Honey Bear Bourbon

[OtisT]

Otis, how'd the cuts go?

Hi SCD. I have not done my cuts yet. I'm a bit shy, and doing some more reading on it before I do this. I can smell the full range, but am not sure what exactly is a good and what is a bad smell, especially on the bottom end. I figured those jars can wait a bit longer. . Any advice here on what to look for when cutting bourbon?

I have another question that is a bit specific, if you don't mind sharing some advice. I made a sugar head with my spent HBB grains. Fermented to roughly 12%. I let it settle a week and siphoned off 2/3 of the clear liquid, then strained and squeezed the remaining 1/3, which I kept seperate. I could not get all this into one stripping run, so I ran the clear 2/3 first, then without waiting for clearing in the messy 1/3, I stripped it. Of course the clear run produced crystal clear low wines, and the second run produced a dirty, oily batch at a slightly lower abv. So the question: Would you mix these two low wine batches onto one spirit run, or do something different? I love experimenting. (Second run of cloudy wash is in the two gallon jugs. First run of clear ferment is in the small car boy)

[Rockhead]

Well, finished the run. Other than a slight puking before the fores, no issues. Still ran about 5-10 degrees hotter at top of column than any other runs I've done. Had about 300ml fores, ended up saving about 1.75 liters of 140-90 proof, blended down to 110, minus the 4oz I took in the middle of the hearts sampling. Way more complex than anything else I've made. Wheat flavor comes thru, along with corn. Also had about a liter going from 90-60 proof before the tails showed up and it got cloudy, and that blended out to 80 proof. Have that on oak now. Then went ahead and pulled feints down to 40 proof, but the wet dog smell was getting overpowering and they were getting pretty cloudy. Saved me about a gallon of backseat for next run, and airing everything now. Excellent recipe with great flavor. Gonna try to hold off and let at least one bottle age properly. Very pleased with the results!

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Awesome Rock! Glad you liked it, glad it went well .

I do recommend doing a double distillation next time, and make cuts. It will really bring out the flavors, and you can compact that wet dog flavor more. All grain has way stronger tails. Congrats!

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Otis,

As far as the cuts go. Get in there! Don't shy away. Remember this advice...even if you only get rid of the 2 nastiest heads, and the 2 nastiest tails jars, you've already made better cuts than most the big guys . If you want those jars back, just go get a bottle from the store . I just go with the model you can't do any worse that that! Just be conservative until you're comfortable, which soon you will be. Anything you leave out will just bump up your keeps for the next run, when you'll have a little more experience, anyways.

Yeah, don't sweat the low wines. I have had some milky ass low wines collections. I just figure that's more flavoring for my real run, the spirit one. Throw them together and run it!

[Rockhead]

Next run will be double distilled. Wanted to have some backset to start the next mash, and get more flavor that way also. My inventory was getting a little low so I just couldn't wait! Single run for first,double the rest. Gonna try to run the feints with some feints from an All-Bran and a Corn Flakes run. Should be interesting!

[Oldvine Zin]

Destroyed a home depot and a harbor freight paddle - spent the money on a real paddle from nor cal, just got it today

Going to do a HBB with oats tomorrow
OVZ

[OtisT]

Otis,

As far as the cuts go. Get in there! Don't shy away. Remember this advice...even if you only get rid of the 2 nastiest heads, and the 2 nastiest tails jars, you've already made better cuts than most the big guys . If you want those jars back, just go get a bottle from the store . I just go with the model you can't do any worse that that! Just be conservative until you're comfortable, which soon you will be. Anything you leave out will just bump up your keeps for the next run, when you'll have a little more experience, anyways.

Yeah, don't sweat the low wines. I have had some milky ass low wines collections. I just figure that's more flavoring for my real run, the spirit one. Throw them together and run it!

I did it! I made my cuts for HBB w/oats today. I had two friends over to help, and we smelled then tasted from the middle up then middle down. We took a rough pass at full strength, then diluted down for a second assessment. In the end, the first 13% was removed from the top, and the bottom 35% was removed. We tasted just inside our range and while the bottom was nothing special, the top of the range was delicious.

Thanks for the advice on the low wines. I really want to compare my all grain to the sugar head. I plan to run both the same way, and I'll keep you posted.

[Still Life]

I did it! I made my cuts for HBB w/oats today. I had two friends over to help, and we smelled then tasted from the middle up then middle down. We took a rough pass at full strength, then diluted down for a second assessment. In the end, the first 13% was removed from the top, and the bottom 30% was removed. We tasted just inside our range and while the bottom was nothing special, the top of the range was delicious.

