Mushroom Brandy
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Mushroom Brandy
Just got an email through by Uncle Jesse. A Dutch artis is working on a project in Amsterdam. It is all about mushrooms. And didn't HD know someone in Holland who might help investigating if it is possible to make likker from mushrooms. For taking part in the project/exhibition. Somehow it landed in my lap ...
Some ideas came to my mind. Mushrooms have only like 0.3% of sugars in them, so they are not a good source to ferment on. They are a sort of yeast/fungus themselves, but as far as I know they do not produce alcohol (well, if they could, why would everybody be eating them, instead of letting them do there magic, right?). But how about making a moonshine approacht to this? Instead of corn for taste & goodies, use crushed (cracked? ) mushrooms for vitamins & minerals & taste, and add sugar & water & yeast to make a basic mushroom mash. Now, I do not know how this tastes, after distilling, but I think it will be a nightmare to the taste buds. Maybe some sour mashing might improve it? Haha, any other crazy ideas? Please step in!
Odin.
Some ideas came to my mind. Mushrooms have only like 0.3% of sugars in them, so they are not a good source to ferment on. They are a sort of yeast/fungus themselves, but as far as I know they do not produce alcohol (well, if they could, why would everybody be eating them, instead of letting them do there magic, right?). But how about making a moonshine approacht to this? Instead of corn for taste & goodies, use crushed (cracked? ) mushrooms for vitamins & minerals & taste, and add sugar & water & yeast to make a basic mushroom mash. Now, I do not know how this tastes, after distilling, but I think it will be a nightmare to the taste buds. Maybe some sour mashing might improve it? Haha, any other crazy ideas? Please step in!
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Maybe the fungus initiates a symbiotic ferment that is similar to the mold relationship that plays out with the rum??
Also shrooms at times remind me of the earthy qualities of peat.
I'll be quiet now.
Also shrooms at times remind me of the earthy qualities of peat.
I'll be quiet now.
Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
What is the real goal? Some mushrooms have special properties other than taste or nutrients - if you know what I mean. If that is the goal, you won't get much help here.
AKAAB
Thanks for playing. We have a nice home version of the game for you as a parting gift.
Thanks for playing. We have a nice home version of the game for you as a parting gift.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
Sounds like an interesting idea. You never know how something will taste until you try. Do a search on nutrient value of mushrooms to get an idea of how much you would need to use and try a sugar head like UJSSM. Try not to use much of anything else as to not affect the flavor. Whip up a small batch and run it! You might want to pot still it to learn the flavor? If it is bad run it through the reflux. Dunder has made almost everything on the planet. You might ask his advice.
Lucky guy. I would be honored if requested by UJ to help on a special project. Good luck
MR
Lucky guy. I would be honored if requested by UJ to help on a special project. Good luck
MR
Re: Mushroom Brandy
OK having a hard time being quiet.
Also does one cultive shrooms by tossing a load of cow dung about? And doesn't cow dung produce methenol while decomposing?
That along with other stories about other types of mold being attracted to alcohol??
Also does one cultive shrooms by tossing a load of cow dung about? And doesn't cow dung produce methenol while decomposing?
That along with other stories about other types of mold being attracted to alcohol??
Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
AKAAB
Thanks for playing. We have a nice home version of the game for you as a parting gift.
Thanks for playing. We have a nice home version of the game for you as a parting gift.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
shroom shine used infusion on last run...AKAAB wrote:What is the real goal? Some mushrooms have special properties other than taste or nutrients - if you know what I mean. If that is the goal, you won't get much help here.
tell me how hard it is to do... tell me how expensive it will be... just don't tell me what i can not do...
lead, follow, or get out of the way... ankle biters will be kicked...
•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)¤ª"˜¨¯¯¨˜"william..."˜¨¯¯¨˜"ª¤(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•
lead, follow, or get out of the way... ankle biters will be kicked...
•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)¤ª"˜¨¯¯¨˜"william..."˜¨¯¯¨˜"ª¤(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Thanks for all the ideas! Yeah, I will start up a small batch UJSSM style! The real goal, if I understand it correctly, a sort of 2 weeks presentation on ... mushrooms. It is in Amsterdam, but it is not the kinda shroom that makes you want to fly. No, more like the ones you put in your omlet!
