Balrog get brewing a mash.

[Scottish auld balrog]

Tis a cloudy dawn in the ethanol forest parts of Whiskyland. The sound of whisky wolves howling with a hangover, ethanol elves banging on copper, Drambuie dwarves digging away. The smell of welding stainless alloys, wood smoke from far off lands lingers with the cloud. The sight of the whisky witch on her broom stick rushing home to beat the light of the dawn incase parts of her anatomy turn directly into out of date mince due to exposure to sunlight.
Balrog's bellowing bowels greet the dawn with a blast of the bog time bagpipes. Vodka vultures fly away, rum ravens leave the cave, unicorns hold breathe as they move deeper upwind into the forest, a great commotion and mass migration from around the balrog cave takes place. Much coughing and spluttering and complaining about air quality is heard from the elves. Dwarves swearing at balrog, not nice words too
Balrog shuts lid, chants spells of the flush working, opens window and sends morning offering to the underworld. Gives another flush then bids a gingerly retreat incase the water level is still high and the lid opens and it escapes

A day to start the magic, add the yeasts to the banana and the cereal brews, a wine yeast with nutrients for the banana, a dry ale yeast for the cereal. Shall get done soon, balrog must clean cave, last slave died of not doing what it was told, now balrog got to do it himself . Clan might arrive today, balrog must be ready, hide evidence, get excuses ready. How do you explain healthy food in the balrog cave, maize, wheat, bran flakes, crystal malt, bananas , ya get put in a home for less here, family think ya might then sell the youngest generation to goblins as slaves or even worse, vote tory

Restart brew is bubbling away braw, other sugar brew is still bubbling but slower, leave them till bubbling stops then check readings. Was very optimistic that the general purpose brew would be done by now, timetables and brewing are not accurate yet in the balrog cave.
Mead is still bubbling away, slowly but still bubbling away. Same for banana wine, but volume level is touching the bung and airlock, must remove some brew and adjust for this. Leave the racking till no bubbles happening then reload with sugar and start again the magic cycle of fermentation.

Need to get lemons and limes, oranges too, bakers yeast, Lowicz, VWP cleaner, more brewing yeasts and restart products, brewing bags, textbooks, pocket calculator. The list goes on and on, catering supplies, fermenting bins, demijohns, essences, sample bottles, has to be done though.
Might get an initial mead ferment going, then add citrus in a couple of days as a top up. Got an initial ferment started with orange mead going in a litre Lucozade bottle cause the wide bottle neck fits a bung and airlock , just add to demijohn and add more orange citrus material later, no hard to do, sterilising demijohn hardest part. Cannot remember what yeast used, mystery tour mead ahead then, all aboard Make it sparkling in swing top bottles, balrog is serious .

Point to ponder: what is the best ratio of citric to malic to tartaric to ascorbic acids for a acid blend? Have seen 1:2:3:1 citric to malic to tartaric to ascorbic but is that for wine, what about for each fruit brew, surely each fruits have own ratios of organic acids What for mead, what for banana, what for cereal? Can a mix of citrus and other fruits get them organic acids in correct ratios for different brews, how to work it all out
A day for reading research ahead, starting to get too far ahead of himself is the auld balrog, slow down and learn more deeply the basics.

Balrog must go hunter gathering, munches spell has been cast on the auld balrog, beans on toast incase balrogs gets dumped into babysitting, that teach them.
SAB

[The Baker]

balrog said, .... ya get put in a home for less here....'

Then there was the naive young social worker interviewing an old lady.
Old lady offers tea. Pours hot water into the pot swirls it around and tips it out.
Then makes the tea.
She bloody near got sent to the nursing home; losing her marbles?

Geoff

[Scottish auld balrog]

balrog said, .... ya get put in a home for less here....'

Then there was the naive young social worker interviewing an old lady.
Old lady offers tea. Pours hot water into the pot swirls it around and tips it out.
Then makes the tea.
She bloody near got sent to the nursing home; losing her marbles?

Geoff

Tea , serving tea, people have known to have 'disappeared' for serving tea here, found later in secure accommodation for the criminally insane. My mum serves tea like that to this day, she is 90 so still set in her old ways. Heat the pot, heat the cup, just like her mum used to do since before the war. The auld balrog prefere fire water to heat the balrog, open demijohn, open mouth, pour as required, easy, no washing up either

Depends what's in the tea
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Got the yeast pitched on the banana brew, SG is high, dessert wine range type high, SG = 1.110. degrees or about. Gave the mix a wee stir before pitching, got some sediment stirred up and floating then sprinkled, (not bunged ), the yeast and nutrient on top, did not stir it in, just snapped on lid and will leave Mother Nature to it.
Not sure about the yeast, no idea about it and supplied nutrients, see how it works out, then get more bananas and repeat with a different yeast. Simple eh.

