First Potato Vodka

[hawkwing]

I tried Chase potato vodka and to me it tastes a whole lot better than other vodkas including Grey Goose that so many rave about. Smooth and creamy I really like Chase. So I decided to try making it. I cooked 30lbs potatoes, mashed them and added alpha and gluco amylase to convert the starches. I used Redstar bakers yeast.

I distilled in my air still with the power turned down.

I tried to cheat and leave the skins on but they are way to dominant a flavor in the distillate. After all the cuts I didn't even have one bottle. Next time I'll peel them. But that creamy taste is there. It really is better tasting. I will have to try and grow the potatoes that Chase grows if I can get them. Apparently they get 7-15% alcohol.

[zapata]

You're trying to replace this

with this

I don't think either the skins nor the potato variety is the problem here.

Really not trying to be a dick, but come on, do you really think good vodka can come from an airstill?

[Stonecutter]

Good on you Hawk!
You’re producing your own drop and actually enjoying the drink. It seems to me that airstills and the like can and will be a huge contribution in getting more people interested in home Distilling. If that’s what it takes than I’m on board. I hear potato can be a tricky mash. Any tricks you learned along the way would be much appreciated.

[Saltbush Bill]

I'd say your confusing the taste of tails for the skin taste........as Zapata has already said, your not going to make vodka with a single run through an air still.

[TwoSheds]

I'd say your confusing the taste of tails for the skin taste........as Zapata has already said, your not going to make vodka with a single run through an air still.

I don't see where hawking said 'single run', though I'll be curious to hear how he ran it.

And yeah, @zapata I think a good vodka could come from an airstill if it's used right. At the core all a still needs to do is add energy into a liquid (in a very controlled way, granted), direct the resulting gas to a condenser, and remove heat from the gas so it turns back to liquid. Do that without introducing any contaminants and you can make just about any distillate.

The rest is up to the fermenting, blending, and aging, each of which present their own challenges and opportunities.

[NZChris]

I'd like to know exactly what you did, if there was unconverted starch, your distilling protocol, how you chose your cuts, etc.?

According to my calculations, you missed out on a lot of potential alcohol, which would explain the intensity of flavor that you blame on the peel.

If the intense flavor is a problem, dilute it with your best neutral.

[hawkwing]

What I did was wash and put the potatoes in my large stock pot. Covered with water and boiled them until soft. I took them out and mashed them. I added back to the same water and used my immersion blender. Then added the enzymes after cooling. I kept them in the temperature range for the enzymes. I had trouble finding iodine but I did find some finally. So I was able to test for starch and see that it was converted.

I have modified my air still with an SCR to turn the power down. It's not a still spirits model. In my opinion those are over priced. I got mine used but even new it's about half a Still Spirits model and is basically exactly the same thing. But at 750 W it needs the SCR to not puke and it works better for slower spirit run(s).

I know it's not the most efficient but until I get my reflux column figured out and built it's what I have. I could use my copper pot too but the batch size was too small to bother. I find the air still works just fine.

I kept running it through again without dilution. It's small and there is no open flame so I wasn't too concerned about safety. I can get very close to 95% The tails have a significant peel taste. I didn't want to strip flavors using activated carbon. Chase apparently uses charcoal not carbon. Something I can try in the future perhaps.

In their videos they claim to get 7-15% potato wine. They use three varieties of high starch potatoes upwards of 25% starch. Not sure what special enzymes they use though and if they have something that breaks down the solids. One difference they have is a hammer mill. They grind the potatoes and don't add water. I was thinking I could dig out my meat grinder and try it next time.

It's not the easiest most efficient liquor to make but it sure is nice and tasty. I like the creaminess to it. It really is good.

[hawkwing]

Here are a few pictures. I used Russet potatoes by the way. It was too thick for a hydrometer but my refractometer said 1.033 and final 1.020. That said there is way more alcohol in it than that. I believe that refractometers need some sort of calculation adjustment for that purpose not sure.

Cooking Potatos

Mashed Potato

Immersion Blending

Enzymes added

Last Stripping run

[Bradster68]

That is very interesting. I initially got into this hobby for this exact reason. I wanted to make booze from potatoes. I'm friends with an elk farmer who has mountains of potatoes given to him from a factory. All free. Just heard there ain't much starch in em. So I haven't done it "yet".

[zapata]

You see how I was all grumpy poopoo pants, then stonecutter was all sunshine and unicorn farts? And Saltbush grumped out with me before Twosheds and NZ brought us back to a practical discussion? That's what I like about this community, when I slip up and poison the community with toxic old manishism criticism, others pick up my slack for all our benefit. Cheers ya'll.

OK, so potatoes are so awesome that they are pretty good even out of an airstill. I'm not doing that so who am I to argue? But where that steers me is to wonder what is the smallest effective dose? Is a sugar Mr. Potato Head worth doing? How about a box of Idahoan flakes in some sugar wash? Hmmm, maybe a cornflakes and mashed potato for an all boxed grocery store Chasing Tito's vodka wash? Which I recognize as thread drift if you're trying to make the best potato vodka you can and now I'm asking what the bare minimum is.

