Honey Bear Bourbon

[Still Life]

New guy here, so sorry if this is obvious to some, but what exactly do Oyster shells do? I'm headed to NC soon and could pick some up if they're useful

Hey, Sourwood.
When in doubt, use HD Google Search to find such answers.
Open it, leave a space after the URL, type in a word or term.
Here I typed in oyster shells.

Powerful tool, that is. Hope it helps you out.

[NEGaxSEGa]

Well that and down in NC they also pave the driveway, don't have much gravel down east. Just throw an oyster roast every year and spread your shells on your dirt path. Might take a couple of parties but eventually it'll be as good as the rich folks gravel roads, heck almost as good as the filthy rich's paved drives!

Yep! And after a few months, it won't even cut your feet up when you go down to check the mail.

[ausibatla]

I just added another 10 liters of HBB at 44.1% to my 50 liter keg. I started with
84 liters of mash, squeezed it all by hand and got 63 liters of beer from it. So I
ended up with 21 liters in each of my fermenter's. From each of these I distilled
7 liters at 21%. I now have 21 liters of wash at 21%. The next day I put that through
the still again and the end result was 10 liters at 44.1%. After adding it to my keg
I now have 37 liters at 34% aging in my American Charred Oak barrel so I thought I would
sample it. I don't know what I'm to expect but it tasted like wood. Even Coca Cola
wouldn't drown the taste. Is this normal. Admittedly I only started at the end of june
and have been adding to it on a regular basis. Should I wait for a few more months
to taste test again or would buying some of that flavouring they add to the sugar
wash to color and flavour it be of help. Just asking.
Cheers.

[zapata]

I now have 37 liters at 34% aging in my American Charred Oak barrel

Is that a typo? Is it 44% instead of 34? Or did it drop to 34% from 44% while in the barrel? 34% is bound to taste like a watered down whiskey and oak tea.

Even at 44%, your abv's are low. Whisky is usually barrelled around 55-65%. Are you diluting it down to 44% with water before barreling? If so, don't do that. If not, I can't really imagine how you're getting 7 liters of 44% from 21 liters at 21% without going super deep into tails.
What are your cuts like? What are you doing with your feints?

Fill in those blanks, you can probably do something to save it, but off the top of my head I cant think of anything you can do to 34% "whiskey" other than redistill it and put it back on oak at an appropriate abv (or drink white). Which may well turn out amazing, it'll certainly be a unique "process".

(Edit, I think I read it wrong, you're getting 10 liters at 44% from 21 liters @ 21%? That fits for someone making no cuts at all, AND running deep into tails)

[ausibatla]

I've been watering it down. I thought it had be the same ABV as the store bought bottle.
Misread something somewhere along the way. Seems like 6 months of work and a whole
lot of money out the window.
Cheers.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Redistill it now.

Well, not to kick ya for it, your own work wasted. This is why so many people try to tell people to read before they dive in. I don't tell anyone what's good for them, but there are reactions in this world to all actions.

You learned a hard one. You can read just enough to perhaps make a damn fine all grain bourbon. But if you don't read enough about other parts, you might just water that bourbon down too much and destroy it.

At least it wasn't a dangerous mistake. You can redistill it and still drink your tears. You're lucky

[NEGaxSEGa]

Redistill it now

Just curious, what would you think about him doing a new run of HBB and adding it to this one to bring the proof back up? He'd be retaining the oak character that's already in the watered down stuff, right?

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Perhaps. Took him 6 months to get this far, though. You would have to do equal parts of 80% to get it to the right oaking proof.

[The Baker]

Perhaps. Took him 6 months to get this far, though. You would have to do equal parts of 80% to get it to the right oaking proof.

Or a larger quantity at lower proof. (Haven't tried to work it out but not difficult).

Even add one lot to bring proof up somewhat, and later another to bring it to the desired level.

Geoff

[zapata]

Man, thats a bummer, sorry dude.

Mixing it with a high proof new batch is an interesting idea. Might be worth playing with a small sample. Even just test mixing a sample with a barrel strength commercial bourbon, white dog, vodka, or even (gasp) everclear would give an idea. But I'd hate to just say do it and you end up wasting a whole new set of batches. Ausibatla, you got any high proof anything laying around you do some test mixes with to at least see if it heads back in the right direction?

Honestly, I wouldnt consider redisitilling it a waste. Consider it a difficult experiment. One that likely won't ever be repeated. But it will definitely up the proof, and remove the over oaked tea flavors. Back into the barrel at the right proof. It certainly isnt wasted or ruined. Who knows, it may even be unique? For sure virtually all of the oak flavors are non volatile and will be removed, but the other chemical changes arent gonna be undone, and the boiling itself is likely to encourage other reactions.

