sweetfeed whisky

[Oak]

Thanks. I ran 14 gal of beer. I threw away the first 3/4 quart out of the still. My first jar was 160 the last jar I used to temper was 120 cut it to around 100 proof. It tastes good and looks good now. It was clear coming out of the still except the first part and the very last part which I thought I got rid of. Will it hurt you? I'm new to this and have been studying on this for a long time. This is a great hobby and this site is full of information. Thanks to everyone

[HDNB]

Thanks. I ran 14 gal of beer. I threw away the first 3/4 quart out of the still. My first jar was 160 the last jar I used to temper was 120 cut it to around 100 proof. It tastes good and looks good now. It was clear coming out of the still except the first part and the very last part which I thought I got rid of. Will it hurt you? I'm new to this and have been studying on this for a long time. This is a great hobby and this site is full of information. Thanks to everyone

you already know that if you overindulge in any alcohol it can hurt or kill you, but no, i don't think adding heads and tails into your beverage will do much more than give you a fat head and bad belly.
there is a way to avoid this.... read here:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=11640

sounds like you got a bit of puke on the front end and then added too much tails to your final blend...you only want (approx) the middle 60% of the quantity collected for the sipping stock, rest goes in the feints jar.

this may help too: use the HD google search button at the top of the page and leave a space...type in "how to run a pot still" without the quotes and see what comes up

cheers!

[Konrad Arflane]

Your problems are over at least for now. Walmart carries Manna Pro C.O.B. With Molasses.
I have 80 lbs. sitting in front of me. Appears to be very nice with no pellets in the mix.Free shipping with orders over $50.00 or $4.97 shipping to your door. I don't see anything about store pick up but it wouldn't hurt to shoot them an e mail or call and ask.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/C.O.B.-With-M ... k/10449501" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Interesting...

Panman had mentioned last month that Walmart had the Manna Pro, but when I searched the website then, it didn't come up. Many thanks for the link!

Personally, I have enough Producer's Pride to last me some while, but I'm sure there are newcomers and others who will be able to take advantage of this.

[Konrad Arflane]

I threw away the first 3/4 quart out of the still. My first jar was 160 the last jar I used to temper was 120 cut it to around 100 proof. It tastes good and looks good now. It was clear coming out of the still except the first part and the very last part which I thought I got rid of.

Ack...3/4 of a quart, and the last part thrown away? You threw out a fair amount of usable hooch there, though not for drinking right now. At that size run, I would have taken the first 700-800 mls as foreshots, which go into a jar I use for either cleaning fluid or fire starter, depending on need. The next approx 2 quarts (give or take, depending on ABV, smell and taste) would have been heads which along with the end part, the tails, go into a feints jar. Two general methods are followed with feints...either add them to your next beer run (you can recover some good hearts from them in that fashion) or save them up for an all feints run. If you elect to do an all feints run, be sure to water it down to 40% ABV (or weaker) before running it.

The link HDNB explains much of this...

[furious_george]

Just an update on my fermentation. The pace has picked up, it's going nice and steady now. The O.G. was 1.068. This was for a 6 gallon wash made with 7.5lbs of grain and 7.5lbs of sugar.

As I look forward to the stripping run, I've read in this thread that many people are keeping some of the stripping run for sipping, and adding the rest back to the second generation stripping run. Does that sound correct?

[Oak]

Thanks very much! I have another batch fermenting it should be ready to run next week. I am studying the info provided. I'll let ya know the results. This stuff tastes great and I think It's a lot of fun learning a new hobby. I'm just an old country boy. My great grandfather made corn whisky back during prohibition I was a boy when he passed away. I wish I had his knowledge on record. But anyway I have wanted to do this for many years. Thanks again

[Konrad Arflane]

As I look forward to the stripping run, I've read in this thread that many people are keeping some of the stripping run for sipping, and adding the rest back to the second generation stripping run. Does that sound correct?