Odin.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Okay guys,
Just had another email exchange and this is what I am gonna do:
1. I will make from 3 kilo's of sugar, 3 kilo's of mushrooms, some yeast vitamins & baker yeast a Mushroom Beer;
2. Should ferment out in a week or so and give me around 12% I guess;
3. Striprun to get around 7 liters at 35% low wines;
4. Spirit run to get some 2 liters of 70%.
I will start this weekend & keep you all informed. Mushroom Moonshine, here we come!
And it is for an "exhibition on mushrooms". And more: part of the exhibit is about art: how can you use mushrooms?. For sure I will help as a consultant on the background, and maybe they want to put me on the stand, distilling and so. Still have to convince them that a Magic Flute would look really terrific ...
Odin.
Just had another email exchange and this is what I am gonna do:
1. I will make from 3 kilo's of sugar, 3 kilo's of mushrooms, some yeast vitamins & baker yeast a Mushroom Beer;
2. Should ferment out in a week or so and give me around 12% I guess;
3. Striprun to get around 7 liters at 35% low wines;
4. Spirit run to get some 2 liters of 70%.
I will start this weekend & keep you all informed. Mushroom Moonshine, here we come!
And it is for an "exhibition on mushrooms". And more: part of the exhibit is about art: how can you use mushrooms?. For sure I will help as a consultant on the background, and maybe they want to put me on the stand, distilling and so. Still have to convince them that a Magic Flute would look really terrific ...
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Here's a few methods of getting alcohol from mushrooms.
Capitalist method:
Grow mushrooms.
Sell mushrooms.
Use proceeds to buy alcohol.
Communist method:
Foment rebellion amongst oppressed fellow mushroom growers.
Overthrow hegemony and establish dictatorship.
Steal alcohol from the enslaved populace.
Arty method:
Create installation from mushrooms.
Display installation in art gallery.
Drink wine at the exhibition opening.
Alchemist method:
Obtain philosopher's stone.
Transmute mushrooms into alcohol.
Capitalist method:
Grow mushrooms.
Sell mushrooms.
Use proceeds to buy alcohol.
Communist method:
Foment rebellion amongst oppressed fellow mushroom growers.
Overthrow hegemony and establish dictatorship.
Steal alcohol from the enslaved populace.
Arty method:
Create installation from mushrooms.
Display installation in art gallery.
Drink wine at the exhibition opening.
Alchemist method:
Obtain philosopher's stone.
Transmute mushrooms into alcohol.
Last edited by jake_leg on Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Jake,
Thanx! The exhibit is in Amsterdam, so I think the Amsterdam way to do it is: chop up those mushrooms, put them in your cigarette and smoke! Or, for the elder Amsterdamians, turn it into Mushroom Jenever (gin). Or let's just crush the mushrooms, grape style, but with our wooden shoes on!
Man, who would have thought mushrooms to be so much fun. I mean ... normal mushrooms to be so much fun.
Odin.
Thanx! The exhibit is in Amsterdam, so I think the Amsterdam way to do it is: chop up those mushrooms, put them in your cigarette and smoke! Or, for the elder Amsterdamians, turn it into Mushroom Jenever (gin). Or let's just crush the mushrooms, grape style, but with our wooden shoes on!
Man, who would have thought mushrooms to be so much fun. I mean ... normal mushrooms to be so much fun.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Ah, to be in Amsterdam again...
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
I take a medicinal mushroom extract twice a day. Admittedly, it's no brandy, but it tastes pretty good and makes me strong like bull (and full of some too) The dried mushrooms are macerated in grain likker. After, the liquid is separated from the mass, and the mushrooms are boiled for a couple of hours. The two liquids are then combined. Brown and tasty, bit like chocolate. It has some great potential in an arty-sanal application. Good luck.
I do all my own stunts
Re: Mushroom Brandy
iv never tried,but many of the fungus produces toxins to word off other fungus. so they mite not ferment.?
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
Speaking of toxins, what mushrooms are you using? Hope they're not wild crafted or something like that. Can be deadly, but I'm sure you already know that. Just had to ask.
I do all my own stunts
Re: Mushroom Brandy
No wild mushrooms, BD, just store bought ones!