[ausibatla]

Man, thats a bummer, sorry dude.

Mixing it with a high proof new batch is an interesting idea. Might be worth playing with a small sample. Even just test mixing a sample with a barrel strength commercial bourbon, white dog, vodka, or even (gasp) everclear would give an idea. But I'd hate to just say do it and you end up wasting a whole new set of batches. Ausibatla, you got any high proof anything laying around you do some test mixes with to at least see if it heads back in the right direction?

Honestly, I wouldnt consider redisitilling it a waste. Consider it a difficult experiment. One that likely won't ever be repeated. But it will definitely up the proof, and remove the over oaked tea flavors. Back into the barrel at the right proof. It certainly isnt wasted or ruined. Who knows, it may even be unique? For sure virtually all of the oak flavors are non volatile and will be removed, but the other chemical changes arent gonna be undone, and the boiling itself is likely to encourage other reactions.

Thanks to all you blokes for the advice. I think I'll just run it through the still again and get rid of the water.
It's a pity to waste all those hours of what I thought was dilligent distilling though. Back to square one with half the alcohol.
Might be cheaper in the long run to just buy Wild Turkey.

[Oldvine Zin]

Back to square one with half the alcohol.
Might be cheaper in the long run to just buy Wild Turkey.

Cheaper for sure but, do you really want to drink Wild Turkey??

good luck
OVZ

[RedwoodHillBilly]

Back to square one with half the alcohol.
Might be cheaper in the long run to just buy Wild Turkey.

Cheaper for sure but, do you really want to drink Wild Turkey??

good luck
OVZ

Well, If you have to buy booze, Wild Turkey ain't bad (IMHO). I prefer the 100 version. It has the same grain bill that I use. But to each their own.

[Canuckwoods]

Ok, I have been reading this thread for awhile now and will be brewing up this weekend hopefully. Please check my calculations and let me know if I need to make any changes
4 gallons water
0.4 lbs Honey Malt
5.6 lbs Cracked Corn
0.8 lbs white wheat malt
0.8 lbs red wheat malt
0.8 lbs pale malt
Shells
The yeast I was going to use Lavlin 1118 as it seems to work well in my basement how many paks?

I use sterilized eggshells instead of oyster does anyone see any problem with that?

Also in reading the thread, I am leaning towards throwing in some oats any suggestion on how much? the calculator does not give an amount.
Thanks

[still_stirrin]

The yeast I was going to use Lavlin 1118 as it seems to work well in my basement how many paks?

One (11g) pack per 5 gallons should be enough, although I use 3 packs per 10 gallons. "One per" should be adequate typically for a 5 gallon ferment, especially if you aerate the wort well at pitching.

But, the champagne yeast really isn't the best strain to use in a flavor-rich recipe like this. I would strongly recommend you consider simple baker's yeast instead. Slightly warmer ferment temperatures will improve the flavor profile of the finished beer (and spirit). Champagne yeast is ideally suited for fruit ferments and can be acceptable in sugar washes provided you don't try to push the potential limit too high.

I use sterilized eggshells instead of oyster does anyone see any problem with that?

It'll work, just don't pulverize the eggshells too fine. You simply don't need to.

Also in reading the thread, I am leaning towards throwing in some oats any suggestion on how much? the calculator does not give an amount.

I would not use more oats than you have wheat. The oats will smooth the flavor profile of the malts, making them sort of "creamy". But the wheat will do that too...so, it is somewhat redundant to the recipe. I guess you could trade some of the wheat for some oat flakes (ounce for ounce) and it would add a touch of diversity to the mix. Otherwise, it's your call as to how you want to "shape" the flavor.
ss

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Also in reading the thread, I am leaning towards throwing in some oats any suggestion on how much? the calculator does not give an amount.
Thanks

Just throw a half pound in. Or, in your case, .4.

The calculator is nice, but it makes it awkward when you start asking for .4 or .5 lbs of malt. The calculator default that was made is for a total volume of 5 gallons, but that is not how the recipe was written. It was written for 5 gallons (ish) of water added to ingredients of 1/2 pound increments. That's easiest for everyone. Is the perfect addition .33 oats? Maybe. Simple enough to ask your brew house for 1/2 lb and move on. The difference isn't going to change the profile all that much.

I took 6 gallon brewers bucket, through the corn and adjuncts in it, and booked around 5 or 6 gallons on the stove. Then, I poured the water in until I got to the level I was comfortable with for headroom and estimated madly volume. It was about 5 gallons -ish. But it could have been 5.5 or 4.5.

