Search found 32 matches

by B_Stilling
Mon May 29, 2023 11:10 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: An Aussie Gin Journey
Replies: 18
Views: 5610

Re: An Aussie Gin Journey

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 10:58 pm FWIW you can make a very nice Limoncello style drink if you can get fresh Lemon Myrtle leaves, the dried stuff just isn't the same imo.
Its the dried leafs I got, but thats a great idea! My basil verbena limoncello is almost finished and summer is coming!
by B_Stilling
Mon May 29, 2023 10:57 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: Higher abv for botanical maceration?
Replies: 10
Views: 2277

Re: Higher abv for botanical maceration?

The idea is to use the higher abv/proof GNS to extract 'more' of the good bits, over a 72 hour period. I think it depends what you define as 'good bits'. When it comes to whisky pulling flavor out of the wood some compounds solve better in water and some solve better in alcohol. Thats why different...
by B_Stilling
Mon May 29, 2023 10:51 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: Gin mouthfeel
Replies: 9
Views: 1937

Re: Gin mouthfeel

i have a 1l experimental gin that is mascerating as we speak. it's mainly a lemon myrtle trial, but has almonds in the mix. but for the first time, i have toasted the almonds slivers for 5 mins before crushing. i will report back. Care to share your recipe? I just did a lemon myrtle gin too this we...
by B_Stilling
Mon May 29, 2023 10:46 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: Genever
Replies: 6
Views: 2853

Re: Genever

If you have some new make white whiskey, do a Genever experiment with it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. If you are worried that there might be too much grain flavor, try using whiskey mixed 50/50 with neutral. A few weeks ago on a festival I tasted a gin that was based on rye. Had a real ...
by B_Stilling
Mon May 29, 2023 10:42 pm
Forum: Gin
Topic: An Aussie Gin Journey
Replies: 18
Views: 5610

Re: An Aussie Gin Journey

Hey mate :D I just got back from a trip to down under and got my hands on some eucalyptus and lemon myrtle. I wanted to make a citrus forward gin with an Australian twist, so I went with your juniper / coriander recommendations. Per liter 50% abv; 16gr juniper 6gr coriander 0,2gr cardamom 3gr lemon ...
by B_Stilling
Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:56 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Lacto fermented sugar wash

I think the bread you mentioned in kvass probably supplies some yeast? That doesn't look like a lacto pellicle to me. I'd try a regular sugar wash recipe and also inoculate with some LAB.. The pH and ETOH from the sugar wash ferment could be tailored to prevent other organisms and you wouldn't need...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:24 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First run of sugar wash .
Replies: 8
Views: 818

Re: First run of sugar wash .

That pic of you burning your foreshots (I assume?) is pretty dope 8)
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:22 pm
Forum: What Not To Use/Do
Topic: Do not ferment in your fish room!
Replies: 21
Views: 3972

Re: Do not ferment in your fish room!

I recall a guy telling me he used fermentation to add co2 to his fish tank for the plants. He put a hose from the fermenting container into the fish tank. So who knows what the difference is. Came here to comment this. I've seen DIY sugar ferments in a PET-bottle as cheap CO2-system replacements. A...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:16 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What'd ya'll make today?
Replies: 7299
Views: 960014

Re: What'd ya'll make today?

Made some Kvass from leftover bread last week. Pitched yeast at 34 degrees celcius, thing took off like a rocket and was fermented dry in 2 days. Next time ill time it better so I can finish in in the fridge for some more carbonisation. Turned out allright, tad too much coriander. More of a summerdr...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:11 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Lacto fermented sugar wash

I’m curious to hear if this ever yielded anything drinkable? Short answer: no! :D So I did check in on the forgotten bucket in my garden the 5th of november but didnt get to posting an update yet. So I sort of forgot about the bucket which has been standing in my backyard with temps fluctuating bet...
by B_Stilling
Tue Jul 26, 2022 10:10 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Lacto fermented sugar wash

So yesterday I put the salt and sugar in a pot hoping some would dissolve a bit over night. It didnt. So I heated up the pot and dissolved it, put it in a fermentation vessel and took a SG of 1.058 @ 37C. Adjusted for temp thats a 1.062 SG. I am actually leaving the lid off so it can cool a bit (and...
by B_Stilling
Tue Jul 26, 2022 6:56 am
Forum: Gin
Topic: Multi shot gin
Replies: 10
Views: 2113

Re: Multi shot gin

NZChris wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 10:40 pm Proofing down before blending sounds like a bad idea. All of my essences are stored as they were when they came off the still.
Alcohol keeps flavor better than water so this seems like the smart thing to do. Also saves space I guess!
by B_Stilling
Tue Jul 26, 2022 6:19 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Lacto fermented sugar wash

My sauerkraut ferments are room-temp (~20C given I make it in autumn) and definitely produce CO2. I suspect that a wild yeast / lacto mix (which is essentially what a sourdough starter is IIRC) might get you some alcohol, but I'd be concerned that the flavour difference would just be lost by the ti...
by B_Stilling
Tue Jul 26, 2022 4:10 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Lacto fermented sugar wash

Not sure if your pure lacto will produce any alcohol. Been making sauerkraut for a few years and feeding it to my kids and I've not seen any signs of intoxication. Think you might need to ferment out with yeast and then inoculate with lacto to isolate the flavour profile. Interesting experiment tho...
by B_Stilling
Tue Jul 26, 2022 2:25 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Lacto fermented sugar wash
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Lacto fermented sugar wash

