Mushroom Brandy

Grain bills and instruction for all manner of alcoholic beverages.

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Odin
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Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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? :lolno: ) 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!

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by LWTCS »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by AKAAB »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by mash rookie »

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

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by LWTCS »

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??
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by AKAAB »

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =mushrooms

Ah, the old reliable search option...
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by hackware »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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!

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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 ...

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by jake_leg »

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.
Last edited by jake_leg on Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by jake_leg »

Ah, to be in Amsterdam again...
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by blind drunk »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Dnderhead »

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

Post by blind drunk »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

No wild mushrooms, BD, just store bought ones!

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by rad14701 »

Dnderhead wrote:iv never tried,but many of the fungus produces toxins to word off other fungus. so they mite not ferment.?
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...
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by frozenthunderbolt »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by frozenthunderbolt »

Odin 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.

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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 idea :mrgreen:
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

Frozenthunderbolt,

Agree with that!

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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. :think: Should be "ready" in a week to 10 days I guess. Anyhow, I will keep you posted & maybe throw in some pics as well.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by blind drunk »

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.
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Rabies »

This is some really cool stuff, exactly what type of mushrooms are you using?
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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by ammo man »

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".

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

Thank you for joining Ammo Man, and for the information!

Yep, when the wine is ready, it is of to distillin ...

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Odin »

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.

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Re: Mushroom Brandy

Post by Braz »

Though I am not likely to try to replicate this experiment, I am enjoying the journey.
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