As for the cereal brew, will need reinforcements to move it before pitching yeast, should happen this afternoon, if not then it stays in the balrog kitchen on a stool till fermentation is over in about 5 or 6 days time. Balrog not babysitting until it gets moved, bribery works well in the balrog cave , it's the major unit of currency here .
Going to use dry ale yeast for this, from Fermentis, Safale US-05, will get pitched once moved and final volume made up to 24 litres. Need to look up this yeast, what alcohol tolerance, temp ranges, another door opens on this hobby to explore called yeasts. Not sure about head space for this, might keep a loose lid for first 24 hours to see how it goes then snap it and apply airlock. Keep it well covered till then though.
Must remember to test pH, TDS, SG before pitching yeast, temp check be wise too.

Down to the cider fire water, time for wee test from middle hearts jar, got some essences to use with it, banana (surprise surprise eh!), but a wee taste as it is first, see what alcoholometer says, either gonna like it or the Toli monster and sewer rats are gonna get steaming.
Should be doing the Sunday service, take readings, cleaning materials, but just cannot be bothered, will do them once the balrog gets cave to self later on.
Last patrol to sweep for anything that the little people should not see, or others for that matter, a 6 year old can be set to work in the garden unsupervised with a strimmer and lawnmower without any risk of social services complaining right
SAB (In a serious lazy git mode, aff tae test fire water)

[Scottish auld balrog]

Slight rain at last in these parts of Whiskyland, garden needs it. Balrog got hangover, cider fire water tasted OK, has taste of apple in there somewhere, but it does give a sore head next day. Just used fire water as is, add limeade, no essences, was really nice, better than expected. Why does cat food smell so bad when you like this
Got the cereal brew yeast pitched, no signs of any start as yet but the advice is to be patient with it. Could not take hydrometer reading, it got stuck in the 'special porridge', will try later once it settles a bit more, try to skim aff a 100ml or so in a cylinder for hydrometer.

Banana brew bubbling away nicely, slow, but bubbling away it is. Restart is slowing down as is the general purpose brew, to test or leave alone, that is the question. Balrog needs fire water, that is the question that needs answered.
Got about 700 grams of Rowes honey in a demijohn, will add started bottle to it, sediment and all, not bothering with reading, this is a mystery tour mead, see where it ends up eh.

Day for rest, why do hangovers get worse as you get older Today has been cancelled, Balrog in Summer hibernating mode today.
SAB (Looks for demijohn with fire water for a morning night cap )

[Pikey]

Hmm - Most of us suffer far less hangovers with out own "Fire-water" than commercial !

[Scottish auld balrog]

Hmm - Most of us suffer far less hangovers with out own "Fire-water" than commercial !

Limeade laddie, must hae been the limeade. Used the non alcohol stuff, own fault for no reading label

Own fault, balrog is long enough in the tooth to know better, hydrate, eat, and it would appear that more fire water got drunk last night than previously though, or the cat is a secret drinker .
Definitely dehydration than any 'inclusions' being blamed. Not alchemy if it not repeatable, so a great excuse to see what happens with next demijohn but after food and hydration. It got more heads/tails fractions so might give it a blast in the magical device but more than likely will just go with it as is, see what that does. Just pour in and observe and record results

I see that you have been doing a bit 'research' into hop free brews, balrog must do more research also, any advice on what path to follow, any books worth investing in

See David Davis and Boris the Idiot have resigned WWW (Wicked Westminster Witch) be next
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Been a good day so far in the ethanol forest, cloudy sky but still no real rain as such.

Balrog opened the lid of the cereal brew and noticed a foaming scum on the surface, bubbles bursting on it, the magic of fermentation is taking place. Using magical alchemical devices, balrog has some data to add to the spell book.
SG = 1.050 but it has been fermenting for a while at least. The pH is low though, 3.38 average from two pH pens, but both pens were calibrated at pH 7.0, would be wise to re calibrate at pH 4.0. Need batteries for TDS pen, think some in cave somewhere.

