sweetfeed whisky

[Shine0n]

Doc, I've used the 12%pellet sf from ts and had no issues at all. In fact I'm switching back to it once I use up the other stuff. It does turn to mush but the birds and pigs love it after the usage.
It's cheap so I never reuse it for another run and the flavors I get are imo great, I've never heard a complaint over it. And I love it and that's what matters!

Everyone has different taste buds and like what they like, I'm not sure what you are aiming for but when let sit for a couple weeks it's good white at 100p or oak it if that's your preference.

What type? I use producers pride 12% from ts. Imo the mush releases their flavors alot better and with 12% molly I do not add any extra. Has a nice smell and flavor for a white whiskey.
For a 18 gal wash I only use 25lb sugar to not stress the yeast and ferment at 80°f and only use bread yeast. I (personally do not let clear) and run 2 days after it finishes, maybe a bit longer if life gets in the way but try different ways untill you find your own.
Mine is very predictable since I found what I like and repeat every time.
Shine0n

[Doc Holliday]

Ty for the info. Im going to give the all grain a try as well as the cracked corn from tsc. to see the difference. i did find my answer near the the end of this thread and the sf. think im going to copy still stirrin name a little and change mine to still readin. if i waited till i read everything in here and this art i would never get my first run done before i was dead. so much info in here. im going to do run with 10 gal water 15 lbs sw and 15 lbs of sugar, after its done i will pull liquid off down to top of grain and run. then add 3gal backset with 18 lbs sugar and 3 lbs sf. to compensate for extra water, then add the 9 gal water. i have a 13 gal boiler im trying to load it with 12 gal to max the out put per run. i hope i gal of room is enough. also i didnt like the pellet because straining it was a nightmare. btw im using a still dragon 4" 6 plate rig.

[Lyonsie]

Well iv been meaning to try to try a recipie from here since i joined and i settled on this one months ago. As id researched it then when i was in the feedstore today i knew sweetfeed was labled as cooked mix here.
Unfortunately as so much time had passed id forgotten that the one i wanted was called cool and cooked mix. So i promptly got the wrong one. As i had bought it, i started it this evening anyway. The photo shows the ingredients list for the one i actually bought and iv copied the ingredients from the one i actually wanted.
As you can see the one i have is much more oats based. I was pissed as hell to start with but sure its probably something i would have tried anyway.
Stuck to the recipie on first post in the thread.
Smells delicious so I'll wait and see.

And heres the one i should have got

Ingredients
(in descending order by weight): Barley Flakes (steam cooked), Maize Flakes (steam cooked), Wheat Flakes (steam cooked), Cane Molasses, Soya (bean) hulls (1), Wheatfeed, Barley, Sunflower seed meal, Soya bean meal, Wheat, Calcium carbonate, Mono-dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium chloride, Soya Oil(1), Magnesium oxide. (1) Produced From Genetically Modified Soyabeans

[Lyonsie]

Im not holding out much hope for this. It started really well and smelt delicious. It now smells really sharp not vinegary but not pleasant either. I should have just bought more barley instead.
I did 10 gal with 4" sweetfeed 6kg of dissolved sugar. I then pitched 6 packets of bakers yeast when the temprature read 80°f.
Sg was 1058 @ 60° and its now 1010. This took off like a rocket and is still going strong. I was going to run this through my old still. I think it will be just kept for cleaning the new one now. Oh well

[Konrad Arflane]

As id researched it then when i was in the feedstore today i knew sweetfeed was labled as cooked mix here.

Question...where is here?

As to the particular batch you have going...the problem may be the various soybean products, including the oil. I know some of the pelleted versions some have tried have contained alfalfa, which produced an inferior product. The soybean content I would think is likely to do the same. Personally I would avoid anything with soybean ingredients.

[Konrad Arflane]

Ack...just noticed 'Ireland' in your sig line. I know another member from your AO, though I believe it was England, said what you need to look for is COB. Corn-Oats-Barley...which also has molasses added.

Hope this is helpful.

[FullySilenced]

Went to Walmart today .... they had Manna Pro C.O.B. w/ molasses on the shelf...

I had gotten online a few time and searched my local Walmart's inventory for the product when i came up none...
i just hit the notify my button when it get in stock... I did this about 4 times over a couple week period and it magically appeared on my Walmart's shelves go figure...

give that a try guys regardless of what Walmart you shop at they want customers to get the brand product they desire...

Happy StillinDays

FS

[Lyonsie]

Hiya ka.
The one i meant to get was much more cob based, although i now suspect it probably contains pellets also. However the harsh smell is gone this evening. Its got much more pleasant aroma again, it's down to 1002 and slowed right down. I'll probably try to run half of it for drinking and see what happens.
If its shite ill just mix it with the rest and use for a cleaning run, and the chickens can have the rest of the sack.
Yep i think ill just buy a bag each of corn, oats and barley next time and make my own. Theres more options going down that route anyway.

