Honey Bear Bourbon

[ausibatla]

I've spent hours reading through HD Google using all types of terminology.
Is corn mash at SG 1010 and PH 4 alright to distill, plus many other ways to
ask the same question but can't nail down an answer. All responses skirt around it.
I'm running two batches of 26 liters which I put down on the 27th. August, so 3 weeks ago.
My SG was at 1005 in one and 1010 in the other and stagnant and my PH was about 4 in
both so I pitched some more yeast to try and start it up again.
No change in SG though I did get some activity for a while but the readings remained the same.
So I added some calcium carbonate. This took the PH up to 6.1 in one and 6.5 in the other.
The SG then went to 1010 in both. I then poured both into a large plastic tub and stirred them
both together, this also aerated the lot extremely well, then divided the contents evenly back
into the fermanters. The airlocks went beserk for an hour then slowed down.
The last couple of days the SG has remained at 1010 at 21 deg celsius
in both and the PH has slipped back to 4.0 and 4.1 and no activity in the airlocks.
I've been trying to find out if fermentation has ceased and if these readings are good
enough to run through the still.
Appreciate any advice.
Cheers.

[der wo]

Of course 1.000 would be better. But your result is ok. And anyway there is nothing you can do now. The reason for the a bit high FG happened while mashing.
You did a lot of things with the wash now. This provokes infections. I would distill it as soon as possible.

[Rockhead]

Well, being the rye whiskey drinker I am, I decided to go with an experimental attempt at Honey Bear, with out the oats, and with rye instead. The backset I used 1 gallon from a batch with oats, so we shall see. Just got the corn and the honey malt cooking, so in a few days hopefully I'll be sampling some Ryed Honey Bear. Looking forward to this with great anticipation. Thanks again for this recipe. Simplicity and great taste, what more could you ask for.

[ausibatla]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

Another query I have is a bottle from my first batch, you all remember the one that
took 3 months to ferment to 1010 SG and had all sorts of additives, etc. (See the post: 4
WEEKS AND STILL BUBBLING.) Well I kept one bottle to age for a year or so to see how
much, or if, it would improve. I drank the rest, and enjoyed it.
Yesterday I had a look at it and when I tipped the bottle up some sediment
came off the bottom. I say sediment but it looked syrupy, like a slime. But
when I put that first batch down on the 4th. of July, (Yeah I know but it is just a
coincidence) I put 2 kilos of honey into it as well as sugar and stacks of yeast to try and
fire it up every time it stalled. In short, as well you know it was a stuff up. But I did
get 10 liters at 30% from it. I was wondering if all the sugar and honey could be the
slimey look when it's disturbed. It still smells O.K.
Any ideas?
Cheers.

[Jimbo]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

[Oldvine Zin]

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

+1
Early on I didn't think that I would ever get there, now I have things aging anywhere between 1 month to around 18. I still have a long way to go.

OVZ

[BoomTown]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

Jimbo's right about aging. And there is a great deal of difference between liquor aged with oak in a bottle, and liquor aged in wooden casks. The trick is to split you output between the two, using the glass to turn out liquor fit to drink in 6 months, while growing a stash set aside in oak barrels. My experience with 5g barrels is that the loose a little to much to the angels, I prefer working with 10g barrels. It takes a longer time to fill one up, but by then you'll really appreciate what is in it. I also found that after a barrel goes through a one year cycle, the next cycle makes the liquor sans a lot of the tannic acids that take so long to convert in the aging process. The 2nd cycle's liquor comes our sweeter, and more fully developed shades of vanilla, fruity flavor and licorice. Just my two cents worth.

[Jimbo]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

Jimbo's right about aging. And there is a great deal of difference between liquor aged with oak in a bottle, and liquor aged in wooden casks. The trick is to split you output between the two, using the glass to turn out liquor fit to drink in 6 months, while growing a stash set aside in oak barrels. My experience with 5g barrels is that the loose a little to much to the angels, I prefer working with 10g barrels. It takes a longer time to fill one up, but by then you'll really appreciate what is in it. I also found that after a barrel goes through a one year cycle, the next cycle makes the liquor sans a lot of the tannic acids that take so long to convert in the aging process. The 2nd cycle's liquor comes our sweeter, and more fully developed shades of vanilla, fruity flavor and licorice. Just my two cents worth.

