Grape brandy tastes like whisky
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Grape brandy tastes like whisky
So I made a 25 L L wash using 1 of giant raisins and 1kg of fresh grapes with 50 yeast and 10 g nutrients and a starting gravity of 1.060, 8 days later it had dropped to 0.9 then did a strip run followed by a store run and ended up with 2lof 65% ABV. I used oak wood chips to give it colour and a bit of a smoky woody taste yet it still tastes more like whiskey and lacks that distinctive brandy flavour, how can I make this taste more like a brandy and make it more distinctive from my whiskey
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Karooboy wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:54 am So I made a 25 L L wash using 1 of giant raisins and 1kg of fresh grapes with 50 yeast and 10 g nutrients and a starting gravity of 1.060, 8 days later it had dropped to 0.9 then did a strip run followed by a store run and ended up with 2lof 65% ABV. I used oak wood chips to give it colour and a bit of a smoky woody taste yet it still tastes more like whiskey and lacks that distinctive brandy flavour, how can I make this taste more like a brandy and make it more distinctive from my whiskey
Give it time. I know it’s hard to do but a year from now, if you did everything right, you’ll be glad you waited.
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Maybe you used too much wood or too toasted wood which covered the flavor of your brandy. Every year I distil a little wine and if I use some wood, I add little and not too toasted. The result is exceptional.
Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
I'm hazarding a wild guess that you added sugar because 1.060 is way too high for the ingredients you used.
To get decent grape flavor into your brandy, I suggest you use about 24kg more grapes.
To get decent grape flavor into your brandy, I suggest you use about 24kg more grapes.
Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Yeah i added 3.5kg white sugar have you any experience using caramel or vanilla essence
Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Not with making brandy.
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Good booze is made using time and patients.....not sugar, vanilla essence and short cuts.
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
+1 Bill, Your still repetitively new at this so don't be too discouraged. So it's not what you expected...it's still drinkable...we all learn from our mishaps, and you'll have a better go next time round...or not, that's the fun and joy of our hobby...the upside...we get to drink our mistakes and Flaunt our successes, so when you get it right "flaunt it baby flaunt it ! ! !"Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:13 pm Good booze is made using time and patients.....not sugar, vanilla essence and short cuts.
Getting hung up all day on smiles
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
A year on oak and it might be a completely different drink to what it is today.
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Never mind what group of spirits this batch tastes like; is it nice to drink?!
Geoff
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
To begin with sugar takes away flavor so don't add sugar.
Next, cuts on brandy are different than cuts on whiskey and it may take a little relearning cuts to figure it out if you have been making whiskey.
Then, saying "oak chips" isn't very specific but if you used oak chips made from whiskey barrels it will impart a whiskey flavor. I personally never use fresh oak on brandy because it imparts too much whiskey like flavor and can become the dominant flavor if you use too much.
Last, time is your friend when it comes to brandy, give it a good long rest and revisit.
Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
Thanks guys for all the feedback, will keep trying trying
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Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
"So I made a 25 L L wash using 1 of giant raisins and 1kg of fresh grapes with 50 yeast and 10 g nutrients and a starting gravity of 1.060, 8 days later it had dropped to 0.9 then did a strip run followed by a store run and ended up with 2lof 65% ABV. I used oak wood chips to give it colour and a bit of a smoky woody taste yet it still tastes more like whiskey and lacks that distinctive brandy flavour, how can I make this taste more like a brandy and make it more distinctive from my whiskey"
I've never made brandy, but what is meant by "1 of giant raisins".... 1 kg? 1 pound? Directions seem a bit vague for me to follow, and I'm interested in making this.... Boil raisins and grapes? Is there enough to start to ferment with the 10g of nutrients? thanks
GG
I've never made brandy, but what is meant by "1 of giant raisins".... 1 kg? 1 pound? Directions seem a bit vague for me to follow, and I'm interested in making this.... Boil raisins and grapes? Is there enough to start to ferment with the 10g of nutrients? thanks
GG
They say, "you are what you eat"... Then I'm fast, easy and cheap!
Re: Grape brandy tastes like whisky
brandy to me is sweet while wiskey (scoth) is earthy. add some dried apricots and or peaches to it. it will help with the sweet profile and temper the wood.... i take from your name you are in RSA, i struggle to get real dried apricots these days. some are like jelly, pass them by.
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