Date Brandy [best i ever made]

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maltyguy
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Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

a friend form Iraq sent me a 50lbs or so of reject animal-grade Dates its still absurdly sweet despite its low quality.
its labeled as animal grade because they are rock-hard you gotta have crocodile teeth to enjoy them. a bag of 50lbs would cost you like 8 bucks!
in places like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran you can find them on the streets, its a moonshiners wet dream.


Image

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i put 40lbs in a big bucket didnt take the seeds or even wash it, i wanted full flavor dirt and all! added 5gallons of water
and let them soak for 6 hours.
i used big log and mash them to a pulp, it was too thick i had to add another 3.5 gallon of water. there was still a lot sugar
trapped in the tough skin.

it took a month to fully ferment, lost 3 gallons during siphoning i barely squeeze 5gallon and half of that was sediment.
i let it clear for a week ended up with just 2.5 gallon of clear wine the rest was too thick but i thought what the hell let it scorch!

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i stripped it dry and diluted it to 20% abv, during the slow spirit run i was shocked by the amount of methanol!
however late heads is packed with explosive flavors it was the prime of brandy.
collected a liter of pure alcohol, blew 60% it started to taste like coins i stopped the run.
it was absolutely worth it.
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Kareltje
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Kareltje »

Nice story. Starting with the free dates.

How do you know it had much methanol?
Why not put the heavy pulp in a thumper and run it with water in the boiler? Gives you all the taste and all the alcohol.
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

Kareltje wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:07 pm Nice story. Starting with the free dates.

How do you know it had much methanol?
Why not put the heavy pulp in a thumper and run it with water in the boiler? Gives you all the taste and all the alcohol.
it tasted like paint thinner for a while. i dont have a thumper so i distilled with the heavy plup
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Demy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Demy »

Nice experiment, here in Italy that stuff is very expensive for a certain amount. I usually make a fig brandy, then I put some dehydrated figs in the white spirit, it tastes great, you could try to do the same on a small amount
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

Demy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:47 pm Nice experiment, here in Italy that stuff is very expensive for a certain amount. I usually make a fig brandy, then I put some dehydrated figs in the white spirit, it tastes great, you could try to do the same on a small amount
its so good i dont want to add anything to it. i'v been meaning to make a fig brandy what is your recipe?
OtisT
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by OtisT »

maltyguy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:44 pm
Kareltje wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:07 pm Nice story. Starting with the free dates.

How do you know it had much methanol?
Why not put the heavy pulp in a thumper and run it with water in the boiler? Gives you all the taste and all the alcohol.
it tasted like paint thinner for a while. i dont have a thumper so i distilled with the heavy plup
Great thread. Thanks for sharing.

FYI, I’m pretty sure methanol is odorless and flavorless. The first stuff out of your still that smells like paint thinner smells like that because it is paint thinner. Acetone is one prominent component of Foreshots.

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Salt Must Flow
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Salt Must Flow »

maltguy, date brandy sounds absolutely amazing. Every time I look at that pic of your box of dates I can smell it :ebiggrin:

To drink or not to drink, that is the question.
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8Ball
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by 8Ball »

I have 4 pounds of preserved dates. What should I do with them?
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

thanks for your comment Otis, i exaggerated when i said paint thinner but it didnt taste good.
Salt Must Flow it does smells great. unfortunately, the only distillery in the us that makes dates brandy has closed shop.
theres one in Isreal but the price is ridiculous.
8Ball wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:14 pm I have 4 pounds of preserved dates. What should I do with them?
it wouldnt be enough to make a large batch. i'd soak em in high abv rum
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8Ball
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by 8Ball »

maltyguy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:52 pm
8Ball wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:14 pm I have 4 pounds of preserved dates. What should I do with them?
it wouldnt be enough to make a large batch. i'd soak em in high abv rum
I think I’ll scale down your process and use my little gin pot to run it. It will be fun and I’m okay with the small yield. Thanks.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
hawkwing
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by hawkwing »

Just curious how do you know how much methanol is in there? I tried flame tests etc and I can’t tell. I saw a video on YouTube testing the flame test and it wasn't obvious either?

