What'd ya'll make today?

logwarrior · Post by **logwarrior** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:58 pm

15 gals of corn mash, gonna make a couple gallons of gin

mikeac · Post by **mikeac** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:04 pm

I got tired of waiting for my rum to finish fermemnting...so I started 2 more buckets full and a batch of wine...I love the look of my fermenting closet now!

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:49 am

I finally found some time and crushed up about 25 lbs of apples with some sugar and set it to ferment with ec 1118. The apples were leftovers from a catering job... I have 2 quarts of apple low wine made from leftover apples last year... Plan on combining the two and making some brandy.

jake · Post by **jake** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:01 pm

finaly got my sorgum!!! 5 gal at 16%
ran my apple. drying some apple wood to toast. got some on dry apples.
5 gal malt ready to run.
5 gal grape ready to run.
need to make some more ruhm.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:30 am

Today I'm running a sweet barley mash. Will use the backset to sourmash a fresh round of barley and compare the two after the resulting distillate has had time to oak for two months.

I've got two oat berry UJSMs sitting in line to be run, so after I've run them, I'll have a nice 10 liters of UJSM oatwhiskey to age.

Aidas

mtnwalker2 · Post by **mtnwalker2** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:32 am

Aidas wrote:I've got two oat berry UJSMs sitting in line to be run, so after I've run them, I'll have a nice 10 liters of UJSM oatwhiskey to age.

Aidas

The oats are one of my most favorite of all. Just a word of caution to not over oak them if at all. It will totally mask the very delicate oat flavor.

frikz · Post by **frikz** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:59 pm

Started a 70 L sugar wash (sugar/tomato puree/citric acid/water). Went for a 1.06 SG this time rather than the 1.09 of my previous wash, I'm curious whether there will be a difference in taste (which might be hard to tell since the vodka from the previous batch turned out really nicely)

Post by **HookLine** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:24 pm

All other things being equal it should be smoother. But it does also depend a bit on what yeast you are using.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:43 am

mtnwalker2 wrote:
The oats are one of my most favorite of all. Just a word of caution to not over oak them if at all. It will totally mask the very delicate oat flavor.

I toast on medium toasted oak fingers. Usually 2 months for just about everything. Strangely, some recipes take on more flavor and color from the oak than others... never really figured out why.

I've just tasted some of the first run. Wow, very smooth, very delicate (nice choice of words you had mtnwalker).

How long do you oak for?

Aidas

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:43 pm

Ran the tester batch of peach wine today.
Got 5 litres total and kept some for samplin, with the rest going back as feints for future spirit runs of it.

Got 1 litre hearts on toasted oak @ 40% and 1.25 litres hearts @54% stayin white.

The daughter will be home 4 xmas and she don't drink hardly ever, only hits the cruisers and looly drinks while shes out with the girls twice a year. Lookin forwards to makin some concoctions

Hope she approves

It's one person i would like to impress

Did a spirit run on 17 litres UJSM low wines after that, 10.4 litres @63% to the barrell, tell ya, i'm ready for a beer

mtnwalker2 · Post by **mtnwalker2** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:03 am

Aidas wrote:
mtnwalker2 wrote:
Strangely, some recipes take on more flavor and color from the oak than others... never really figured out why.

I've just tasted some of the first run. Wow, very smooth, very delicate (nice choice of words you had mtnwalker).

How long do you oak for?

Aidas

I thought it was just me, but yes, i have noticed big differences in coloration and taste with different spirits.

As for the oats, I found that airing out per Wineo's suggestion, especially the tails section in small amounts really changed and helped them so I could add a bit more to the hearts.

You'll be amazed what even a few weeks will make. For myself, I age without oak, as I prefer the taste that way. Wineo and I both found that it is really easy to over oak and hide the good taste of the oats. I had some of his that only sat on oak for a week and it was just right. We also found that to retain full flavor, not to cut it down to much. I didn't realize his bottle was still 120 proof, it tasted like around 85 or 90 and I drank it like that with obvious result. Too dang good.

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:40 pm

I decided to run all my bi-carbed heads (about 15 litres) through the Bokakob today, man, I had forgotten how much more stuffing around there is compared to my pot. I needed some vodka to try my hand at the panty dropper recipe. Strawberries are finally cheap enough around these parts.

As-Ol-Joe · Post by **As-Ol-Joe** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:49 pm

Started a boiled corn mash on 12/1/07

3 1/2 lbs of corn boiled in 2 gallons of water for about 30 minutes(water started getting thick)
8 lbs sugar
Let it cool down, topped up to 5 gallons
added 1 tbsp of distillers yeast(pre started)
Starting spg 1.071

It has been gassing off for 10 days now, hard and steady. I have never had a mash ferment so vigoriously for so long.

Was hoping to distill tomorrow. I think I will just check spg.

12/11/07

checked spg. itis 1.022, gave it a stir and put the lid back on it. Still has a sweet taste. Guess I'll check it in a few more days.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:20 am

Half way through my third strip for the day. That'll be 120 litres of Peach Wine done and 60 litres to go tommorrow

Getting about 7 litres tween 61% and 20% per run. Should give me a bit over 30 litres low wines per drum of wine.
2 drums wine should be about 40-50 litres 65% for aging

StorageIsBecomingProblematicPunkin

Post by **HookLine** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 4:59 pm

Sounds nice, Punkin.

I ended up with about 40 litres of mango pulp, and topped it up to 60 litres with some raw sugar and a little food grade molasses, used some Red Star Montrachet yeast (instead of my usual bakers yeast), and it is now bubbling happily away with a solid cap on it. The smell coming off it is delicious!

