Kveik choice for rum

These little beasts do all the hard work. Share how to keep 'em happy and working hard.

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Oldvine Zin
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by Oldvine Zin »

My Kveik is still bubbling strong still after a month, still smells great and almost down to 1. Will prob rack it out and run it this week

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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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:crazy: Well finally racked off the fermentor and damn over a month to finish :crazy:
Started a gen 2 wash using the trub from the previous, instead of the 22 brix of the first I kept this one at 17 brix just to see if it will finish quicker?

Lots of bubbles from the start :)
kev2ndgen1.JPG
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by MartinCash »

Did you have a decent yield from it?
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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A month to finish? Oy.
Daily temps at what?
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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90°F plus or minus 1°
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MartinCash
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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Mine was dry in 4 days...
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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MartinCash wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 2:27 pm Mine was dry in 4 days...
Same here, 72h from pitch to finish.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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Berserk wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 3:48 pm
MartinCash wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 2:27 pm Mine was dry in 4 days...
Same here, 72h from pitch to finish.
Maybe the muscavado sugar ferments at a slower rate or ...

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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by nerdybrewer »

And this is better than bread yeast yes?

I mean, I have some real nice rum that I made with bread yeast.

Why is it better?
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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nerdybrewer wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:31 pm And this is better than bread yeast yes?

I mean, I have some real nice rum that I made with bread yeast.

Why is it better?

Jonny VerPlanck reckons it is not any kind of holy grail.
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Oldvine Zin
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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nerdybrewer wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:31 pm And this is better than bread yeast yes?

I mean, I have some real nice rum that I made with bread yeast.

Why is it better?
So have I! Just experimenting, one thing that I do know is this yeast takes it's time.

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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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nerdybrewer wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:31 pm And this is better than bread yeast yes?

I mean, I have some real nice rum that I made with bread yeast.

Why is it better?
To be fair I don't really know if it's better than bread yeast based on my experiences, but I've bought into the hype (and got a big jar of Voss from a friend for free) and really want it to be.

What are the claims that made me use Kveik?
  • Fast and producing nice esters when underpitched and fermented hot. Sounds great for rum and other flavoured spirits!
  • Regular fermentation time and very clean ferment when kept cool/room temperature. Sounds great for sugar washes!
  • You get to scream at it when pitching the yeast to keep the trolls out of your wash/mash. (Gjærkauk, it's a thing!)
So far I've done 7 Jimbos Wheated Bourbon AG mashes and the Kveik liked the ferments, but took some time fermenting dry and sometimes stopped around 1.005-1.015. These were made without any form of heating and were quite well aereated (paint mixer). The bourbon came out great (I think, first time doing both AG and bourbon).

Lately I tried it for rum. The first went well then it gradually went to shit for the next three ferments, which was probably due to me misremembering the amount of dunder to use (1/3 of the wash... super sour!). The last one of these got stuck and wouldn't start again for anything.

But! I did some rereading, got a belt heater and aereated the wash like crazy. And the Kveik chewed through it in 72h while giving off a lovely orange/citrusy smell through the airlock. I haven't been able to run this yet, but I have high hopes for it!

So to sum it up: I think it's a fun yeast, and while I've had my doubts about it this last rum ferment made me reaalize it's probably not the yeast that's been giving me trouble but the other way around. The Norwegian heritage of the yeast adds an extra fun dimension as a Scandinavian distiller.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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nerdybrewer wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:31 pm And this is better than bread yeast yes?

I mean, I have some real nice rum that I made with bread yeast.

Why is it better?
MartinCash wrote: Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:15 pm Personally, I found both Lida and Voss Kveik easy to use but on a 100% molasses rum, I couldn't tell the difference straight up, or between them and bread yeast; they're now 4 months on oak.

Perhaps age will tell.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by nerdybrewer »

Thanks for the answers, I'll take it under advisement...
I still have a lot of bread yeast here so maybe once I've started fermenting again and have used it up I may try this.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by Oldvine Zin »

I just ran the first 15 gals of my Kveik rum, 3 plates above my pot head as an experiment, yea too many variables but with 15 gals in a 15.5 keg I wanted a little of head space.
hybrid rum.JPG
Pulled off 11 pints at 88% so maybe a little less than a gal of keeper, not a great yield but haven't done cuts yet but lots of interesting aromas going on with it.
More later

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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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Did my second run yesterday 15 gals in and after cuts a little under 3.5 litters at 85 abv. Smells great and will be proofing it down to 120.21 proof to celebrate the day that it was distilled 01/20/21.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

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newrum.JPG
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by iwine »

I have a quick question I'm doing my version of a hook rum with Hornindal Kveik
My question is how much Head room do I need in my fermenter. I'll be fermenting at about 30 C
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by MartinCash »

Mine had a fairly high krausen, but I got away with 50 L in a 60 L fermenter with no blowoff.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by Berserk »

I ran 25l in a 30l fermentation bucket and that worked 4/5 times. One time it foamed so much that the airlock was catapulting foam up in the air like a little fountain.

If you decide to run with a small headspace make sure you keep an eye on your ferment and have a blow-off tube close as hand.
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Re: Kveik choice for rum

Post by iwine »

I'm putting together a 50 litre batch. From what I understand, underpitching creates more esters.
How much yeast would be considered under pitching in this batch size. I'm looking for a fruity esters
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