Noob Here....

[ZeroZee0]

My eyeballs are buggin' outta my skull here from reading through these threads.

At the risk of some ire, (things appear to have been a little heated in the "Mash ABV" threads), I nevertheless would like to pose a couple of questions regarding my mash.

(Copied and pasted from my intro)

Hey All,

I am completely new to this endeavor, but have been a very long-time Brewer. I have a Sabco BrewMagic V-350, along with the Chill Wizard plate heat exchanger and 3 1/2 bbl jacketed SS Brewtech Fermenters with heating and cooling systems, and I only do All-grain brewing.

I just purchased a Still Spirits T-500 boiler and column, and I'm researching how to utilize my Sabco to make the best mash for distillation purposes.

I'm primarily a Scotch drinker, although I'm also fond of American Whiskey as well.

I know that American Whiskey is at least 50+% corn based, and Scotch is Malted Barley.

I've currently got 2 full Fermenters full of an Amber Ale, with another recipes worth of Malt waiting to be mashed in, and was wondering if I'd need to add sugar to the mash if I was going to distill it.

I am aware that I wouldn't use the hops or the orange peel, but I don't know if I need to do a full boil after the mash-in, or if it goes straight into the fermenter.

Also, do I have to use a specific yeast for distillation, or would Ale yeast be sufficient?

I've read that my grain bill should be about 1.5 pounds per gallon for distillation, plus additional sugar, but my Amber recipe calls for 28 pounds of grain for a 12 gallon bottling volume, with an Original Gravity of 1.076, and Final Gravity of 1.018, 7.7% ABV. I'm wondering if I'd still need the extra sugar.

Kind Regards,
Ed

[jonnys_spirit]

Hi ZZ0! You don't need or want sugar in an AG. You can do what some folks call a "sugarhead" or similar (Check out the UJSSM recipe thread).

In general terms on an AG you'll want to mash a total of about 2# grain per gallon of water which should yield a potential abv of about 1.060-1.070 "'ish"... Depending on the recipe it might be 1.5-2.5# of grain...

Enzymes are your friend too. High temp enzymes help thin out the corn pudding to be more workable.

Use your favorite yeasts and experiment with others but ideally it ferments dry or close to dry 0.998 range... Many folks use bakers yeast and many others...

Typically no hops but at home we can use whatever we want and call it whatever we want ...

You don't need to boil the wort either nor do you need to worry too much about sanitation and an infection can even be a desired factor.

Recommend following some recipes to get started but if you're good to go with AG brewing you'll just need to unlearn a couple things that aren't important for distilling

Also recommend sizing your ferment to be three times the capacity of your boiler so you can do a double distillation protocol for best outcome. 3x stripping runs and one spirit run for each batch. Look up large batch mashing here on HD for a good overview.

Cheers!
-jonny

[ZeroZee0]

Thanks so much for the response. I'm currently trying to understand some of the new nomenclature.
I found Jimbo's recipe for Single Malt, and am contemplating adjusting his recipe to accommodate my equipment.
If you please, however, I'm wondering about timing for the mash-in. My system has a recirc pump, and when I'm making beer I use either a 60 or 90 minute mash-in, but it appears that he's suggesting that he just dumps hot water into his grains, and then tries to maintain the heat in the pot.
I am just wondering if I'd want to use my usual time for mash-in, and then transfer through my heat exchanger and pitch my yeast at the usual temperature that I use for beer. I'm assuming that I want my fermenter temperature to be about the same as I use for my ale, with a corresponding final gravity.

[higgins]

I am a long time AG brewer who started distilling about 3 years ago. I've done 4 single malts with varying grain bills but always the same mash procedure, which is a simple infusion in a cooler mash tun.

I use 2 qts water per pound of grain, mashing with half (at 145F) for 90 minutes, sparging with half (at 180F).
I don't mash-out.
I get 1.066-1.068 OG wort, which finishes around 1.001.
I follow the principles of Scotch Whisky makers and don't use any exogenous enzymes in my single malts, only those in the malt.
I usually use US-05 yeast, but once used a Wyeast 1728 yeast cake after brewing a Scottish 80.

So far I'm happy with my product, but am still searching for that peaty Islay character.

[ZeroZee0]

NICE!
Thanks for the reply.
I'm more of a Speyside guy, but I've had a couple of Islay's that were enjoyable. Except Ardburgh, or however it's spelled. It was like drinking Liquid Smoke. My Go-to is actually the 18 year old Macallan.
I'll start my mash-in first thing in the morning.
SKOL!

[still_stirrin]

With your automated brew system, just make an all malt beer (target OG=1.074) using medium to heavy peated malt.
- Mash at 148*F until converted. Then lauter and do a slow runoff to the kettle.
- Boil it for 15 minutes (do NOT add hops, they’ll spoil your smoke) to knock out the proteins (I skim them if they’re thick).
- Then, vorlauf and chill as you run into your fermenter.
- Be sure to bubble the O2 as you run into the fermenter so it’s ready to go when you pitch your yeast starter.
Fermentation will be quick, but let it fully terminate before trying to distill it.

Do the 2X distillation protocol, ie - strip + spirit run in a potstill.
- Then, the key to develop the “Scotch”, age on toasted and charred American white oak.
- And above all, wait for it.
This style of liquor requires a long time to develop the quality and character you’re looking for. 2 years is a start. 4 or more will be a reward for you, smooth and elegant. And the peat smoke will be relatively strong in the first month, but it will be subdued after that. But it will once again reveal itself after 2 or more years.

So, be patient. You’ll appreciate it.
ss