Yup, a lot of folks will do that. The general reason for doing a stripping run on the first batch is you want to use some of the hot backset from that 1st run to dissolve the sugar for the 2nd run and once cooled, add it back to the fermenter along with enough fresh water to top off. This is the general method of doing a sour mash ferment, which will give you more flavor than you'll get from that initial, 1st run. Adding most of the 1st run distillation into that 2nd run imparts some of that flavor back into the 1st run portion. Others will do the 1st run as a spirit run, taking proper cuts, knowing that this run will not have quite the same flavor as subsequent runs...

[frodo]

If they have a sweet feed option, make sure it's all grain (some feed stores just refer to is as COB), no pellets. The pellets will always cause issues. And just because they say it doesn't have pellets, don't believe them. Plenty of stories throughout this thread of people being told what they're getting at their local feed store doesn't have pellets, then got it home, opened it and found pellets. If they swear it's all grain, make them open a bag and prove it.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/C.O.B.-With-M ... k/10449501" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Here's the Manna Pro recipe from the parent site:

Moonshine
A "genuine" moonshine recipe, as still being used by Deb Brewer is ...

* 5 gallon bucket all grain horse feed (we use MannaPro Hi Grain sweet feed)
* one package of yeast (using bread yeast now--others will increase quality and ferment time)
* 5 pounds sugar
* water


Put enough feed to cover bottom of 5 gallon bucket a good 4 inches deep Add 5 pounds of sugar. Fill 1/2 full with warm water--warm enough to melt sugar but not so hot as to kill yeast. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Add yeast and mix some more finish filling with warm water--again not so hot to kill the yeast. Cover with lid--our lid has a little cap that screws on, leave it loose to breathe.

4-5 days later it's ready to run! This is an old-timer recipe and works quite well. Our liquor is always 170-190 proof. You can substitute corn meal for the grain (horse feed) but I don't recommend this for pot stills cuz you can't filter it well enough. The meal will settle and burn in the bottom of your still. The old-fashion way of making corn liquor--with real corn--just is not feasible time wise.


FMH.

Thanks for the link Brother, I ordered it

[PANMAN1965]

the sweet feed is by far the most well received of the runs I have done. No stripping run, just a slow run with foreshots heads and tails pulled out and cut with distilled water to about 104 proof. I started a big ( for me) wash of it today. I use the COB from Walmart and just have it delivered right to my door.

We bought a BRUT 32 gallon trash can and dumped a whole 40# bag of COB in along with 40 pounds of sugar. My thinking is it is approximately a 5X batch so boiled water in my brew pot and dumped in and stirred until everything was dissolved and mixed well then topped off with water checking the OG as I went ( obviously stirring the crap out of it to get a good mix) and I ended up with the trash can ALMOST completely full of 1.078 mash ( after temp adjustment) that tastes fantastic.

I tried to do a rerun of a previous batch ( adding backset and sugar over the old wash with about half replaced) and it was a dysmal failure as I did not take into consideration the PH level... I added ground oyster shells and still a no go. I will split the batches in half tomorrow and add in half of a fresh batch in hopes THAT gets it going. ...

One more thing ( I admit I have not read this entire thread) EIGHT tablespoons of yeast is called for in the original 5 gallon batch recipe.. Isn't that probably at least 2x what is needed?

[Konrad Arflane]

One more thing ( I admit I have not read this entire thread) EIGHT tablespoons of yeast is called for in the original 5 gallon batch recipe.. Isn't that probably at least 2x what is needed?

That does seem to be a bit of overkill to me. I started my most recent 7 gallon 1st gen with a single packet of EC1118, and it was sizzling merrily away within a day and a half.

[djc]

Has anyone tried corn syrup instead of sugar for this recipe?

If so what were your results?

Thanks

[furious_george]

One more thing ( I admit I have not read this entire thread) EIGHT tablespoons of yeast is called for in the original 5 gallon batch recipe.. Isn't that probably at least 2x what is needed?