+1 to that Boom. Once used wood doesnt add that tannic astringency. Lately when I refill the bottle on my bar I do 1/3 new, 2/3 old wood stash. The bit of new wood gives a little spank.

[nerdybrewer]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

Jimbo's right about aging. And there is a great deal of difference between liquor aged with oak in a bottle, and liquor aged in wooden casks. The trick is to split you output between the two, using the glass to turn out liquor fit to drink in 6 months, while growing a stash set aside in oak barrels. My experience with 5g barrels is that the loose a little to much to the angels, I prefer working with 10g barrels. It takes a longer time to fill one up, but by then you'll really appreciate what is in it. I also found that after a barrel goes through a one year cycle, the next cycle makes the liquor sans a lot of the tannic acids that take so long to convert in the aging process. The 2nd cycle's liquor comes our sweeter, and more fully developed shades of vanilla, fruity flavor and licorice. Just my two cents worth.

Your $.02 is right on by me.
I've aged my current drinking rum in a once used 15 gallon Bourbon barrel a year then put it in glass.
Filled it with rum again and am looking forward to next summer.
Haven't built up my shelf to where I'm always drinking 3+ years but I have that goal in mind.
Need to carve out more time for the effort required to make it happen.

[BoomTown]

How long after distillation do you blokes get stuck in. Everybody's talking about how
good their new batch is. Do you leave it for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years. I don't care
who you are, nobody makes a brew, beer or bourbon, then waits 7 years to drink it.

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

Jimbo's right about aging. And there is a great deal of difference between liquor aged with oak in a bottle, and liquor aged in wooden casks. The trick is to split you output between the two, using the glass to turn out liquor fit to drink in 6 months, while growing a stash set aside in oak barrels. My experience with 5g barrels is that the loose a little to much to the angels, I prefer working with 10g barrels. It takes a longer time to fill one up, but by then you'll really appreciate what is in it. I also found that after a barrel goes through a one year cycle, the next cycle makes the liquor sans a lot of the tannic acids that take so long to convert in the aging process. The 2nd cycle's liquor comes our sweeter, and more fully developed shades of vanilla, fruity flavor and licorice. Just my two cents worth.

+1 to that Boom. Once used wood doesnt add that tannic astringency. Lately when I refill the bottle on my bar I do 1/3 new, 2/3 old wood stash. The bit of new wood gives a little spank.

Yeah, I used to keep a little 3 gallon gibbs on a table in the reception area. I'd grown to like our Misty Morning (White) Whiskey, so I'd fill that little barrel up and treat walkin traffic to a little nip as an introduction to our product. It really shaped up the flavors pretty fast, and after about 3 months, what was coming out had turned a nice golden hue. By six months it has begun to taste very different than either our aged Uncle Lums or Misty Morning. My guess was that we always had a couple of gallons in the little barrel each time we added fresh white liquor to it, so it morphed into something entirely different. I still have that little barrel, empty now, and sadly dehydrated, but it sure made some might fine -fast- drinking liquor. Hardly any of that woody tannic astringency bite, and all kinds of sweet bourbon hints.

[nerdybrewer]

There's a definite turning point at 6 months. Doesnt seem to matter if its a whiskey, rum or whatever. I dont drink anything before 6 months. If you can wait 1 year+ you'll be happy you did. In the beginning patience is difficult because you dont have anything old, the trick is making enough to stash away, gallons, many gallons. Right now Im drinking 2013 and 2014 whiskeys that spent at least a year in 5g bbl.

Jimbo's right about aging. And there is a great deal of difference between liquor aged with oak in a bottle, and liquor aged in wooden casks. The trick is to split you output between the two, using the glass to turn out liquor fit to drink in 6 months, while growing a stash set aside in oak barrels. My experience with 5g barrels is that the loose a little to much to the angels, I prefer working with 10g barrels. It takes a longer time to fill one up, but by then you'll really appreciate what is in it. I also found that after a barrel goes through a one year cycle, the next cycle makes the liquor sans a lot of the tannic acids that take so long to convert in the aging process. The 2nd cycle's liquor comes our sweeter, and more fully developed shades of vanilla, fruity flavor and licorice. Just my two cents worth.

