sweetfeed whisky

[S-Cackalacky]

Captb, sounds like you're on the right track, but may be overthinking things a bit. Sometimes it's difficult to move from one thing to another for the first time without feeling some trepidation. I can tell that you've done your homework. Each step you take now will add to your experience and confidence. A lot of knowledge is gained through practice. You'll get into a comfortable and confident routine after a while. Deal with problems as they come. They will be unexpected and sometimes you'll be stumped as to what to do and if you can't find your way around it, we got your back.

Good luck with your run.

[wingingit]

I found this site after Ive already started, the only sweetfeed I could find was like rabbit pellets. I checked the ingredients and didn't find any alfalfa in it so I brought it home and ground it up in a blender. Its been working since fri evening. I started at 1.06. For my first batch I was pretty happy. Ive taken good records of what ive done and am monitoring the temp. Now that ive found this site hopefully the future batches will be good. I expected to screw something up but I figured the only way to learn was to try. Don't know if grinding that mix up was worth it but I tried it since I already bolught it and thought it was grain.

[FullySilenced]

DEAR Winginit,

Heck your nick should have been trailblazer...

Rabbit pellets your say or only the shape of rabbit pellets... that's a new on for me... there are numerous pelleted feeds out there.
I guess since the wash has sugar to feed the yeast the rest will be nutes or ? whatever is in the pellet.

FYI checked and not found anyone using rabbit feed as a wash base ...

There is no way to predict what you will end up with as a finished taste I do wish you the best...

You could have purchased individual grains, mixed them and added molasses to make your own sweet feed.. maybe next time ...

happy stillin

FS

[wingingit]

Sorry I should have been more clear...I meant the size of the pellets were the about what rabbit food looks like. Ive never seen horse food pellets so wasn't sure if they were that small. Im down to 1.01 from a start of 1.062 so we will see how it turns out in another day or so. I started it Friday night.

[W Pappy]

Have you noticed any sulfur smell or close to it coming off your wash at any point?

[Fastill]

Ok... whatever level of experience is before 'beginner' is where I am at... I am still trying to figure out all of the acronyms and everything...
BUT, considering I have horses and like to try new things, I decided to try some sweet feed shine. My sweet feed is corn, oats, barley, and molasses. It's in the bucket and will hopefully start bubbling...

So far:
- 4ish inches in the bottom of a 6+ gallon bucket
- 6.5ish pounds of sugar
- 5.75 gallons of water
- starting gravity is 1.05
- 2 packets of Nottingham ale yeast
- capped tonight at around 8pm

I'm not sure if cane sugar or corn sugar is preferrable, but corn sugar is really tough to find where I'm at. I've read about different kinds of yeast, and it seems like the 'best yeast to use' is similar to the 'best caliber hunting rifle'... lots of opinions are out there... I had some Nottingham, so I decided to give it a try...

I'm open to all thoughts and opinions, so please tell me what I'm doing wrong!!

For our use the only difference between corn and cane sugar is price. Use what is cheapest.
Notty might be OK, better for a grain ferment. I hate it for beer because you must keep temps down or you get clove flavors, hopfully nothing that affects sugar washes.
Can't beat bakers yeast for sugar washes. Cheap and effective.

[W Pappy]

I use bakers yeast for the most part and EC118 for cooler temps in the 70'F range.

[Boxcutter]

I would probably add another 5 pounds of sugar with out an issue...since your more than 5 gals in the fermenter,
but if its a first sweet feed .. at least you will know if you like it or not with what you will get...

happy stillin

FS

So you saying ontop of the 6.5 pounds of sugar he already had in his ferment you would have added another 5 ponds of sugar to his almost 6 gallons ferment ? That almost 12 pounds of sugar for a almost 6 gallon ferment. Damn well I'm not adding enough sugar

[W Pappy]

your not gonna addd no more than 7 lbs to a 5 gal batch you will end up with shit in my book!

[Boxcutter]

your not gonna addd no more than 7 lbs to a 5 gal batch you will end up with shit in my book!

Thats what I thought. But he said it I was making sure. Never read anyone adding that much sugar

[W Pappy]

Get some corn oats wheat barley and molasses

[FullySilenced]

@Wpappy i suggested individual grains earlier... making your own sweet feed mix when pre-made is not available

Now as far as sugar in sweet feed wash, I have been running about 2 pounds sugar per gallon and the wash ends up 13% or so and I use the SAF Gold or Instaferm gold... which handles wash at that level with no issues

I am not having any off flavors or stalling issues... All said, just have to develop or adjust a formula that works for you and your needs...