Other brews are bubbling away nicely. Leave them alone for now, why risk adding infection for impatience, banana really is bubbling away fast, other sugar brews have slowed down though. See what tomorrow brings.
Corny keg at about 20 PSI, seems stable there, need to check back and see when 2nd ferment started.

Conclusion: Balrog needs a new fermenting bin with better grommet and air lock. Balrog on it. Need pH4.0 calibration fluid, also on it. Batteries, shall have hunter gathering mission soon. Remember to buy in more replacements. Add refractometers to the list, brix meters, magical alchemical devices help the magic happen.

Raiding party on the far land of ASDA has been most successful, Allinson's dried yeast, ASDA baking yeast, Lowicz, 10 Kg sucrose, cheap honey, all been liberated in the name of fermentation . Forgot citrus but shall see about some in next couple of days.
Lazy day today, shall get Lowicz experiment started tomorrow, see what happens rather than looking for a decent drink from it at the end. Add it to mead or just swally as is when finished. Might go well with honey as primary, soon see eh.

Time to sample last of the cider fire water, going to see how it goes with a wee drizzle of Lowicz raspberry, fitba on so research has been postponed for today, fire water testing time.
Supplies are getting low, balrog must do more mining in the whisky well, keep following the low wines veins, better quality whisky ore is out there. So is more knowledge, mining for knowledge would be better than mining for whisky for now, but balrog has to do both.

Very tempted to buy a T500 set up, not sure now, for a few wise wizards have said to hold fire, save gold for ingredients, better can be made with much less gold. Be wise to think a few more days and seek council on this matter.
What do other wizards and creatures of the ethanol forest say
SAB

[Pikey]

The T500 is in truth basically a tea urn with a coolant controlled reflux column. There are some issues about letting it get hot because of unmagical gaskets and inserts which may be forced to release noxiousness and themselves die in the process.

A reflux still is a poor tool if you really wish to produce the Whisky (or whiskey even ), although there are those who say a plate still can do it. Really for "brown spirits" you want a pot still.

[Scottish auld balrog]

The T500 is in truth basically a tea urn with a coolant controlled reflux column. There are some issues about letting it get hot because of unmagical gaskets and inserts which may be forced to release noxiousness and themselves die in the process.

A reflux still is a poor tool if you really wish to produce the Whisky (or whiskey even ), although there are those who say a plate still can do it. Really for "brown spirits" you want a pot still.

Cheers Pikey, wise wizard from the land of Pikey .

Balrog would like to try both, a reflux for neutrals and a pot for grain whisky, both seem to have advantages for each type of operation. Tea urn idea, take just swap top to get reflux or pot depending what required Not sure about alembic, give it a miss or an interesting road to look into
SAB (Lost in thought again)

[Manc]

Hi SAB

Or you could just use the same lid and change the coloum remove reflux condenser and have a pot still, modular is the future all your parts can fit in the boiler when finished for easier storage the t500 takes up more room than my 50 litre modular as you can't break down the coloum.

Hope this helps

Lee

[Scottish auld balrog]

Hi SAB

Or you could just use the same lid and change the coloum remove reflux condenser and have a pot still, modular is the future all your parts can fit in the boiler when finished for easier storage the t500 takes up more room than my 50 litre modular as you can't break down the coloum.

Hope this helps

Lee

Cheers Lee, most wise wizard from Mancland

I think I can 'picture' the modular design in my head, interchangeable parts, tea urn boiler, few wee alterations, and a coolant system . Am I on the right path of thought Am I overlooking anything or being short sighted about anything

I am more and more in favour of building my own, but lack of confidence is putting me off though.
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Cloudy dawn but still no rain in Whiskyland, still t shirt weather, man has angered the great wizard of the climate: Global Warming .

Balrog dawn patrol on the fermenting bins, all seems well , banana is really bubbling away now, more than 60 per minute. Cereal is being left alone for now, it is fermenting, just a dodgy gasket at the airlock. Flour and ethanol mix should fix it, once balrog can find the flour, that the main mission for today, fix the gasket leak. Two sugar brews are bubbling away but much slower now, really should test the general purpose brew, must be close now to next stage.

Just thinking about how to get this Lowicz to ferment, add 100ml to 800ml water, add some orange, grated peel and actual segments for pH but also for some basic nutrients. Know it will taste bitter with orange pith but more of an experiment to see if it actually can ferment OK, no added saccharides, bakers yeast packet of 7 grams, no chemical added nutrients either.
Got all the stuff ready to go, just to sterilise airlock and bung and add water and we have lift aff, must remember to take hydrometer reading, record them too.