That does seem to be a bit of overkill to me. I started my most recent 7 gallon 1st gen with a single packet of EC1118, and it was sizzling merrily away within a day and a half.

I'm just a beginner, but it also seems like overkill to me. I used less than a tablespoon of Red Star DADY in a 6 gallon 1st gen, and just like Konrad, it's sizzling merrily for nearly 3 days now.

[Konrad Arflane]

Has anyone tried corn syrup instead of sugar for this recipe?

If so what were your results?

Thanks

Sounds like an expensive experiment to me. Why not just invert sugar to a similar concentration instead? I generally use inverted sugar when I do a Birdwatcher's neutral...

[furious_george]

Hi everyone. I just ran my first sweet feed batch through the still last night.

6 gallon mash fermented for 6 days to FG of 997.

ABV of the beer was 9% and I siphoned off just over four gallons into my car boy.

Put 3 gallons of wash in my 5 gallon still and ran it through.

I got 2.6 liters of distillate and stopped when ABV hit 25%.

I saved off 3 liters of backseat to use for the second generation. How do those numbers sound for a beginner?

[der wo]

It sounds good, but...

I got 2.6 liters of distillate and stopped when ABV hit 25%.

...why did you stop so early? From 4gal only 2.6 liters? 1/4 of the charge is, what the most do for a stripping run. That means 3.8, not 2.6l. Your distillate has more than 40% total, so you have to dilute before the spirit run, that means less taste. Would you have stripped 1/4, it would be under around 35% and would give you more good taste after the spirit run.

[raketemensch]

Most people strip down to 20%, some even lower. You're going to re-run it, and a lot of the good flavor esters are in those tails.

[furious_george]

It sounds good, but...

I got 2.6 liters of distillate and stopped when ABV hit 25%.

...why did you stop so early? From 4gal only 2.6 liters? 1/4 of the charge is, what the most do for a stripping run. That means 3.8, not 2.6l. Your distillate has more than 40% total, so you have to dilute before the spirit run, that means less taste. Would you have stripped 1/4, it would be under around 35% and would give you more good taste after the spirit run.

Hi, der wo. I only put 3 gallons in the still (left 1 gallon in the carboy), so it's not as bad as that. I should have collected 2.8l, but honestly I was tired and ready for bed. I didn't think about summing the ABV of all the distillate and having to dilute. I will next time, thanks!

[furious_george]

Most people strip down to 20%, some even lower. You're going to re-run it, and a lot of the good flavor esters are in those tails.

That's good info, I'll make sure to do that in the next run. Thanks!

[der wo]

Hi, der wo. I only put 3 gallons in the still (left 1 gallon in the carboy), so it's not as bad as that.

I see now. Sorry, lookes like I wasn't really concentrated, when I read your post and answered it.

[thumper123]

SF is a great whiskey, and I've even enhanced it a little more. I boil the SF a bit like a bourbon mash - not as much as corn, but 15 minutes or so. When it cools down to 150 degrees, I use a little 2 row barley malt for added flavor, and enzymes to convert some of the starch at least. Damn, it's good. Yummy.

[Konrad Arflane]

SF is a great whiskey, and I've even enhanced it a little more. I boil the SF a bit like a bourbon mash - not as much as corn, but 15 minutes or so. When it cools down to 150 degrees, I use a little 2 row barley malt for added flavor, and enzymes to convert some of the starch at least. Damn, it's good. Yummy.

thumper, since you're using enzymes and mashing, are you doing a 1st gen each time you make it?

[raketemensch]

This may already be known, but since non-pelleted sweet feeds seem to be getting hard to come by, I did a bunch of research today and found Blue Seal Pacer, which clearly states:

Loose Texture with No Pellets - The loose bulky texture increases salivation and aids in digestion

I found a couple of old posts where people had said that they use it, but none recent, so I thought it would be helpful to throw it out there.

I wish I'd known earlier, I went to a new local feed store on a scouting run today (and discovered "Taste of the Wild" dog food, which looks amazing) and they carried Blue Seal, but I didn't know to look for Pacer. I'll give them a call in a few.

