essences suck

[noobsauce]

So i tried a rum essence in some neutral (I havent tried making flavoured stuff yet but this makes me want to try since it sucked), This stuff tasted horrible. I wont be using it again.

My question is..can this stuff be redistilled to remove the flavour?..or is it sink drain cleaner?

Only one bottle so cost isnt the issue..just wondered can it be thrown in with some backset or something?..or just pour it out?

[Photonic]

I did the same as you, I added some essence to a 750ml bottle of 40% spirit and wasn't impressed.

So I added it to another couple of bottles of low wines, diluted to 20% and ran it through my airstill again. After making some cuts I didn't detect any trace of the essence in the spirit that came out although I'm fairly certain that as it's a potstill there would have been something that carried over.

Now I'm oaking for flavour, but I can't give you any info on that until a few more weeks

[plonker]

Yes, essences do suck.. and most of them contain propylene glycol, which Im not that keen on drinking.

The suckfullness of essences is what got me into pot stilling.. I ran off 5 litres of 3rd generation rum last night, it is so tasty I want to be sipping it for breakfast..

noobsauce, just throw the bottle in with your next neutral wash. I have had to do that to a few myself..

I also have about 12 little bottles of various essences for sale...

[olddog]

I have not used essences for a long time, the ones I have are sitting on a shelf gathering dust.

[Dnderhead]

never used and never will, I go for all natural. I tryed some "quick fixes" just not same. there's a big difference between a good spirits
with good flavor and a "cover up" . sort of like using sugar to cover up bad tasting medicine. you mite be able to swallow it but........

[HookLine]

Only tried 3-4 essences. One of the rum ones was okay. 'Aussie Gold' or something, can't remember exactly. I am guessing it is probably only available in Oz, and maybe NZ.

But definitely not as good as the real thing.

[rubber duck]

I've never used them. I have a still and can make what ever I want so why fake it unless it's going to be better then the real thing?
I've tried essence booze and it's just not that good. ouzo = bs unless it's the real thing.

[blind drunk]

I used some once after I bought a jug of my neighbor's friend's grappa. His stuff was really good but I wanted to punch up the flavor and I thought it did a decent job all thing considered. That's probably because the stuff was decent to begin with and I wasn't trying to hide or cover over something nasty. bd.

[noobsauce]

Like all the replies. Only reason i used the stuff was 'cause im new to this. It did do a good thing though...it made me want to do it the real way .

Only problem im finding, is FINDING the stuff i need ingredient-wise...brew shops where i live have crap (unless you just want to make beer or wine,..which sorta makes sense..hehe)

[Photonic]

It's interesting that you've brought this subject up as I have been wondering what goes into making one of the Still Spirits essences.

Tonight I am running through an experimental wash and while I was waiting, I decided to add essences to shop-bought vodka (I hate vodka, but was willing to oblige in the name of science)

To me, it tasted like the cuts that I label as "heads", well not exactly, but they have the same "stick on your tongue" quality as the bits that I throw after a spirits run on my tiny pot-still.

Is there a connection? Does anyone know what goes into these little bottles of essence?

[goinbroke2]

To be honest, when I started I made white dog then added essences and thought it wasn't too bad. Some friends thought it was great too (or was it because it was free...hmmmLOL)

But since I started oaking and letting it sit for 3-6months....uh yeah, essences do suck.

The one exception I've found is irish cream. I use cream/white dog/sugar and the essence and the wife goes off the deep end! She LOVES it!

Mind you, that's HER drinking it not me..but anyway

Actually I had some peach shnapps that was pretty good too. And the strawberry was HORRIBLE!!!! And green apple shnapps I think it's called, HORRIBLE!!!

I've got probably 7 or 8 bottles of various essences sitting...not being used...never will be used....ever.....

[SuperDavid]

I tried bourban and rum essences when I started and they are just crap.
the only way to get anything close is age your neutral on oak and then ad a bit of essence....but even still it's not the best.
BUT recently I've tried still spirits essences for black sambuca, coconut rum, hazelnut liquor and a couple of others and I've been very surprised.
I never gave essences any credit after i tried the bourbans and rums...but for the liquors...I have to say I'm very impressed.

[noobsauce]

Agree on the irish cream. My wife loves my neutral with that stuff.