Balrog has no hangover today, Lowicz and fire water goes rather nicely with some lemonade, balrog shall be repeating this tasting for fitba tonight. Can taste the apple from the cider fire water but the raspberry is very moreish, a mixer if anything, but shall be interesting to see how it goes for 2nd ferment flavouring This stuff has potential, even if just as a flavouring, cheap too.

Modular still designs, balrog must look into this, tea urn boiler, just change the upper parts, makes sense to the balrog. Must research this more deeply, appears to be the way forward.
More council would be advisable, balrog is listening.

Big fitba game today, Croatia V England, no escaping it, even in deepest Whiskyland, on TV everywhere, what about the professional international non masonic finger wagging championships instead , can't beat a couple o oldies giving each other a double, triple, quadruple, double backward, finger wag over a table . Balrog must get out more, psychiatric help might, might not, better stick to drink than happy tablets .
SAB (Away to see if any domestic league finger wagging on Sky sports )

[Scottish auld balrog]

Balrog was busy digging away in the whisky well when he made a discovery. Some parchment was uncovered, digging was postponed while the auld balrog left the stale fart gas and pick axe behind and climbed out the whisky well. He brushed the soil and debris from mining from this parchment, balrog has found an ancient scroll of wisdom of ancient knowledge. Balrog, now very excited about this new find goes in search of some candles and tinderbox to read more about it.
He ventures deep inside the cave, to the secret library in the deep dark corner, eventually getting a spark to take to the tinder, a fire of knowledge to light the candles of enlightenment.
Behold a scroll from the days of old, brewing from the days of the Vikings. Jereme Zimmerman's Make Mead Like a Viking . All pages are readable. Balrog starts a highland dance (Highland dance More like a drunk polar bear doing the stomp ), ancient wisdom, a gift indeed from the whisky well.
Balrog has decided to read more from this scroll, leave the mead making till more knowledge is known.

Balrog, now excited by this magical scroll find, has got on with Lowicz experiment. First he removed about 2ml or 3ml from each banana brew and mead deminjohn, added that to 1 litre Lucozade bottle that held the mead starter. Added cooled boiled water, added Lowicz, roughly 1:8 ratio Lowicz to water. Added mead yeast as got to use some on demijohn mystery tour stuff anyway, bunged on bung and airlock. Will add some whole orange parts later today. No added sugar or honey as yet but might add some later, interested in how this turns out.
Need to find glass container for this with bung sized neck for easy brewing. Demijohn too large in volume, Luc bottle does fit the job rather well, pity it plastic but for a quick brew should work. It is just an experiment after all.
Open to all ideas as to where to go with this experiment

SG 1.068 For General purpose brew , double checked, tripled cheched, same result . Emergency action drill will shorty be in place. Thought it be nearly done, maybe stirring it all up would help, maybe not. Does balrog add more yeast, add a restart, add more nutes. Best to take TDS reading, take pH reading, retest SG but sure it read the same.
Very, very tempted to use a turbo on it, time is the enemy here, need the space, thought it be in the magical device by the weekend at latest. Essences camouflage the turbo taste, very tempted to just use up packet of turbo here,
Restart brew at SG 1.010, nearly there, do same tests and see if any major differences in pH or TDS between two of them.
This has been a shock to the auld balrog, a lesson in taking regular readings of pH, TDS and SG. Balrog needs to improve knowledge of brewing, basic sugar brews to cereal brews, balrog must get back to basics, learn the basics, then learn them again, then again. Be wise for the auld balrog to go mining for brewing scrolls, spend research time on researching books to buy.
SAB(Back reading)

[Pikey]

The Balrog will be pleased to learn that fermenting in plastic is well within dictates of the scriptures belonging to the order of Free and accepted Fire water alchemists

The Pikey uses 200 litre Olive barrels for major brews, magically transported by the ebay wizards from the mystical lands of mount olympus and all for around 20 squid !

[Scottish auld balrog]

The Balrog will be pleased to learn that fermenting in plastic is well within dictates of the scriptures belonging to the order of Free and accepted Fire water alchemists

The Pikey uses 200 litre Olive barrels for major brews, magically transported by the ebay wizards from the mystical lands of mount olympus and all for around 20 squid !

