sweetfeed whisky

[Stainless dude]

I've never had to mess with ph on a sweetfeed wash, this isn't that hard. Don't make it harder than it has to be...

[Truckinbutch]

I start checking and adjusting ph on third and subsequent generations of sweet feed .

[redneckgeek]

Just starting my 1st mash of COB sweet feed.
Although I have not read all 194 pages, it appears there is little discussion on starting PH. My wash is at 5.0 without any PH adjustment. Is this OK?

For my BW's wash, I adjust the starting PH to 4.0 and try to keep it there for the duration of the fermentation.......it works well.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Don't worry about it on this unless you are running multiple generations, I have never checked my ph and never had an issue.

[Still Water]

Just starting my 1st mash of COB sweet feed.
Although I have not read all 194 pages, it appears there is little discussion on starting PH. My wash is at 5.0 without any PH adjustment. Is this OK?

For my BW's wash, I adjust the starting PH to 4.0 and try to keep it there for the duration of the fermentation.......it works well.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Don't worry about it on this unless you are running multiple generations, I have never checked my ph and never had an issue.

X2, my P.H. did not get crazy low untill I started my 4th gen.

Cheers

[Loganmeister]

Just starting my 1st mash of COB sweet feed.
Although I have not read all 194 pages, it appears there is little discussion on starting PH. My wash is at 5.0 without any PH adjustment. Is this OK?

For my BW's wash, I adjust the starting PH to 4.0 and try to keep it there for the duration of the fermentation.......it works well.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Yeah, I have done 5 runs of SF 5gal batches and no issues with ph. I would however suggest you mash up some raisins, bring to boil then simmer for a while. I have read it is good for nutrients and added flavor and sweetness. I add a cup regular and cup of golden. Make sure there are no preservatives as this will mess with ferment. If you are worried, lemon juice will raise it.

[Loganmeister]

Well, I started this hobby to just make xmas presents of Apple Pie Shine and I found a new passion. I'm new guys to the hobby, this is my second post on here and I'm a noob so bare with me here guys.
wow. 192 pages. I can't say I read all of it but I have learned a lot. I need to read more about generations as I have been doing my SF runs a little different or should I say way different and not as effective. I have distilled 4 5 gallon runs to learn before joining the forum. Got the process off the net and the taste of the hearts is PERFECT!!!! And I can still see. (yes I am using SS and copper.) but it will be even better now that I will be keeping the grains in the ferment buckets for the ferment process I am sure.

With my process I cooked my mash (sweet feed COB) at 150 degrees then strained it, cooled it to 90 degrees, pitched my yeast and fermented for about 6 days. I then stripped it down to 20 proof and I'm ready for the second distill when I get 4 gallons and then I will do my cuts from there. In the process of learning, I guess I skipped the section on generations. I have been feeding the left over grains from the mash to the neighbors goats and ummmmm........putting the left overs from the ferment and the distillation process...............ummmm down the toilet. Then I start all over from scratch. Oh and did I mention I even forgot what these parts are called.

Off to learn about generations and basic terms...........and I will give this cook process a go............wow I have so much to learn but...........I love the taste and am so excited to be learning a new hobby. The hearts taste so sweet and smooth and mixed with a apple pie recipe...........WOW!

I am rather new as well, so I understand where you are coming from. I personally am not running generations from this recipe like some are. I might read some more on it. But the way I see it if I do it all exactly the same every time it should always come out exactly the same every time maybe minor differences. When you start messing with generations your flavors will start changing from what I read and you get into some real chemistry with PH balance and stuff. (call me crazy but as a hobby that is a lot of extra work...lol)

I would like to learn how people are maintaining QC with their generations as I am in agreement with you. I just need to learn more I guess.

[Loganmeister]

I forgot to mention this process saved me a hour's worth of power as I was cooking my SF at 150 degrees. Tomorrow I'm running my last ferment and strip next week using this new method. I add one cup reg raisins and one cup golden simmered for 20 min in a quart of spring water to my mash. I bet it will have much more flavor as I will let my SF mash sit in with the wash during ferment, then rack for the strip.

[Loganmeister]

I plan to follow this process as it shows great success. But, I am confused. Since we are adding boiling water at 220 degrees, why doesn't this kill off some of the enzymes found in SF as Corn, barley, oats etc, have a temp you do not want to exceed as it will kill off the enzymes needed for starch conversion. hmmmmm Shouldn't the goal be a steady 150 degrees and no hotter than 160 degrees? This is the reason why I have been heating my SF to 150 and holding it about there for an hour.

Will someone clear up the confusion as to why this procedure is successful as adding 220 degree water just seems too hot........even if it does cool down eventually. O would think this is instant shock and death.

