scotch inspired recipe

[Flamethrower1]

I used Simpsons Golden promise and Bairds Heavily peated at a 50/50 ratio at 2.25 lbs/gal.
Was a little worried about what I may end up with because the peated malt reminded of the smell of black magic markers.
On a 7 gallon wash I used 16lbs of grain and mashed in a ten gallon igloo and then sparged.
Oaked in half gallon jars with used bourbon sticks, it didnt age long 3 months or so and why have I never tried scotch.
Anyway, how do I duplicate this with 34lbs. food cooler and bazooka?

[Flamethrower1]

I am going to mash and ferment on the grain this time as I do not have the equipment to sparge that amount of grain in an afternoon.
Hope my results are close to the original anyway.
I have been a whiskey/bourbon kind of guy all my life, never really cared for vodka, rum or, whatever.
But, I found out I love a Scotch.
Anyway, fingers crossed.

[fizzix]

Discovered you're a newborn Scotch lover, 'ey Flamethrower?
Call me chicken, but peat gives me the heebie-jeebies. I tend to go overboard on such things,
even when I try my best not to.

So how is the heavy peat at 50/50? I mean, just perfect, or an acquired taste?

Good luck with this latest batch.

[cayars]

I am going to mash and ferment on the grain this time as I do not have the equipment to sparge that amount of grain in an afternoon.

How are you going to process the ferment after it's done? Mop ringer, grain bag press? You can use the same method pre-ferment as well. Doesn't need to be a "lauter" or "sparge" per say, just a way to separate liquid from grain to get the wort.

[Flamethrower1]

Fizzex Not an acquired taste kind of thing, at least for me.
If I can find a way to duplicate the recipe on a larger scale, I will never mess with corn again.
Don't get me wrong I still enjoy bourbon, that is pretty much all I have been making, I like this much better.
A friend of mine who I gifted some to compared this to three different kinds of Scotch he purchased, 2 of them it bested and the third was a draw.
Cayers, I have some 5 gallon nylon strain bags and am planning on just straining I guess for this run anyway.
I need to get another 15/20 gallon barrel and I should be able to sparge it like I did the first time.
It is worth the effort.
On a side note, I used Wyeast 1332

[cayars]

Hey no idea how much you pay for Golden Promise or how much you can get other 2 Row for but read these:
http://brulosophy.com/2019/05/13/grain- ... t-results/
http://brulosophy.com/2016/06/06/grain- ... t-results/

I smoke my own malts now as well similar to this video. I too use mesquite smoking chips.

I find this produces something closer to Ardbeg (campfire) vs Laphroaig (ash).
10% smoked grain goes a long way.

There is a commercial distillery doing the same thing:


Maybe watch this one as well for some other hints on malts used like 1% so they go a long way.


BTW, what commercial brands of Scotch have you tried and liked or didn't like?

[seamusm53]

My favorite domestic 'Scotch' is Stranahan's made in Colorado and either the light/dark version. It's not peaty and reminds me of Macallan 12 - a true made-in-Scotland Scotch. I've tried Islay style Scotch (Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Laguvalin) but they were too peaty for my taste. Glennfiddich, Balvenie, Glenlivet among other native Scotches are more to my taste.

[Flamethrower1]

Thanks for the links, good stuff.
I have been making corn based whiskey and a friend suggested I try to make a Scotch
I tend to research the hell out of things and came across a mention of one of the Scottish distilleries using Simpsons and of coarse peated malt.
Also, they dont ferment on the grain
So where to start?
50/50 was my starting point as it would give me "something" to go by.
I could adjust the grain bill one way or another to suit my tastes.
The end product from that run was something that was very good tasting to me and others who have tried it.
Peated, not peated, to each there own, to me it was like 90 proof candy.
Anyway. on a serious note, dont waste your time trying to do this on the grain.
The batch I have going smells like a barf bag compared to my first run.
The Scottish folks developed a way to do this along time ago for a reason

[cayars]

Doing your own smoking as in that video to any malt. I use about 10% smoked malt.
I tried something around 50/50 but found it way to smokey and then had to do a few batches with 0 smoked malts and back blend.
It's more Laphroaig like than Ardbeg at 15% or so. But going higher starts to move away from either of them. I haven't tried short/longer smoking session or tried to smoke with any kind of actual peat but it's on my list.

Mesquite works if you are going for a lighter smoke flavor as you might find in Johnnie Walker Black and maybe Double Black but isn't going to work if you want pure peat like Islay single malts.

I typically proof mine down to 95% give or take 5% which I think is a nice. I make the call based on the batch itself by tasting and proofing.

I agree, Scotch and Irish single malt style whisk(e)y taste worse on grain. Hell, I lauter all my whisk(e)s these days even bourbon, rye and corn and appreciate the flavor more.

