sweetfeed whisky

[airleak]

Ok I have read and reread all of the 61 pages on this thread. I finished my homemade pot still and made my first successful wash with sf, it really had a strong stale beer smell to it, made 15gal with 3 five gallon buckets, used 5lbs sugar, 4in of sf and pitched 3 packs of the red star. It took off and was done in 5 days, ran about 8gal of wash thru pot still. I threw out the first 250ml(will use to start fires) collected 400ml in the first 9 jars and on 9th jar got into what i thought was tails, collected number 10 any way and let it fill to half full and shut her down and started gen 2. It aired for 21/2 days and the wife capped them back up for me, I cant wait to get home and try some, and to try and blend a little. Anyone have some advice for me on what I collected, I have been reading the thread on making cuts and blending, but a little unsure about it, but Im going to learn from doing it thats for sure. I cant wait to run another batch this weekend and getting some of what I have on some oak.

[Texas moonshiner 87]

This stuff is pretty tasty got some on oak for the long haul, but did drink about a pint raw. Makes store bought whiskey taste poorly made.

[UnseatedPanic]

Started 2 gen today got the SG to 1.060 and top off the bucket to 5gal.. thebfirst batch has been oaked and most of it has been given away... this next round i think i will keep all but 1q. I promised my homebrew shop i would give them some..

Here to 5 days and a wake up...

[dwjk]

I have done two batches of Sweet Feed Whisky so far. My ferments usually are done in 5-7 days, then I rack them off into carboys to clear and finish fermenting. My racking cane has a little black end on it to hold it about 1/2" or so above the lees and it works fine. On the sweetfeed I just put it down until it hits the grains on the bottom and it leaves the yeast and grain in the primary pail.

The first batch in my 50 liter boiler started to come off at 60% ABV and I collected it down to 30%. Tasted great, the heads really were pungent but the tails just tasted watered down. I kept about 1 1/2 gallons and put the rest into the second batch. The second run started at 60% and I collected it down to about 40% ( ran out of places to put it) I intend on soaking it in some oak for awhile to give it some more character. I already tastes better than any home brew I have ever tasted. The next batch I want to try some rye in the mix. My Sweet feed is called 60-30-10, 60 % oats, 30% barley and 10% corn with molasses in it.

I have not tried using dunder in succesive generations yet as I had all this wash done before my still was even made.

I love my new hobby!

[Okiepatriot]

I ran my first batch of sweetfeed mash this weekend. It started off at 70%ABV and I ran it down to 50%ABV. I added more sugar and water and the mash took off again.
I have two questions I would like to get yall's 2 cents on. First, how many times can I keep re-running my mash, adding sugar and water? Second, how far do yall run your ABV% down before you shut off your still?
Thanks!

[Odin]

If you don't replace grain, maybe 4 times. If you replace like 25% of the grain bed with each new fermentation, you can go on like for ever.

On a first run (strip run, potstill) I collect everything down to like 10% or a bit lower still. Collecting 1/3 of my boiler's charge or a bit less.

Three strippings make for one spirit run. Or, with some experience on distilling, go for a 1.5: one low wine with one wash and make cuts on that. But that is a bit more difficult. If you just start out, I would make 3 to 4 strip runs and combine them for a spirit run.

Odin.

[Prairiepiss]

+1 Odin.

But if you don't add molasses when you add sugar. If not replacing grain? It won't be sweetfeed anymore. And the flavor will be different. The coating of molasses on the feed will all be used up in the first ferment. So either the grain needs to be replaced. Or molasses needs to be added. If you want the sweetfeed flavor.

[Okiepatriot]

Thanks for the info guys! So, If I replace 25% of the sweetfeed bed, right off the top will that affect the amount of yeast I started with? Would I need to add more yeast to replace any taken with that 25%?

[Prairiepiss]

Your not going to take much yeast if your just taking grains away. There should be plenty to get it going for the next generation.

[Okiepatriot]

Okay, thanks!!!

[airleak]

Ok I have read where some guys have thought about adding more corn, scratch or so forth in the sweetfeed, but I havent seen anything posted from any who might have done this with there results. I have made 2 succesfull batches of this and ran it.(3 five gal. fg pails) I have a question about getting a little more corn into this recipe, would it be feasible to take say about half pound or a pound per pail, cook it some, let it cool, cook it some more to basically get it like a cream corn and add to it. Would this get me any where, or is it one of these things, if its not broke dont try and fix it. This is a great recipe and I like what Im getting from it now, just curious about trying something a little differnt in the future.

[Odin]

Great comment on the extra mollasses, Mr. P. Yes, they are sugars that will ferment. I add like a cup of "stroop" to every new batch, if it is the sweet feed character I am after.

Odin.