[bridwell52]

My trick for the sweet feed is to put all the grain in a nylon bag and drop in bucket. U can get these bags at brew shops and it sure makes things easier. Any one see problems with this. I have done it in wine making many times with great results and have done 3 washes this way also.

[thumper123]

Went to Walmart today .... they had Manna Pro C.O.B. w/ molasses on the shelf...

Holy crap. They finally came back with that product? I'm pretty sure it won't last long; much to the chagrin of distillers everywhere.

I don't make much sweetfeed whiskey, but I do supply my family members with it who don't like bourbon (imagine). They rant and rave about the stuff so I do try to keep the ingrediants as clean as I can for their sake. I'm currently buying a local mix that I can vouch for, but I've purchased "sweet feed" that had so much alphalfa in it that it made a green wash. Not being a horse, I don't eat, ferment or distill hay. Good news for all.

[FullySilenced]

Laid down a 35 plus gallon Manna Pro Sweetfeed wash ... its bubbling along nicely today...

Looked at the feed closely is all rolled... corn breaks up with a little pressure... oats are flat... barley mixed flat and some looked uncrushed... i did convert it somewhat by adding enzymes when i put the hot water on it... actually got it to about 1.030... bumped it to 10-11% with the sugar. For feed grade it was extremely clean... i didn't see anything dirt or trash wise... cob pieces in this bag.

Happy StillinDay

FS

[Lyonsie]

Im running mine right now. Im on the second distillation, been at it all day. I wasn't sure about the flavours after the first run. It seems much improved after the second one. Ill definitely be oaking some to see how it go's. Its much different to what i usually make.

[FullySilenced]

@Lyonsie Gooder or Badder?

Happy StillinDay

FS

[Lyonsie]

Ah its good. Im quite surprised really i hadnt held out much hope because of the feed i got. Its obviously raw as feck still but theres definitely some interesting flavours there. If it smooths out for me ill be well happy.
Added bonus is generation two is bubbling away already.

[FullySilenced]

Put some of the white in a jar and run a couple of nuke cycles then tell me what you think....

Happy StillinDay

FS

[Lyonsie]

Yep thats going to happen tomorrow and the next day. Im actually like a kid a Christmas waiting on it now.

[Lyonsie]

To say im truly happy with the results would be an understatement. Id never heard of nuking before i joined here. I honestly cant believe im sitting here drinking whiskey i made only yesterday.
I diluted it to 90 abv and nuked it twice with some medium toast french oak chips. It was placed outside to cool both times as its cool outside right now. Brought it in filtered it and here i am. Further generations and aging over time are definitely going to be good now. Well chuffed.

[Lyonsie]

Shite forgot my pics

[brandon151726]

Hey guys, long time lurker, have read all the things newbies are supposed to read. Anyways I started a sweet feed wash 4 inches at the bottom 5 gallons of actual wash, SG of 1.090, 8tsp's of ec1118 properly hydrated and wash aerated, added some lemon juice (4-5ish PH), pinch of epsom salt, and 1 crushed up multivitamin. It's been bubbling like crazy at 71F for the past two days, probably like 3-4 bubbles per second, but very little if any drop in the gravity? Normal in the first few days?

[FullySilenced]

Laid down a 35 plus gallon Manna Pro Sweetfeed wash ... its bubbling along nicely today...

Looked at the feed closely is all rolled... corn breaks up with a little pressure... oats are flat... barley mixed flat and some looked uncrushed... i did convert it somewhat by adding enzymes when i put the hot water on it... actually got it to about 1.030... bumped it to 10-11% with the sugar. For feed grade it was extremely clean... i didn't see anything dirt or trash wise... cob pieces in this bag.

Happy StillinDay

FS

Checked the gravity today after 3 days starting at 1.080 and now it is at 1.000, the cap has fallen from about 3" thick to maybe 1/4 to 1/2" thick it should be done by tomorrow and will clear for a couple days.

Hoping to do 3 strips and then a spirit run on 3 or 4 plates.

Wishing you all a great day tomorrow.

Happy StillinDay,

FS

[jb-texshine]

Hey guys, long time lurker, have read all the things newbies are supposed to read. Anyways I started a sweet feed wash 4 inches at the bottom 5 gallons of actual wash, SG of 1.090, 8tsp's of ec1118 properly hydrated and wash aerated, added some lemon juice (4-5ish PH), pinch of epsom salt, and 1 crushed up multivitamin. It's been bubbling like crazy at 71F for the past two days, probably like 3-4 bubbles per second, but very little if any drop in the gravity? Normal in the first few days?

Did you add anything to stop "ph crash" ? Like" oyster shell"?
You coulda done without the lemon juice. Can you warm it to 75-78 somehow? Ec1118 ferments a bit slow but keeps going at lower temps.