Thanks for the advice on the low wines. I really want to compare my all grain to the sugar head. I plan to run both the same way, and I'll keep you posted.

Excellent, Otis. Grab that thing by the ass and whip away.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Destroyed a home depot and a harbor freight paddle - spent the money on a real paddle from nor cal, just got it today

BBD.JPG

Going to do a HBB with oats tomorrow
OVZ

Love that paddle!!!

I got 3 barrels of CROW bourbon to run, some rum for next year, then hitting HBB hard again . Glad that you guys are keeping her alive

[Oldvine Zin]

[quote="ShineonCrazyDiamond"
Love that paddle!!!

[/quote]
When it arrived I wasn't so sure about it, thought that the blades should of been bigger. 50Lbs of cornmeal, 10Lbs of flaked oats (the brew shop didn't have enough malted) - that paddle did the duty on those grains, so I think that I'm happy with it. After adding he malts sitting at 1.07 waiting for temps to cool to pitch the yeast, once again this has been a repeatable recipe for me

OVZ

[Oldvine Zin]

The yeast (US05) took it's sweet time in getting busy, thirty hours later, bubbling away and dropping fast

OVZ

[japsinok]

Finally jumped aboard the Honey Bear Bourbon train! I ran my first 10 gallon stripping run yesterday, should strip the next run in a week. I'm looking forward to the first spirit run that will follow!

[Still Life]

Get it, guys!

Had a bunch last night & woke up feeling great. In fact I'm kicking some back again right now.

After a few runs, and with its distinct grain flavor, I find cuts easy to make. Not bragging. You'll see what I mean after a few distillations.
Hot damn this stuff beats any store bought.

Good luck to you boys!
And thanks yet again to Shineon Crazy Diamond for now my favorite recipe!

[dieselduo]

Destroyed a home depot and a harbor freight paddle - spent the money on a real paddle from nor cal, just got it today

BBD.JPG

Going to do a HBB with oats tomorrow
OVZ

I got one similar from them awhile back. Love it

[japsinok]

Get it, guys!

Had a bunch last night & woke up feeling great. In fact I'm kicking some back again right now.

After a few runs, and with its distinct grain flavor, I find cuts easy to make. Not bragging. You'll see what I mean after a few distillations.
Hot damn this stuff beats any store bought.

Good luck to you boys!
And thanks yet again to Shineon Crazy Diamond for now my favorite recipe!

You've got me licking my lips!!

[bilgriss]

I took the Honey Bear plunge. Three mashes this weekend, using 50% more of everything than the original recipe to scale it up. This is a nice size for my 10gallon mash tun. I added a pound of oats to the first two, not to the third. Now I have 25 gallons bubbling in my Brute fermenter in the basement.

Smells fantastic.

[Rockhead]

Well, just finished another HBB run, this time with the oats added. Sure took a lot of self restraint to keep from drinking a little more than a taste while making cuts. Sure was smooth. This recipe NEEDS to be in the "Tried and True" section. If someone with as little experience mashing and distilling, especially an AG, can do it successfully repeatedly, well, that in itself says a lot. There have to be far more experienced distillers just waiting to take the AG plunge, and this is the ideal recipe. Now I'm just looking for a little advice in adding in rye for a little more bite. Thinking about deleting the oats back out and going with a pound of Weyerman German rye malt instead, but I'm torn. I really liked the smoothness from the oats also. Maybe cut corn back to 5 lbs, then add oats and rye. The possibilities are only limited to your thinking. Just looking for a little input from those who have expounded out from the original. Thanks again ShineonCrazyDiamond! You have a real winner here!

[Shine0n]

It's time for you to make a new bourbon!!!!

As always though, keep the bear alive and well

I'm drinking the bear right now ( after work) while in VA Beach. I've even given a sample to my new buds from West VA. Very impressed they are I might add.

This HBB is the shit!!! It most Def belongs in the tnt.
Whether or not it's clear or oaked it's is a very fine drink, on the rocks or neat or coke!

I love this recipe

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Bilgriss, I was just coming over here to see how your ferments went. They done yet? If so, have fun with them this weekend! I really want to run this weekend, but that would require getting time to squeeze it by tomorrow night.

Rockhead, I really appreciate the update and the kind words. I would LOVE to hear your update on the rye addition. That's the whole vision of HBB and specialty grains. Get the general ratio and process down, and then, as my dear friend Ratatouille says, "Anyone can cook!". You may find that there are other grains that will better balance out the rye, but maybe the honey malt and rye will work well. It's the reason there is some red malt in there, to give a little spice. But the rye would definitely kick it up a notch! I'm doing a corn, rye, oats (toasted! ) and the double wheat right now. Very promising! Happy cooking!