Back on topic, I can't fathom what it takes to peel a bazillion pounds of potatoes so I assume it wouldn't be done if it didn't matter. So you're probably barking up the right path there. But so are instant potatoes. Looks like in bulk they are 1.50 / pound. I think thats about 7.2 pounds per starch per 40# bag. Annnd, I dunno how to calculate potential sugars immediately and I gotta walk away. Or maybe you could use flakes as a booster? Do the hardwork on real potatoes to get in the what, 5 or 6% range? Boost with flakes to get ya up to 10%? Gotta run.

[TwoSheds]

Is a sugar Mr. Potato Head worth doing?

Yes, the name and label potential alone justify this effort!

For the rest of that stuff, you should check out the StillIt grocery store run videos. He does some crazy stuff and it seems it's _almost_ always palatable, at least to him.

I think we get lucky as distillers that when we get into some of the stranger stuff some of the badness gets left behind in the still.

Will be following along on the potatoes though! Everybody asks if I'm going to try potato vodka and I always say you'd make vodka out of almost anything else before potatoes due to yield, but I do want to try a small run.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Keep at the potatoes, Hawkwing, they do make a good spirit.

The yield was always low for me, I think I remember it being about 1/3 of what I would expect from corn, pound for pound. But it was worth it for me to get a unique bottle. I remember it being kinda sweet, and yes, definitely remember that creamy texture.

If you go in knowing yield will be low just mash up a lot more. Just means you get to run the still a bit more. I never peeled mine, but I did roast them in an oven and I thought that made a difference. They fermented like gangbusters, and I didn’t get scorching even though it was a sloppy ferment.

Happy to see taters come up again, kinda makes me want to do another run.

[hawkwing]

I was reading on Chuckanut Bay Distillery’s website that they tried Russet potatoes and didn’t like the flavor so trying other kinds of potatoes might be worth it. They liked Yukon Gold potatoes. For comparison Chase apparently uses Lady Claire (23.6% starch), Lady Rosetta (25%), and Maria Piper (unknown) potatoes. I’m not sure if I can get any to plant in my garden but I’m going to look into it. They also said that it takes 50 lbs of potatoes to get one 750ml or 26oz bottle. So with my cuts I’m probably about right. It remains to be determined if removing the skins will help give a larger hearts cut or not.

https://chuckanutbaydistillery.com/blog ... ty-lowdown

I’m not sure it’ll be possible to use flaked potatoes to boost the potential alcohol. The reason I say this is they will basically just thicken the mash so thick that it won’t be workable either to ferment or distill. I’m still not sure how they make potato wine without water unless they have some special enzymes. I wonder about not cooking the potatoes but even the Chase video said they do cook them.

I wonder if a Mr Potato Sugar Head would be the same just diluted a bit.

I like the idea of baking the potatoes. If I let them cook they will scoop out of the skins pretty easy. Not sure if this would be any faster or easier than peeling. It might be more onerous if the skins start coming apart. Old potatoes with thick skins might work better for this.

[Demy]

Potatoes, one of the few classic things that I have not yet fermented, perhaps because no one gives them to me but I promise that sooner or later I will, it is inevitable. Continue with your process and refine it, it's all good experience, for you and for others who read.

[ecir54]

Sweet potatoes is on my list.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Sweet potatoes is on my list.

Be careful with “sweet potatoes”

Around here the things labeled sweet potatoes are actually yams, entirely different creatures.

Real sweet potatoes make a nice spirit, mildly fruity, really nice with oak. I roasted mine until there was some caramelized syrup near the skins.

Yams have low yield and the spirit is super fruity. Not sure how it would work with oak, never got enough to try.

[hawkwing]

I also want to try sweet potatoes. Hopefully they are cheaper in the fall. I have a lot of things to finish up before I try them. Also I’m unlikely to be fermenting through the hot summer.

[ecir54]

Noted, from the south know the difference. Thanks

Not a priority of mine just want to try one day, probably after retirement.

[Cwrex]

I'm on my 3rd attempt (its in the Fermenter at the mo) - but 2nd and 3rd have had no added sugar just spuds, grain and amylase to convert the starch. I scrubbed the tats so as to include the peels. On the 2nd batch, after about 24 hours when checking the fermentation (which had stalled), weirdly there was a beautiful smell like Apple Pie. I restarted the stalled fermentation with a small mix of more amylase, yeast and Vitamin B Complex and a slow stir to lift up the bottom sediments. Annoyingly I only got about 6% ABV (Irish) so sfa from a 40Litre batch. I replicated the same recipe on the current batch and if that's the same I'll ditch that recipe. BTW I boiled and mashed the tats separately before adding them and Grain to a Brewster Beacon. There was some fecking cleaning up to do on that after boil!

[StillerBoy]

I wonder if a Mr Potato Sugar Head would be the same just diluted a bit.

I do a boil water potato sugar wash, and is next to rice in flavor and smoothness..