FS

[Captb]

Ok it has stopped bubbling and reads .996 I siphoned off a full 5 gallons of dirty brown liquid into another fermenter to run in my still next week. I have a bed of grains and yeast in my fermenter. Can I boil 2 gallons of water and add 7 pounds of sugar and top it off with clean water (and maybe molasses)to start over? If I do should I add any yeast? I wont have backset till next week I dont want to loose the grains.
Or just dump it and start over?

[FullySilenced]

No hot water on the grains and yeast. But melt your sugar the add it when it's cool 80 to 100f. For bakers yeast less for others. Add your water and it's off again. Scoop off floating grain. And add that much sfeed back. You should be good. Take an. SG. reading. Your go.

Or start fresh again with new feed throwing it all away to get the same wash. That you made previously...

[Captb]

Yea it hit me after I posted this that boiling water might hurt the existing yeast, Will using the existing yeast and grains give same results as the first ferment?

Is the old yeast enough to do what needs to happen?

[FullySilenced]

Should be... you can add more sweet feed to it if you wanted even...

FS

[S-Cackalacky]

Yea it hit me after I posted this that boiling water might hurt the existing yeast, Will using the existing yeast and grains give same results as the first ferment?

Is the old yeast enough to do what needs to happen?

There may be a little lacto souring going on from the first ferment, so there may be a slight positive difference. Since you don't have any backset and won't have any for over a week, I would suggest that you go ahead and start your next ferment. As others said, don't pour anything hot into the lees. You can keep the original yeast alive for many generations - no need to pitch new yeast.

When you DO have some backset available, use it - about 1.5 gallons for a five gallon ferment. Save some of the excess backset in the fridge for future use (if you need it). If you need to let your lees sit in the fermenter for a day or two, pour a couple of gallons of room temp water on them. It'll keep fine that way until you're ready to add your sugar/backset/water for the next ferment.

[Captb]

FYI I went with everyones recommendations and it took off just as fast as the first time at 1.070 but much stronger scent -Better too!

[W Pappy]

Cap pick up some PH strips so you can keep your ph in check.

[Captb]

Cap pick up some PH strips so you can keep your ph in check.

DO brew shops carry these?

Will there be any flavor left after a second run? anybody ever keep re-using the feed 2-3-4 times?

[S-Cackalacky]

Captb, there's information in the recipe about how to deal with spent grains. Try a search using "spent grain" as the search term.

[W Pappy]

Cap pick up some PH strips so you can keep your ph in check.

DO brew shops carry these?

Will there be any flavor left after a second run? anybody ever keep re-using the feed 2-3-4 times?

Yep your brew shop will have them should anyway.

[Boxcutter]

Wanting to split my ferment into 2 buckets. I'm sure it been covered but I don't know the name of this technic to search for it. I'm on my 3rd gen of the sweet feed recipe and want to make more than 5 are so gallons of wash. I don't want to lose it are start over just yet now that I'm in my 3rd gen. Can I take out half of the lees from one bucket and add it to another bucket with harming the yeast bed ? Are tell me what this technic is called ill do the reasearch for myself.

[Bigbob]

I don't see a problem with that. Maybe put a couple of scoops of fresh sweet feed into each bucket, and one packet of yeast to each bucket you should be good.

[S-Cackalacky]

I think it's called "splittin' the lees between two buckets". Just kidding. What Bigbob said.

I've heard of folks splitting a wash because the SG was too high - split it, then add more water to bring the SG down. The same sort of thing should work for what you want to do.

[Boxcutter]

Thanks for yall response will try after I run 3 gen

[Captb]

How much backset would be recommended to put in with my second run from my first? I have an 8 gallon boiler and will have 5 gallons of new product from the ferment.
Should any go into another ferment?

[S-Cackalacky]

Well, If I remember from When I READ THE RECIPE, the rule of thumb is around 25 percent backset. So, for 5 gallons that would be about 1.25 gallons backset and 3.75 gallons of water. Don't need to be precise.

[Captb]

Well, If I remember from When I READ THE RECIPE, the rule of thumb is around 25 percent backset. So, for 5 gallons that would be about 1.25 gallons backset and 3.75 gallons of water. Don't need to be precise.

What I was asking is I have a finished ferment of 5 gallons as well as a finished run leaving behind 4 gallons of backset will I get any benefit to adding backset to a completed ferment before going into the boiler? Thanks

[Bigbob]

No it won't