sweetfeed whisky

[Kentucky shinner]

can you post a pic of your cap? it may just be some foam. I would not throw it out. Is it air locked or are you doing a open ferment?

[eveready]

It's caped now and I think your right. The feed is settleing and just yeast bubbleing now. It does look like mold but it is wet to touch and still working. Thanks I'll let it go and see. I don't have a working camera right now.

[Kentucky shinner]

Let it work off. I think you will be fine. Let us know.
KS

[The Baker]

I started a 6 gal. batch of sweetfeed it was working very well but on day 6 it has a cap on it that looks like mold. It is real fine and white. Has anyone had this? Is it still useable or should I dump it? This is my first batch and not sure.

I've had a mould on an apple ferment that sounds a bit like what you describe.
Make sure you stir down the cap every day, and that probably won't happen.
Stir vigorously the first day or two.
After that stir gently as the yeast enters the alcohol production phase and adding more oxygen will revert it to the mainly-growth stage.

[acfixer69]

KS
Im going to try this one for sure. I have located two sweetfeeds one at Agway that is called Nutrean Stock and Stable and the other is at Trackor supply called Producers Pride. Both are mentioned in the thread I couldn't find any results or comments as to pellets. Did I miss it or Does anyone know if these are any good.
Thanks AC

[rad14701]

I have located two sweetfeeds one at Agway that is called Nutrean Stock and Stable and the other is at Trackor supply called Producers Pride. Both are mentioned in the thread I couldn't find any results or comments as to pellets.

I can't comment whether there is a seasonal difference or not but I have seen Producers Pride Sweet Feed at Tractor Supply both with and without alfalfa pellets... Check the ingredients list on the bags carefully... I haven't paid close attention as to whether a specific % blend mix has made a difference, however...

[KY1792]

I bought a 50lb sack of Triple Crown Horse Feed - 14% Performance Formula that you referenced back on page 3 of this thread from Southern States, it looks very close to the picture you have on your website for sweet feed. It does have small 1/8"dia x 1/4" tubular pellets which can also be seen in your photo.

I just mixed up my first batch and the sweet feed smelled good enough to eat right out of the bag. I followed the instructions from the first post and put in 4" of feed and about 7lbs of sugar, just before pitching the yeast my hydrometer read about 1.06 @88F (uncorrected for 68F).

One question I have is when you pitch the yeast do you just gently stir it into the liquid top part or do you also stir it into the bottom 4" of settled sweet feed too? (I did a little of both) I guess a weeks time or more will tell as it is still a bit cool here at 60F (I used 3 tbs of super start distillers yeast) and wrapped the bucket with a blanket.

Second question, when I go to rack do I siphon off just above the grain bed or should I attach a screen and pull from the bottom? Since I have only done sugar washes I have a 1" standoff on the bottom of my racking cane.

Thanks again for the recipe, I read all 25 pages - twice.

[rad14701]

One question I have is when you pitch the yeast do you just gently stir it into the liquid top part or do you also stir it into the bottom 4" of settled sweet feed too? (I did a little of both) I guess a weeks time or more will tell as it is still a bit cool here at 60F (I used 3 tbs of super start distillers yeast) and wrapped the bucket with a blanket.

There is no preferred method, per se... Some sprinkle on top and leave it while others, including myself, stir it in during aeration...

Second question, when I go to rack do I siphon off just above the grain bed or should I attach a screen and pull from the bottom? Since I have only done sugar washes I have a 1" standoff on the bottom of my racking cane.

Rack down to just above the trub layer, trying not to disturb the yeast bed if at all possible... Using a screen or filter will prove problematic at best... Yeast are so fine that they will either make their way through or clog up a filter... If you want to get more wash out of the grain bed you can use an old pillow case to strain it into another vessel, let it clear, and rack, once you have done your initial racking...

[Kentucky shinner]

Thanks for catching that for me Rad..
KS

[Tuna]

I picked up some sweetfeed a couple weeks ago in the feedstore. She gave me a funny look when I asked for sweetfeed. I guess the common name here is wet cob. Wet cob has molasses on it, dry cob doesnt. She knew right off what I was looking for, but told me to call it wet cob when I come in if she isnt there, because anybody else probably wont know what I want.

Did the stripping run yesterday and broke it out over several jars so I could taste it today after airing it out a bit. Will run it again today and see what I get for a final product. It smelled good fermenting.

[singlemaltluv]

Just got back from the feed store and learned a little something while there. I've build a good rapport with the owner of the store and was able to ask him about the sweet feed that he had. Again when I asked for sweet feed just as everyone else he asked me what I was going to use it for. I told him that I was going to use it for a feed plot for deer. He then asked me if I wanted the pellets or the all grain bill. He then went on to tell me that the all grain bill used nothing but grain. Right then and there I said to myself (BINGO). So for you guys out there that is going to the feed store to buy this ask for an all grain bill sweet feed and this should eliminate your headaches of getting one with the pellets. Oh by the way I also bought a bag from a different store yesterday which I will be taken back because in the list it had peanuts hulls which I don't think would be an good addition to this. Good luck and thanks for all the information that is on this board for those that don't care to read it.

[bgrizzle]

Just got my first S.F. whisky ferments going! I put about 2" of sweet feed and about 2" of cracked corn in the bottom of my fermenter that I bought on http://www.hillbillystills.com. I added 10lbs of sugar. I will top to 6 gallons and add bakers yeast here after a while. I'm going out of town and will run this in a few weeks when I get back home. I dont drink a lot Whisky, but I'm exited about this stuff... Its smells so good after pouring the boiling water on the sweet feed!

