Single malt whiskey using LME

[shadylane]

Shadylane
IMHUMBLEO stripping runs ought to have gotten you clear of the “nasties”. I was going to suggest the mild reflux route but I like the pot still head route just the same. Are you still going to run it another time? In the end (which is still to come) do you think it was worth it to use LME instead of grains?

The only advantage I can see to using LME is that it's much easier.
I will probably run it one one time. Well maybe.

[nerdybrewer]

Shady - TLDR version - did you add any grains or do all LME?

[shadylane]

All LME

[Stonecutter]

The only advantage I can see to using LME is that it's much easier.
I will probably run it one one time. Well maybe.

Haha Oh is that all? Well we’ll all be watching and waiting.

[nerdybrewer]

The only advantage I can see to using LME is that it's much easier.
I will probably run it one one time. Well maybe.

Haha Oh is that all? Well we’ll all be watching and waiting.

Yeah, pass it once through the potstill and into the barrel.
Let time and oak sort it out.

[shadylane]

Stripping runs ought to have gotten you clear of the “nasties”. I was going to suggest the mild reflux route but I like the pot still head route just the same.

That's how I normally do it. I'll strip with one plate and spirt run with one or more plates.
For this experiment I'm doing it the way Bubba suggested.
His theory is a plate forms a tails trap. That's great for sugar washes and making brandy. But not for making whiskey.
He say's the whiskey flavor is ABV controlled. It only comes over at lower levels of alcohol.
That's why it's best to dilute before re-distilling.
It sounds counterintuitive to me.
But bubba makes some damn good whiskey.
He has lot's of experience. He drinks like a fish and has a small copper pot.

[nerdybrewer]

Stripping runs ought to have gotten you clear of the “nasties”. I was going to suggest the mild reflux route but I like the pot still head route just the same.

That's how I normally do it. I'll strip with one plate and spirt run with one or more plates.
For this experiment I'm doing it the way Bubba suggested.
His theory is a plate forms a tails trap. That's great for sugar washes and making brandy. But not for making whiskey.
He say's the whiskey flavor is ABV controlled. It only comes over at lower levels of alcohol.
That's why it's best to dilute before re-distilling.
It sounds counterintuitive to me.
But bubba makes some damn good whiskey.
He has lot's of experience. He drinks like a fish and has a small copper pot.

Hard to go wrong with that formula!!

[Stonecutter]

Stripping runs ought to have gotten you clear of the “nasties”. I was going to suggest the mild reflux route but I like the pot still head route just the same.

That's how I normally do it. I'll strip with one plate and spirt run with one or more plates.
For this experiment I'm doing it the way Bubba suggested.
His theory is a plate forms a tails trap. That's great for sugar washes and making brandy. But not for making whiskey.
He say's the whiskey flavor is ABV controlled. It only comes over at lower levels of alcohol.
That's why it's best to dilute before re-distilling.
It sounds counterintuitive to me.
But bubba makes some damn good whiskey.
He has lot's of experience. He drinks like a fish and has a small copper pot.

Hard to go wrong with that formula!!

+1 tails for the whiskey. Good idea Bubba

[Grundefuht]

The total low wines poured into the boiler was 8.1 gallons @ 31%
I diluted it around 20% and slapped on the pot-still head.

Recalculated your results to ml/kg
327 ml of Ethanol per 1 kg of LME.
Good to know results same as my one. This means that either both of us doing right, or same mistakes

[SaltyStaves]

The total low wines poured into the boiler was 8.1 gallons @ 31%
I diluted it around 20% and slapped on the pot-still head.

Was there an element that needed covering??

[shadylane]

Was there an element that needed covering??

I wanted to keep the element covered.
And to keep the final abv low enough that it wouldn't have to be diluted to drinking strength.
I'd rather dilute the low wines before redistilling, than to water down the finished whiskey.
I'll see if the idea was right or not once I've made the cut's.

[shadylane]

After cut's I have 2.7 gallons @ 53%
And around another gallon of feints.

After spending $140 for LME that comes out to around $14 a quart.
I'm happy.

[Saltbush Bill]

Happy with how much flavour you got ?
is it staying as white dog or going on oak ?

[Deplorable]

In my neck of the woods, $14/qt is rot gut bottom shelf booze, so that's still not a horrible price for what will be a fine whiskey.
A little less than double the cost of AG in my shed.

