Wheat Whiskey

[Freddy57]

About 4 years ago, I tasted a wheat whiskey, I think it was Canadian, and oh was it good. There isn't much of this stuff in the market place so I decided I want to try to recreate the experience at home. I designed a base recipe that I think might work, but I wanted to run it by you guys to see if I am on the right track.

I was planning to use:
10 lbs of pale barley malt
25 lbs of white wheat malt

This would yield about 10 gallons of wash with a SG of about 1.115, and should ferment out to about 11% ABV.

Does this look like it would work or do I need to add something to make it work?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[rubber duck]

I see a couple of things.

1. you could do a all malt wheat if you want to, wheat has plenty of diastic power.

2. your abv is going to be way to high. Shoot for a 6% wash you will get a nicer product.

[Freddy57]

I see a couple of things.

1. you could do a all malt wheat if you want to, wheat has plenty of diastic power.

2. your abv is going to be way to high. Shoot for a 6% wash you will get a nicer product.

Thanks Rubber duck, I was wondering about how strong I wanted to make my wash, I guess I could cut back on the malt and just use wheat, that would definitely enhance the wheat flavor.

[rubber duck]

That's what I'm thinking your after a wheat whiskey so why not, the malts are about the same price.

Just curious are you doing a on grain or off grain ferment?

[Dnderhead]

there is two that I know of.... Bernheim made by Heaven Hill,Kentucky

Dry fly made in Washington state ,100% wheat (at this time sold only in Washington)

[scotty]

I am wondering how making a wash with just malt computes to a possible 11% ABV potential?
I was under the impression that a wash that is properly attended could produce about 8%potential ABV but not 11% unless sugar/etc was aded.

I'm re reading the post and see over 3 pounds of grain to the gallon. i usually use a bit over 2 pounds to get 8% ABV. is that where the higher 11 % comes from??

[Dnderhead]

yes Scotty the starch in grain along with enzymes convert to sugars. then just like sugar the more there is ,the higher the possible
ABV.I have herd and tried upward of 4 lb (2KG) per gal. (4L). at this rate it can become so thick it can become unmanageable and inefficient.

there is a difference in wheat. "red" wheat will tends to be more "spicy",,white tends to be a bit "creamy"

[Freddy57]

That's what I'm thinking your after a wheat whiskey so why not, the malts are about the same price.

Just curious are you doing a on grain or off grain ferment?

I was thinking of doing an on-grain ferment. Does that affect the flavor of the finished product?

[Freddy57]

I am wondering how making a wash with just malt computes to a possible 11% ABV potential?
I was under the impression that a wash that is properly attended could produce about 8%potential ABV but not 11% unless sugar/etc was aded.

I'm re reading the post and see over 3 pounds of grain to the gallon. i usually use a bit over 2 pounds to get 8% ABV. is that where the higher 11 % comes from??

Getting a really high ABV can be accomplished in two ways. Either mash a lot of grain in little water and then circulate the water through the grain until most of the sugars are washed out, or you can wash out the sugars using a larger amount of water and then boil it down to concentrate the sugars. In brewing beer, the latter method is used a lot to make winter beers with about a 10% ABV.

[rubber duck]

Don't know I've always done wheat on grain when distilling.

[Freddy57]

Don't know I've always done wheat on grain when distilling.

I was thinking that by fermenting on-grain, I would get better utilization and expend a little less grain in the process. Do you boil your liquid before you ferment to kill the bacteria or does it matter in this case?

[rubber duck]

No I don't boil, if you do that you will denature any enzymes still active after your initial conversion. just pitch a big healthy yeast starter and you will be ok.

[Bull Rider]

If you're going to ferment "on grain" consider how you're going to separate the grain from the liquid at the end of the ferment.

I just did a half ground corn with half flaked maize and it was a Stone Bitch to get the liquid off of the grain bed. I ended up mashing the goo through a colander that was inside a five gallon bucket. I had about twelve gallons of goo to keep me entertained.

Tried a paint strainer bag, tried a large metal mesh strainer, everything just plugged due to the flaked maize.

I'll not do that recipe again... but I'm still pecking away at all grain mashing.

[Freddy57]

If you're going to ferment "on grain" consider how you're going to separate the grain from the liquid at the end of the ferment.

I just did a half ground corn with half flaked maize and it was a Stone Bitch to get the liquid off of the grain bed. I ended up mashing the goo through a colander that was inside a five gallon bucket. I had about twelve gallons of goo to keep me entertained.

Tried a paint strainer bag, tried a large metal mesh strainer, everything just plugged due to the flaked maize.

I'll not do that recipe again... but I'm still pecking away at all grain mashing.

Interesting problem...sounds like loads of fun...
I have a 10 gallon Mash Lautering Tun that I use for brewing. It is a 10 gallon rubber maid water cooler with a stainless steel braid inside for separating the liquid from the grains. I could pour a pound of rice hulls in the bottom to keep the braid from clogging and then slowly drain off the liquid as I move the mash into it. That would solve the problem of grain in the wash.

[Adam78k]

Ive done a 12 gallon all wheat recipe. Before as same setup as you and didn't get stick sparge. Grind. The Wheat a little courser also for 6 gallons use 1.5 lbs rice hulls. Half on bottom half stirred in with mash. If you can do a mash out step in the cooler raiising the temperature of the wort to 168 f to help loosen the grain bed.

[Dnderhead]

i thank it will help if you do a stepped mash.when doing wheat/oats/and a few others
about 110f/140f/150f/160f
or some have luck with a slow heat up starting below 90f

[short bus]

I have been making nothing but wheat whiskey for a year now. Well kinda of wheat whiskey as I use All Bran cereal, wheat bran and germ and have learned alot! I am not yet ready to go the AG route. I love wheat whiskey, too! I have never been able to locate a commercially made one locally. I can get about five differn't versions of "Shine and none of them are as good as mine!! You definately have my attention. Keep up the good work and let me know what happens.

SB

[Prairiepiss]

I started working on an AG wheat whiskey some time back. Got two batches done using flaked wheat. With a few problems here and there. Learned a lot with that experience. I decided to go with whole grains after that. I malted some. Have the grains all ready to be crushed. And here I sit. Grain mill not even close to being done. Mash tun built and the rest of my AG equipment half way built. I need to get on it. So I can get back to cookin. And get the process down. You van read about my trials if you want. I learned a lot from these guys around here. Maybe you cam learn from some of my mistakes.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 32&t=25386

[short bus]

Good luck Mr. P! After trying several different versions of my recipie, the original is by far the best and smoothest. It is just so damn expensive. I going to try white wheat malt next. See you on the other thread.

SB