Most welcome news Pikey, balrog has great idea now, raid to capture enemy wheelie bins , can move em about as needed, just needs a bit bleach treatment first . Council replace with new wheelie bin, old bin 'magically' reappears and new bin finds way to bottom regions of the balrog cave. Drill hole for bung and airlock, flour/spirit mix to seal lid

Olive barrels, , balrog thinking now, eyes up space but thought of tsunami leak in the cave does cause concern.
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Balrog took council with balrog, democracy in motion, emergency revolutionary cave council committee meeting at the balrog cave. Slow brew got nuked, added 1Kg sucrose in water, 1 turbo brew, stirred for a wee bit, snapped lid back on, need booze, need bin, need space. Time is the ace factor. Order issued by chairman Balrog, seconded by comrade Balrog, implemented by brother Balrog, motion passed (non bowel one hopefully ) by the farting balrog of Balrogia.

Conclusions: Stick to cereal grain, banana, or tried and tested recipes. Stick to same cereal brew, only variable being the yeast used. Take readings regularly, see what is actually happening in the brew, what are the meters telling me is happening. Record the data, keep track of everything done.
Take up beer brewing, learn to brew, learn the ways of the yeast, strains, biochemistry, reactions, same for the brew, what is happening in there, what are enzymes, what do they actually do
All these questions again, balrog needs answers, balrog better get brewing then, balrog needs magical portal to homebrew shop for equipment needed.
Balrog no like beer , balrog better nuke taste buds with turbo fire water, balrog drink beer then (maybe not eh ). Lucky balrog found magical device in whisky well then Whisky essences not quite real thing but cheaper option (and poison tax free, had to get that bit in, sorry Pagan ), than real thing in Whiskyland.
Beer, beer, we need more balrog brewery beer. (and could do with some basic knowledge too )
SAB

[The Baker]

Balrog plans raid on wheelie bins....

Where's ya bin?
On holidays.
No, where's ya wheelie bin?
Well, I'se weelie bin in jail.

Geoff

[Scottish auld balrog]

Hoots, jings, crivens, help ma bob, och aye the noo. That turbo brew working fast already, one bubble every 7 seconds so far, getting quicker.
Fast acting, what witchcraft is this, what wizards spell has been used on this Balrog must learn the secret dark arts of this magic, if only to know the natural philosophy behind it. Balrog is impressed by this quick action.

Balrog also know this will taste like the urine from the infected bladder of the woolly mammoth of Atlantis. Balrog drunk worse, Smaug's sphincter tincture (copyright pending ) was rather minging, got ya steaming though, gave ya a serious dose of the 'guts churning and tail burning' next day/week/month though. Melted and balrog means melted the balrog's bogbrush, worse than acetone on plastic that stuff, that's even on the way out
Things balrogs drink when roaming in far of lands
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Balrog plans raid on wheelie bins....

Where's ya bin?
On holidays.
No, where's ya wheelie bin?
Well, I'se weelie bin in jail.

Geoff

(groans but claps anyway)
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Tis cloudy and slightly cooler in Whiskyland today, Whiskylanders loading up carts and waggons to go and welcome 'The Donald' Sewer wargs are released with a map and compass to a certain golf course, maybe one, just one, will get past the U bend and score a good bite. Toli monsters are set free, orders to hug on site you know you, colostomy bags (used ) are being collected and cached incase someone goes for an open top car tour of Whiskyland . Miners strike style welcoming committee , brings back memories. Sadly the auld balrog shall not be there , domestic duties and whisky well mining must overrule any thoughts of yesteryear and the picket line.

Back in the cave, the turbo nuked brew is really bubbling away, air lock might be a bad idea, see what happens. Others are bubbling away, banana is really bubbling too, the restart is slowing down a good bit now. Mystery tour mead is bubbling away, will add lime or orange later on, same to the Lowicz, add limes and maybe another ml or two from the latest mead to make sure live yeast in there.
Cannot find flour anywhere in the cave, either go and buy some, or what else could be used (Hint, try flour , walkies time Balrog )
SAB (aff to find something called flour, )

[Scottish auld balrog]

Cloudy but cooler, still no rain in Whiskyland. Perfect whisky well mining conditions .