Side Note: The HillBillyStills.com fermenters are awesome! I think they may be the same as BrewHaus, but they are awesome!!! I like how the lid seals tight, but its still easy to remove. The lid is much easier to remove then a 5 gallon bucket you buy at the hardware store. I also like the handles on the side...

I will update again after I run the wash! Cheers!

[Pooyan]

Having done a number of All Bran's and stocked up on some very tastfull Vodka, i'm now eager to try-out a different kind of recipe.

Not really a Whisky drinker myself but i have some good friends that are.. will try pot still and reflux, the pot still product will go on oak (yet have to dive in the whole oak-aging part.... ) i have a supply of dry oak-wood around the house for use in my wood stove, i'm not sure however if it's the right type of oak, have to verify that.

Started my first Sweet Feed ferment today, did some searching on the internet for a local horsefeed dealer, i had no clue where to find one nearbye.... went home with a 20kg bag of Havens power plus mix.
Made a batch of 25L in total, poured 8L boiling tapwater in the fermenter on top of 3kg sweet feed, added 5kg of sugar and stirred well for 15 min.
1 hr later i added 12,5L of cold tapwater to reach the 25L mark. temp was around 30C and starting SG was 1.072 (temp corrected)
Sprinkled 9 tblsp of Bruggeman's instant dry yeast on top and loosely placed the lit on the ferment vessel.

Smells good and it's bubbling away!

[Kentucky shinner]

You will need to get some heart wood for your aging and toast it a little. you want your wood from the heart of the trunk.
Good luck with the sweet feed.. one of my favorites

[stevo68]

hi there
been making neutrals for a bit and time to try something new
we dont have sweet feed as such around here so i just asked for horse feed with all grain and molasses ( brand was hygain)
a bit dearer than what you buy in the states by the sound of it $30 for 22.5 kgs
anyway mixed it all up as per recipe
cant believe how fast it was.from 1.065 down to under 1.00 in two days
just gonna let it settle for a few days and run it
cant wait to try it
cheers

[bladesedge81]

Well I'm giving it a go, but not holding high hopes for it.
I went with some sweet feed we had for the horse. It was pellets, but smells good enough to eat, no alfalfa.

Think I'm gonna check with the local feedstores and see if one has an all grain.
Gonna go ahead and finish this one out of curiosity. Should it turn out bad I imagine it'll be a good addition to the compost pile for the garden.

[docdredd]

A few questions if I may...
1. Does this formulation scale up well?
2.Is it ok to multiply times 4 for example and make up a 24 gal batch. or does that much grain in the bottom of the fermenter not allow enough contact for a good ferment.

[Dnderhead]

why not?if that is what you want then do it.

[Kentucky shinner]

Yep it scales up just fine. I do it all the time.. use enough yeast to cover the surface of your ferment. It works great.
KS

[docdredd]

Thank you kind sir. Off to the mill on monday..

[Billy Hill]

I ran my first run over the weekend and it was great. Single run on a pot still produced a flavorful drink. After running some back thru a second time it still had a great flavor. I am very happy with a single run and could not wait to get the backset cooled down enough to start things up again. The horse is going to bite me for stealing all his feed

[Dnderhead]

""The horse is going to bite me for stealing all his feed""
he can have it when your done,just let it air out first.

[docdredd]

That would be a crappy way to get found out. Some one reports a stumbling horse to the authorities....

[Rargh]

Here in the UK i think we call sweetfeed 'Coarse mix' quite a lot of that has grass and or alfalfa pellets in it.
I am assuming they are no good and i need to fond one without the grass?

[Smokehouse Shiner]

That would be a fair assumption, Rargh.

[Kentucky shinner]

yes go with all grain..

[mash rookie]

Finally got my hands on some sweet feed and cracked corn. Who would have thought there was a feed store in the middle of a large city.

They stuck it to me though. $20 for 25 lbs of corn. The sweet feed was $17 for 50 lbs
I realized that the corn meal I was using just did not have enough nutrients for my UJSSM.

Anyway…. After running my UJSSM and nocking up another batch with cracked corn,

I used some of my UJSSM backset to start a 5 gallon batch of sweet feed whiskey. (just couldnt resist)

What do you think guys? Will that change the sweet feed flavor much?

[Stilly]

Mash Rookie, You can get sweet feed and cracked corn at Walmart superstores, maybe the smaller Walmarts too. Way cheaper than the price you paid.

cheers
stilly

[mash rookie]

Thanks Stilly. I am proud to say that I have never stepped foot into a Wally World store. I never will.

I wasn’t really complaining about how much I spent. Just noting it was more than people quote here.

I would rather support a Ma and Pa operation and pay more than give my money to a large Corp that imports all their shit from China.

I think it is funny that people talk about the high cost of sugar and how much more expensive sugar is than grain. Sugar is about 50 cents a pound. Seems cheap to me.
I looked at the two high priced bags of grain I bought and thought holy shit. I will never use all that! I will be making booze from them for a whole damn year!

Besides the fun of making my own stuff, even with the highest price ingredients, it cost less than a quarter of the price of booze from my liquor store. (once I threw away all the first un drinkable crap I made)

Mash Rookie

[Coyote]

Mash Rookie, Wilco, D&B, local Grain Grower stores are all over the NW. I buy sweet feed in bulk by the ton last at $185/ ton.
But I see it in the grain grower and D & B for $ 12 bucks / 50 # or $240 / ton

Good stillin'