Odin.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
I was just trying to research that very point, Dnderhead, as that was my main concern aside from the potentially low nutrient values by volume... They are higher in protein than just about all other nutrients combined...Dnderhead wrote:iv never tried,but many of the fungus produces toxins to word off other fungus. so they mite not ferment.?
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
The 'flying shrooms' + booze are a really bad idea. I've been told in no uncertain terms that their combined use creates a particularly potent liver toxin. Anyone reading this thread should be clear that HD does not condone the illegal activity of shroom cultivation or ingestion, and that it is a potentialy fatal idea to mix them with spirits.
Be warned.
Be warned.
Where has all the rum gone? . . .
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Frozenthunderbolt,
If you mean by "flying" the ones that can make you high ... I completely agree. Let's not do that. I think I made it clear throuhout the thread that we are talking about normal mushrooms here and nothing else.
Odin.
If you mean by "flying" the ones that can make you high ... I completely agree. Let's not do that. I think I made it clear throuhout the thread that we are talking about normal mushrooms here and nothing else.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
I know Odin - you were fairly clear - but others have made tangential references so i thought some kind of Idiot-proofing statement, that clearly states forum position might be a good ideaOdin wrote:Frozenthunderbolt,
If you mean by "flying" the ones that can make you high ... I completely agree. Let's not do that. I think I made it clear throuhout the thread that we are talking about normal mushrooms here and nothing else.
Odin.
Where has all the rum gone? . . .
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Frozenthunderbolt,
Agree with that!
Odin.
Agree with that!
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
So I just started up the wash. Mushroom wash, that is. I put the mushrooms in this sort of kitchen apparatus you can use to "grind" fruits to a liquid state. Sorry, my English runs out here ... Anyhow, together with some water it came out as a sort of horrible looking cold mushroom soup from hell. Combined it with some nutrients, water, dissolved sugar and baker's yeast. Should be "ready" in a week to 10 days I guess. Anyhow, I will keep you posted & maybe throw in some pics as well.
Odin.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy
Hey Odin, have you thought about using some dried mushrooms? As you probably already know, mushrooms are mostly water and dried mushrooms (like porcini, for example) have an intensity that fresh mushrooms generally don't have. Or maybe throw some reconstituted dried mushrooms, and the soaking water, into your boiler when you're doing your spirit run. Might carry over nicely. Just a thought.
I do all my own stunts
Re: Mushroom Brandy
This is some really cool stuff, exactly what type of mushrooms are you using?
There's a game called drinking - it's a lot like solitaire
Look poor, act crazy, and carry a gun. -Faint-Hearted
Look poor, act crazy, and carry a gun. -Faint-Hearted
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Blind Drunk,
That is some good advice! Thank you. Did not do that, but will look into it. First I want to find out if I get any taste worth mentioning by fermenting, well, "on the grain", so to say. If it is not enough (and 90% sure it won't be, is my first guess), maceration on dried shrooms might help out.
Rabies,
The mushrooms I used are what's over here the regular type. Nothing fancy. White, 5 by 4 centimeters, I guess. "Champignons" they are called.
Don't know if or how it will work out, but - hey - it is worth a try, isn't it?
Guys,
I just did some checking up. Well ... fermenting this stuff is NOT going to be the problem. Just in an hour or two it was able not only to start fermenting, but to fill up the head space in my fermentation bottle and blow out a liter of ... yeah ... what shall we call it? Foam? Well, it is certainly working ...
First lesson learned on this project: when fermenting mushrooms, reserve at least 40% of your fermentation vessel for extra head space to prevent foaming over.
Odin.
That is some good advice! Thank you. Did not do that, but will look into it. First I want to find out if I get any taste worth mentioning by fermenting, well, "on the grain", so to say. If it is not enough (and 90% sure it won't be, is my first guess), maceration on dried shrooms might help out.
Rabies,
The mushrooms I used are what's over here the regular type. Nothing fancy. White, 5 by 4 centimeters, I guess. "Champignons" they are called.
Don't know if or how it will work out, but - hey - it is worth a try, isn't it?
Guys,
I just did some checking up. Well ... fermenting this stuff is NOT going to be the problem. Just in an hour or two it was able not only to start fermenting, but to fill up the head space in my fermentation bottle and blow out a liter of ... yeah ... what shall we call it? Foam? Well, it is certainly working ...