Also how does it compare to a grape brandy or cognac?
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Kareltje
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Kareltje »

I think the remark about the methanol is void: as OtisT already wrote: methanol is odorless and tasteless and the bad things one smells at the start are other chemicals.

I looked up the contents of dried dates and they contain about 66 % by weight of sugars.
Calculating in metric values the recipe was 18 kg dried dates, containing 12 kg sugars in 19 plus 13,3 is 32,3 liters water. That is about 12 kg sugar in about 50 liters wash. Should result in about 6 kg or 7.5 liters ethanol. Including heads and tails, so the drinkable amount will be less.
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

8Ball wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 5:10 am
maltyguy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:52 pm
8Ball wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:14 pm I have 4 pounds of preserved dates. What should I do with them?
it wouldnt be enough to make a large batch. i'd soak em in high abv rum
I think I’ll scale down your process and use my little gin pot to run it. It will be fun and I’m okay with the small yield. Thanks.
me too. let me know when ur done
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

hawkwing grapes is more complex but the date flavor is truly unique.
Kareltje thanks for the info, I exaggerated a little bit I just didnt like early and mid heads
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Demy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Demy »

maltyguy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 4:05 pm
Demy wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:47 pm Nice experiment, here in Italy that stuff is very expensive for a certain amount. I usually make a fig brandy, then I put some dehydrated figs in the white spirit, it tastes great, you could try to do the same on a small amount
its so good i dont want to add anything to it. i'v been meaning to make a fig brandy what is your recipe?
There should be a post here on the forum ... very simple, chop the ripe figs (even with your hands), ferment the whole fruit, stripping, spirit run, then a maceration of the dried figs (sun dried then baked) , it is a unique product.
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Demy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by Demy »

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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

Demy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:14 pm found
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=84578
looks delicious. i need to buy a small still and experiment with pure brandies
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by jonnys_spirit »

I'd love to do an all fig or date brandy but after reading about Demy's I did macerate some dried figs in a 1/2 gallon of grape brandy and it turned out very nice and it's gone now. Slightly sweet and colored from the figs and some raw apple wood. I need to make my grappa shine for some more similar.

Cheers!
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8Ball
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by 8Ball »

maltyguy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:34 pm
Demy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:14 pm found
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=84578
looks delicious. i need to buy a small still and experiment with pure brandies
You can make your own mini pot, perfect for gin and experimenting.
viewtopic.php?f=106&t=84579
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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maltyguy
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by maltyguy »

8Ball wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:16 pm
maltyguy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:34 pm
Demy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:14 pm found
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=84578
looks delicious. i need to buy a small still and experiment with pure brandies
You can make your own mini pot, perfect for gin and experimenting.
viewtopic.php?f=106&t=84579
looks good! does it scorch the fruits/botanicals?
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8Ball
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by 8Ball »

maltyguy wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:55 am
8Ball wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:16 pm
maltyguy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:34 pm
Demy wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:14 pm found
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=84578
looks delicious. i need to buy a small still and experiment with pure brandies
You can make your own mini pot, perfect for gin and experimenting.
viewtopic.php?f=106&t=84579
looks good! does it scorch the fruits/botanicals?
I’ve only used it for gin. Had no issues with scorching. Treat it like a normal pot. Do a slow warm up and you are good. I did beef up the bottom of the pot by adding a layer of copper sheet, doubling the base thickness.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
W1ck3d
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by W1ck3d »

Hey Maltguy

What about 25kg of date syrup
I'm very sure it would be very sweet and much easier to work with
Keep Calm and get your shine on
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PalCabral
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Re: Date Brandy [best i ever made]

Post by PalCabral »

The ”official” name is Bohka if I remember correctly. Made in Tunisia and Algeria. If made well it’s a classy eau-de-vie, if not it tastes of Kerosene.
Curiosity may have killed a cat but if you’re too old to learn chances are that you’ve already passed away. I am reviving distilling after 30 silent years.
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