Home Distiller

I have been using Booner's no cook method on my last several batches, but have been wondering if the corn was completely gelatinized. So, I did an experiment, used Booner's method on one 50 lb bag of cracked corn, and another 50 lb bag of the same cracked corn cooked in a double boiler for over an h...

I'll add to the chorus ..... a tablespoon of butter in my 30 gallon stripping boiler keeps the foam down enough that I've never had a puke. I've never had a foaming issue in the spirit run boiler, a half barrel keg.

My guesse is becaus it turn to alcohol and you distill it so even if there are any bad things in they get killed and distilled out. But idont knoelw im guessing. You don't have to be as careful with sanitation as you would with beer; some kinds of infections are harmless or even beneficial to the t...

One point I forgot to make is that I cook the oats by boiling the water before adding to the crushed grain, then use high temp gluco and amyl enzymes as the mash cools to the appropriate temperatures. It's the same one barrel cooking/mashing technique discussed many times in other threads. I didn't...

One point I forgot to make is that I cook the oats by boiling the water before adding to the crushed grain, then use high temp gluco and amyl enzymes as the mash cools to the appropriate temperatures. It's the same one barrel cooking/mashing technique discussed many times in other threads.

Correction to the above post... lower, not higher starch to husk ratio for oats vs. malted barley; the oats has much more husk to keep the mash from being sticky

I did a batch of oat whiskey, used 2 lb of Racehorse brand oats from the feed store to a gallon of water. Crushed with the roller mill I use for malted barley, had to tighten it down to the smallest gap between rollers, but it crushed pretty well. The starch (and protein, fat in the kernel) to husk ...

Johnnys_spirits, You are using an HDPE barrel for mashing? Have you been happy with the results? I was looking at doing the same, using an HDPE 55 gallon barrel for mashing and fermenting, but the info I found on safe temperature limits for food grade HDPE gave a 160F upper limit. While that might b...

I'll be retired soon and have more time on my hands, so I will probably try Steve Broady's mod to the meter eventually as well. Only thing better than a few flashing lights and changing numbers is more flashing lights and changing numbers.

The controller I've ordered has a 0-100 display for the output voltage where 100 means output voltage = input voltage, although the description does note that its not a linear scale, so it's not a percent of input voltage reading. That's probably enough for me to have a rough idea of the power outpu...

Hmmm, looks like I can't post the link.... the description of the controller I'm buying is " 10000W SCR Digital Voltage Regulator Module Board Speed Control Dimmer Thermostat AC 220V 80A" and the power meter is "HiLetgo Digital Multimeter AC 80-260V 100A PZEM-061 LCD Display Digital C...

I'm in the process of collecting the kit to electrify my half barrel (15.5 gallon) keg boiler; I've got a 5500W heating element (240V) and have ordered this power controller https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075QZ9GZT?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details This displays output voltage as a percentage...

I use a fruit press, I can press a 20 lb grain/10 gal water fermented mash in 15-20 minutes, that batch just fits in a 5 gal paint strainer bag. It was expensive (almost $500), but I also use it for squeezing fruit for wine. The mop wringer solution probably works almost as well and is certainly muc...

I tried my 70/30 corn/oat blend whiskey and forgot to post on it....

Nice bourbon. Sweetness of the corn with the smoothness and much of the mouth feel of the oats. I really like this blend. Another year and my white wheat malt whiskey can participate in the blending experiments too.

..... and to further address the oak question: I use roughly 8 x 3/4 x 3/4 inch oak sticks toasted in a bundle of five wrapped in aluminum foil for two hours at 400F, then given a pretty heavy alligator char. I let them cool off completely, usually overnight, between toasting and charring. I age in ...

In my opinion, single malt whiskies are the easiest all grain recipes to make, especially if you've had experience doing all grain beer brewing (which is my background). One step infusion mash (no enzymes needed), ferment on grain, strain out the fermented beer and strip in a pot still, then spirit ...

My solution is also to squeeze the hell out of the grains, so not much water or ethanol is left. I have a fruit press that is just big enough to squeeze a batch of 20 lbs of grain (into 10 gals of water) fermented mash, and that leaves very little liquid in the grain. I pour the fermented mash into ...

I pulled out my oat whiskey ageing in the attic, and it turns out it's a little over two years old, so ready to go by my two year rule. I tried some straight oak stuff on ice and it's very nice, the first time I've tried it in over a year. Definitely a nice mouth feel and nice legs in the glass. I m...

Hmmm, reading through this thread is making me thirsty..... I've got a batch of AG oats and one of AG corn ageing, I'm gonna have to mix up a bottle of that 30% oat 70% corn and see how it is. The oats stuff is youngest but it's about a year and a half on oak now, so I think it's ready to try. Will ...

Can you freeze fresh peel? I don't see why not. My apothecary is dried ingredients because that is what is convenient for me, but I supplement it with fresh, in season, ingredients when they are availble. Frozen should be just as good, but I haven't tried that with peel. I know this is an old post,...

Hey HookLine,

I built a new liebig based on your design, about 46 inches of cooling power. Works very well, uses the about half the water flow of my old condenser, (bigger outer water jacket with no turbulence generator) to knock down the vapor on my stripping runs. Very nice design.

Thanks for the feedback .... I'm seeing the same stuff many of you are pointing out with a little googling. Was mostly looking for a gut feel on how it would be usable, sounds like the consensus is not a good choice for cooking, mashing, fermenting... which was kinda the way I was leaning.

I was given a reconditioned 55 gallon drum and wanted to know if it would be safe to use as a BOP for cooking grain and/or as a fermenter. It looks like new, would love to put it to use it's if safe to do so. It is epoxy phenolic lined, liquid rating 1A2/Y1.2/100. Any idea if that would be safe to u...

And to fill in a little more info, I used pale malt and bread yeast at room temp fermentation.

I have made a few batches of single malt now, some aged on used bourbon oak, and some on new oak... I like the new oak better, but the once used oak is more true to type if you're trying to make a scotch style whisky. I have been fermenting on the grain, but my next batch will be sparged, as I think...

Another thing to remember is that alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, etc. are not specific enzymes, but families of similar enzymes, which is why different sellers have different temp or pH range recommendation for their products. The powdered enzymes are not the same chemical as the high temp liquid enzy...

My understanding is that both Sebstar HTL and Sebamyl GL are each single enzymes that do a specific job. The description of the Sebamyl GL (exo-alpha-amylase, glucoamylase or amyloglucosidase) is just an acknowledgement that there are different ways to describe that particular enzyme, not that it is...

Links to datasheets for Sebamyl GL and Sebstar HTL enzymes.

https://enzymash.biz/download/sebamylgl.pdf

https://enzymash.biz/download/sebstarhtl.pdf

I looked at the Sebamyl datasheet on Enzymash's website (the manufacturer) and it says: SEBamyl-GL is an enzyme produced by controlled fermentation of a non-GMO strain of Aspergillus niger. This enzyme is food-grade, Kosher, non-synthetic and can be used to produce certified-organic beverages. SEBam...

Re: Steve Broady.... I would describe the taste as maybe musky.... probably not pleasant if stronger.

What do you mean by triangle tests?