First lesson learned on this project: when fermenting mushrooms, reserve at least 40% of your fermentation vessel for extra head space to prevent foaming over.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
I did a quick google search. It seems mushroom wine is not that uncommon. Below is what one person wrote on his site:
"Mushroom Wine
•What? A mushroom wine. Brilliant clear yellow. It tastes almost like a conventional white wine made from grapes.
•How? Cook & liquidise 1 kg of normal edible mushrooms until they are rendered down to a blackish slimy mass. Put it in the demijohn, add water & follow the basic recipe.
•Why? After finding some people unexpectedly liked the chocolate wine, I was determined to make a really outrageous wine. Mushrooms were selling very cheap in the local market so I made a mushroom wine expecting it to be foul black in colour and musty tasting. I was surprised when it came out a clear elegant yellow and not very bad flavoured. I've even had a friend who did not notice this wine was not a normal white grape wine until told."
After you make the wine, then you, of course, distill to get your "brandy".
Bert
"Mushroom Wine
•What? A mushroom wine. Brilliant clear yellow. It tastes almost like a conventional white wine made from grapes.
•How? Cook & liquidise 1 kg of normal edible mushrooms until they are rendered down to a blackish slimy mass. Put it in the demijohn, add water & follow the basic recipe.
•Why? After finding some people unexpectedly liked the chocolate wine, I was determined to make a really outrageous wine. Mushrooms were selling very cheap in the local market so I made a mushroom wine expecting it to be foul black in colour and musty tasting. I was surprised when it came out a clear elegant yellow and not very bad flavoured. I've even had a friend who did not notice this wine was not a normal white grape wine until told."
After you make the wine, then you, of course, distill to get your "brandy".
Bert
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Thank you for joining Ammo Man, and for the information!
Yep, when the wine is ready, it is of to distillin ...
Odin.
Yep, when the wine is ready, it is of to distillin ...
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Upate
After the first 24 hours, fermentation has become less agressive. Liquid is sort of greenish. After 48 hours: smells like mushrooms all right. Pleasant smell, not something mirky or rotten at all.
Odin.
After the first 24 hours, fermentation has become less agressive. Liquid is sort of greenish. After 48 hours: smells like mushrooms all right. Pleasant smell, not something mirky or rotten at all.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Update,
The wash is ready. Stopped fermenting yesterday. Today pretty much everything solid settled at the bottom of my fermenter. Just racked it off, into the boiler. Stripping run started a few minutes ago. There is still a bit of mushroom wash left, which is good: I can put it in with the low wines, to get extra taste over.
Some observations on the wash. It ferments aggressively and pretty fast. Mushrooms do not hinder the yeast doing its magic. "Au contraire" I might say. The aggressive start & foamy fermentation, might that be caused by the abundancy of proteins in the mushrooms?
The wash tasted dry. As a mushroom wine or beer, it would not taste bad at all. Very distinctly mushroom. If you like your omlets with mushrooms, you defenitely will recognise that there is mushroom in the mash. And you will even like the taste of it. Fresh, a bit sour, dry, mushroomy!
I expect to give an update on the outcomes of the stripping run later this day.
Odin.
The wash is ready. Stopped fermenting yesterday. Today pretty much everything solid settled at the bottom of my fermenter. Just racked it off, into the boiler. Stripping run started a few minutes ago. There is still a bit of mushroom wash left, which is good: I can put it in with the low wines, to get extra taste over.
Some observations on the wash. It ferments aggressively and pretty fast. Mushrooms do not hinder the yeast doing its magic. "Au contraire" I might say. The aggressive start & foamy fermentation, might that be caused by the abundancy of proteins in the mushrooms?
The wash tasted dry. As a mushroom wine or beer, it would not taste bad at all. Very distinctly mushroom. If you like your omlets with mushrooms, you defenitely will recognise that there is mushroom in the mash. And you will even like the taste of it. Fresh, a bit sour, dry, mushroomy!
I expect to give an update on the outcomes of the stripping run later this day.
Odin.
"Great art is created only through diligent and painstaking effort to perfect and polish oneself." by Buddhist filosofer Daisaku Ikeda.
Re: Mushroom Brandy
Though I am not likely to try to replicate this experiment, I am enjoying the journey.
Braz