Don't be afraid to try different brands of barleys (peated or not) as single batches without mixing them. You can pinpoint the taste of said grain that way. You can try different wood as well on different barley mashes. Keep in mind JW Black is a blend of 40 different whiskys. Doing it this style you could do a 100% peated run and blend just the amount in your want with non-peated runs.

I've currently got about 4 different blends broken up into apple, cherry, JD chips and oak staves. So I can blend potentially 16 different jars for a more complex whisky. I'm trying to get a couple more different types of Barley to try as well. I'm also starting to play with different yeast sas Four Roses does. Although it's Bourbon they produce different flavors with the same mash bills just changing yeasts: https://fourrosesbourbon.com/our-recipes/

https://www.johnniewalker.com/en/whisky ... ch-whisky/ is an interesting read.
"A large proportion of the casks used have previously held bourbon, sometimes sherry, more unusually wine or even beer."
For home made scotch you can add a smidge of imitation vanilla extract (use imitation) and a plash of Oloroso Sherry as well to simulate flavors that would be pulled from Bourbon or Sherry casks without having to actually use them.

Oloroso shows nutty aromas (especially walnuts), combined with polished / balsamic notes, subtle dried fruits, toasted hints, tobacco and autumn aromas. There are noticeable spicy notes in older examples. Often also meaty hints, truffle and leather.

[Flamethrower1]

Cayers, thanks for all of the info definitely going to be experimenting smoking some malt.
What do kind of container are you using to lauter your grains if you dont mind sharing.
My beer equipment is limiting me to around 17 lbs or so of grain

[cayars]

I'm presently using 2 10 gallon drink coolers from Home Depot. I changed out the bottom spout for a ball valve and use the SS braiding from a stripped hose (cut the ends and pull the guts out leaving only the outside braid) as a false bottom. One hose stripped is enough for 4 coolers. I've got about $65 or so in each cooler. These work pretty well for me as I don't mill my grains to fine. The coolers hold heat for a LONG time so the grains convert well even used milled bigger than normal and this makes lautering pretty easy.

I use a 2 gallon pot plus my 5 gallon boiler (stove) for heating water. Soon to be replaced with something in the 13 to 26 gallon range using electric (debating).

[Flamethrower1]

Yeah, I have a couple of those as well.
I want to find something a little bigger so I can lauter my 30 plus lbs of grains in a single run.

[cayars]

Have you tried to just use two of them if you already have them and do split batches?
I went this way for logistics, since anything bigger meant it would be a bit harder to lauter and I wouldn't be able to mix it as easy using my drill & paint mixer. Plus after lautering, I can pickup the 10 gallon, carry it outside to dump. Going bigger and I'd likely have to move grains to bucket (can get messy) in order to dump them outside. Is also helpful for staggering water heat-up, as I only need 1/2 as much at any one time.

[Flamethrower1]

Good point, perhaps I will have to just do it that way until I can figure something else out.
For those of you wondering how the peat comes across, when I first tasted it, the peat reminded me of how rye compliments Bourbon/whiskey.
Rye gives you that spicy zing kind of thing for lack of a better explanation.
The peat does the same thing in that compliments the whiskey.
But in a totally different way that was not so point sourced if that makes any sense.
I am not a professional taste tester/reviewer, all I can say is I liked it very much
It is not a Kilchoman Sanaig, which I can enjoy, way more peat taste than my original batch though.
Anyway, now I have to figure out how to dump out the mess that I have created, oh well.

[cayars]

Will you keep 50/50 peat on your next batch or do you think you'll adjust the amount of peat?

[Flamethrower1]

I am definitely going to keep it the same ratio, it was that good.

[Bigvalveturbo]

I love heavily peated whiskey, I spent a whole week on Islay this summer going from distillery to distillery sampling.

So for fun I made 1/2 gallon of heavy peated.. 2.75 lb. Of heavey peated 2 row to a gallon. Fermented off the grain. Then 6 weeks with alligator char sticks. At 120 proof

I mash in my 25 gallon boiler, and insulate with blankets, larger batches are easier as the thermal mass seams to be enough to retain heat for a long time.(this batch was with only 6 gallons of water) I sparged ,then hand squeased grains last time for scotch, but have since made a press out of a scissor Jack and a 5 gallon bucket. Not squeasing the grain for every drop seams like a waste to ,me.


At 80 proof tastes like a campfire, with a leather/tannin finish note, not a win but drinkable. I'm saving for blending with my next batch. I've been open.aging it(mason jar has a paper towel screwed in place of tin plate) the more it ages the better it gets its about 2 months old now, 6 weeks with sticks 2 airing out)

I'm.going to run a 50/50 peated and non peated for next run.

[cayars]

I love heavily peated whiskey, I spent a whole week on Islay this summer going from distillery to distillery sampling.

Nice vacation! Did you bring back a backpack full of hand dug peat?

