New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

What do you drink, and how do you drink it?

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Rain Distillate
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New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

I recently made a 15 gallon wash consisting of 5 Lbs fresh cracked rye, 5 Lbs corn maize and about a Lb of barley. I used about 15 pounds of sugar on this mash after starch conversion. I ended up with about a gallon of 90% after running it through my reflux still.
The next night I made a drink the same way I normally do with the new likker and it gave me heartburn. I thought it may be a coincidence but it happened 2 nights in a row now.
Is the rye giving me heartburn? Is this something anyone else has experienced before? If so I'm gonna stay away from the rye because it's not worth it.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by yakattack »

What % are you drinking it with. And why only one lb of malt? Your using sugar when you shouldn't have to. Up your malt, follow a proper mash procedure and keep it all grain


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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by rad14701 »

I, too, am left with more questions than answers... Why start out with an All Grain, bastardize it with excessive sugar, run it through a reflux column, end up with 90% ABV/180 proof, and wonder why you get heartburn...??? You added more sugar than grain so this is just a slightly flavored sugarhead at best... Could be the cuts... Could be just about anything with the limited details provided...
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by der wo »

Do you have changed something on your still? New parts? Something fresh soldered?
I think I remember,we had someone here with heartburn with a new still without sacrificial run.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

No changes to the still. I did step mashing instead of a flavored mash for the first time.
and
the ingredients changed from corn flakes to rye, barley and corn maize.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by der wo »

I would drink another alcohol next days and when you don't get a heartburn try again the new likker. Perhaps you are not 100% healthy at the moment.
In this way, imperialism brings catastrophe as a mode of existence back from the periphery of capitalist development to its point of departure. - Rosa Luxemburg
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by rad14701 »

I remember a few months back that I started getting heartburn from drinking mixed drinks with commercial vodka (several brands) and ended up switching to drinking beer for a while... Seems that after drinking my own vodka (neutral spirits) for so long that the residual heads in commercial offerings was leaving me with sour gut no matter what I used as a mixer... Even shots chased with copious amounts of water resulted in heartburn... As soon as I had more of my own spirits on-hand I was able to drink it any way I wanted without suffering heartburn... So it could just be bad cuts and blending...
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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rad14701 wrote:I, too, am left with more questions than answers... Why start out with an All Grain, bastardize it with excessive sugar, run it through a reflux column, end up with 90% ABV/180 proof, and wonder why you get heartburn...??? You added more sugar than grain so this is just a slightly flavored sugarhead at best... Could be the cuts... Could be just about anything with the limited details provided...

*Cuts are fine, getting pretty decent at making them, so it's doubtful

*Was experimenting with the grain was not going for an AG.

*I used roughly half the sugar i usually use for 4 buckets. (I usually go for about 8 lbs per bucket). So I figured minimal conversion (due to it being my first time) with a little sugar to back it was a decent base point for my first attempt with actual grain and not cereal.

*I used that small amount of malt because I used powdered enzymes as well and didn't know what flavor I was going to get with the barley.

*I always drink my shine with cola. *Hey they're my tastebuds. :D

*My still is modular however I don't own a thump keg, so reflux is all i have at the moment. I wouldn't have the time to run it 3-4 times through the still as is with no thumper.

*I just wanted to know if ingredients like rye or barley were heartburn prone.
Last edited by Rain Distillate on Fri Jan 13, 2017 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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One color of text works, remember...??? We don't need technicolor dream coat posts... Just sayin...

Rye can cause harsh peppery burn but you didn't use that much... If this is the first time you ran this recipe I'd be leaning more towards cuts... And you never addressed the proof you are mixing at... You distilled to 180 proof yet never said what you diluted to "before" adding you cola mixer...
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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Takes two people to argue . Way this is headed tells me I'm out of here .
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

der wo wrote:I would drink another alcohol next days and when you don't get a heartburn try again the new likker. Perhaps you are not 100% healthy at the moment.
I do feel like I'm fighting off a cold. The flu is going around these neck of the woods this time of year.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

Just finished my second drink and no heartburn yet....TBC?
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by NZChris »

What did you proof it to?
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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NZChris wrote:What did you proof it to?
I usually put about 5-15 mL (average shot of likker is 30-40 mL) of unproofed into a tall glass and fill the tall glass with cola to sip on.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

And like I said no heartburn last night so maybe it was just something I had eaten.....Will do another "heartburn" test tonight though :wink:
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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Why not actually proof your spirits down to a "known" proof rather than going rogue like you're a tough guy...??? We encourage the membership to imbibe responsibly... We can't help you if you aren't willing to help yourself by referring to a known proof of spirits... Kinda makes this a waste of a topic that we had to ask multiple times for a proof that you still cannot provide... See my point...???
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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rad14701 wrote:Why not actually proof your spirits down to a "known" proof rather than going rogue like you're a tough guy...??? We encourage the membership to imbibe responsibly... We can't help you if you aren't willing to help yourself by referring to a known proof of spirits... Kinda makes this a waste of a topic that we had to ask multiple times for a proof that you still cannot provide... See my point...???

Sorry it took so long to reply. This particular batch, once all hearts were mixed (1 gallon) ended up at 75% ABV
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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rain distillate wrote:
rad14701 wrote:Why not actually proof your spirits down to a "known" proof rather than going rogue like you're a tough guy...??? We encourage the membership to imbibe responsibly... We can't help you if you aren't willing to help yourself by referring to a known proof of spirits... Kinda makes this a waste of a topic that we had to ask multiple times for a proof that you still cannot provide... See my point...???