Can't wait for this one. Hope I can run it before Xmas.

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:29 pm

Vinegar

Post by **bronzdragon** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:38 pm

LOL at Coops. We've all been there ... sorry to hear about such a large loss. Hopefully you can at least salvage some neutral out of it.

I've got the unit loaded up for a 5 gal run of sourmash tmw. I'm getting off of my standard procedure of doing stripping runs and then a final. I had one bucket left and wanted to get all my buckets cleaned out for the holidays so I'm running this off through the full column with one copper scrubber in it for good measure. I should get about 85% from it.

~r~

logwarrior · Post by **logwarrior** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:25 pm

did my first run on my corn wash...

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:38 pm

just pitched the starter in what i hope turns out to be a mildly flavored potstill vodka. i used 15lbs of sugar,1lb of brown sugar laying around,1lb of rolled oats,50ozs of apple sauce,and the juice of two lemons. i put all this in with 5gal of water and brought to a boil. put in fermenter and topped of to about 13gals. triple scale said about 7.5%. syphoned out 1/2 qt and added 3 packs active dry bakers yeast and shook the head down for an hour and then pitched. i hope to get a mild vodka with one run from my pot. might be wishfull thinking but we will soon see.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:17 pm

Made Xmas Baileys today.

Just sitting here with a glass now....mmmmmmm

Baileys.

Whip 3 farm eggs till fluffy.
Keep beating with the mixer as you add...
Add 2 cups DWWWG (or other 40%)
1 can sweetened condensed milk,
about the same of thick cream
1 tablespoon of chocolate topping
1 teaspoon of good vannilla extract.

Shake before pouring over ice...

We only usually make it at xmas time, because it's just too good, we'd be fat as fools if we drank it all year.

Beautiful as a small heartstarter after your morning coffee over the holidays

Safegyde · Post by **Safegyde** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:45 am

Today I made myself nervous. I am a long time reader and first time poster.

I would like to just take a small second and say thanks to all you experienced people out there who are sharing your knowledge of this fine art with us novices. Without you guys there would be a lot more guess work.

I built my first still, a pot still with a thumper, a two gallon ss boiler with all copper tubings. I am proud! I ran some cleaning runs and a run of cheap wine from the store. It came out wonderful. I don't have a hydrometer so I don't know the exact %abv but you couldn't even smell it without it burning your nose! I diluted it down to around 80proof and it is great.

I made myself nervous today because I think that my first mash is going to get stuck. I used distilled water which I later read should have been drinking water and I didn't use any nutrients at all. I made a sugar wash with some highly active bakers yeast. I inverted the sugar with some lemons on the stove and started the yeast with a diluted solution of the same cooled down to around 95 deg. F (the package said to start it at 130!!) It started off nicely and has been working well for the last few days. I aireated it nicely and covered with plastic wrap with a few small holes in it, then placed a towel over that and taped it into place. It has a nice bready/beer smell to it and is still bubbling so I should be alright....hopefully. I'll check it later and if it is dying off and still tastes sweet I will make another starter with some tomato paste and more yeast and pitch it in a little at a time. Wish me luck as this is going to be a Christmas gift for my friends if it turns out ok.

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:08 pm

you can use filtered water but toss in some gypsum to help things along. I use about a tablespoon per 5 gallons.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:34 am

Just finished a second run of oat UJSM. Ended up with 4 liters of 78 ABV, and now have dilluted it down to 40%. I'm going to do an experiment on oaking oak whiskey -- I've started a thread in flavoring and ageing.

Aidas

wineo · Post by **wineo** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:05 pm

You can over oak oat whiskey real easy so go slow,and taste it often.
If you oak it like you do corn,you will over do it.

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:20 pm

a new copper potstill!

see my post "My Minnie Copper Potstill."

mtnwalker2 · Post by **mtnwalker2** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 7:07 pm

I have just started a new venture. Fermented milk. Besides making a sour femented milk type of beer, I am seperating straining and filtering out the solics to make cheeses. I have about 22#'s of curds draining at present. Since i can now do this every 4 days, I intend to put small cheese rounds int flavored brandies, rum, etc. like you would feta in brine. Probably won't work, but will be fun trying. One batch, will have some elderberries mixed in to a soft cheese and aged naturalllly. This I know works for red fermented rice. Something for me to have fun playing with and experimenting. Can't lose with that attitude and adventure, win or fail. My chickens, dogs and cats all hope I fail. Yum!

grainhopper · Post by **grainhopper** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:19 pm

I started yesterday and has run into today.

I am running a spirit run of 5.5 gallons of USJM.

Yesterday I also made up a cereal bran type whiskeky and a started a concentrated wine intended for brandy.

I was really busy. I like to multitask. Wife watch the still kids bring me this/that and make post.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:25 pm

Got all the family home, cooking for the little ones now.

About to throw the fresh pasta i made em in the pot, they're all exxcited to see what Coca cola Pasta tastes like

Kinda interested myself, boiled down a bottle of coke to a thick syrup, and added it to the eggs and flour, will make em a basic ham/tomato herb sauce for it and see

Post by **HookLine** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:39 pm

You got some standby food just in case it doesn't work out?

Getting a bit late to stock up on fresh supplies now.

And it is just about time for Xmas eve drinks here.

Cheers all.

Safegyde · Post by **Safegyde** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:17 pm

I'm at freaking work!!!!

Made some brandy yesterday. Turned out nice.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!!!!