[Saltbush Bill]

A quart = 0.9 of a liter, this neck of the woods that's going to cost ya about $50 AU if ya happy to drink bad whisky.

[shadylane]

Happy with how much flavour you got ?
is it staying as white dog or going on oak ?

I don't know how to best describe the flavor.
The malt carried over very good, but there isn't as much grain flavor as I wanted.
It's quite smooth for being over 100 proof, there's a little bit of burn but not very much.
Within 10 seconds of sipping all that's left is a tiny amount of malt flavor.
Shortly after that there's no after taste at all.

I'll probably split the whiskey up.
Some I'll oak and some I'll keep for white.

[shadylane]

The fermenter has a heated water jacket.
So I'll mix the gluco into the mash and turn the heat up.
I'll give it a couple hours to convert.

I'm talking to myself again.

I didn't see any need to heat the mash to get conversion.
Just mix the gluco into the water, mix in the LME and sprinkle on the yeast.
The Gluco was able to break down most of the unfermentables at room temp.

[The Baker]

I'm talking to myself again.

Always get an intelligent conversation that way.

Geoff

[shadylane]

After cut's I have 2.7 gallons @ 53%
And around another gallon of feints.

The jars that didn't make the cut are still separated. I didn't dump them in the feints jug.
I'm waiting to see if the 2.7 gall hearts cut, might need a little from some of the jars.

[deadliftsnstill]

@shady
I have read this thread (on the mobile) and can't find it for the life of me - what enzymes did you use? I'm still searching on what right, high temp alpha or Glucoamylase (works lower temps from my limited understanding)?
I'm planning on trying this once my noob cereal washes are done and I've learned cuts better.

[Saltbush Bill]

The jars that didn't make the cut are still separated. I didn't dump them in the feints jug.
I'm waiting to see if the 2.7 gall hearts cut, might need a little from some of the jars.

And what happened here ????????
Good move hanging onto those other jars

[shadylane]

@shady
I have read this thread (on the mobile) and can't find it for the life of me - what enzymes did you use? I'm still searching on what right, high temp alpha or Glucoamylase (works lower temps from my limited understanding)?
I'm planning on trying this once my noob cereal washes are done and I've learned cuts better.

I experimented with both Alpha and Gluco.
Gluco made a difference in the fermentability of the LME.
The Alpha enzmes didn't seem to make a difference.

[shadylane]

The jars that didn't make the cut are still separated. I didn't dump them in the feints jug.
I'm waiting to see if the 2.7 gall hearts cut, might need a little from some of the jars.

And what happened here ????????
Good move hanging onto those other jars

I've still got the "other jars"
Unfortunately I've drank much of the hearts cut young and white.

For folks with smaller sized stills.
I'd highly recommend using LME.
It can let you make good whisky, while learning the art.
Without the many possible mistakes that come with Mashing and lautering

[JakeB]

I posted on this thread a while back about lots of people having puking issues. I had great success with DME whiskey, a little effort to avoid pukes and no problem at all. I tried LME, doing strip right now. I just wanted to update because it is puking like crazy, had to turn it way down to stop it. So far tastes about the same as DME whiskey did at this point, but I have one muddy looking jar of low wines. Not sure exactly why, but DME seems to ferment out dryer, and thus puke less. Maybe due to further processing?

In any case DME, somewhere around 1.065 SG, got it down to about 1.005 or less with yeast that has enzimes in it, stir until it stops foaming, add a couple drops of anti foam and no pukes at all. I figured liquid would save some time at a slight expense increase. Same process, same OG finished at 1.010, I left it 4 more days with a bit of heat on it, didn't budge. Ran strip today, if I'm not keeping a close eye on it, or running painfully slow, it pukes. DME may work better for this, though I'm not sure of why...

[shadylane]

Long story short, for those of you having trouble with puking, do a protein rest, use glucoamylase in your wash, ferment to dry, got mine to .995, with enzymes you should be able to get to at least 1.000, degass as thoroughly as you can stand to, and add some anti foam, butter or oil. DME/LME wash is pricy and a fair bit of work to prevent puking, but well worth the cost and the effort.

Plus one JakeB
I did it this way the last couple times and it works.
Slowly heat up the LME and water until it gets tired of foaming up, wort chill, gluco then ferment. When it's time to distill the LME's tendency to puke has been almost tamed.