I've been open.aging it(mason jar has a paper towel screwed in place of tin plate) the more it ages the better it gets its about 2 months old now, 6 weeks with sticks 2 airing out)

You trying to get the angels drunk? You're letting all the alcohol evaporate out of your jars doing that. Recheck your ABV of the jars to see how much it's dropped already. Most people air out their hooch a day or two right off the still, then blend and bottle sealed for ageing.

Barrels "breath" but not like a paper towel. Opening the jar lid once a week to allow air exchange for a minute or two then resealing is all you need to do with your aging jars.

[Bigvalveturbo]

Nice vacation! Did you bring back a backpack full of hand dug peat?

I only brought home one chunk...should have loaded a bag, but it was too full of finished product!

You trying to get the angels drunk? You're letting all the alcohol evaporate out of your jars doing that. Recheck your ABV of the jars to see how much it's dropped already. Most people air out their hooch a day or two right off the still, then blend and bottle sealed for ageing.


Barrels "breath" but not like a paper towel. Opening the jar lid once a week to allow air exchange for a minute or two then resealing is all you need to do with your aging jars.

I have ABV hasn't changed much , perhaps a point. But the bitter flavor at the end is slowly disappearing, I'm keeping a close(perhaps to close) eye on it

[cayars]

That good to hear. Are these jars stored in a cool place by chance?
BTW, that's funny about the peat.

[Bigvalveturbo]

Actually it's just one jar sitting on my fridge. I capped it yesterday, going to try mixing it with some new spirit tomorrow.

[StuNY]

When I scaled up from my 10 gallon igloo batches of scotch I went to 32 gallon Rubbermaid brute cans. Each batch is now two of these cans. I find one 15 gallon batch of water from my keg still is enough to start the 42lbs of grain mash going in each can. Then after starches are converted and I cool it down (copper pipe wort chiller) to about 110f I add another 6 gallons of cold water. Pitch yeast and off it goes! I put a fish tank thermometer in each set for 75f.

After a lot of experimenting, I am finding my favorite ratio (I like Islay scotches!) is 14lb heavy peated and 28lb Maris Otter or Golden Promise. I did a number of batches with 100% heavy peated and surprisingly didn't find it much peatier than the 1/3 ratio above. Also by adding more of the other grain I'm getting more full/complex flavors.

This really is a lot easier than making a bourbon (Which I still make as well)!

[cayars]

StuNY, are you lautering and if so, what size container and batch size for each lauter?

I'm using Matapeake 2 row I get less than 3 miles from my house from a local malt house for roughly $1/pound bagged on demand as needed. I've been smoking my own barley malt using mesquite wood but after the holidays will be trying actual peat smoke malted barley again to see how much difference there is and if the difference in taste is worth the cost increase.

Agree, much easier than Bourbon and taste a lot better to me as well.

[StuNY]

StuNY, are you lautering and if so, what size container and batch size for each lauter?

No, I always ferment on the grain and then squeeze with the mop wringer.

[cayars]

Have you ever tried to use the mop ringer for the fresh mash, then ferment only the wart?
That would be about the same as after the ferment work wise but would allow you to use additional water to get the most sugar from the grains with another wash. That water could then be used in the next batch and you'll start wth 1 to 3% potential ABV. Also you won't be squeezing the lees and shit out of the grains this way for a cleaner boiler fill.

Sort of a "lauter by mop wringer" approach. LOL

[Flamethrower1]

I now on my 6th or seventh run of the basic recipe, tried on the grain as well as off the grain.
Truth be told, not much of a difference both are good, god I like scotch.
No one who has tasted it didn't like it.

[StuNY]

Have you ever tried to use the mop ringer for the fresh mash, then ferment only the wart?
That would be about the same as after the ferment work wise but would allow you to use additional water to get the most sugar from the grains with another wash. That water could then be used in the next batch and you'll start wth 1 to 3% potential ABV. Also you won't be squeezing the lees and shit out of the grains this way for a cleaner boiler fill.

Sort of a "lauter by mop wringer" approach. LOL

I was just squeezing out a batch and had an "effort saving idea" haha! For my scotch batches I end up with a very thick grain cap throughout the process. Only drops after the ferment is completely done. Even if I knock it down a couple times during the ferment it is right back the next day. Next run I am going to try scooping off the grain cap- after a couple knock downs at least- then having only to filter the wash through a net bag. May give it a try with bourbon too- which is a real pain to mop wringer vs the barley grains (I use corn meal).

[Canuckwoods]

I just pour the whole mess into my brewing bucket that has a brew in a bag suspended in it for the tap on the bottom through a tube into a carboy let it sit over night and next day I have just about everything out that will come out and a lot less mess.

[cayars]

Canuckwoods, do you sparge this a 2nd, 3rd time to get everything out of the grains? If not maybe try that.
Might be low ABV and you don't want to put it in the boiler but it's great to use for the next batch. Like starting with 2%-4% ABV water.

[Canuckwoods]

I fermit on the grain I put it through the BIB after it's done fermenting instead of using a mop bucket.