Search found 154 matches

by PTS_35
Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:13 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Apple Brandy!
Replies: 241
Views: 35092

Re: Apple Brandy!

i used cider. if buying from store make sure it doesnt have potassium sorbate as preservative. you're looking for citric acid only. musselmans or sam's choice from walmart are good. i used sam's choice for making hard cider and i think that turned out good too. i dry hopped that one and like the res...
by PTS_35
Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:33 pm
Forum: Beer, and Wine
Topic: Hard Cider
Replies: 126
Views: 25775

Re: Hard Cider

.75 ounce yarrylo hops for the 2 gal cider. Dry hopped for a week
by PTS_35
Fri Feb 03, 2017 1:08 pm
Forum: Beer, and Wine
Topic: Hard Cider
Replies: 126
Views: 25775

Re: Hard Cider

Yes sir Jimbo. And the safale 05...love it. More beer like I think. Really left a profile that ec1118 and nottingham can't touch imo. I may be wrong on the weight though. I think I did a full ouncertain of the yarrylo on the 2 gal then did less on a 1 gal I did. Have to check so I can post accuratel...
by PTS_35
Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:34 am
Forum: Beer, and Wine
Topic: Hard Cider
Replies: 126
Views: 25775

Re: Hard Cider

Is anyone still looking at this thread? I have done something different with the hard cider. Going off a beer site suggestion of adding hops I took 2 can apple juice concentrate and then added enough cider to meet 2 gallon. I then used safale 05 and fermented 3 weeks or so. Then racked for two weeks...
by PTS_35
Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:19 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Oaking and aging the T-Pee way
Replies: 554
Views: 164082

Re: Oaking and aging the T-Pee way

Still stirrin, thanks for those links. Look forward to reading them
by PTS_35
Mon Jan 16, 2017 6:17 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Oaking and aging the T-Pee way
Replies: 554
Views: 164082

Re: Oaking and aging the T-Pee way

I've been wondering, why do you char the wood? If toasting it provides the flavors, what does the char do? Does it act as filter to filter out impurities? Help provide color? What's the point of charring and what's it impact on the whiskey?
by PTS_35
Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:37 pm
Forum: Boilers
Topic: 8 Gallon boiler question
Replies: 19
Views: 4898

Re: 8 Gallon boiler question

Can I ask some of you a question. Those are great looking stills and you got them by ordering. Do you live in the states? I want to get on but kinda worried about ordering something labeled as distilling
by PTS_35
Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:14 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Just to update, I just made another mash last night. This time I poured the hot water into the mash tun first then slowly added the flaked maize while stirring. A lot better results. No clumping at all. Let it cool to 145 or so and added the malts. After 3 hrs I took a sample off the top like sugges...
by PTS_35
Thu Aug 11, 2016 11:16 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Apple Brandy!
Replies: 241
Views: 35092

Re: Apple Brandy!

Opened a bottle week of July 4th. It's really not a bad sip. I like it. I hope it gets better in time in the bottles that are sealed. I am happy with how it turned out. This was musselmans store bought cider. This year want to go to a fresh pressed cider and see if there's a difference. Also saw a v...
by PTS_35
Fri Jul 08, 2016 4:58 pm
Forum: Beer, and Wine
Topic: Oak sticks on a pinot or other reds?
Replies: 4
Views: 1856

Re: Oak sticks on a pinot or other reds?

Haven't made any yet. Will probably just buy those toasted spirals.you know, made some blackberry wine. Bottled after 3 months bulk age and then a month in bottle. It's ok at best. Still very young I guess. Interested in seeing what it's like 6months bottle time. I also got some reisling that I did ...
by PTS_35
Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:18 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Apple Brandy!
Replies: 241
Views: 35092

Re: Apple Brandy!

Bottled mine may 28th. Four months on oak and I plan to open a bottle around July 4th or so. Give it a month in bottle. Corked one and set aside for long term. Gonna try an leave it be for two years. Anyway, color and smell at bottling time showed promise.
by PTS_35
Thu Jun 16, 2016 4:23 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Well there's the question bc of viscosity. I didn't take liquid off top of mash tun after mash session. So I had to strain it best I could for a sample. OG was 1.068 and FG was 1. If that's correct it was 8.7 which coulda been high. My charge was probably 3 gallon. It wasn't 3.5 because that's what ...
by PTS_35
Wed Jun 15, 2016 4:11 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