+1 to that Boom. Once used wood doesnt add that tannic astringency. Lately when I refill the bottle on my bar I do 1/3 new, 2/3 old wood stash. The bit of new wood gives a little spank.

Yeah, I used to keep a little 3 gallon gibbs on a table in the reception area. I'd grown to like our Misty Morning (White) Whiskey, so I'd fill that little barrel up and treat walkin traffic to a little nip as an introduction to our product. It really shaped up the flavors pretty fast, and after about 3 months, what was coming out had turned a nice golden hue. By six months it has begun to taste very different than either our aged Uncle Lums or Misty Morning. My guess was that we always had a couple of gallons in the little barrel each time we added fresh white liquor to it, so it morphed into something entirely different. I still have that little barrel, empty now, and sadly dehydrated, but it sure made some might fine -fast- drinking liquor. Hardly any of that woody tannic astringency bite, and all kinds of sweet bourbon hints.

I've got a BadMo full of corn/wheat/oat whisky.
A 5 gallon Balcones that been used twice for rum full of the same as above.
An 8 gallon Black Swan that's been used twice for rum and is currently full of new(ish) rum.
One 15 gallon once used Bourbon barrel full of Panela rum from July.
Two empty once used 15 gallon Bourbon barrels just waiting for me to get off my ass.
I've got the equipment to have plenty of drink for years, now I need to apply some more hard work.
Once I build my thumper I'll get to it, I have all the parts just need the time.
What's holding me back? It's always something.
This weekend the grandkids are visiting and I don't want to miss spending time with them.
Maybe next week.
I suppose there's nothing stopping me from starting up a 60 gallon ferment, give me more motivation to get the thumper built!
I've got a bunch more grains, I bought the 150 gallon BIAB and I have that 150 gallon stainless steel brew strainer.
Maybe I'll just cook up the last of my Panela though, quick & easy.

[ausibatla]

I have just added the bakers yeast to my Honey Bourbon mash. Before I did it I did
an SG reading on all 3 fermenters. The 20 l one measured 1040 and the two 26 L ones were 1042.
Now if I get down to 1010 which is the best I've managed to date, I will have an expected
alcohol content in my wash of just 3.93. Assuming it went mad this time and actually went as low as 1000
then I would have 5.24. A bit better but still pretty low. So I've gone back over to the workshop and added
1kg of sugar to the 20L fermenter and 1.5kg to the two 26L ones. Have I done the right thing and if so will
this lift the alcohol content in my wash by much before distillation?
I have just read the info at http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 40&t=59413
but there are are a lot of conflicting replys so I just thought I'd put it out there again.
I am also unsure of the amount of yeast I'm adding. I follow a recipe that uses 1/2 a cup of warm
water with 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of yeast (7gm). Leave it until it starts to foam then
chuck it in. I use the same for the 20L and the two 26L fermenters.
I have read on the site where 2 tablespoons are added to 5 gal (26L).

Cheers.

[jon1163]

I'm hoping this is the correct area for this question... My intent is not to experiment here....

My next project is to run multiple runs of HBB and I made a trip to my store and got two batches of the needed grain. Problem is I'd now like to do the oat addition. All my grain is ground and sitting mixed in bags so I'm not going to be able to separate it now. I'd Do you think it possible to add the 1lb oats to the recipe and keep everything else the same without messing anything up?

[still_stirrin]

...Do you think it possible to add the 1lb oats to the recipe and keep everything else the same without messing anything up?

It will work.
ss

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

...Do you think it possible to add the 1lb oats to the recipe and keep everything else the same without messing anything up?

It will work.
ss

How could it hurt? Oats are awesome.

The only thing to watch for is that if you don't get full conversion, and you have too many oats, you could scorch. But I think using lb , especially if your not dropping any other grains, will be great.

Enjoy!