[inGOODspirits]

i thought that this was a forum to advance the art of home distilling? Making a statement like "it sucks" is not what we want to hear. If you would like to offer a proper critique of some of the essences that you tried I would like to read it. But just plain bashing a product that has done a lot for this craft is irresponsible. Although you were asking another question, your main heading is quite clear. You come off as a "hater".

[rad14701]

"Hi... My name is rad14701 and I'm an essence hater."

I guess it could be worse... This craft is more about making the real thing than making neutral spirit taste like a liquor store clone... Sure, there are uses for essences, but not for making whiskey and the like...

"Now, where did I leave my neutral spirit essence?"

[inGOODspirits]

not defending essences or try to cause problems. But blind statements like "sucks" and "is crap" is not what helpful to anybody. I was asking for a proper critique.

[olddog]

Distilling spirits and making coffee are similar in the fact that you can make instant coffee out of a can, or use ground beans, the taste is quite different. Likewise you can make spirits using essences, or make a wash using grains etc to achieve your final product, again the taste is quite different. It depends on your level of satisfaction and it's entirely up to you what you are happy to drink.

[kiwistiller]

I believe there is an essence review thread around somewhere, if you are after a critique.

[blanikdog]

... But blind statements like "sucks" and "is crap" is not what helpful to anybody. I was asking for a proper critique.

It seems to me that these so called "blind statements" are a true critique of of the product being discussed. If one wants to achieve a product better than that available through commercial outlets - including Home Brew stores whose proprietors make their profits selling turbo yeast and essences - we try to achieve it by using the traditional and respected methods used for centuries or maybe longer, but the downside is that it requires the accumulation of necessary skills including patience. Lots of patience! I don't see essences being an "advance the art of home distilling".


But what would I know, I'm just a simple pot stiller.

blanik

[olddog]

+1

[SuperDavid]

I was originally against essenses and wanted to do everything "properly' the purist way, which is fine for real bourban and rum.
When it comes to liqueurs I am fairly confident that I couldn't even come close to the flavours I'm getting out of the essenses.
Ammaretto I can do with out brew shop essenses....but I still use almond extract so that not exactly authentic either.
The still spirit hazelnut liqueur is awesome...and I'm very sure that I couldn't even get close to replicating that without extracts and essenses. The awesome roasted hazelnut smell that comes out of it knocks my socks off every time. If there was ever an essense any of you should try, that should be it. Try it...and if you can beat that flavour doing it old school then let me know, because I'll need that recipe.

[noobsauce]

not defending essences or try to cause problems. But blind statements like "sucks" and "is crap" is not what helpful to anybody. I was asking for a proper critique.

You want a real critique?..Get ready for it......

I made neutral and used a rye essence....Something wasnt right. I made a real batch of rye and was good....ergo rye essence "sucked"...

I made neutral and tried a rum essence....hmmmm something wasnt right again....Oddly my rum batch though "raw" atm tastes right...seeing the trend....?

Imo essences suck...yeah my wife likes the irish cream but for me given the choice between liquers and sobriety...sobriety wins.

To sum up i value this site more for being able to make what i want...not what i can fake.

[rad14701]

I think a lot of the problem with essences is peoples expectations... A refined palate is going to tell the difference between the real thing and essence laced spirits... You'll get taste but not body... The subtle notes imparted by a proper aging process won't be there either because they haven't figured out how to bottle time... Sure, a casual drinker or someone who prefers mixed drinks won't know the difference - bust someone who knows what they're sensing for will...

[inGOODspirits]

using essence is like making orange juice from a flavored power and sugar. Sure it isn't freshly squeezed oranges but I couldn't say "cool aid sucks" because people expect that if you use flavored powder and sugar to make orange juice it will taste like a sweet flavored water, somewhat like orange juice. I am quite unhappy with some of the essences that I tried. I bet the "dark Jamaican rum" was not even tasted buy the people who made it. Yet I am happy with some that I tried, some of them need to be oaked for a week or two. I have also noticed that they loose there flavor after about six months and need to be re-disstilled to start over.

When I sit down to enjoy a drink I sip my pot stilled.

When I sit down to finish a bottle I reach for my "cool aid".






I just can't keep up with a pot still