Yes you've read that right. After falling way too deep down the rabbit hole on secundairy lactobacterial fermentation and the effects on whisky I decided to run a little experiment. Hear me out; the 2% salt wash will basically make the wash only suitable for lactic acid bacteria and prevent mold and...
by B_Stilling
Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:20 am
Forum: Craft Distillers
Topic: Steps in opening a distillery
Replies: 94
Views: 35619

Re: Steps in opening a distillery

Thanks Twisted, appreciate it!
For others; its on page 2 of that thread.
by B_Stilling
Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:11 am
Forum: Craft Distillers
Topic: Steps in opening a distillery
Replies: 94
Views: 35619

Re: Steps in opening a distillery

Any update on the last 3 years? :)
by B_Stilling
Sat May 01, 2021 6:30 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Shady's Sugar Shine
Replies: 724
Views: 168520

Re: Shady's Sugar Shine

Got 30L bubbling away as we speak, hopefully ready by next week. Cant wait :thumbup:
by B_Stilling
Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:29 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Odin's Easy Gin
Replies: 1356
Views: 426873

Re: Odin's Easy Gin

NZChris wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:03 pm Newly made OEG doesn't taste bad, so rather than wait, I make enough that there is still some left after 5 weeks.
Maybe this is where the leftover first 10mls and the cuts after the 400ml collected come in; get us trough the resting period :ebiggrin:
by B_Stilling
Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:29 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: And now we wait...
Replies: 6
Views: 1061

Re: And now we wait...

Nice device you have there. Might be worth looking into when I upgrade to my 30L keg.
howie wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:15 pm also, when did the gin season stop?, i must have missed that :)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:08 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Calvados Pt 1. My First Distillation
Replies: 11
Views: 3079

Re: Calvados Pt 1. My First Distillation

Just like you I had trouble finding information, and I have never tasted commercial calvados. All I had to go on was a memory of drinking the stuff my relatives in Normandy made when I was a teenager. They were farmers and fishermen who fueled their equipment with calva during WWII so they have bee...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:06 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Calvados Pt 1. My First Distillation
Replies: 11
Views: 3079

Re: Calvados Pt 1. My First Distillation

Very cool. I distilled some self made cider a friend found in his basement lol... So I have some distilled cider of about 38,5%ABV sitting here, just dont got any oak yet, but the plan is to get some to age it on. How much oak will you use and will you toast it?
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:01 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: And now we wait...
Replies: 6
Views: 1061

Re: And now we wait...

first odins gin web.jpggreat minds lol my first attempt at gin. 2 x approx 2.5l of 43%, started about 6 hours ago. both with scaled up OEG as per recipe. (30gms juniper,7.6gms coriander,2.5 mandarins per bottle) gin 1 - the heart of 'heart of hearts' gin 2 heart of hearts hopefully run it tomorrow ...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:57 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: And now we wait...
Replies: 6
Views: 1061

Re: And now we wait...

Nice! Let us know how it goes! Run went great! I am using a hot plate with 4 levels of heat to heat my still. I used the 3rd one and got a nice drip/stream (a bit more stream than drip) after 30 minutes. Had it running for 1.5 hours. I collected 10ml, then 500ml (started with 1.25L macerated wash) ...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:05 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Odin's Easy Gin
Replies: 1356
Views: 426873

Re: Odin's Easy Gin

So what do people typically do with their 'leftovers'? I am sipping the first 10mls mixed with the stuff that came after the 400ml cut and that stuff has some nice flavor in it and good ethanol in there too. Has anyone tried taking a second cut and using that to dilute the macerated wash of the next...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 2:26 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What'd ya'll make today?
Replies: 7299
Views: 960014

Re: What'd ya'll make today?

Yeah I was wondering wether or not you discarded the first bit, as I believe thats where the cloudiness comes from, not the tails. Good you got the taste down, mine is going in the pot tonight :mrgreen: Good luck!!! Thanks! Just pulled about 500mls of OEG at about 74% ready to be dilluted to drinki...
by B_Stilling
Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:23 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What'd ya'll make today?
Replies: 7299
Views: 960014

Re: What'd ya'll make today?

I might misunderstand your meaning by 'taking a small first cut' but I did make a foreshot cut and a bit of a tails cut on the contributing stripping runs, and I did make foreshots cut, small heads cut, and a more significant tails cuts on this spirit run. There was one jar at the 'edge' of tails t...
by B_Stilling
Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:13 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What'd ya'll make today?
Replies: 7299
Views: 960014

Re: What'd ya'll make today?

My first batch of Odin's Gin was distilled yesterday from ~14l of Wineo Wash low wines. After cuts, it yielded about 8l @42%, and I held back ~1l @80% of the more neutral jars in 'reserve' in case of clouding and I think I am glad I did: When I was diluting with dist. water it was crystal clear @45...
by B_Stilling
Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:01 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: And now we wait...
Replies: 6
Views: 1061

And now we wait...

20gr juniper and 10gr coriander and a tangerine skin in 1 liter of 50% ABV sugar wash. Gonna let it macerate for 24 hours, take out the tangerine, dillute to 30 or 40% (not sure yet) and run it 'on the botanicals' so to speak. Hopefully the final product will settle within 3 weeks, just in time for ...
by B_Stilling
Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:09 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Odin's Easy Gin
Replies: 1356
Views: 426873

Re: Odin's Easy Gin

You're making OEG from the hearts of a neutral that has already been cut. The first 15-20 cc of the OEG run have concentrated citrus oils. They aren't dangerous, but are only soluble in concentrated alcohol. So if you include them and dilute to 40% your gin will turn cloudy as they come out of solu...