[OtisT]

I've got a BadMo full of corn/wheat/oat whisky.
A 5 gallon Balcones that been used twice for rum full of the same as above.
An 8 gallon Black Swan that's been used twice for rum and is currently full of new(ish) rum.
One 15 gallon once used Bourbon barrel full of Panela rum from July.
Two empty once used 15 gallon Bourbon barrels just waiting for me to get off my ass.
I've got the equipment to have plenty of drink for years, ......

Damn, Nerdy! Sounds like the party is at your place next time.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I have just added the bakers yeast to my Honey Bourbon mash. Before I did it I did
an SG reading on all 3 fermenters. The 20 l one measured 1040 and the two 26 L ones were 1042.
Now if I get down to 1010 which is the best I've managed to date, I will have an expected
alcohol content in my wash of just 3.93. Assuming it went mad this time and actually went as low as 1000
then I would have 5.24. A bit better but still pretty low. So I've gone back over to the workshop and added
1kg of sugar to the 20L fermenter and 1.5kg to the two 26L ones. Have I done the right thing and if so will
this lift the alcohol content in my wash by much before distillation?
I have just read the info at http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 40&t=59413
but there are are a lot of conflicting replys so I just thought I'd put it out there again.
I am also unsure of the amount of yeast I'm adding. I follow a recipe that uses 1/2 a cup of warm
water with 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of yeast (7gm). Leave it until it starts to foam then
chuck it in. I use the same for the 20L and the two 26L fermenters.
I have read on the site where 2 tablespoons are added to 5 gal (26L).

Cheers.

Aus,

I'm not going to try and get into your low conversion here, but you should poke around in a separate thread and try and diagnose. Depending on how you are cooking the corn, my first guess would be to see how long and what temps you are holding it at.

But as far as the sugar, it will be fine. I personally wouldn't have panicked about the sg, but I have run many a 4%-5% mashes. Mostly from a high fg not low sg, but either way. It was more than enough drinking stock to not run to sugar. Live and learn. Try it again, with some attempt to fix the Sg, and if you don't hit it, try the 4.5% mash without sugar. You may learn something

A far as yeast, here's my method for the right amount. Just between us. Take a pint jar, fill it half way with yeast. Leave the fermenter with the lid off, and walk across the room. Grab a table spoon, fill it with yeast, and level it off. Throw the jar across the room at the barrel, and what ever makes it into the barrel is the perfect amount.

Don't let the secret get to far out there.


In all honesty, though, if it is too little yeast, it will just take longer to start. And the only time to much yeast comes to play is if it starts to take up room in the fermenter

When I make rum, I use fresh yeast, an entire 1lb block. 1/2 gets boiled for nutes, the other for pitching. 40 gallons.

Don't sweat yeast pitching, just pitch enough to get it fermenting.

[ausibatla]

Don't sweat yeast pitching, just pitch enough to get it fermenting.[/quote]

Thanks for that info Diamond. You're 5 carats.

[Oldvine Zin]

I've got a BadMo full of corn/wheat/oat whisky.
A 5 gallon Balcones that been used twice for rum full of the same as above.
An 8 gallon Black Swan that's been used twice for rum and is currently full of new(ish) rum.
One 15 gallon once used Bourbon barrel full of Panela rum from July.
Two empty once used 15 gallon Bourbon barrels just waiting for me to get off my ass.
I've got the equipment to have plenty of drink for years, ......

Damn, Nerdy! Sounds like the party is at your place next time.

Fill those two empty ones quick so we can party at your place in a couple of years

OVZ

[Oldvine Zin]

Had 45 gals of settled and cleared HBB with oats (first time using malted oats) to do a stripping run today. 3 runs of 15 gals in lynyzie my stripper, glad that she could handle so much

Great aromas coming off all the runs - didn't taste any until mid run on the last, at 50ish wow (glad that I didn't taste on the earlier runs, prob would of tasted too much and never gotten this far) so smooth with almost a Hershey chocolate note( not that Hershey is that great but it is a comforting flavor) Spirit run tomorrow - after cuts into a new Gibbs barrel

OVZ

[Still Life]

Had 45 gals of settled and cleared HBB with oats (first time using malted oats) to do a stripping run today. 3 runs of 15 gals in lynyzie my stripper, glad that she could handle so much

hbboats.JPG

Great aromas coming off all the runs - didn't taste any until mid run on the last, at 50ish wow (glad that I didn't taste on the earlier runs, prob would of tasted too much and never gotten this far) so smooth with almost a Hershey chocolate note( not that Hershey is that great but it is a comforting flavor) Spirit run tomorrow - after cuts into a new Gibbs barrel

Too bad there's not a LIKE button.
Sweet still, too, Oldvine!