The cold light of dawn brings surprising news, Lowicz is fermenting, slow but a start. Must take hydrometer reading, still to add lime juice to it. Mystery tour mead is bubbling nicely now, still to add lime and lemon for pH and flavour, do that later as well.
Restart brew is just bubbling, need to check and see what hydrometer says, go with that reading but looks like tomorrow racking hopefully. Turbo nuked stuff still bubbling away srongly, will leave it alone for now.
Banana brew still bubbling away at a fair rate, smaller but faster rate of CO2 evolution, like wine in a demijohn, the sugar brews are a longer bloopbloopbloopbloop type noise in a single blast from the airlock. Just leave Nature to it too.
The cereal brew is plodding on, loads of floating stuff, bubbles still seen bursting on this floating jetsom. Leave it alone for now, patience is the keyword for the yeast used, so be patient, It will be ready when the yeast are done and hydrometer say it is ready. No hard to work that out.

Balrog remembers back to old TV gardening show called 'The Beechgrove Garden', from the early 1980's. A certain gardener there had a saying that has stuck with the balrog since. It referes to plants that are poorly or dead. The cause being "Nae lack o neglect" meaning it was constantly fussed over, too much waterings, too much food, too much care. The answer :- Leave Mother Nature to get on with it. Wise words.

Och Aye (OK) then, balrog planning department been thinking about this then. Soon have primary fermenter free for another cereal brew. Same ratio of three main grains, water, enzymes, but use Allinson dried active yeast on this brew. Then for the next cereal brew, use EC1118 but knowing it will be a longer brewing project, then the next back to the bakers yeast. Next with another ale or whisky yeast.
The key point being, leave the sugar and honey for the demijohns, stick to cereal brews for now in the primaries.
Get used to this cereal brew mix, see how it evolves from start to finish, what it likes, what it no like. Just brew as required, keep a longer time project on the go and see how a month at least like this goes.
Got to get them basics drilled in, try not (too often) to get side tracked by experiments into the unknown, get used to the same brew, same results, get to know how to cast basic magic brewing spells before trying to exorcise a bog demon of Bogland.

Seen the news what someone has said about WWW Cannot wait to hear what he says to Liz, chief state sponger number 1.
SAB (No even been drinking yet!)

[Scottish auld balrog]

Yet another braw dawn in the ethanol forest. No rain again, garden needs it badly. Great whisky well mining conditions, make the most from it.

Not a lot to report, all brews are bubbling away, some more than others but still fermenting so leave them to it, check tomorrow and take it from there. Was optimistic and expecting restart to be ready for racking, not to be today, just not to be. Supplies are getting low, Fitba today and tomorrow, have Monday and Tuesday aff for liver recovery, surely Wednesday will have resupply.

Balrog been thinking, balrog been reading, the gid whisky is single malt, it is just that, single malt, a single barley strain is used to make the whisky. Geological locations and conditions dictate the taste, but that is another chapter and door that the auld balrog shall open in the future to explore. It is well marked on the balrog's map for future discovery.
There be more than one strain of barley, this needs much more research, the way to get from crops in the field to bottle though is roughly the same, it is all about getting enzymes to do the work, getting the best conditions for them to work, same basic brewing ideology, turn saccharides into ethanol with yeast doing the magic bit.

The ageing process, a whole field of science in chemical reactions, another future path that must be trod, be wise to get some alchemical knowledge about alchemical reactions. Many spell books out there in that field, modern organic chemistry to witchcraft in the 1600's. Balrog must go mining for basic organic chemistry knowledge scrolls, the alchemy of the element Carbon, the functional groups attached to it, the reactions they undergo, how this hobby produces these reactions, how to control them. The auld balrog has fire in his eyes as he thinks about learning this alchemy, knowledge to be able to predict alchemical reactions, do something about them, harness them, no learn this in a few months then, many years ahead of scroll reading for the balrog.

Been think a lot about physical conditions like temperatures and changes of state, like liquid to solid in freezing, how to get really low temps for freezing at home. Dry ice from CO2 is possible but needs a lot of CO2 to make dry ice. Normal water ice is cheap and easy to get though, so adding various chemical salts to crushed ice should get low temps too. Normal table salt, sodium chloride, can get ice down to 0* F, -18* C and other halides like calcium chloride can get lower temps. What about using waste head products rich in acetone and ethanol in there too, draw more heat from the mix, thus make lower temps . How long can these temps be kept for, how can this be used to freeze a container full of experimental material
Insulation to keep temps low, how to build a contraption for this.
Balrog is open to all ideas please.
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Rain is felt again in this part of Whiskyland, a small sprinkle of the water of life to the plants and other creatures. The evil dark lord of the West has gone from Whiskyland , Respect to the Sturgeon for telling the dark lord she was too busy washing her hair or having a dump to meet him at all .
No need for any pumps yet in the whisky well, but maybe a cover to stop the centaurs from moving in and drinking from the low wines veins. Need to start shoring the sides, much more mining ahead, that whisky mineral vein is out there close bye.

