Vanilla Taste

Stangas · Post by **Stangas** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:59 pm

I getting a distinct vanilla taste to all me whiskeys

i dont want it.. so what do i have to change?

Post by **theholymackerel** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:45 pm

Are ya agin' it on charred oak?

Post by **theholymackerel** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:11 pm

I keep havin' different thoughts on what could be causin' the flavor, but no point in postin' em till I know the specifics on how yer makin' whiskey.

Let me know what still yer usin', how yer doin' yer mash, how ya do yer ferment, and how ya run yer still... also how ya age, and what ya age it on, anythin' special or unusual that ya do to it.... etc.

So....how do ya make it?

Stangas · Post by **Stangas** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:53 am

yeah.. sorry bout the delay and lack of info

i brew UJ Simple Sour Mash

the wood i bought off a bloke in the city who buys wood, chips it and sells it to the wine region, so i presumed it would be ok

and i use a basic pot still ontop a 25L stainless urn.. see pick.. but thats me reflux on there

corn i use is barn maize.. looks good enough (sliced)
caster sugar
EC1118 yeast

ferment is nothing different..
stilling, i am collecting in rather large batches.. like 2L then 2L (after the meth taken out) i could probably be a bit more picky there

this stuff was double distilled by gathering 16L of whiskey, added 3L water and stilled a final time, ended with about 8L @ 75%, so i watered down to 60 for oaking.. then watered again to 45% for drinking.. this portion i have aged for about 2 months.. there is still plenty there.

dont get me wrong.. its definately drinkable, and the girls love it.. but i would feel better if it wasnt there

any tips would be great

Post by **theholymackerel** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:48 pm

You didn't metion cuts.

Yer makin' cuts, right?

Post by **golden pond** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:58 pm

Why add the 3 L of water when you distilled agin?

DBM · Post by **DBM** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 6:39 pm

From what you have posted so far, the only place the vanilla taste could come from is your oak wood. You probably will not get that the next time you use that wood.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:03 pm

I get the same taste. And I like it. It's from the wood. I toast my oak in foil at 200 deg. celsius for 4 hours. That brings out the vanillins -- the note that I was aiming for.

You can change the flavor notes by toasting at different temps. If you want sweet or oaky, toast at a lower temp -- if you want almondy, toast at a higher temp. Check out the "Flavoring -- > using wood" section in the parent site.

Cheers!

Aidas

Stangas · Post by **Stangas** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:25 pm

yeah.. cheers fellas..

i had presumed it was from the wood.

i guess i will have to live with it for a while.. i have like 10kg of it

cant retoast wood can you?

.....and as for cuts... i started doing that.. very time consuming, and i am locked to the still for the duration, now i just got a feeling of where it is.. tastes good to me.. i then combine the 4L, then bottle em again with wood

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:27 pm

cant retoast wood can you?

I don't see why not. I'd figure you just need to toast at a higher temperature to get past the vanillins' stage and move into almondy.

In any case, experiment -- it's not going to make your distillate worse. After all, if you toast too long, and end up with char, you'll get another flavor -- more mellowing, etc.

Go nuts!

Aidas