Malted Barley

[JellybeanCorncob]

I've been around here long enough to get to know some of you guys and gal(s). My whiskeys are good, maybe better than good because of all the experts here. And I've been spanked for not doing my homework on occasion. It's made me better at this craft because of it. Summers are my down time. Mostly because my daughter is on summer break and the hot weather is not the best time to ferment. Been Researching my new thumper build, (thanks Redwood hillbilly) and just about ready to get that going. I've had great success with single malts because of Jimbo's thread among others. Woodshed tuned me in with enzymes. And Odin; bravo! Your tutorials and recipes are what I cut my teeth on. And I make a batch of your Rye bread whiskey every year. Anyone who has been here for a while knows that Cranky and Jumbo are the apple brandy guys. My experience here is limited. I think my new thumper will be a great help in making brandy. I've gotten all the help I need with a quick search here on HD.
Ok. I've sucked up enough.
Now I have 3 different malt barley whiskies on used oak now. Peated, cherry wood smoked, and special B. I taste them once a month or so and at 7 months they are good. But made it a point to wait at least a year before bottling. So I've got a ways to go. This fall I plan on making more scotch and smoking my own grains. I've read lots of different threads about scotch style whiskeys but I haven't narrowed down the guys who are authorities at making scotch. I no there isn't much to making it but I do know that nuances in making it, and aging are key to a fine product. So... who are you? Or... do you know someone here who makes a fine barley whiskey? I've read lots of threads about scotch, but if anyone has a favorite post about barley whiskey I would be grateful.
JBC

[kiwi Bruce]

This is a link to Jimbo's AG Single/All malt whiskey...viewtopic.php?f=14&t=48654 a good place to start.You could also follow Shineoncrazydiamond and a host of other single malt and AG stillers.
In my opinion...Single malts are the Queen of Spirits. Before I came on board with HD, I considered them the MOST difficult of all the spirits in the world to make....and they could ONLY be made in Scotland! This is exactly what the marketing geniuses in the industry want everyone to believe. The reality is, making single malts is well within the reach of most of us here. It can get very fancy...smoking your own grain, sprouting your own malt, etc.
I went for the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid...Or... Keep it Stupidly Simple) method when I started on single malts. I brew beer...single malt can be that simple! I started with unflavored malt extract ( twice the price of malted barley but stupidly simple to use, and unlike beer brewing, it does not leave a nutty or apple off-flavor in the end product. (I age using the “T-Pee” method, it turns out great.) So I went to a partial mash to enable me to use peat smoked malts and after several successes finally to AG. The problem for me was that with an AG, the grinding, mashing and sparging took three times longer than with a partial mash, so I went back to that. In and out of the kitchen in an afternoon and still time to tackle the “honey do list” I have to drink it and I can't tell the difference. In fact I prefer mine over the mid-range single malt scotches in the market place, that are in my price range. Just my 2c's worth...Kiwi Bruce

[JellybeanCorncob]

Thanks Bruce: I've been using Jimbo's Method for nearly all my recipes that use malted grain for conversion. I'm doing 90% of my mashes with malt. My last batch of the season was Honey Bear Bourbon by Shineoncrazydiamond. I love my whiskey aged on oak but I think the Honey Bear will be special in a year or so. I'll be reading more of his posts on your recommendation. As to your belief that single malts are the "Queen of the Spirits". I would have to agree. But not that it has to be made in Scotland. They have the edge because they have been doing it so long and have large stocks of aged spirit. I,like you, like to keep it simple. But I am going to try cold smoking some barley with different woods and peat. I'm getting great ideas here on how to build a cold smoker. I've never used malt extract, so more reading. And I'll be sure to read TPs method. I'm ignorant about partial mash? Is it using the malt extract? I love being able to make liquor with just 3 ingredients and heat.
Cheers to all malt (Scotch) barley whiskey.
JBC

[Pikey]

i use unhopped malt extract for my "Scotch" - but I actively dislike that "burnt plastic" taste people call "smoke" - so I don't mess around with any of that and as you say - stupid simple !