[Jimbo]

Sweetfeed is a sugarhead recipe. The sweetfeed itself just provides some flavor. The sugar added is what the yeast turn into hooch.

You can do an all grain mash with sweetfeed, it turns out real good, but you need some malted barley to add the enzymes. They are not natural on the raw grains in the sweetfeed. Read up on AG brewing here to know how to do that properly. Also recommend a grind on the sweetfeed if yorue going to do an All Grain to break up the whole grains so the enzymes can get at it.

Cheers.

[Loganmeister]

Sweetfeed is a sugarhead recipe. The sweetfeed itself just provides some flavor. The sugar added is what the yeast turn into hooch.

You can do an all grain mash with sweetfeed, it turns out real good, but you need some malted barley to add the enzymes. They are not natural on the raw grains in the sweetfeed. Read up on AG brewing here to know how to do that properly. Also recommend a grind on the sweetfeed if yorue going to do an All Grain to break up the whole grains so the enzymes can get at it.

Cheers.

Well, that explains it thanks. Malted barley awww..........I forgot that. Somehow I thought the barley that is in my cob would do that but, it didn't go through the malting process...........makes complete sense to me now. 2row malted barley here I came. I plan to search for it, but any recommended amount of 2 row for the 7. some odd pounds of SF?

I was wondering why my iodine test kept it so dark as the malted barley was not there to fully convert. AG brewing section here I come.

[Jimbo]

Instead of giving you the fish, how about I teach ya to fish? Do a search on DP or diastatic power here and youll learn well how to put together an all grain recipe with the right amount of enzymes. Anything more you want to know please start another thread tho. This sweetfeed thread is for questions about the sweetfeed sugarhead recipe. Thanks.

[Loganmeister]

Instead of giving you the fish, how about I teach ya to fish? Do a search on DP or diastatic power here and youll learn well how to put together an all grain recipe with the right amount of enzymes. Anything more you want to know please start another thread tho. This sweetfeed thread is for questions about the sweetfeed sugarhead recipe. Thanks.

Thanks Jimbo, now that I know what it is called I'm on my way to a better understanding of what I am trying to talk about and achieve. DP here I come......

[Jasonr]

Running my first gen of this as we speak and I have to say, even the heads smell nice

[Jasonr]

Ran for 2.5 hours on a 6g wash.
So far before airing out I'm smelling 24oz of heads.
45oz of hearts and then started to run into tails.

Seems a little low to me but I think the more I run this the better I'll get at this recipe.

[Jimbo]

Jason, there's too many variables to understand first to be able to tell you if thats good or bad. But whats important is you like it. Make your cuts to your taste. Remember too, the second word of this thread isint vodka, so dont smell and taste your cuts for total cleanness. Unless of course thats what you like. The art of making a nice whiskey is largely in the cuts (and mash, ferment and aging) And that doesnt mean cut out everythign that doesnt smell neutral. the more runs you do the better you get at it. You need to see what time and oak does too. It all comes with time and experience.

Yes 40 oz in 6 gallons seems low tho. In general.

[Jasonr]

I'll end up tossing more tails into my final product than normal because I use the neutrals in mixing it into apple pie, peach, key lime pie or lemonade.

[Jasonr]

I messed up. That's why the output was too low. I should have run longer. I just went in and smelled and tasted a little more. Jar 6 tastes the same as jar 9 and that's where I shut it down because of the tail smell. They all smell the same now even after a short time of airing out. Sooooo.... 1/2 gallon of tasty stuff in the jars lol.

Ya live and learn. That's what I love about this hobby

[Thebigthumpa]

Hi, ran my first ever spirit run (25l wash) ran slow at about 4-5 drops/sec. After throwing out foreshots, I collected into 500ml jars. First jar was at 75%, 2nd at 78%, 3rd at 73%, 4th at 70%, 5th at 60%. Then I collected the rest into a drum of previously stripped washes.
I have taste tested all, mixed 50% with water, and cannot tell much of a difference between them except 5 smelling a lot sweeter than the rest, and 1 having alot more "bite".
As I have not blended and mixed/cut before, and don't know what it should taste like, advise would be great. I am thinking of mixing 2,3,4 together and watering down to oak, and mixing 1&5 and watering down to oak (if it doesn't turn out I can al ways put it in with the low wines and re run it.
All advise and tips would be great as I am still learning. Thanks alot

[brazenheadbeer]

I messed up. That's why the output was too low. I should have run longer. I just went in and smelled and tasted a little more. Jar 6 tastes the same as jar 9 and that's where I shut it down because of the tail smell. They all smell the same now even after a short time of airing out. Sooooo.... 1/2 gallon of tasty stuff in the jars lol.