[brandon151726]

Hey guys, long time lurker, have read all the things newbies are supposed to read. Anyways I started a sweet feed wash 4 inches at the bottom 5 gallons of actual wash, SG of 1.090, 8tsp's of ec1118 properly hydrated and wash aerated, added some lemon juice (4-5ish PH), pinch of epsom salt, and 1 crushed up multivitamin. It's been bubbling like crazy at 71F for the past two days, probably like 3-4 bubbles per second, but very little if any drop in the gravity? Normal in the first few days?

Did you add anything to stop "ph crash" ? Like" oyster shell"?
You coulda done without the lemon juice. Can you warm it to 75-78 somehow? Ec1118 ferments a bit slow but keeps going at lower temps.

I've never had a ph crash before on any other sugar wash yet, knock on wood, but if that were to happen I have baking soda ready to throw in. I'll see what I can do about warming it up...

[captjack6]

I finally found a bag of all grain SF at a TS. This will be my first attempt at distilling. I have brewed some beer before but never took the next step. I joined a month or so a go and wanted to learn to distill grappa since I am in an area of NC surrounded by vineyards. After introducing myself and some extensive reading on this sight I decided to try a few runs of some thing simple to attempt to learn my still. This SF Whisky recipe seems to fit the bill. I will let you know how things progress. I hope in time I to apply for a farm distillery permit.

[Konrad Arflane]

SF is a great learning recipe for newcomers cap. Just follow the basic recipe and be sure you've done the proper cleaning cycle on your still. Don't be so concerned with cuts on your first couple batches (apart from the foreshots)...you can go fairly wide on the others without too many ill effects...that heads headache can be off-putting...don't be afraid to take it wide into hearts, until you have a few runs under your belt .

[thumper123]

I was interested in Brandon151726's experience with SF. As an old bourbon maker (74), I have approached the production of sweetfeed whiskey in much the same way I would make bourbon, but with the addition of sugar. So... I start the same way as I've always made whiskey and boil the crap out of the grain. Then I bring the temp down and add my enzymes. I know what I'm doing here, but I haven't gotten what I would call a good conversion yet. I haven't really dwelled on it because the addition of sugar guarantees fermentation and ethanol. But it's interesting to note that my fermentations aren't anywhere near the violent episodes that a corn wash exhibit. I've used DADY yeast by Redstar, but I'm wondering if I might be better off using a yeast more compatable with rum production. Although my ferments are slower than corn wahes, I'm thinking that "sugar washes" are like that and they eventually ferment out. Is yeast a factor in all this?

[jb-texshine]

With bakers yeast , from start@83°f,mine are finished and partially cleared in 5 days. Bakers tends to ferment a bit faster in sugarhead ferments and it loves molasses.

[Konrad Arflane]

I was interested in Brandon151726's experience with SF. As an old bourbon maker (74), I have approached the production of sweetfeed whiskey in much the same way I would make bourbon, but with the addition of sugar. So... I start the same way as I've always made whiskey and boil the crap out of the grain. Then I bring the temp down and add my enzymes. I know what I'm doing here, but I haven't gotten what I would call a good conversion yet. I haven't really dwelled on it because the addition of sugar guarantees fermentation and ethanol. But it's interesting to note that my fermentations aren't anywhere near the violent episodes that a corn wash exhibit. I've used DADY yeast by Redstar, but I'm wondering if I might be better off using a yeast more compatable with rum production. Although my ferments are slower than corn wahes, I'm thinking that "sugar washes" are like that and they eventually ferment out. Is yeast a factor in all this?

Thumper...I'm wondering here if the issue isn't that you're dealing with three separate grains, all of which have a different boiling/hold point for starch conversion (enzymes or otherwise) for mashing? I would think, to do it properly, you'd want to do three separate mashes with each grain, then combine them all for the ferment...add mole ass if you really wanted for more of a rumsky flavor...add sugar if you wanted, but I don't see why that would be necessary at that point. Personally, if I were to go that far with separate grain mashing, I'd skip the rest and just distill the fermented mix and see what I got for flavor, then possibly add mole ass/sugar steps to compare.

But what do I know? I'm still pretty wet behind the ears.

[thumper123]

With bakers yeast , from start@83°f,mine are finished and partially cleared in 5 days. Bakers tends to ferment a bit faster in sugarhead ferments and it loves molasses.

I suspected something like that. Thanks for the info on baker's yeast. Should have known - I used bakers on molasses washes when I was a kid making rum with great success. I started fermenting a SF wash this morning, and all hell is breaking loose.

[jb-texshine]

With bakers yeast , from start@83°f,mine are finished and partially cleared in 5 days. Bakers tends to ferment a bit faster in sugarhead ferments and it loves molasses.

I suspected something like that. Thanks for the info on baker's yeast. Should have known - I used bakers on molasses washes when I was a kid making rum with great success. I started fermenting a SF wash this morning, and all hell is breaking loose.

[Lyonsie]

Feints run. Approx 1 gallon diluted to 45% with 2 drops madascar vanilla sitting on french oak chips. Only 3 days old. No nuking = jameson already.
I have to put some of this shit away.