As novice, I would just order the recipe as it is, out it in your bucket, and put as much water as you can comfortably fit in the bucket. If that bucket is 5 gallons, then it will mean a little less water, and a little higher sg for you. That would probably help compensate for any mash inefficiencies, anyways, that may occur as a first timer.

Like I said, just throw in a half pound, call it a day.

[Canuckwoods]

So I just pitched my Yeast followed what I said above but disappointed in my conversion. I made 2 batches one the gravity was 1.55, the other 1.4. I added my grain at 153 along with a teaspoon of enzyme should I have used more? let it cool a bit more? I guess I will have to keep practicing. it may have been that I was listening to Dave Brubeck and not Floyd.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

That's a big variation between the 2. 1.055 is about perfect. I usually hit 1.06 if I do everything perfect with the laid out amounts. Use corn meal. And use 6 lbs, not 5.

[Canuckwoods]

I think I may have been a little hot on the second.

[jonnys_spirit]

Starting a 12’ish gallon wash of the honey bear. 2lbs each of the red white wheat malt and 2row pale, 1lbs honey malt, and I am adding 2lbs malted oats. I picked up 15lbs martha white cornmeal so it’ll be some gucci honey bear. Us-05 ale yeast. This one is almost by the books which is rade for me. Probably do several batches w/backset over a little while to get some stock going. Very excited about this recipe! I’ve done a couple AG’s but this is the first w/corn so am looking forward to the porridge. I’ll use high and low temp enzymes for insurance. Might reuse the grains with apple cider and honey for a second braggot run on the grains

Cheers!
J

[ausibatla]

Is bakers yeast alright for a sugar wash or should I use a Turbo yeast?
Cheers and Merry Christmas.

[thecroweater]

bakers yeast f#¢€ that other shit.

[Canuckwoods]

A little bit of a disappointment here. I am in the middle of the stripping run on the batch that started at 1.4 while there a bit of a corn taste in no means would I say it is sweet the best way I can think to describe it is a dusty taste like an old attic. I'm thinking it may be the corn itself as I got that same type of taste from UJSSM. I was going to do a sugar head with the grain but at this point, I'm think ing I may save the sugar.
The run started at 50%abv and has been slowly dropping I will run to 20% just to see. Any Ideas would be appreciated.

[fizzix]

A little bit of a disappointment here. I am in the middle of the stripping run on the batch that started at 1.4 while there a bit of a corn taste in no means would I say it is sweet the best way I can think to describe it is a dusty taste like an old attic. I'm thinking it may be the corn itself as I got that same type of taste from UJSSM. I was going to do a sugar head with the grain but at this point, I'm think ing I may save the sugar.
The run started at 50%abv and has been slowly dropping I will run to 20% just to see. Any Ideas would be appreciated.

Sounds to my tin ear that you need to start the next ANYTHING with all fresh ingredients. Two dusty drinks so far is going to lead to 3 otherwise.

[Canuckwoods]

Trying this again with cornmeal. I have tossed the other and the corn.

[Canuckwoods]

Ran the new batch yesterday much better!! unfortunately, when I was cleaning up I somehow knocked my pot still over. I managed to take out my cut jars not all just the hearts and dumped 3 gallons of wash over my basement floor. I am really thinking this recipe is cursed.

[fizzix]

Ran the new batch yesterday much better!! unfortunately, when I was cleaning up I somehow knocked my pot still over. I managed to take out my cut jars not all just the hearts and dumped 3 gallons of wash over my basement floor. I am really thinking this recipe is cursed.

Man, sorry about your rotten luck. I'd make sure that still doesn't tip so easily again, but that's hindsight.

I can attest that the recipe isn't cursed. (Unless my full cask explodes or hits the floor somehow.)
Don't give up. You can do this!

[jonnys_spirit]

Have not run my ~10gal wort yet from my first mash of this HBB but it's sitting in the cellar waiting to be run. I ordered malts to mash up and do about five more initial ~10gallon stripping runs through the boiler. I purchased different ale and some lager yeast for each mash to hopefully add some complexity and variety when I mix and spirit run the low wines. This will keep me busy mashing and stripping for the next several weekends plus some work travel taking me away

Do you guys rack off the trub or distil w/trub? I have a 5500W element in a 13gal still. No thumper and have been fermenting on-grain for this and squeezing after ferment is done. Don't want to scorch.

Cheers!
-j

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Definitely rack off trub with internal element. You can't distill on trub with element unless you fire liquid into a thinker full of trub .

[jonnys_spirit]

Thanks SoCD! That’s what I’ve been doing so i’ll stay on the path until I put together a thumper. I just might need a barrel or two at this rate.

Cheers!
-j