Search found 63 matches

by Keyser Soze
Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:41 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: 55 Gallon Plum Brandy Project
Replies: 81
Views: 7832

Re: 55 Gallon Plum Brandy Project

I completely forgot to check the starting gravity. Rookie mistake :oops: I did get 2 6 gallon fermentation buckets with 6 inch caps on top and some good plum wine. Used different yeast pkg in each bucket ec1118 and D47. Froze plums beat with a paint mixer and added 2 gallons or less of water to each...
by Keyser Soze
Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:32 pm
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: 55 Gallon Plum Brandy Project
Replies: 81
Views: 7832

Re: 55 Gallon Plum Brandy Project

I just got 120 lbs of large red plums from a friend. I wish to make brandy out of 100 of it. Did I read right? 100 pounds left you with 10 lbs of dry pulp? Also I have all stainless steel so should I add a little copper screening in the column to smooth it out or do I just run with no packing. First...
by Keyser Soze
Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:31 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Pear likker
Replies: 15
Views: 1856

Re: Pear likker

How long do I have to wait?
3............2..............1.......mmmmmmmm
by Keyser Soze
Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:27 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: When to Barrel age?
Replies: 5
Views: 824

When to Barrel age?

I posted this question to some of our most revered members and Tater told me to post it, so here it is. About 5 years ago I started this hobby and have made some really good rums (Pugi's) and UJSM's to 6 generations and have gotten mixed success with all grain cooked mash , both sour mash bourbons a...
by Keyser Soze
Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:08 am
Forum: Sugar
Topic: Strange Bubbles
Replies: 10
Views: 1622

Re: Strange Bubbles

Smells a little more like grapefruit than dog shit sneakers, so I guess I'm good for now. I may let that one sit for a little while longer and do the better on first.

Any thoughts on mixing in the UJSM grains and yeast to try and finish the ferment. This stuff is still kind of sweet.
by Keyser Soze
Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:44 pm
Forum: Sugar
Topic: Strange Bubbles
Replies: 10
Views: 1622

Re: Strange Bubbles

Sorry, Wineos wash. Credit where due. I have made this before and I did use more yeast than I said before, but not 1/4 cup. The stuf I have says a pound treats 1000 gallons so I used about 2 Tbs to start it off.
by Keyser Soze
Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:39 pm
Forum: Sugar
Topic: Strange Bubbles
Replies: 10
Views: 1622

Strange Bubbles

Sorry to ask this cause it sounds a bit silly. I started two batches of PintO's sugar wash a few weeks ago. 5 Gallon batches. Both starting sg's were 1.0750, both had all the recommended DAP, epsom salt etc. Pitched both with distillers, same amount 1tsp, rehydrated in water with a little sugar in i...
by Keyser Soze
Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:43 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Asbach Urallt
Replies: 10
Views: 1563

Asbach Urallt

Does anyone know how they make Asbach Urallt? They call it "The Ghost of the Wines" Der geist de Wines. I think it is a brandy that is made from already oak aged wine and then distilled out, but I'm not sure what wine or how it's done.

Anyone have any ideas?


Thanks,
Eric
by Keyser Soze
Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:11 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Starch Conversion Trouble
Replies: 3
Views: 685

Re: Starch Conversion Trouble

I'm using Rahr 2 row malted, fresh ground 2 days b4 use. Grind is a fine crack, very suitable for beer and whiskey production. Same setup has worked 3-4 times in the past, but I have not been able tto isolate whatever the difference has been. Maybe due to the mash temp, I pitched a 5 degrees lower t...
by Keyser Soze
Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:52 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Starch Conversion Trouble
Replies: 3
Views: 685

Starch Conversion Trouble

Hey Guys, Heated a pot of bourbon sour mash to boiling yesterday 15 gallon pot of it, and added more malted barley to it (about 15% of grain bill) when the temp was 155 deg f. Normally, my mixture gets thin quick, which it did, but when I iodine tested, it went black right away. It's almost like the...
by Keyser Soze
Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:27 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: My Mash Started without me Help !!!
Replies: 7
Views: 959

Re: My Mash Started without me Help !!!

Tater, How much would you hold back and how would you treat it to make a good amount of starter?? I plan on having about 8 gallons ( I do ferment off the grain usually) in the fermentor when I'm going to pitch the yeast. ( I lose about 2-2.5 gallons of water straining the grain) Should I try to get ...
by Keyser Soze
Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:07 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: My Mash Started without me Help !!!
Replies: 7
Views: 959

Re: My Mash Started without me Help !!!

Update: Mash tastes ok, not sweet not sour, kind of like wet paper and corn, Yum! I only have about 1/8 inch of water above the grain because all I was doing was a pre-soak to cut my boiling time. This stuff has not been fully converted, and I havn't added the malt to it. I was hoping to add this ma...
by Keyser Soze
Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:29 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: My Mash Started without me Help !!!
Replies: 7
Views: 959

My Mash Started without me Help !!!