The recipe, for 26L batch, I uses is 10 lbs russet potatoes peeled (9 lbs once peeled), diced, and boiled for 12 min in 10L of water.. russet cook really fast so don't go beyond the 12 min, and drain.. then use the water to dissolve 4.5K of sugar, and ferment similar to regular sugar wash..

Mars

[hawkwing]

I wonder if a Mr Potato Sugar Head would be the same just diluted a bit.

I do a boil water potato sugar wash, and is next to rice in flavor and smoothness..

The recipe, for 26L batch, I uses is 10 lbs russet potatoes peeled (9 lbs once peeled), diced, and boiled for 12 min in 10L of water.. russet cook really fast so don't go beyond the 12 min, and drain.. then use the water to dissolve 4.5K of sugar, and ferment similar to regular sugar wash..

Mars
DSC008741.jpg

I haven’t tried rice yet so can’t compare. How does it compare with a commercial potato vodka?

[hawkwing]

I'm on my 3rd attempt (its in the Fermenter at the mo) - but 2nd and 3rd have had no added sugar just spuds, grain and amylase to convert the starch. I scrubbed the tats so as to include the peels. On the 2nd batch, after about 24 hours when checking the fermentation (which had stalled), weirdly there was a beautiful smell like Apple Pie. I restarted the stalled fermentation with a small mix of more amylase, yeast and Vitamin B Complex and a slow stir to lift up the bottom sediments. Annoyingly I only got about 6% ABV (Irish) so sfa from a 40Litre batch. I replicated the same recipe on the current batch and if that's the same I'll ditch that recipe. BTW I boiled and mashed the tats separately before adding them and Grain to a Brewster Beacon. There was some fecking cleaning up to do on that after boil!

You left the peels on? I found that they transfer an undesirable taste. What kind of potatoes are you using?

[StillerBoy]

How does it compare with a commercial potato vodka?

Have no idea how it compares to commercial potato vodka as I never purchase such product..

That's why I have a still so as to make a good product, irrelevant and superior to what is on the commercial shelf.. if you are chasing someone else flavor, good luck, hopefully you'll learn that that is not a possibility..

Mars

[hawkwing]

How does it compare with a commercial potato vodka?

Have no idea how it compares to commercial potato vodka as I never purchase such product..

That's why I have a still so as to make a good product, irrelevant and superior to what is on the commercial shelf.. if you are chasing someone else flavor, good luck, hopefully you'll learn that that is not a possibility..

Mars

I was just looking for a reference point on pure potato versus sugar head flavor difference.

[StillerBoy]

Would you know what the different would be in flavor between a pure potato versus a sugar head ? ?

Mars

[hawkwing]

Would you know what the different would be in flavor between a pure potato versus a sugar head ? ?

Mars

No but it might be worth making both to see.

[LWTCS]

It's a noble project.
I'd say try and find a cheap source for dehydrated potatoes in order to fill in the volume needed to make your batches worth all the effort as you get into more than just a batch or two to check that box that say you did a tater vodka.
Otherwise it seems to me that a Jasimin rice vodka would be more productive. Just thinking out loud is all.

After a quick search I dang near fell out if my chair. Wow dehydrated spuds are pretty dern spendy.

With so many other affordable spirits like a Don Q rum ( for example ), its tough for domestic pros to compete and also tough for hobbyists to render a premium spirit for what can be purchased at a cheaper price point.

This here is an extremely affordable, quality potato vodka.
Was 11 bux for a 750 not that long ago. Not sure if it was a loss leader for the sake of attracting new biz?
Not sure what it cost at the moment?
But it is well made. IMO, better than Russian Standard by a long shot.
BTW, not affiliated.

[Saltbush Bill]

A list of Vodka brands below and what each of them is made from.......There might be a reason why so few are made from potatoes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vodkas

[hawkwing]

A list of Vodka brands below and what each of them is made from.......There might be a reason why so few are made from potatoes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vodkas

Granted and I’m guessing the reason is grain is more efficient and easier to work with with higher yields. But potatoes give a unique flavor and mouth feel that is sort of creamy.

[hawkwing]

It's a noble project.
I'd say try and find a cheap source for dehydrated potatoes in order to fill in the volume needed to make your batches worth all the effort as you get into more than just a batch or two to check that box that say you did a tater vodka.
Otherwise it seems to me that a Jasimin rice vodka would be more productive. Just thinking out loud is all.

After a quick search I dang near fell out if my chair. Wow dehydrated spuds are pretty dern spendy.

With so many other affordable spirits like a Don Q rum ( for example ), its tough for domestic pros to compete and also tough for hobbyists to render a premium spirit for what can be purchased at a cheaper price point.

This here is an extremely affordable, quality potato vodka.
Was 11 bux for a 750 not that long ago. Not sure if it was a loss leader for the sake of attracting new biz?
Not sure what it cost at the moment?
But it is well made. IMO, better than Russian Standard by a long shot.
BTW, not affiliated.

20210801_111023.jpg

A project for fall or winter. Potatoes should be cheap and abundant come fall too.