[ausibatla]

The 50 liter keg I ordered finally rocked up. It's American Oak and charred that well the water
I put in overnight to make sure there were no leaks was coloured when I emptied it the next morning.
At the moment it has 20L of HBB in it with another 10L nearly ready to add to it. The tap I had to fit myself
even though their internet add claimed it came with one. The bloke has given me $20 back because of the oversight.
A couple of photos of it.

[Oldvine Zin]

nice but I think that you really don't need the tap - too easy to sample and drain your barrel

OVZ

[Oldvine Zin]

Just filled this - two ferments a few strip runs and a 15 gal spirit run will fill one of these. Love the Gibbs barrels, nice and tight and no leaks.

OVZ

[Oldvine Zin]

Oh and a 5 gal barrel is closer to 6

OVZ

[ausibatla]

I've been scrolling through HD Google search trying to find out more about adding vanilla to my bourbon
in the keg. I can't find out how much to use or how long to leave it. There's lots of people who have done
it and reckon it's great but don't really specify how much they used or for how long. I was thinking of dropping some
sticks into my new oak barrel but don't know how many sticks for 50 liters or for how long or for one 750ml
bottle and for how long. If I was to add some sticks into my keg it would be in a small cloth sack with a bit of
string attached so it could be removed through the bung if needed. anybody got any advice.
Cheers.

[HDNB]

about 3 x 1/4" piece per gallon will knock the corners off a young whiskey... unless all you want is vanilla flavoured hootch.

for 50L i Think I'd try one whole, fresh Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean, split lengthwise.

you can usually get them in the baking goods section of the supermarket. in mine they come 2 to a test tube for about 7 bucks.

these are awesome if you want a few:
http://www.vanillafoodcompany.ca/Gourme ... ns-s/3.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


well shit. I just went back to the site, thought i'd order a few up while thinking about it....looks like they are sold out due to a worldwide shortage. guess i'm off to the grocer's tomorrow to get what i can

[Shine0n]

After my sons big bash that left me with very little bourbon we had some last night while scaring the shit out of people. MY GOD that is a superior bourbon!

Headed to the brew shop after work to get the grains to do a 30 gal ferment.

I'm so looking forward to making this again and also try the chocolate sundae bourbon too!

Thanks SCD, and congrats on the green name! You're an outstanding member to this forum

[Still Life]

After my sons big bash that left me with very little bourbon we had some last night while scaring the shit out of people. MY GOD that is a superior bourbon!

Headed to the brew shop after work to get the grains to do a 30 gal ferment.

I'm so looking forward to making this again and also try the chocolate sundae bourbon too!

Thanks SCD, and congrats on the green name! You're an outstanding member to this forum

LOCK AND KEY THIS BATCH!
You're not missing anything with starting over...
Who am I kidding??!! This shit gets better each month in my barrel!

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

After my sons big bash that left me with very little bourbon we had some last night while scaring the shit out of people. MY GOD that is a superior bourbon!

Headed to the brew shop after work to get the grains to do a 30 gal ferment.

I'm so looking forward to making this again and also try the chocolate sundae bourbon too!

Thanks SCD, and congrats on the green name! You're an outstanding member to this forum

Ha, thanks Shineon. I'm glad that the saga ended on a good one, and a good memory.

Hell, when things go well, I love the mashing part of it all just as much as the rest. Make you some honey bear, and that sundae bourbon is fun too, mostly because you think, no way this black liquid is coming out the still clear. But it always does

I'm just honored that I have the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful place, and to help give back some of what I've taken from it. Many before us, and will be many after. We are the pioneers of our day. Thanks for being a part of this day as well