Sorry it took so long to reply. This particular batch, once all hearts were mixed (1 gallon) ended up at 75% ABV
Ok... And what did you temper that 150 proof alcohol down to for consumption...??? Are you really getting our point on the high proof or just scoffing legitimate advice...???
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by still_stirrin »

This reminds me of the guy tasting 140 proof off still (no cuts) and wondering why it burns in his mouth and throat. Amazing.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by jb-texshine »

still_stirrin wrote:This reminds me of the guy tasting 140 proof off still (no cuts) and wondering why it burns in his mouth and throat. Amazing.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

Sorry it took so long to get back again. I tried to figure out the math on my mixed drink but failed to find the right equation I guess.

Addressing the heartburn, I know my body pretty well and I'm nearly certain its an ingredient issue over a proof issue.

I know my measurements for my drinks. I don't know how to convert it I tried a few times the other day but couldn't figure it out. I use on average 15mL/.5 fl oz of 150 proof per 236.588mL/8oz glass. I then add 221.801mL/7.5oz of cola to the glass. That's the strength of my drinks on average. If someone could walk me through the correct math it would be appreciated to see where I'm at and where I'd like to be.

Having said that lets address the "tough guy" remark.... I typically use 15mL. That's 3x smaller than the amount of a normal shot of Uncle Sam's shyte! So if I'm pouring less than someone who proofs there's down and pours more, than whats the difference sorta speak? I know flavor profiles will enhance when abv is dropped down to more palatable proofs but I just think you'd be drinking more instead of less would be the argument. I don't drink to get drunk anymore (makes me sick and uncomfortable) So lets make that clear! Ain't enjoyed being drunk in almost a decade. I'm just a very very light buzz/drink sipper kinda guy now. If I'm wrong tell me I'm wrong and I'll proof the stuff down more but I'm nearly certain the ingredients are the culprit here. I have a batch almost done and when I run that I'll know for sure if it was the rye because this batch has the same ingredients minus the rye.

Hope this helps spark something useful.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by cuginosgrizzo »

Your drink sits at 4.7% ABV. Not more than a light beer...
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by yakattack »

The reason we asked for the info was to rule it out. Not to beat you down over it. You came with a problem and we're trying to help you. So if this is your typical drink then no its not to strong. And being that dilute I doubt it's the rye also. Soda (pop) is a known common cause of heartburn/acid reflux. Might try cutting it out for a week and diluting with water and see if that makes a difference.

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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

yakattack wrote:The reason we asked for the info was to rule it out. Not to beat you down over it. You came with a problem and we're trying to help you. So if this is your typical drink then no its not to strong. And being that dilute I doubt it's the rye also. Soda (pop) is a known common cause of heartburn/acid reflux. Might try cutting it out for a week and diluting with water and see if that makes a difference.

Yak

thank you
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

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If the problem persists, see a doctor.
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by Rain Distillate »

NZChris wrote:If the problem persists, see a doctor.
Those 2 days were the only days I experienced it. I will see a doctor if for some reason it comes back and stays longer though. Friends and family have tried it and did not experience any such symptoms which leads me to believe it was just my stomach disagreeing with something I ate, at the same time I was trying my new likker.

So the heartburn and the new likker was just a coincidence after much thought....IMO
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by still_stirrin »

rain distillate wrote:...So the heartburn and the new likker was just a coincidence after much thought....IMO
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Re: New Likker Giving Me Heartburn

Post by rad14701 »

rain distillate wrote:I know my measurements for my drinks. I don't know how to convert it I tried a few times the other day but couldn't figure it out. I use on average 15mL/.5 fl oz of 150 proof per 236.588mL/8oz glass. I then add 221.801mL/7.5oz of cola to the glass. That's the strength of my drinks on average. If someone could walk me through the correct math it would be appreciated to see where I'm at and where I'd like to be.

Having said that lets address the "tough guy" remark.... I typically use 15mL. That's 3x smaller than the amount of a normal shot of Uncle Sam's shyte! So if I'm pouring less than someone who proofs there's down and pours more, than whats the difference sorta speak? I know flavor profiles will enhance when abv is dropped down to more palatable proofs but I just think you'd be drinking more instead of less would be the argument. I don't drink to get drunk anymore (makes me sick and uncomfortable) So lets make that clear! Ain't enjoyed being drunk in almost a decade. I'm just a very very light buzz/drink sipper kinda guy now. If I'm wrong tell me I'm wrong and I'll proof the stuff down more but I'm nearly certain the ingredients are the culprit here. I have a batch almost done and when I run that I'll know for sure if it was the rye because this batch has the same ingredients minus the rye.
We do have several dilution calculators on the parent site... It would be far easier, and safer, to temper down a bottle to mix drinks from...

I NEVER leave a bottle of high proof sitting anywhere that might make it into someone elses hands... I have learned that responsibility the hard way... I once gifted a bottle of 190 proof to a friend for making Glug/Glog/whatever and he thought he was a tough guy and chugged a couple ounces straight from the bottle to show off to his friends... This was a 70+ year old man that should have known better... He ended up a total wreck within minutes and lost his voice for four days... Never again...!!! I just can't trust that anyone would heed my stern warnings... Hence my admonishment to not play tough guy... That statement was for the benefit of everyone, not just yourself...
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