Fruit / Berry Recipes

[Tater]

I like the d47 also cranky also the 1118 but on these sugar added fruit recipes in hot weather the daddy distillers yeast has worked well for me

[thecroweater]

Yep just about all white wine type yeasts will do fine but if not in a rush don't discount wild yeast. I use to say why brother with a possibly inconsistent yeast that will quite likely work much slower but have found you do get some really great flavours and should the yeast get to slow or stall you can always finish it with a fairly neutral yeast like 1118 or 1116 as they are bound to be much more aggressive.

[The Baker]

I like the idea that nature has evolved pretty much the best yeast for each fruit so why not use it?

Geoff

[Sunshineer]

Guys drill a hole in the middle of a 5 gallon bucket lid and put your shank through the hole before you attach it to your drill and then you'll never splash anything else when mixing with a drill I just click the lid down and fire away full speed when your done click the lid off turn it over and use it to keep the end end from touching anything. Works for me Happy stillin

[rootjuice]

Tater, your thoughts please

Hey Tater, I ran my peach concoction yesterday. I followed your instruction to the letter. It can out tasting like dish water, not that I've ever drank any but all the same it was very disappointing. I don't know what happened. I used two bushels of peaches, 25 lbs sugar, 12 gals water, and yeast. I had a starting SP gravity of 1.067, at the end of 10'days it was .999. It started coming off at 190 proof then dropped to 180 hung around 160-150 for bout an hour then tapered off over th next couple of hours. I stopped at 100 proof. Proofed it down to approx 86 proof. My rid is a 15 gal keg with a thumper and a quart mason jar thumper with 2 cut up fresh peaches in it. Now, what the hell did I do wrong?

[Tater]

Tater, your thoughts please

Hey Tater, I ran my peach concoction yesterday. I followed your instruction to the letter. It can out tasting like dish water, not that I've ever drank any but all the same it was very disappointing. I don't know what happened. I used two bushels of peaches, 25 lbs sugar, 12 gals water, and yeast. I had a starting SP gravity of 1.067, at the end of 10'days it was .999. It started coming off at 190 proof then dropped to 180 hung around 160-150 for bout an hour then tapered off over th next couple of hours. I stopped at 100 proof. Proofed it down to approx 86 proof. My rid is a 15 gal keg with a thumper and a quart mason jar thumper with 2 cut up fresh peaches in it. Now, what the hell did I do wrong?

Never got that high proof with my pot still starting off and ya didnt say anything about cuts so dont know what hell ya did or didnt do

[rootjuice]

I tossed the first pint and a half. Started collecting at 170 down to 100 proof.

[thecroweater]

I tossed the first pint and a half. Started collecting at 170 down to 100 proof.

I reckon I can see a couple of problems but to be sure what still you using?
I'm not sure if I'm reading it right, are you saying you got two thumpboxes and one is a mason jar and you are getting 190 proof?

[Frosty36]

I'll chime in a little about some fruit yeasts.

In regards to distilling I find 1118 doesn't remove flavor but it doesn't add any either and tends to make cuts easy. It ferments dry and clean but you need to keep it fairly cool, 70 ish (f) or even cooler. It doesn't like warm and it has a reputation for being slow. 1122 and D-47 both add fruity esters but make cuts much more difficult, they also need cooler temps. These 3 are my go to yeasts for pretty much everything fruit.

I've read the D-47 requires additional nutrients. Any truth there?

[rootjuice]

That's correct, I didn't expect to see that either however that's what the hydrometer read. Using a keg into a half keg thumper then into a mason jar with fresh peaches inside.

[thecroweater]

Ok, don't take this the wrong way but are you using an alcometer or your brewing hydrometer because they are calibrated completely different. Another problem is possibly your cuts method, I see you've been around for a good while but have you come across this
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11640
On a side note, mason jar thumper is not exactly the safest design you could come up with.

[rootjuice]

Thanks, I agree on the mason jar. This was the first time I have used one and the pucker factor was at maximum the whole time. My thought was to infuse more peach flavor into the final product. I could very well be screwing up on the cuts. I've been reading for 4 years and just started brewing this year. Thanks for the link. I was using an hydrometer on this run. I really hate this run turned out so bad, there was a lot of time and effort put into it. Thanks for your reply.

[DetroitDIY]

I was using an hydrometer on this run.

