My first...

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
RobA
Novice
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2017 7:30 am

My first...

Post by RobA »

5 of us bought a Mile Hi pot still (all stainless) with a dual purpose column. We've all pitched in helping each other but everyone has done their own ferments. Mine was an "EZ whiskey" as follows:
4 lb corn meal
1 lb cracked white wheat
3.3 lb Briess Rye malt extract
8 lb sugar
4 gram amylase
1.25 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp gypsum
High Spirits distillers yeast w/ gluco, 25 grams
Starting specific gravity 1.1000
Final specific gravity 1.0060

Fermentation lasted 12 days and I distilled it to yield 92 ounces with a final proof of 132. I used copper mesh in the distilling column. It was "aged" for about 2 weeks in jars with medium and dark oak chips, vanilla bean and 6 tsp of my homemade maple syrup. I diluted it down to about 85 proof.

The final product was OK. Nothing spectacular. The smell is nice - the alcohol is not overbearing. However, the oak taste is more than I would have liked and it feels 'thin'.

2 questions come to mind: how can I get a nice deep color without over oaking and can I use glycerin to improve the mouth fell (how much)?
User avatar
Oldvine Zin
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2412
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: My first...

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Sounds like you made yourself a batch of oak tea, you are not going to get anything special with some oak chips and a couple weeks of seeping. Let it age for a few months, maybe a little air thrown in and while you are waiting read all the posts in "Aging and Flavoring" lots of good info there.

OVZ
User avatar
Oldvine Zin
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2412
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: My first...

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Also looking at your recipe it looks a little off to me, maybe you should look at some of the tried and true recipes here and try one of them. A lot of us here are familiar with those recipes and can give you help, not so much with the other ones.

OVZ
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13036
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: My first...

Post by NZChris »

There are a few cures for over oaking. The one that works best for me is leaving it on the oak for another couple of years, but if I haven't got much in the cellar, I filter it through my liver while I make another batch.

You can use it as oak essence to blend with new make if you are in a hurry.
Post Reply