Edit* posted and time shineon. Hi there shine on! Them West Virginia boys know a thing or 2 about their shine. Thanks for doing her right!

Wish I was on a beach in VA...

[Oldvine Zin]

, as my dear friend Ratatouille says, "Anyone can cook!".

So true and with your starter recipe it just makes it a little bit easier

OVZ

[Still Life]

From another post:

...regards to temp swings. I age in my attic. In the summer it can get 115, 140, whatever. I ain't measured it, but damn hot. Even cooling to 85 at night, provides change...

Moved all my barrels, including the new medium-char 10-liter barrel full of HBB, to the attic out of reach. C'mon seasonal changes do your stuff.
Excellent tip SoCD.

[bilgriss]

SCD, the cap fell yesterday sometime, and it tastes dry. I'll probably measure gravity tonight, and if it's ready, start squeezing. It's been pretty warm lately, and the ferment was fast.

I have some time this weekend, and I'm hoping to get it stripped. Got some other projects going on too, including building a deck, so time juggling is required......

EDIT: Still some bubbling, and gravity measures somewhere around 1.009. I think I'll exercise some patience and give it a week.

[yakattack]

Edit. Off topic

[Shine0n]

It was still a little cooler my last mash but it was finished at 1.015ish, probably to do with the cooler weather though.
It may be finished now, the longer you wait the more likely of an infection which might be a good thing

[bilgriss]

Well work and the week got away from me. I was able to squeeze from the grain tonight and recovered about 17 gallons, with another five gallon bucket full of grains. In the time I let it rest, the gravity had dropped to about 1.007, but likely due to a starting lacto infection. Also picked up a distinct smell of bubblegum in the headspace of the fermenter. It has a sharp but very pleasing sourness. I anticipate something special.

Will be doing stripping runs this weekend. If I'm lucky I'll get all three done.

[MichiganCornhusker]

I've had bubble gum, bilgriss, nothing wrong with that. In fact SCD will be proud, good luck with the run.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Yup! I can see that description! Bubble gum. Ha. It definitely has a distinct aroma. It's a very nice smell. I get a lacto every time, really. It's nice. I like the double run, but if you get to the middle of a strip, a shot definitely ain't gonna hurt ya

[bilgriss]

I can confirm the middle shot hypothesis.......after airing for a bit following shutdown naturally.

Nice stripping runs, pleasant aromas from time to time throughout. I noticed a stronger acetone smell in the foreshots than I often get. I used a blend of S-05 and S-04 for the yeasts, and it's possible that the 04 might have thrown some of that since it's been rather warm. Those British yeast strains tend to get fruity.

Also noticed as I stripped deep into tails, that really late it seemed like all the cardboard/dog went away, and the product until I finished up was pretty neutral, except for a noticeable sweetness with a hint of honey. I'd say anyone who normally stops stripping when tail aromas get strong (I know there are some out there), you're missing out on some subtle flavors that are still to come. And some of the alcohol. Don't cut yourself short.

Very nice. Thanks SCD.

[OtisT]

I can confirm the middle shot hypothesis.......after airing for a bit following shutdown naturally.

Also noticed as I stripped deep into tails, that really late it seemed like all the cardboard/dog went away, and the product until I finished up was pretty neutral, except for a noticeable sweetness with a hint of honey. I'd say anyone who normally stops stripping when tail aromas get strong (I know there are some out there), you're missing out on some subtle flavors that are still to come. And some of the alcohol. Don't cut yourself short.

+1 on this. I just did another small batch of HBB and collected more/later than I normally do on a run. I normally cut off when I am producing at 20%, but on this run I went down to 12% before shutting down. There were a few jars that were sweet and non offensive, with no wet cardboard smell. I didn't keep it all due to the low abv, but one late jar did find its way into my cuts.

[Shine0n]

Otis, I too have found that spot in very late tails where I can use it because the bad smell has went away. There is low alc in it but that's less water I have to use to lower my aging stock to 126p.
It also has some flavor ( not much but there)

I took a pint of my first batch on the road with me (work) and can say this is a very fine bourbon and can't wait to see the profit of a whole year will do to it.
I love this stuff white as I can taste the grains and the slight notes of the honey malt.
SCD, I know I've said it before but thanks a million for this great recipe.

Shine0n