Anyone who uses it want to maybe weigh in?

[furious_george]

Question.. how long does the SF whiskey need to be on oak. The largest vessel I have are 1 quart mason jars. I can put about 800ml in there with some air at the top and drop in a stick of charred oak. 30 days?

[HDNB]

how long is a piece of string?

imho, oaked whiskey starts tasting good (after airing) around 10-14 days after oak starts. It gets better to week 12 when there is a noticable change for the worse (i call it the awkward stage) then around week 18-20 it starts coming around again and just gets better and better. after 12 months i have not noticed any appreciable change with further aging. (not "big change" anyway)

i have not been able to "over oak" anything, but i never really get stupid with the amount. usually around 60 sq inches of surface (white oak cubes) per gallon and 2 tbsps of frenck oak chips (from wine store-medium toast)

sometimes i use a 20% "mother whiskey" with the old cubes and just add more fresh booze and wood to it. that is nice too and maybe a bit quicker or less awkward stage.

that is all for tight cuts ^^^, recently have been trying for more complex whiskey with a higher tails component which after 6 months still had oils floating, and was still awkward...but that is now at 9 months and is no longer in that off flavour stage...in fact i think it is getting pretty amazing. (back in december moosemilk said it was good at 7 months ) (and i did cheat with some 1.5 yr old malt whiskey, heavily oaked for a small blend)

YMMV.

[buckfity6]

I have been making this recipe for a long time, for a 5 gallon batch I use 4 inches of sweet feed in the bottom of a five gallon bucket, I dump that into a 5 gallon stainless steel pot, I add 2.5 gallons of the 5 gallons of water, boil the water to 150°f keep it there, stir it frequently so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pot, add alpha amylase to help convert the starches to sugar, after 2 hours take it off the stove. Now you should have a 6 gallon bucket and a type of screen for this part, I use a type of kitchen sive, dip out the feed and use a potato masher to squeeze out the liquid in the feed use the water left out of the 5 gallons to wash the feed to help get all the sugars. Now that it is just liquid add your sugar 8kg is what I use, wait for it to cool down to 90°f to add your yeast, now put it in a carboy and let it work off, I let mine set for 18 days because it gets nice and clear, this helps keep the yeast taste out of your likker, I have been using this method for many years and I have the best tasting likker around here, I am from nova Scotia, Canada.

I know someone is going to ask so I will add this now, I use a pot still with a double thumper, I yeild 3/4 of a gallon of good dam likker from each 5 gallon batch, mine comes off at 75% alc, 150 proof. With the double thumper there is no need to do it again, it's dam perfect!

Enjoy and cheers.

[buckfity6]

For aging I use a method that dramatically speeds up the process, I use Hungarian or American white oak cubes, I put my likker in 1.9 litre mason jars, I heat it up for 24 hours and cool it down for 24 hours, this is equivalent to 1 year in a barrel, after heating, open the jar to let it breathe also again after the cold period, the amount of time to do this, we'll that depends on your tase buds, stop when the desired taste is achieved, I recommend tasting after the cold period for obvious reasons, but maybe I should clarify, hot likker is fumey and hot! Lol.

Cheers everyone. Buckfity6

[buckfity6]

oak_aromatoast.gif (8 KiB) Viewed 3563 times

Here is a chart to help you out.

[thumper123]

I'm going to try a wash made up of two thirds sweet feed and one third rye in place of all sweetfeed in an effort to get a little more spiciness in the whiskey. Anyone ever try this?

[dl76]

I'm going to try a wash made up of two thirds sweet feed and one third rye in place of all sweetfeed in an effort to get a little more spiciness in the whiskey. Anyone ever try this?

Ive done it serval times. Turns out great. Ive done . 2/3 craked corn and rye. Also done all three. Cracked corn sweet feed and rye.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[thumper123]

thumper, since you're using enzymes and mashing, are you doing a 1st gen each time you make it?

Yes.