This really seemed to drop more so than sugar washes. Jars 1-6 in %: 65,60,53,45,36, 30. 300 ml each
by PTS_35
Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:38 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Gentlemen we have 65% jar 1. Heck yeah. I was worried with the talk of viscosity. Alright!
by PTS_35
Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:20 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Running it now. Stripping. You guys do a 2 runs or 1.5? I did 1.5 on the brandy. Thought maybe I should do it here for the flavor. When syphoned to the still I took the liquid left the solid just like anything else. I noticed that the solid was more fluid than I thought. Smelled of corn. Hope I didn...
by PTS_35
Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:22 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Well I stI'll haven't run it but now I'm beginning to worry it got an infection. Not sure but now it's starting to separate into 3 layers. Always had two, the trub at bottom and pale yellow liquid on top. But this am I am seeing this olive oil color as a thin layer on very top. I took off plug and s...
by PTS_35
Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:49 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash
Replies: 1288
Views: 397290

Re: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash

Not to respond and keep putting up more babble on a 32 page thread RAD, but you've been on this site since 07. Which more than likely means you've been messing around with distilling a bit longer than that. I've been doing this really for about a year or two. With that said, I just threw a question ...
by PTS_35
Mon Jun 13, 2016 4:41 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Idk if anyone is seeing this post anymore but here's what's been going on so far. I filtered out what I could for reading samples and after couple of times of it reading 1.0 I didn't have time; and still dont; to run it so I racked it onto a carboy, collecting the grain and squeezing it out. It's be...
by PTS_35
Mon Jun 13, 2016 4:30 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash
Replies: 1288
Views: 397290

Re: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash

Haha, sorry. 80 proof. 40%. Brings up this qiestion. I don't have a reflux but plan to in future. With that, do you still do stripping runs or does the reflux get rid of that? I thought the idea of a reflux was that it cleaned the distillate up and ran it off at a higher proof? So instead of me doin...
by PTS_35
Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:28 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash
Replies: 1288
Views: 397290

Re: Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash

I'm trying the first sip of this sugar wash. Diluted to about 80-83% give or take. I have a pot style still. This tastes sweet on the front then I get a hot bite. Nothing bad. It's weird bc the other neutral I've done, the all bran, had the same smell but it did taste different. And when I started t...
by PTS_35
Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:10 am
Forum: Beer, and Wine
Topic: Oak sticks on a pinot or other reds?
Replies: 4
Views: 1856

Oak sticks on a pinot or other reds?

I plan on making some pinot noir soon from concentrate. I have a yeast that is desigated for this type if red. My question is about aging on oak sticks once done. Does anyone have any suggestions on how many sticks per gallon and for how long? Planned on 3/4×3/4 toasted oak. Thinking two per gallon ...
by PTS_35
Thu Jun 02, 2016 9:37 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Last couple of days the top has been clearer with most of solids seemingly in bottom half. I pulled and just tested with hydrometer. It's at 1.0 for 2 days at least. I'm guessing after I filter it I should bag and squeeze out solids??
by PTS_35
Sun May 29, 2016 4:06 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Yeah got it
by PTS_35
Fri May 27, 2016 2:20 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

No, crap, I posted without re reading. I meant the beer posting said refractometers ARE NOT accurate after pitching. They said the alcohol effects the reading.
by PTS_35
Thu May 26, 2016 7:11 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Read a posting on a beer home brew site that said refractometers are accurate after pitching. This because the alcohol effects the read some how??? Anyone know anything on that?
by PTS_35
Sun May 22, 2016 8:18 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Ok. I have access to one. Maybe I'll use your example here of 16.5 bx and go withrough that. Will also try to use one next batch
by PTS_35
Sun May 22, 2016 5:26 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Can you explain the refractometer? Wouldn't I had to have used it to take OG? In order to know where it's at now? Maybe I'm wrong.
by PTS_35
Sat May 21, 2016 1:20 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Yeah assuming it all went as it should. Well just like when I took the OG reading, I filtered it as best I could get it. OG read 1.068 and today's reads 1.016. Hope iT's close to accurate all I can say. Seems that the whole thing;even though most of the grain looks like its at the bottom; seems like...
by PTS_35
Sat May 21, 2016 7:53 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Drew some out with a syphon. Trying to filter through cheese cloth but it's not working well. How do you ever test this stuff to know it's done
by PTS_35
Fri May 20, 2016 3:54 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: 1st bourbon attempt
Replies: 48
Views: 6593

Re: 1st bourbon attempt

Can anyone tell me the time frame on this? And how do you check gravity bc it's not like all the grain has fallen to the bottom. Plenty of grain at surface level