Home Distiller

Just got a response from a local distillery (-----) that makes rye whiskey and they said to lower the grain/water ratio.<<<SNIP>>> KD And are you worried at all about a trace-back or were you careful about that...??? Just curious... Almost seems like they were all too eager to divulge what may be p...

Just got a response from a local distiller who makes rye whiskey and he said to lower the grain/water ratio. I think the other mistake I made was in adding the malt at malting temp, rather than heating it up through the beta-glucan and protein rest temperatures. Wow - got a lot to learn and practice...

Ive done rye malt mashes .Keep mine to 1 1/3-1 1/2 lbs grain to gallon of water What was your ratio of grain to water? Maybe next time I'll lower the malt:water ratio it and see if that helps. I did: 20lbs rye malt (Briess, this kind - http://morebeer.com/view_product/17197//Malt_-_Rye_50_lb_Sack&q...

I did a standard malt mash (153F 2hours). Just wondering if rye malt = thick and viscous?

thanks
KD

Anyone done a 100% malted rye mash?

Just racked mine today and its incredibly thick and gooey. The SG is now about 1.010 and continuing to fall. Smells and tastes sour, but good, if you know what I mean

Is it supposed to be this thick?

--KD

Found an answer to my question about storing a starter on this thread:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =39&t=5071

-KD

So for someone who always has a batch (of the same recipe) going, there is no need to buy new yeast? Once yeast adapts to the conditions of a specific recipe and process, perhaps it makes sense to capture a starter and keep it in the fridge as a backup. Any special process for doing this? Just bottl...

Will the yeast eventually mutate if recycled batch to batch ? (vs. starting a separate mother - same idea as keeping a "mother plant" when cloning certain plants).

No explicit mention of backset/stillage. I found this confusing because everything I have read on HD emphasizes the reuse of spent wash. thoughts?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sour_mash" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


KD

Couldn't find millet at the local feed store, but this is not a bad alternative: http://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Avenue-Birding-432_50-Millet/dp/B0007R4IN6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow Works out to $0.68/lb., delivered. Some observations on millet: - ...

Fantastic. Thanks, guys, for the advice.

--KD

I've got a charred barrel that I ordered several months back and I was wondering how to preserve (from drying out, losing its ability to seal, etc) it till I have enough white dog to fill it. If I just leave it inside my house (70F, 40% RH), will it eventually not be able to seal? Should I soak it n...

I ran off a seventh generation batch of this last winter, and it still tastes harsh to me. Seems to have a real bite. I know it's something I'm doing, or not, but I'm not sure what it is. Is it necessary to let this clear before distilling it? I think the main trouble wih all my runs of anything ma...

Here's a simple recipe I've been using that produces a nice light rum with excellent flavor made from organic sucanat, a granular form of evaporated cane juice, available at most health food stores. 8.5# Sucanat ~ 5 gallons water Yeast Nutrient (boil together) 1/2 cup bakers yeast 1 tsp DAP 1tsp MgS...

Here's what I use: http://www.nehydro.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=204&zenid=a5bb551ad1245ec5c9630e49e917aa35" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow Continuous ph and temperature monitoring. I enjoy watching it change through the...

Ran too hot and too long into the tails on a strip run, ending up with a whole lot of burnt-on, black gunk in the lyne arm. Subsequent run tasted horribly bitter the whole way through, so I knew something was wrong. It was a real pain to get out. I ended up making a tool to scrub inside the arm - t...

Ran too hot and too long into the tails on a strip run, ending up with a whole lot of burnt-on, black gunk in the lyne arm. Subsequent run tasted horribly bitter the whole way through, so I knew something was wrong. It was a real pain to get out. I ended up making a tool to scrub inside the arm - tr...

I'm pretty happy with it. The metal work is first class and I certainly could never have made anything close. It has since lost its shine, but the dull patina has a lot of character imho.

-KD

Upgraded to a much larger burner (Bayou Classic) which has helped immensely on the strip run and "ditched" the lentil :wink: Lastest strip run of UJSSM took 2.5 hours. Stripped 40L - starting output (after discarding fores) at 65% and running down to 20% ABV. Collected about 8 liters. The ...

Thanks, Husker.

Is it ever worthwhile (or necessary) to insulate the still to reduce reflux even more?

KD

Observations: Running a low ABV (5-8%) wash with the refining lentil in place yields starting output ABV 83% Running a low ABV wash without the refining lentil in place yields starting output ABV 80% Running a high ABV wash (wash with feints added) with the refining lentil in place yields starting o...

80% buckwheat (1/2 toasted, 1/2 raw groats - about 4 lbs of each) 20% domestic 2-row (2 lbs) Boil the buckwheat for about an hour, then cool to 165-170F and add a tablespoon of Alpha amylase. Stir to liquify. Adust pH to 5.5 with food grade phosphoric acid (important, as buckwheat seems to come out ...

More detail on the vernon distillery:

http://www.mountvernon.org/files/Breen- ... illery.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

-KD

Millet is supposedly one of the more alkaline grains. I have had to adjust the ph down when cooking buckwheat (also supposedly an alkaline grain) to get a decent conversion. Contrast this with mashing corn which seems to need no adjustment. When experimenting with new starches, I do a ph check and a...

GingerBreadMan, Fancy molasses - Fancy molasses is the pure juice of sugar cane, condensed, inverted and purified. There are no additives or preservatives. It is a pure product. Thanks for the great post. You have inspired so much experimentation! BTW, I have found that Sucanat is a cheap way to get...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eVLc8wAClE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

9.5 lb black rice (aka Forbidden Rice) cooked into submission tap water to make up 21L 3 packs EC-1118 (started night before on mild sugar solution) Conversion was done using 2 Tbls each of Alpha and Gluco Amylase (came out at 8% potential). No ph adjustment was needed as the cooked rice was pH 4.0....