Restart brew has finished, now 24 hours of equal pressure in the airlock. Letting it settle, see what alchemical meters say about it. Other brews are still active, leave them alone for today.
Still not added limes and lemons to mead yet, they been sitting in front of the demijohn since Thursday, just keep forgetting about them.

Soda stream systems, balrog going to have to go in hunter gathering mode and find one, maybe the land of Ebay shall be worth a visit through the magical portal. This magical device can turn flat booze into fizzy carbonated booze . Not sure about the glass bottles or other container to use for it, wrong glass or flaws and it go pop in the wrong way . Maybe stainless steel containers or swing top bottles for this venture.
Take it apart and see how it works, same CO2 cylinders as the S30 Corny keg system, in theory, this will work, just how to make it work for the balrogs needs. Cider and fizzy pop are very similar but not exactly the same, should be fine but never know. Soon find out eh.

Ageing fire water, the balrog has been reading up on the wizardry and magic of the magical microwave in this alchemy. Many pioneers have written scrolls on this magic here, much reading is required but the initial recce reports are interesting, it works. Data and numbers are out there, easy to follow, what could possibly go wrong
This door has been opened, balrog like the view ahead, this path shall be taken soon.
What say the other wizards of the ethanol forest Balrog seeks council on this magic please.
SAB (Mining for knowledge)

[fizzix]

I've not zapped any liquor with chips myself, as I've got an insatiable barrel addiction.
But FullySilenced's nuke account has always intrigued me: https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=38991

[Scottish auld balrog]

I've not zapped any liquor with chips myself, as I've got an insatiable barrel addiction.
But FullySilenced's nuke account has always intrigued me: https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=38991

Cheers Fizzix (passes fire water NO SMOKING! it 65%ABV )

I have been reading the amazing pioneering work done by the wizards of the Microwave magic FS and others , the experimenter in me wants to try this, hmmmm a peak it for maximum microwave might be needed for future research, better buy two new ones in then.

I take it you have seen this, from page 3 of FS's nuking thread and posted by heartcut
http://amasci.com/weird/microexp.html
How many old broken microwaves in your recycling bin now
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Wee drizzle to the air, still no real rainfall here for ages, warm too.
Restart brew FG = 0.992, still cloudy though, just gonna let it sit for another day then rack, auld balrog remembers what could be the smell and taste of burn yeast in the magical device. It will takes as long as it will take to clear, no added finings or clearing agents used. Will take a wee sample and test pH, TDS and see what residue remains after letting it dry out.
Turbo nuked brew is slowing down, soon be time for that too, time to stock up on banana and orange essences, maybe 10 oz sugar in a 70 cl bottle with essences will help the taste, dilute to 40%ABV (yuck! no burn mean no fire water )
Banana brew is still bubbling away, a wee bit slower, starting to clear a bit too, will leave alone for now.
Cereal brew is slowing down, still fermenting, got to be patient with this yeast, would need to filter off the grainy parts for readings, so will leave it alone to finish fermenting, but will take a wee sample to strain, filter and get some data from.
Still to add limes and lemon to mead, just keep forgetting about it, at least one banana wine could do with 1st racking and another sucrose dose.

Today is test for fizzy cider from 2nd fermentation in the Corny keg. No added CO2 from bottle, gauge reads 20PSI, no sure about how much sediment from this, find out at tea time testing time, if it no work, then will drain, let gravity strain, clear then magical device it. Wheat beer in next Corny project, can the auld balrog make this stuff fizzy.

Family member has old soda stream with loads of bottles for balrog to play with, still going on patrol in charity shops and online for others, lets see how forced carbonation works out. Did watch a Discovery channel program about the early years of cola, how the first carbonation was done with early technology, flawed glassware, did open eyes to being safe about this technology, make sure the glassware is safe, no cracks or flaws.
What density of liquids used, saccharide contents, alcohol content, can see a few experiments happening here. Can it work with this or that flavoured drink, this gonna be fun finding out.

Nuclear ageing, still a lot to read on it, auld balrog needs a bigger microwave, demijohn no fit in Still have that bit of aprehension about it, but so far, no bad news about it but still got loads of pages to read.
Going to buy in some JD chips, pre used for first trials, will need some Pyrex glassware for this, but do they have lids? Preserve jars might be worth a look, they can take hot water strain, should survive repeated nuking.

