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Not the best picture but finally emptied my first barrel. 66% corn 22% wheat 12% Made around 70-80 gallons of wash stripped it down to I believe 13-14 gallons of low wines. And with a deep tails cut went into the barrel with around 4.5 gallons at 126 proof.Nine months later it came out at 130 proof ...

Interested if you can fill a 5 gal barrel off 14 gal of low wines. I have been doing about 9 gal of 33% for spirit runs and depending on cuts I get 2.5 to 3 gal of aging stock. I think on my system and cuts I would be a bit short and would need closer to 16 to 18 gallons of low wines to fill a 5 ga...

Been distilling for a few years and I've decided its time for a barrel. Have been making distillers beer and stripping for the last couple months. Goal is next Saturday to have around 14 gallons of 35% low wines charge and have a big spirit run. Ordered a 5 gallon barrel from Gibbon's Cooperage and ...

Do you still need to do the cooking process to get it to germinate like cracked corn? I've never done that step only read the process but for the little bit I'm making its worth the money to skip that step

I would be using cornmeal and wheat malt, but that’s just me. I can’t justify a premium for pre-gelled raw grains. I get the flaked corn through group bulk buys my homebrew club does. So I get it around $30/50lbs bag. Probably still pricey compared to cornmeal but I'm not paying the $2-$3 per pound...

Twisted Brick wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:32 pm Depends on what you’re looking for. A great many bourbon grain bills run between 5% and 12% barley and yours comes in at 11%, right in the middle.

I looked at some commercial Bourbons recipes and I based my %s to be in line with the Weller and Van Winkle.

More water or less grain. You are over 3 pounds per gallon on the grain/water ratio. 🎱 looking to mash with 8 gallons of water and collect just under 6. sorry had 5 cause I use a homebrew software to build my recipes but it gets confused with no boil. I should have been looking at just the mash par...

Decided with my still set up in a more comfortable permeant spot and the world still locked down it is the perfect time to tackle filling up a virgin barrel. Going with a 5 gallon barrel from barrelsonline.com. With investing the time and money I figure I'd reach out for a little more wisdom on maki...

Might rather flood to dilute as much as fine spray though? IDK for sure. 1 thing I do damn near every run that is probably extra, but IDC. I low pressure test the rig while it warms up. A balloon works fine, blow it up a bit, twist it closed, stretch over the condenser or vent depending on setup an...

62B92584-E91E-43E6-8491-FA5122CC940C.jpeg I have moved and have a perfect room down in my basement to make my brewing/distilling room. However with it being in a house instead of garage or backyard, I'd like to increase my safety measures. I run a keg still with a copper head on, 5500w element, I j...

Few comments about needing to cut better. Here is the strange thing. When white and unaged it is very smooth. But whenever I oak it it would then get harsh and have a bite. Venting for 4 months made it vastly improve over aging in a tight jar for 3 years.

Wondering if people here have tried this. I read i believe on a FB distilling group, the method is you put pin hole in your jar aging on some oak and it allows just enough to vent off to help simulate a barrel.I have never had much success with aging and usually prefer spirits I make unaged. So back...

Thanks guys I do have a tall skinny 5 gallon not in use too. Wasn't sure if the element would fit but I guess either way Ill get a 6" hole cut in both and see which works best

Looking for some input on a downsized version of my big still. Currently I have a 15.5 gallon Keg/pot still running a 5500 watt 220V element. It runs great but its big and requires around 3 gallons to cover the element and I'd like to do some smaller experimental runs but now that I've gone electric...

I know we mostly see builds showing our stills but wanted to share this project I finally got working. Still need to clean up the wiring and plumbing but this is my rims tube set up for mashing. Its hold what ever temperature I set it for and with test I've done it can raise the temperature of a 12 ...

Built this still about 3 years ago and we really have no complaints it runs like a champ and makes some really good booze. My brother and I share it but I bought a new house and have a great spot in my basement to put another set up. Before I make an exact clone of what we have I'd like to entertain...

For those interested in knowing how to make hand-sanitizer. Easiest way is to take you heads and tails, redistill them to 70%, add 0.75% of glycerine, stir, ready to go. Odin. No H2O2? Not in my formula. 30% h20 though! ;) Regards, Odin. Thanks Odin I really would like to start doing this at home. ...

Could lactose give you the same silky mouth feel without extra work of working with oats?

Not sure if anyone would be interested since the legality BS. But would like to exchange samples 4oz-ish of our homemade stuff and get feedback from fellow makers

Thanks the tails cut part that I kept has great chocolate flavor but some tailys off flavors coming through. The gross jars got cut out completely. Since this was a group project I try to make very definitive cuts of the hearts so the guys can do a little blending on their own. I will sample on a sm...

Made Stout Whiskey over the weekend as a project with friends so I don't have much(32oz Hearts @ 139 proof) Definitely going to put some on oak with some of the tails and let it sit for a while as the post from the Chocolate Bourbon post suggested. But what about coffee beans or cacao nibs? Would I ...

Did the final spirit run this weekend and was really pleased with how this run went. Discarded the first 300mls and than started collecting Heads Heads came out with a very chemically smell to it. I can't put my finger on it exactly but it had me concerned and I was happy when the acetone showed up ...

oh thanks for the backset pointer i wasn't thinking about that but I will save some from my next strip and perhaps use that to water my charge down for the spirit run. I typically like my spirit charge around 70 proof so I'll use the back set to get me there. I run a pot still with no thumper, spiri...

Did you get the idea from Alt Whiskey by Darek Bell.. in his book he has some stout whiskey recipe.. I haven't tried them yet, but have done some of his other whiskey's.. Mars Years ago dude from my local home brew store told me about a distillery in i think portland that did a collab with a brewer...

NZChris wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:17 pm What abv low wines are you aiming for?

It ran similar to all my corn whiskey runs. Started at about 140 ran it down to about 25-30 collected 6 gallons of low wines from 20 gallons. Didn't measure the collective abv yet. Have another 40 gallons to run.

Decided to experiment and do a group project with my beer club. 8 of us making our go to stout recipes minus the hops, blending them and distilling them. We have 20 gallons stripped so far and what was coming off was really interesting. Real sweet with a chocolate back end. Hoping the roasty and cho...

Awesome thanks I'll read up on step mashing. I've never used it for brewing or whisky. I think the holding corn at a higher temp process is a process we first read may have used cracked corn so we have always done it but i can see how it can be a waste. Thanks again for the input and advice

The flaked corn is pre-gelatinized. So you won’t need a high temperature mash for it. But the flaked wheat (also pre-gelatinized) will tend to get sticky at saccarification temperatures. So, mashing it with the barley and wheat malt with a protein step at 125*F will help reduce the stickiness. The ...

Looking for some input on a recipe I put together that i'm looking to do this summer.Recipe is based on a 6 gallon batch but will be scaled up to 24 gallons. It'll be ran twice through a pot still no thumper Flaked Corn 12lbs 67% White Wheat Malt 3lbs 17% 6 row 2lbs 11% flaked wheat 1lbs 6% Yeast DADY

Hi Steve, Are you chasing a specific type of single malt or are you after a good "average" whisky spirit ? By "specific type" I mean :- like a....Speyside, Lowland, Island, Highland, Campbeltown and Islay...not talking about "Brands" but there are differences that (to ...