Ya live and learn. That's what I love about this hobby

This is my problem...I don know when to stop running the still.

I ran a apple brandy yesterday and stopped as soon as I was getting 80 proof...I also saw what I think was fusel oils floating. I have a feeling I should have run it a little longer and just tossed the last few jars into the feints.

[Prairiepiss]

I personaly run till I get 20% ish out. Some say 30% some go as low as 10%. But at some point you are wasting more energy then it is worth. And it all depends on what you plan to do with the feints later. If I'm running and when I get to 20% and its coming out slow. Or I have other things to do. I shut it down. If when I get there and its flowing pretty good. And I don't have other things to do. I will just let it run for a little longer. And collect down to 15% or so.

But as your starting out learning the ropes. It is imho best if you go ahead and collect down to at least 30%. So you can learn what comes out during the tails. Some recipes you will find a good jar 2 or 3 deep into the tails. That has a lot of good flavors. Corn is known to produce this. It's not something you would want to add the whole jar to your hearts. But adding a little of it can produce some good flavors in your finished product.

It's an learning experience. That you shouldn't stop short of. When you first start out.

[brazenheadbeer]

I personaly run till I get 20% ish out. Some say 30% some go as low as 10%. But at some point you are wasting more energy then it is worth. And it all depends on what you plan to do with the feints later. If I'm running and when I get to 20% and its coming out slow. Or I have other things to do. I shut it down. If when I get there and its flowing pretty good. And I don't have other things to do. I will just let it run for a little longer. And collect down to 15% or so.

But as your starting out learning the ropes. It is imho best if you go ahead and collect down to at least 30%. So you can learn what comes out during the tails. Some recipes you will find a good jar 2 or 3 deep into the tails. That has a lot of good flavors. Corn is known to produce this. It's not something you would want to add the whole jar to your hearts. But adding a little of it can produce some good flavors in your finished product.

It's an learning experience. That you shouldn't stop short of. When you first start out.

Excellent thanks!

[tropik]

Hi, ran my first ever spirit run (25l wash) ran slow at about 4-5 drops/sec. After throwing out foreshots, I collected into 500ml jars. First jar was at 75%, 2nd at 78%, 3rd at 73%, 4th at 70%, 5th at 60%. Then I collected the rest into a drum of previously stripped washes.
I have taste tested all, mixed 50% with water, and cannot tell much of a difference between them except 5 smelling a lot sweeter than the rest, and 1 having alot more "bite".
As I have not blended and mixed/cut before, and don't know what it should taste like, advise would be great. I am thinking of mixing 2,3,4 together and watering down to oak, and mixing 1&5 and watering down to oak (if it doesn't turn out I can al ways put it in with the low wines and re run it.
All advise and tips would be great as I am still learning. Thanks alot

Idk what size jars you're using but I would consider collecting in smaller jars or half jars. With only 5 jars to a run its hard to make good cuts. On a spirit run I usually collect in about 24 jars give or take. Obviously my run is bigger but it makes it easier to see where the change starts to occur. And increase your speed to a small stream.

[rcs1]

Went to trackor supply to get sweet feed and read the lable the bags they had had peanut halls sulfides and a lot of other junk is this what everybody uses or are there other brands that don't have all the extras in it and were do you buy your sweet feed thanks

[mwp309]

Go to TS and get Producers Pride All Grain 10%. SKU 5021132. All grain with 10% molasses. Corn, oats & barley. Yummy product!

[brazenheadbeer]

Went to trackor supply to get sweet feed and read the lable the bags they had had peanut halls sulfides and a lot of other junk is this what everybody uses or are there other brands that don't have all the extras in it and were do you buy your sweet feed thanks

Producers Pride is good but you can make your own too. I never have myself but if I do a sweet feed this is what I would do.

[Truckinbutch]

I mix my own to maintain consistency . Feed mills are dictated by economics and vary their mix accordingly . Their goal is to market a consistent protein level at maximum profit . There is no guarantee that they will use the same ingredients in every mix .

[1131morg]

How much do oats contribute to whiskey made from sweet feed ? If mixing your own how much oats would be recommended if any ?

[Truckinbutch]

How much do oats contribute to whiskey made from sweet feed ? If mixing your own how much oats would be recommended if any ?

30% corn , 30% oats , 30% barley mixed with 10% molasses or brown sugar by weight works for me .

[1131morg]

Much difference in flavor between brown sugar and molasses ? What do you mean excactlly "by weight" ?

[Stainless dude]

This recipe is not that fussy 1131, just get close and you'll be making some fine spirit.
I think you will be happier using molasses than brown sugar though.