Getting ideas about using old smoke detector parts and nuking some test material with the alpha particles, not sure about drinking anything that has had alpha emitters dropped in them, but the nuking idea does interest the big kid experimenter in the auld balrog. Authorities refuse point blank to let the auld balrog play about with Uranium 235 (It would appear that the auld balrogs plan of taking over the world has been discovered ).
SAB (needs new plan to take over the world.)

[Scottish auld balrog]

Got round to using alchemical magical devices and got some date from the restart brew. Got a wee shock from it . Sample was not clear enough from brewing debris for accurate alcohol percentage test.

The pH is low, very low, 3.0 or about, why is that, too much citric or from restart salts or both Brewing makes a low pH, needs more research.

The TDS (Total dissolved solids), ionic salts in other words me thinks, is high, like 638ppm (+/- 2%). Must be from the restart, think some from wine nutrients also but 638ppm in 25 litres.
To put that in perspective, that concentration of 'nutrient' in 25 litres would support two tomato plants, each about six foot tall and be heavy in fruiting in a hydroponic solution.

This has been a real eye opener for the auld balrog, so much nutrient salt used, and that is only a restart. Why so much, what are these salts, what ratio, can they be 'recycled' in another brew
What would a 24 hour super turbo mix read How does this compare relative to an 'organic' more natural cereal brew Side by side comparison experiments ahead me thinks.
SAB (break time over, back to the whisky well)

[Scottish auld balrog]

Another scroll of wisdom has be unearthed in the whisky well, digital magic, look no parchment or papyrus, witchcraft I tell you, witchcraft.

research.uni leipzig.de/giannis/Lehre/OCF/Basic%20Guidelines%20for%20Microwave%20Reactor%20and%20Reactions.pdf

Daylight yet, back to the whisky well.
SAB

[Scottish auld balrog]

Been raining here, not much, wee short showers, but rain none the less. Warm though, tee shirt weather for ages here.
A braw day for racking, maybe even get to use the magical fire water making device later on. Restart brew still a bit cloudy but shall rack into demijohns and see how a few hours works on it. Should leave it longer but the goblins might get hold of it, plus auld balrog is oot of fire water (just picture all the old WWII films and all the alarms going aff from a U boat crash dive to the blitz air raid sirens), got the urge to go nuking with the 'Mickey ding'. Could nuking it right from the still help , find oot tomorrow then.

Cereal brew has changed, top layer of floating stuff has sunk, still a few bits floating but not much. Liquid looks like a dark beer, bubbles seen on surface, it shall be fermenting for another day but getting closer now to racking it as well. Take readings tomorrow and see if fermentation stage is needed to be extended.
Patience laddie, this yeast takes time, patience laddie. It will be ready to rack and squeeze when it is ready to rack and squeeze.
The auld balrog is very seriously considering buying homebrew all grain brewing equipment for this, talking about full set up material. Way better than just plodding on with a gallon of boiling water at a time. Being able to keep constant temperatures, make better brews, might even try some non green stuff in it old style beer or ale, balrog has been window shopping on the magical computer portal device, a few models do interest balrog.
Balrog asks for council and advice from any brewers out there. What say the wizards of the brewing cauldrons

Banana and turbo nuked brews are both slowing down, so better get ready for them too, get prepared now for collection jars and storage demijohns for collection stages. Leave the banana for natural flavours but shall be nuking the turbo brews for sure. Let us see what will happen. Repeated nuking of turbos , activated Carbon filtering then repeat the nuking Much research is needed me thinks. (Get on with it then laddie!)

Better buy in a lot of Mason jars or similar. Or plan B, the cheaper (Whiskylanders are by nature very cheapskated, tight, worse than skint flinted dwarves, regarding spending of the gold nuggets) method, use a Pyrex jug to nuke in then pour contents into swing top bottles for next stage. Can the glass take the heat and the vacuum phase without breaking, soon find out eh .
Getting excited about trying this nuking, and maybe trying also ultra sound waves, , how to peak them for maximum
So many ways to proceed with this road, not just wood chips but other flavourings to try, wow, an amazing pioneering field is ahead. Balrogs salutes the pioneers that led the charge (site needs rebel style Internationale brigade salute smiley).
SAB (Excited enough to go and super clean out and degrease the cave mickey ding )