Damn you're good Croweater. I was thinking temperature correction issues, but not hydrometer vs. alcoholometer.

[cranky]

I'll chime in a little about some fruit yeasts.

In regards to distilling I find 1118 doesn't remove flavor but it doesn't add any either and tends to make cuts easy. It ferments dry and clean but you need to keep it fairly cool, 70 ish (f) or even cooler. It doesn't like warm and it has a reputation for being slow. 1122 and D-47 both add fruity esters but make cuts much more difficult, they also need cooler temps. These 3 are my go to yeasts for pretty much everything fruit.

I've read the D-47 requires additional nutrients. Any truth there?

I've never had an issue and seldom add extra anything. I think a while back Jimbo did a bunch of tests on different yeasts on apple and if I remember right even though it fermented dry the batch with D-47 produced a smaller yield of alcohol than the other yeasts but I don't think he ever figured out why and theoretically it shouldn't have.

[Frosty36]

Good to know. Wasnt sure the deal with that. Been looking into trying some different yeast. Does it still need to bloom prior to being added?

[Tater]

Lets get back on topic

[cranky]

Good to know. Wasnt sure the deal with that. Been looking into trying some different yeast. Does it still need to bloom prior to being added?

Hope I'm not the one getting off topic

Most of the time I don't do crap. I tend to have better results just dumping a packet straight into the must and let the yeast figure it out. I know others get all radical with their yeast but I don't usually bother. Every now and then I'll take a bit of juice, water it down, put the it in a mason jar add yeast and shake the crap out of it a couple times over an hour or two but not very often.

[belgianale]

Okay, I’ve got a little over 20 gallons of absolutely beautiful peach\strawberry wine racked off the fermentation buckets into carboys (80 lbs peaches, 12 lbs strawberries, 25lbs sugar) great color and smell and very clean looking. Two questions, I’m very new. My still is a 16 gallon one. Should I do two runs of about 10 gallons a piece, is 10 gallons a good charge on a still of this size. And should I air out my collection jars before making cuts? I understand generally reasons why this is done but is my peach flavor so volatile that I should forego this?

[Tater]

Yes to both. however I would run tails down to nothing and add back on 2nd run.

[belgianale]

Thank you for the suggestion about adding the first run product into the second run as well as “cuts” advice. This is my first “keeper”run and I’ve really tried to make a nice product. Made the first run and collected probably about 2 1/2 gallons which comes in at 85 proof. Ran it down to about 35 proof and propane gave out. Started off at 130 proof and dropped pretty quickly. I pulled 8 ounces off the front end for foreshots and then collected the rest in a 5 gallon carbon since its going into the next run anyway. I tasted it along the way, cutting it back early on and then later just as it came out. Early on I was getting a lot of what a I would call “hot” alcohol. Kinda rubbing alcohol stuff. Once that faded (and proof dropped) I was getting good flavor. I’m going with the “hot” is typical heads (again my first real run and I’ve never made cuts before). I never got into what I would recognize as tails, based on descriptions I’ve read. Even at the end it was quite pleasant and I was getting peach flavor. So I’m wondering if a wash, pretty heavy on fruit, finishes differently off the still. Right now I’m thinking on my next run, if it mirrors this one, Ill collect deep and add that stuff into the final product. Even if my blend finishes at drinking strength if this gives me my best fruit flavor with no downside I’m thinking this is the way to go. I’d appreciate any thoughts\suggestions from here (particularly if it looks like I’m gettin way off the mark somewhere). Does a fruit wash create tails or just pleasantly fade out? More succinctly put.

[Tater]

I would catch next run in numbered jars. cover jars with coffee filters and rubber bands and air out a day or so and blend together what tastes good to ya .Yes there will be heads hearts and tails .

[belgianale]

I did this as recommended and after airing out almost two days did my cuts as best as I could. Heads were easy (I think anyway) and tails are tougher for me to pick out. Cut about 2 and a half quarts on the front end and two quarts on the back. That’s what was left after i make my cuts. The final product came in at 100 proof without scaling back with water. I got 8 quarts and 8 ozs of 100 proof. Two quarts are sitting on a peach a piece (one with a little oak) one is on some light toast oak and one is on some dark (very little in both cases, figure I can always add more). The other 4 quarts are sitting white. It’s a week old and I’m drinking the odd half pint now. Son....of...tch.. its really good already! 100 proof and truly smooth as can be, take a drink and wait for a slow sweet belly heat or I would think I had missed the proof somewhere. I mean damn this is good and I’m gonna let the rest sit until at least Xmas to sample again (x is coming to town and she will want to crack one sitting on a peach I’m sure). Anyway thanks a bunch tater and whoever runs this site. I’m inspired.

