Search found 70 matches
- Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:32 am
- Forum: Research and Theory
- Topic: Strength Of Craft Spirits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1699
Re: Strength Of Craft Spirits
Hi, Rednose or anyone else for that matter, sure you can use it! Anyone who can show how toxic commercial spirits are compared to what we make, is doing us all a favour. Selby.
- Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:26 pm
- Forum: Research and Theory
- Topic: Strength Of Craft Spirits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1699
Re: Strength Of Craft Spirits
After some thought, I decided to put a codicil label on the back of the bottles (60mm x60mm) which I think could apply to all of us. It included quote- "This whiskey is hand made under the protocols of craft Spirit. Double distilled,with Methanol, volatile and heavy alcohols removed during both...
- Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:03 pm
- Forum: Research and Theory
- Topic: Strength Of Craft Spirits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1699
Re: Strength Of Craft Spirits
Thanks Guys,I age on charred oak @ 55% for 3 months then dilute to 40% +. I guess there's toxicity other than ethanol in commercial spirits. I can get sick on wine also. Maybe what we are making is good ole "AQVA VITAE" (water of life) after all.
- Thu Apr 15, 2010 3:32 am
- Forum: Research and Theory
- Topic: Strength Of Craft Spirits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1699
Strength Of Craft Spirits
Hi, All, I haven't posted in quite awhile, but need some opinions. My friends & relatives love my bourbon but say they find it is not like a 40 % strength spirit ( which it is), & though they can get pleasently inebreated they say they could not get sloshed on it! Should I leave some of the ...
- Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:21 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: unrefined sugar
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1516
Re: unrefined sugar
Thanks for your reply ahiaruhe, reason I asked is, it has always seemed to me to be an odd situation in countries like USA & Australia where home distilling is supposedly illegal yet well known but ignored. Surely they're not worried about loss of excise with so few people who go to the trouble ...
- Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:02 am
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: unrefined sugar
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1516
Re: unrefined sugar
Hey Kiwistiller, Was New Zealand called "The Land Of The Long White Cloud" before Home Distillation Of Spirts was made legal there ? - Only kidding ! Seriously, has there been any comment there of adverse effects on N.Z. Society since the change was made to the Customs Regulation which all...
- Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:37 pm
- Forum: Grains
- Topic: Grain Mash ABV
- Replies: 18
- Views: 7278
Re: Grain Mash ABV
When making Bourbon I have best results by first mashing the corn with enzymes & malt for at least 1 hr. then boilingin a double boiler 11/2 hrs. When cool to mash temp. add to remaining barley malt & rye & mash all 90 mins. - 2 hrs. Selby.
- Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:18 am
- Forum: Beer, and Wine
- Topic: using carbon on beer
- Replies: 22
- Views: 10008
Re: using carbon on beer
In my 40yr.+ brewing experience, I long ago found out that the only way to remotely approach anything like a good commercial beer is to ferment at as low a temperature as possible - prefferably in a 'fridge set no higher than 5deg. centigrade for at least 3 weeks. This means of course you are using ...
- Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:13 am
- Forum: Tried and True Recipes
- Topic: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method
- Replies: 4778
- Views: 1052602
Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method
I always thought the aim of making grain whisky was to not rely at all on sugar otherwise you end up with sugar head moonshine. Selby
- Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:53 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Novice Guide for Cuts (pot still)
- Replies: 321
- Views: 406516
Re: Novice Guide for Cuts (pot still)
I liked your tutorial Kiwi, good stuff. Would you mind telling me- (a) What yeast do you use for you grain whisky over there?,(b) Do you find Turbo Yeast okay for this purpose? I'm in Oz. Thanks, Selby.
- Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:53 am
- Forum: Flavoring and Aging
- Topic: aging with electricity!
- Replies: 54
- Views: 11224
Re: aging with electricity!
It occured to me that wine makers face a bigger job cleanig up their product since they are stuck with all the bad alcohols we can avoid . I mean look how sick you can get on wine compared to our carefully crafted spirit. After reading the paper, the differences it would make for us seem scarcely wo...
- Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:57 am
- Forum: Flavoring and Aging
- Topic: aging with electricity!
- Replies: 54
- Views: 11224
Re: aging with electricity!
Thank's for the link Red Lion.
- Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:52 pm
- Forum: Flavoring and Aging
- Topic: aging with electricity!
- Replies: 54
- Views: 11224
Re: aging with electricity!
It seems to be the electric field that does the job since the wine apparently is not in direct contact with the electrodes. I don't understand the titanium bit. Of course the ultimate question for us- if it works - is will it ever be available for our use?
- Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:38 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: Accelerated Ageing
- Replies: 2
- Views: 697
Re: Accelerated Ageing
Thanks tater, I only happened to hear about it on my iPod.
- Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:54 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: Accelerated Ageing
- Replies: 2
- Views: 697
Accelerated Ageing
A couple of Chinese scientists have apparantly come up with a way to dramatically accelerate the ageing process. By inducing an electric field into wine via 2 shielded titanium electrodes for just 3 minutes, they appear to have speeded up the chemical action between the organic acids & ethanol t...
- Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:52 am
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: Final Filtering
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1259
Re: Final Filtering
Thanks Hack & Dnder , I've gone the toast route before but don't get the "vanillin" like charred oak gives after standing 3 months. It comes out beautifully in the bottle over time.
- Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:53 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: Final Filtering
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1259
Final Filtering
How do you guys final filter your Bourbon off the charred oak? I dilute it to abt. 42% & 1)- Filter through a coffee filter without the paper. 2)- Re-filter through the filter using 2 papers after every 2 qts. 3)- Final filter through 1 paper. I suspect if I use a water purifier or similar I wil...
- Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:30 am
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Soldering Stainless
- Replies: 22
- Views: 7239
Re: Soldering Stainless
Thanks fellas.(Guys) , I ended up getting the job done as easy as silver soldering copper after the local welding supplier pointed me in the right direction. For anyone interested in silver soldering .020" thin kitchen grade stainless, here's the specs. Flux:- EZI - WELD 602 Flux containing Flu...
- Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:35 am
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Soldering Stainless
- Replies: 22
- Views: 7239
Re: Soldering Stainless
Thanks Rad & Dndr. Almost as soon as I had finished posting it dawned on me to search Engineer/ Metallurgist John Palmer's excellent book "How To Brew"- formerly free on the Net & shore 'nuff in the chapter titled Soldering Brazing & Welding John suggested the metal had to be &...
- Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:36 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Soldering Stainless
- Replies: 22
- Views: 7239
Soldering Stainless
Does anyone know the secret of joining stainless to stainless? Itried to silver solder as normal but it went like water on a cabbage & wouldn't stick .Should I use acid in place of flux, get compatable solder etc.? It's too thin to electric weld. - Thanks Selby.
- Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:00 am
- Forum: Mashing, fermenting, flavoring and aging related hardware
- Topic: I Would Drill 500 Holes and I Would Drill 500 More
- Replies: 41
- Views: 6660
Re: I Would Drill 500 Holes and I Would Drill 500 More
I learned long ago when I used to make beer using unmalted corn, barley, rice etc. that the best results from boiling came from mashing the cracked grains with Amylase enzymes for about an hour first which starts you off with a much thinner porridge to boil. It then makes for much easier boiling &am...
- Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:26 pm
- Forum: Mashing, fermenting, flavoring and aging related hardware
- Topic: I Would Drill 500 Holes and I Would Drill 500 More
- Replies: 41
- Views: 6660
Re: I Would Drill 500 Holes and I Would Drill 500 More
Just as well it's not stainless your'e drilling Punkin! I was faced with the same prospect when making my st. steel double boiler. Ended up buying the thinnest slitting grinding wheel disc for my side grinder & the slots it made did the job great.
- Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:38 pm
- Forum: Grains
- Topic: Trouble malting barley
- Replies: 77
- Views: 49017
Re: Trouble malting barley
Update:- I remember now I changed the steep water 2 or 3 times during soaking to further oxygenate. It is quite possible to "drown" the grain during a lengthy soak wihout air & it will simply go rotten. Also I turned the grain bed over 2or 3 times a day mainly to prevent matting of the...
- Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:13 am
- Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
- Topic: I made a double boiler
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1544
I made a double boiler
I made a double boiler pot still as I intend to start fermenting & distilling on the grain to both maximise sugar & alcohol. I'm wondering can anyone tell me do I tip the whole ferment - yeast & all into the still, or otherwise how do I seperate the yeast from it & do I need to provi...
- Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:01 am
- Forum: Grains
- Topic: Trouble malting barley
- Replies: 77
- Views: 49017
Re: Trouble malting barley
I made several batches of malted barley some years ago & found it is best made at the lower temperatures of the year around 50-60f. Wash the grain well & soak for at least 24 hrs. with a fish tank airstone bubbling through it. Make a malting tray of wood say 4ft. x 2ft. x 4inches deep raised...
- Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:45 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: VODKA
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1924
Re: VODKA
Coud be an argument here in favour of legalisation.- People need to be free to pursue & procure uncontaminated Spirits!
- Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:10 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: VODKA
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1924
Re: VODKA
My daughter says she & her friends love my vodka because it is gentle in it's onset & aftermath (ie. no nasty hangovers), leaving them a bit incredulus at the "40%' claim. I do believe though that commercial whiskies are allowed to include a percentage of Methanol, perhaps not much more...
- Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:12 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: VODKA
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1924
Re: VODKA
The most common question I'm asked about my Spirits is - "is it really 40% alc. ? - doesn't seem like it" & I've been moved to demonstrate with my spirit hydrometer on a couple of occasions. Does this indicate our craft skills are not appreciated because people are so used to methanol ...
- Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:57 pm
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: VODKA
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1924
Re: VODKA
Good idea ! thanks. minime.
- Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:26 am
- Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
- Topic: VODKA
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1924
VODKA
When I made my last batch of Vodka I took great care to make it very clean, bordering on neutral spirits. My family & friends told me they didn.t like it as much as my previous efforts . They said it had no assertiveness in the mixer which they missed compared with the original . Ergo, sometimes...