I am just starting out in this craft hobby. All I've done so far is my vinegar cleaning run, sacrificial cleaning run of a cheap vodka wash, a stripping run of a flaked maize and 6 row malted barley, and today I am doing a stripping run of Sugar Shine (Turbo yeast/Turbo Carbon/Turbo Clear). I plan to do 2 stripping runs of BW Sugar wash and combine with Turbo low wines.
I must say however, half way through my stripping run today I slowed down the run by cutting back on the heat by 1/2 just to get something off the run to actually try and enjoy. I collected a little more than 1/2 pint at 72%. I have diluted 2oz to 30% ( I meant to get to 35% but after reexamining rad's calculator I found I added too much water). And this stuff is the smoothest I have every tasted. Now I actually do not like drinking that much and really just in this for fun and a sense of accomplishment in knowing I can. When I say I do not like to drink I should say, I do not like the taste of alcohol or the hangovers. I might drink maybe 8 times a year and over indulge maybe 1 to 2 times a year. I am the type of person who can't do a shot without making a face that resembles someone who got kicked in the nuts and just took a dose of Nyquil.
But when I say this stuff was smooth, it tasted of sugar water (but not real sweet) and just numbed my tongue just the slightest amount. No burn at ALL. And when factoring in the fact this was collected off a Turbo Wash during a stripping run by slowing down a bit to collect a small bit for consumption, I can only imagine what a more quality wash will be like when fully stripped and ran through a spirit run. If I can figure out the cuts...Lord I may need to boost up my productions because while I did not like to drink in the past, I sure as hell enjoyed being drunk!
This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
Moderator: Site Moderator
-
WithOrWithoutU2
- Site Donor
- Posts: 502
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:10 pm
Re: This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
Welcome to the Club!This hobby is definitely addicting. And not the drinking part. I love the anticipation, the care and patience you put into it, and fantastic rewards you see. Trust me when i tell you this.. the most difficult ingredient you need to add, is TIME! Letting your spirits age is the hardest part, albeit it requires no labor, but one of the most important. YOur spirit may be nice now, and a huge cut above store bought. YOu're probably thrilled that alcohol you made at home turned out to be so good, and so much better than you expected. That's normal. The big spirit manufacturers don't put a lot of care in their product, and while they may taste consistent, they're often consistently bad! The biggest difference from what i've read, is that they aren't going to take as careful cuts as we are. As one member said "as long as you chuck the first 2 jars and the last 2, you're already a big step above most commercial shit"
So, keep reading, read until those eyes are so full of blood you can't see, and read some more. All the information is here... you just have to find it.
Seriously though, congrats!! It's a really fun hobby, i've dove in headfirst. Just be smart, take your time, and get a big barrel
Give this guy a hand!
-
WithOrWithoutU2
- Site Donor
- Posts: 502
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:10 pm
Re: This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
Thanks CatCrap. Definitely need to read up on aging.CatCrap wrote:
This hobby is definitely addicting. And not the drinking part. I love the anticipation, the care and patience you put into it, and fantastic rewards you see. Trust me when i tell you this.. the most difficult ingredient you need to add, is TIME! Letting your spirits age is the hardest part, albeit it requires no labor, but one of the most important. YOur spirit may be nice now, and a huge cut above store bought. YOu're probably thrilled that alcohol you made at home turned out to be so good, and so much better than you expected. That's normal. The big spirit manufacturers don't put a lot of care in their product, and while they may taste consistent, they're often consistently bad! The biggest difference from what i've read, is that they aren't going to take as careful cuts as we are. As one member said "as long as you chuck the first 2 jars and the last 2, you're already a big step above most commercial shit"
So, keep reading, read until those eyes are so full of blood you can't see, and read some more. All the information is here... you just have to find it.
Seriously though, congrats!! It's a really fun hobby, i've dove in headfirst. Just be smart, take your time, and get a big barrel
Give this guy a hand!
Re: This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
From the golden caramel hue to the imparted charred oak flavors, nothing beats a barrel.
Just a short time in one will clue you in to what goodness is coming.
Just a short time in one will clue you in to what goodness is coming.
-
WithOrWithoutU2
- Site Donor
- Posts: 502
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:10 pm
Re: This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
Fizzix,fizzix wrote:From the golden caramel hue to the imparted charred oak flavors, nothing beats a barrel.
Just a short time in one will clue you in to what goodness is coming.
I appreciate the advice on aging. I will definitely be getting a barrels for whiskeys and rums. Personally, I am not much of a "brown" likker fan. Maybe that will change with my own craft whiskey. But I definitely plan to make some to put in to my bar for entertaining. I am looking forward to putting my flaked maize/6row malted barley on uncharred white oak to see what that does. It might be the charred tasted that is off putting to me.
As for aging white neutrals (vodka types), simple on glass airing seems to be all you can do to "age". (3 stripping runs with a spirit run through reflux with conservative cuts). I've read to let the collectons from the spirit run sit for serveral days before making cuts to really let the smells develop as neutral/reflux can be tougher to smell at first. I've also read shaking it up while aging for a few weeks. For these I really just want a smooth neutral taste. Any advice on aging white neutrals for smooth clean taste?
Re: This could be dangerous, but in a good way.
So, in my experience... white likker needs about a month to see big improvment. When i visited a distilery for a tour, he suggested that Vodka, Rum, Gin, etc, need a day or two to taste right. I found that my "neutral" yes, even neutral, even at 94% ABV, needed some time to settle down. A month seemed to do A LOT of good for my white spirits. I'd say get it in jars and give it a shake once every few days, and let it air for a day every couple weeks. It will improve with time of course, but IMHO, after a month it will have shown much improvment.
Taste is soooooooooooo subjective. I can't say what you don't like a bout dark likker. I mostly like dark likkers.. so friend we are on opposing sides. but, i'm learning to like and appreciate white spirits. I hate to be cliche, but, like almost all tastes... its an acquired taste. Uncharred untoasted oak isn't going to add much flavor to your spirit. But, i do theorize that aging in the presence of oak will improve your spirit more than without. Perhaps, like i did a ton when starting out... buy a lot of pint jars. Do a lot of tests! See what works for you and what you like. Try a jar charred, a jar toasted, a jar charred and toasted, a jar at high abv, a jar at low, a jar here a jar there etc etc you get ma drift. It can be alot of fun to try a bunch of different aging protocols and then age away. Hardest part? Waiting. But, here's the secret.. perhaps, i've had a few drinks While your waiting for that stufff to age....... make more likker!!! So you always have more experiments and more liquor in the works. Never let a fermenter sit un used. That would be a got dang shame sir.
Taste is soooooooooooo subjective. I can't say what you don't like a bout dark likker. I mostly like dark likkers.. so friend we are on opposing sides. but, i'm learning to like and appreciate white spirits. I hate to be cliche, but, like almost all tastes... its an acquired taste. Uncharred untoasted oak isn't going to add much flavor to your spirit. But, i do theorize that aging in the presence of oak will improve your spirit more than without. Perhaps, like i did a ton when starting out... buy a lot of pint jars. Do a lot of tests! See what works for you and what you like. Try a jar charred, a jar toasted, a jar charred and toasted, a jar at high abv, a jar at low, a jar here a jar there etc etc you get ma drift. It can be alot of fun to try a bunch of different aging protocols and then age away. Hardest part? Waiting. But, here's the secret.. perhaps, i've had a few drinks
While your waiting for that stufff to age....... make more likker!!! So you always have more experiments and more liquor in the works. Never let a fermenter sit un used. That would be a got dang shame sir.