[Daniel-J]

I'm going to do a fruit experiment, but I've never used them before. I read somewhere on this forum in an old branch that one user used a blender to get more juice. Does that make sense for fruits? Do I have this one in my garage, will it work or does it matter?

[CoogeeBoy]

Hi all, just a quick one, I'm about to make a limoncello (usually lemons) with Limes. Couldn't see any recipes in this section. Got my 94% ABV ready, limes ready, gonna start soaking tonight.
What I am interested in is what ratio of water to sugar should I use to water it down to 40%.
Also, can anyone tell me if I can soak whole limes in the vodka or should I only use the skin?
Gonna try both tonight.
Thank you

[NZChris]

Are you sure you can't find that info by searching the forum?

I decide what % sugar I want in the final product and add that amount of sugar when proofing.

40% is very high for Limoncello and might not be as pleasant a drink as you hope.

I've only used limes once and it wasn't a success. I suggest that you don't use them if they are very green. Try using fruit with a lot of yellow.

[Saltbush Bill]

Couldn't see any recipes in this section.

Next time try using the google search bar.
app.php/googlesearch?cx=012980085383122 ... itesearch=

[The Baker]

NZChris said, 'Are you sure you can't find that info by searching the forum?
I decide what % sugar I want in the final product and add that amount of sugar when proofing.'

I made limoncello (using a recipe, don't remember where from, maybe here) and macerated the peel in 75% spirit.
Then after maybe a month, still using the recipe strained out the peel and added more 75% spirit and some 1:1 invert sugar syrup.

Flavour is great, sweetness good but spirit is too strong.
So I am making another, much smaller batch.
I have more peel macerating in 40% spirit and I will later add more 40% spirit and a similar amount of the sugar syrup as I did before.
(Hope I find the damn recipe).
Anyway I will blend the lower alcohol batch with the maybe 15 litres of the original too-strong liqueur
and hope it will be perfect, with similar flavour and sweetness but lower bite.

I didn't just want to dilute the original liqueur and lose flavour.

Geoff

[CoogeeBoy]

Thanks Saltbush Bill, I did try the search originally but it only threw up a few references to Limoncello, not recipes, so I thought I would go straight to the favourite recipes section. I will have another look.

I did thank you and found the Lemoncello recipes, my mistake might have been looking for Limoncello but thanks again, am on the right track now I think.

[CoogeeBoy]

Hi Geoff (the Baker)
The recipes that I did see some time ago that inspired me to get into distilling said that you needed the high alchohol content to get all the flavours out of hte citrus and that 40% wouldn't do it.

Anyway, for those that are interested, I macerated a couple of lemons and a couple of limes in 92% ABV last night and will keep my eye on them. I think I should have mashed them a bit more but I was doing it the same time as I bottled my gin run. As an aside, I added a couple of drops of lime to one of my gin bottles and I think it really lifted the flavour of the gin.

My plan now is to macerate the fruit for a couple of days and then I will ultimately dilute down to 25% but as you said, 1:1 sugar syrup might be too sweet, I will break it up into batches and try a couple of different ratios over the coming weeks.

Kind regards and thank you again Geoff and Saltbush for your response.

[psf]

Bought this book the last time i was in Japan. Me and my wife made umeshu which is made with green apricots, rock sugar and 80 proof liquor. We make it 8l at a time. It’s good after 3 months put really shines a year later. The real difference in this book and most liqueur recipes is the use of rock sugar. It’s all I’ve ever used and it makes a wonderful drink. I’d put it up against that strawberry panty dropper anyday. It’s got everything from ginger, red pepper, garlic to almost every fruit recipe in it. If anybody is interested in a particular one I’d be happy to share. The basics of it is 2/1 fruit and rock sugar. 750 ml(some are 500/600) of 80 proof neutral (I use 100 proof). Remove fruit after 2 months and enjoy. It only gets better with age. I’ve got some umeshu from last year that is amazing.