy crap !!

I had some Prestige WD yeast from my last AG run I washed and put in the fridge. I did this up as a mash, I had to pick though a pound and pull all the corn as it was really low on the content ( only about 18% ) but it was really barley heavy and light on the oats. I cut the SF in half and added cracked corn and did the pre mash method ( love it as it won't scorch ) I added a little Alpha at 156 F ( Mine says working temp 158-152 ) when cooled I added a little Gluco. which got me up to 1.054 so I did add a little sugar to get me up to 1.069

I had to get up early today to go set my tree stands ( Bow season in 4 weeks..yea baby ) I pitched at 6 AM and when I got home I had to pull my airlock as I was afraid it was going to shoot off my tank. Thank goodness I read through the thread enough to know this is a violent ferment so I left plenty of head room but DAMN SON
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Cav Scout »

Sackett wrote:Well, now dont i feel :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: . Seems my trouble wit sweetfeed was my molasses. did a rum run, n it it had the same awful taste as last sweetfeed. back to my original source for molasses, n we'll see
Sackett, what brand of molasses was it that was so bad? I have some I'm ready to use but don't want to use the same brand... Was "sulphured" molasses the problem or was it just bad stuff to begin with?
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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goblin wrote:did you dilute any with water?
something similar happened to me, i think my water, or not adding product to the water, i added water to the product. maybe i had tails. i dont mind a little haze, i am going to drink it any how.
No, I didn't add anything to it. I think I just went a little deep into the tails.

I'm set up to run my second generation tomorrow. I let it ferment for almost four weeks. It fermented DRY! My scale was floating a little deeper than the 990. I gotta say, the wash is absolutely delicious. It's like a good beer. It smelled so good, the wife even took a little taste, and she doesn't like that stuff. I got about 22-23 gal in the boiler. I'll add some heads and tails before the run and charge the thumper w/ a little wash and the remaining heads and tails from the last run. I'm looking forward to this one...
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by jdisme »

what should this smell like when it is fermenting? im new to shining and dont know whether or not to trust my nose in the fermenting stage. i followed this recipe but i had to make my own sweet feed since all the places that carry around me have pellets. i cooked it for about 2.5 hours on low heat as well. it is fermenting very well from what i can see but the smell is not an unpleasant smell but its not pleasant either. i dont have anything to compare it with off the top of my head. thanks for any feedback you can give me.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by Bigbob »

Hey jdisme... I like the smell it reminds me kinda of cut grass, but I'm using a commercial sweet feed. Not sure with what you have if it's much different. As it ferments it loses the sweet smell and then it could be called unpleasant . Sorta sour :sick:
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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Bigbob wrote:Hey jdisme... I like the smell it reminds me kinda of cut grass, but I'm using a commercial sweet feed. Not sure with what you have if it's much different. As it ferments it loses the sweet smell and then it could be called unpleasant . Sorta sour :sick:
Thanks for that feedback. that will be very helpful. does it stink up the place when distilling?
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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I've never had any problem with stinking up the place, I use a covered fermentor and never open it until the fermentation is done.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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jdisme wrote:
Bigbob wrote:Hey jdisme... I like the smell it reminds me kinda of cut grass, but I'm using a commercial sweet feed. Not sure with what you have if it's much different. As it ferments it loses the sweet smell and then it could be called unpleasant . Sorta sour :sick:
Thanks for that feedback. that will be very helpful. does it stink up the place when distilling?
It shouldn't make much of a smell unless you have a leak somewhere. I had a small leak once and the whole house smelled of booze.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by bearriver »

I made this with wet cob (sweetfeed) premixed at the feed store 1st gen. To me there is no SF flavor. Tastes like pot stilled Birdwatcher's, which IMO is very unpleasant. Something must have went wrong... :think:

Gonna start another batch again today. This time I will mill the SF and add a quart or two of extra molasses. That hopefully will give me some SF flavor to the distillate. Milling premixed SF might not work because of the molasses content but we will see. Fingers crossed.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by bumbblingfool »

I have a batch in the tank right now that I milled and did a mash on. I can say it gummed up my mill but it was nothing a good hot water cleaning didn't fix.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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bearriver wrote:I made this with wet cob (sweetfeed) premixed at the feed store 1st gen. To me there is no SF flavor. Tastes like pot stilled Birdwatcher's, which IMO is very unpleasant. Something must have went wrong... :think:

Gonna start another batch again today. This time I will mill the SF and add a quart or two of extra molasses. That hopefully will give me some SF flavor to the distillate. Milling premixed SF might not work because of the molasses content but we will see. Fingers crossed.
Hmmm. I brewed this up using the standard Tractor Supply all grain. Pot still stripping run, fast run on the boka with a lower temp/abv to clean it up a bit and it had a whiskey taste just white. Put some on oak for a month and my whiskey drinking buddies loved it. I have one bottle of the heart of a stripping run from one batch aging away. It just came out pretty good right off from that first run.

I would think adding extra molassas would give it a rum flavor. I dunno. I tried oaking some panela rum. It came out like nasty whiskey. :cry:
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by rollmeown »

Been looking over this recipe but haven't found any thing yet about crude protein. Tractor supply has sweet feed but all had crude protien. Is this okay? What brand do most get at tractor supply store?
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

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rollmeown wrote:Been looking over this recipe but haven't found any thing yet about crude protein. Tractor supply has sweet feed but all had crude protien. Is this okay? What brand do most get at tractor supply store?
The all grain feed in the purple PAPER bag. What they sell as 12% Sweet Feed in the synthetic bag is the stuff with alfafa pellets. Don't use that.
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Re: sweetfeed whisky

Post by jdisme »

i made my own sweet feed with oats, barley, cornmeal, and a touch of mollasses. i am running it right now and it tastes great. it fermented very nicely. the next time i do it, i will put in some 2 row or 6 row malted barley to convert a little of the starches. but all and all, i am very happy with how this turned out. if you would like the ratios i used, i can let you know.
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