Sweet Feed Wash problem?

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AZJarhead
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Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

Following the Sweetfeed whiskey Tried and True recipe I some how screwed it up. Yeast seems to be my biggest challenge.
For a 6 gallon wash
4" of sweet feed in the bottom of the bucket
7 pounds of white sugar
8 tablespoons of Red Star Distillers Active Dry yeast.

Got 2gal of water to boiling, added the sugar, then pour it into the 8.5 Gal fermenter with a little over 4" of sweetfeed.
Stirred for 15min.
Let it cool to 85F
SG = 1.079
PH = 4.58
put yeast in 80F water to re-hydrate and after 10min pitched it into the fermenter and stirred for about 3min.
Added North Georgia Still Company's FERMAX Yeast Nutrient about 5 hours later. Should have done this 1st, but screwed up.

After 1 1/2 days the yeast is no longer working so I added Yeast Energizer which did not help.
SG = 1.005.

Can someone please tell me what I did wrong?
To much Yeast?
Nutrients too late.
Bad luck.
Sweet feed is grains not pellets, with Corn, Barley, Molasses and all the normal ingredients.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by still_stirrin »

AZJarhead wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 10:23 am Following the Sweetfeed whiskey Tried and True recipe I some how screwed it up. Yeast seems to be my biggest challenge.
For a 6 gallon wash
4" of sweet feed in the bottom of the bucket
7 pounds of white sugar
8 tablespoons of Red Star Distillers Active Dry yeast.

Got 2gal of water to boiling, added the sugar, then pour it into the 8.5 Gal fermenter with a little over 4" of sweetfeed.
Stirred for 15min.
Let it cool to 85F
SG = 1.079
PH = 4.58
put yeast in 80F water to re-hydrate and after 10min pitched it into the fermenter and stirred for about 3min.
Added North Georgia Still Company's FERMAX Yeast Nutrient about 5 hours later. Should have done this 1st, but screwed up.

After 1 1/2 days the yeast is no longer working so I added Yeast Energizer which did not help.
SG = 1.005. <— You’re DONE! Run it!

Can someone please tell me what I did wrong? <— Nothing....other than inexperience. You’re a “worry wart”.
To much Yeast?
Nutrients too late.
Bad luck.
Sweet feed is grains not pellets, with Corn, Barley, Molasses and all the normal ingredients.
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
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8Ball
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by 8Ball »

Yep. You did good. Run it.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
AZJarhead
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

8Ball, you are correct. When it doesn't run as expected I figure I screwed up.
Well starting all over as I pitched that wash. Luckily sweet feed is cheap.
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by Deplorable »

Never throw it out before asking questions. 1.5 day frment is pretty fast, but yeah, you were done. If you let it sit for a few days, it might drop to 1.000 but its not worth it in the grand scheme of things.
Make a tight hearts cut, and its a good sipping white dog.
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AZJarhead
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

Thanks for the responses. Being a beginner and learning about yeast and fermentation I ran a apple wash, and ended up throwing it out.
Starting from scratch was easier and it is working fine this time. Taking my time and paying more attention to the order in doing things.
Using the same recipe, I got another batch going with fermentation working and still going at 3 days. Wash tasted great with SG = 1.080.
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Deplorable
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by Deplorable »

Don't go much higher on that OG. You'll stress the yeast and create more undesirable alcohols in the ferment resulting in a smaller hearts cut.
Try to stay between 7 and 10% for your target ABV.
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

After trying to age this Sweet Feed likker for 2 weeks (65% ABV with white oak chips) I tasted one of the jars and it tastes like grain and not enjoyable. Sweet Feed was good grain/molasses feed but I think it had to many Horse Nutrients and minerals in it ?????
Should I leave the other 2 large jars to age longer or not?
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by Deplorable »

2 weeks isnt enough time to make any favorable changes. Put the jars in the back of the cupboard and forget about them for 6 months or so. Then try them. Careful on the dosage of them chips. Its easy to end up with oak tea by adding too many chips to the jar. two to three of .5X.5X6" white oak sticks charred and toasted per gallon is plenty sufficient to age your hooch on.
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AZJarhead
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

Thanks, yes I did take out a few as I thought I had to my chips in. Be happy to just leave it and see what happens. As the grain taste is not the flavor I was after.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by still_stirrin »

AZJarhead wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:32 am...the grain taste is not the flavor I was after.
Hey jarhead...first off...thank you for your service.

Now, why would you make a sweet feed recipe if you don’t want the grain flavor? Oh, so many here dream of grain flavor in their sweet feed ferment. For you to say you don’t want the grain flavors sounds upside down.

If you’re looking for a spirit with less flavor, there are other recipes in the T&T forum that will work better with less “grain flavor”. Try Rad’s All Bran recipe. Easy and very neutral in flavor.
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by tiramisu »

I understand there was a time when sweet feed was grain and molasses but when I got to look up modern sweet feed it seems like a very different thing. Does it even make sense to ferment a modern sweet feed? Is it just dirt cheap sugar with grain for fibre?

Sweet Feed...

"Modern textured feeds combine protein, vitamins and minerals in a pellet that is ultimately added to the grains. Less molasses is needed in the mix since the loose materials are safely tucked away inside the pellet. This mixing-pellet system, although tremendously simple, enhanced the ability to deliver essential nutrients to the horse. Mixing pellet use in sweet feeds has virtually eliminated fines and the sifting of loose ingredients. Consumption of the pelleted portion of the mix is guaranteed with the use of readily acceptable nutrient carriers including flavors."
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by Timothy_W »

AZJarhead wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:30 pm Thanks for the responses. Being a beginner and learning about yeast and fermentation I ran a apple wash, and ended up throwing it out.
Starting from scratch was easier and it is working fine this time. Taking my time and paying more attention to the order in doing things.
Using the same recipe, I got another batch going with fermentation working and still going at 3 days. Wash tasted great with SG = 1.080.
I'm glad you started to get it right. The main thing is that a stable temperature is maintained during fermentation. I am also a newbie and am just studying the question for now. But I think that I myself will make many mistakes, no matter how much I read theoretical information and advice. Still, you need to get your hand in order to work well.
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by 30xs »

6 gallon of water and 7 pounds of sugar shouldn’t be 1.079? One and a half pounds of sugar per gallon of water should put you around 1.065ish. Maybe I was reading it incorrectly.
AZJarhead
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by AZJarhead »

still_stirrin; I don't mind the grain taste but not just grain. Being called SweetFeed Whiskey, I expected somewhat of a "sweet" flavor. But I figured I screwed it up some how.
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Re: Sweet Feed Wash problem?

Post by Deplorable »

Its called Sweet Feed Whiskey because its made with "Sweet Feed" not because it's sweet. While not as popular as UJSSM, it's still one of the most popular traditional Shine recipes, known for making a fine sipper. One of these days I need to make some UJSSM just to see what all the hype is about.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
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