Hey Guys, Mixed some corn and rye and wheat in my starter bucket, about 20 lbs, and added some water, about 4 gallons, to pre soak last saturday. Got the flu on sunday, no cooking the mixture till I felt better. I do, thanks, but I went down to check on it and it is bubbling like mad. Can I put this...
by Keyser Soze
Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:01 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: All Grain Burns while mashing
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

Re: All Grain Burns while mashing

It seemed to work better this time. Lower heat and pre soaking he grains for a few hours did a good bit to get it going faster. Managed to not burn it by sirring every minute or two for about an hour. Did forget to adjust water for the amount in the grain already and it just barely made it into the ...
by Keyser Soze
Sat Dec 11, 2010 10:39 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: All Grain Burns while mashing
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

Re: All Grain Burns while mashing

I think maybe that soaking them the night before would help a lot too. The better the head start, the less time in the pot. I'll try it later right after I close the store for the rest of the weekend and maybe do my boil tomorrow and run on x-mass eve. Everyone is asleep by 10 pm and Santa likes the...
by Keyser Soze
Sat Dec 11, 2010 7:08 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: All Grain Burns while mashing
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

Re: All Grain Burns while mashing

I also think your pot might have something to do with it. I have not cooked corn in aluminum but I have cooked food in aluminum and it seems to stick more the stainless or tin. RD, I'm using a stainless pot of a rather thin gauge, so I was thinking of putting an aluminum plate between the flame and...
by Keyser Soze
Fri Dec 10, 2010 1:47 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: All Grain Burns while mashing
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

All Grain Burns while mashing

I'm on my third batch of all grain bourbon mash and I have a problem with my mashing technique. I put cracked corn, wheat and rye ( 13 lbs, 2 lbs, 2lbs) in a BAYOU CLASSIC 15 gal stock pot full of 11 gals of boiling water. Before I get the chance to get the paddle in to stir it, it has stuck and sta...
by Keyser Soze
Wed Oct 27, 2010 6:09 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Bourbon Mash Questions
Replies: 7
Views: 2854

Re: Bourbon Mash Questions

Thanks Dunder, How would you make multiple runs from that mash, just add more grain and water and soak, or reheat? Normally I would pitch the yeast into the whole thing, but this time I needed to reduce the volume of beer first, so reomied the grain. I had planned on sparging the grain to get the su...
by Keyser Soze
Tue Oct 26, 2010 7:52 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Bourbon Mash Questions
Replies: 7
Views: 2854

Bourbon Mash Questions

I've had a lot of sucess with the UJSM and sugar washes, extract beer making and so on, but I have a hard time with all grain bourbon style mashes. A couple questions for the group may help. I use a stainless pot, 11 gals water 14 lbs cracked corn, 2 lbs wheat, 1 lb rye, 3 lbs barley malt. Bring h20...
by Keyser Soze
Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:37 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Re: Starch Conversion trouble

SG came out before at 1.014. Slowed a little, but still going. I'll probably wind up making another lighter mash, then I'll try your method and sparge it, after it cools a bit and add it to the last one. It still smell good, so I think it should still out ok. Future mash attempts may be in a bigger ...
by Keyser Soze
Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:48 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Re: Starch Conversion trouble

I made a really rookie mistake after got it into my 6.5 gal fermentor. I forgot to get the SG before I pitched the yeast, but the fermenter is too shallow to drop the tester in it anyhow. I made it in a 3 gal stock pot 4 ttl lbs grain and malt, but less than 20% malt in the mix, and 2.5 gals water t...
by Keyser Soze
Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:14 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Re: Starch Conversion trouble

Corn is hard to convert compared to other grains but all grain will be lower in yields than washes with sugar. Don't be discouraged. You said you boiled it at around 154 *F. You need to get corn up around 185* for that short amount of time. 155-160 is fine for overnight cooking I did acually boil th...
by Keyser Soze
Mon Feb 01, 2010 5:26 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Re: Starch Conversion trouble

I had the mash at about 159-162 somewhere and it did drop to about 141 f after I stirred it, so I added a little heat till it came back up to 151 and shut it off. It climbed to about 158 0r so and settled back to 155. I watched it for about two hours, when it dropped to 150 I heated it up o 154-155 ...
by Keyser Soze
Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:55 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Re: Starch Conversion trouble

Thanks. Am I to understand then I did it right? Not to sound dumb, but what kind of usable yeild should I get from that amount of material? This was a test to see if I could do it,next I buy a big ol pot as it were, and make more, but how much mash do you have to make to get 5 gals to run in the sti...
by Keyser Soze
Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:23 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Starch Conversion trouble
Replies: 13
Views: 1935

Starch Conversion trouble

I could use some help on this if someone has a moment. I started my first all grain today. Boiled 2 gals water with 2.8 lbs cracked corn and .7 lbs rye. 2 hours,added a small amount od 2 row crushed barley malt to keep it liquid. Cooled to 154 deg f and added 1.4 lbas of crushed barley malt. held at...
by Keyser Soze
Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:19 pm
Forum: Related Gas Accessories
Topic: Lauter / Mash Tun
Replies: 3
Views: 1204

Re: Lauter / Mash Tun

OK. Duh !
Would someone be so kind as to direct me to the site in question.
by Keyser Soze
Fri Oct 09, 2009 4:10 pm
Forum: Related Gas Accessories
Topic: Lauter / Mash Tun
Replies: 3
Views: 1204

Lauter / Mash Tun

Somewhere in these forums was a group of pictures showing the construction of a beautiful lauter / mash tun. I can't find it. It was made from a keg surrounded by insulation and then wood, with a mixer motor as a stirring device. Does anyone know where it is.
Thank you.
E
by Keyser Soze
Fri Oct 09, 2009 5:50 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Fruit wash
Replies: 69
Views: 17985

Re: Fruit wash

So does that mean that if I use a muslin bag like for brewing and put the pips in it crushed. I could suspend it in the low wines run and then when I do the Spirit run, it will have that oily (fusil?) surface that I have seen? I got that from a batch made on the family farm in Germany thirty years a...
by Keyser Soze
Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:21 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Fruit wash
Replies: 69
Views: 17985

Re: Fruit wash

Thanks Dnder. Last batch I made I followed a similar recipe and waited till it cleared. I guess the taste is off by a little bit still,( it was 6 months since I made this) and the yeild was about 1 ltr from a 25 l wash. I didn't use as much sugar though. I think the pears I had were pretty good, but...