Does an oat sugarhead still have the same mouthfeel?

Sugar, and all about sugar washes. Where the primary ingredient is sugar, and other things are just used as nutrients.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
Steve Broady
Distiller
Posts: 1415
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:52 am
Location: NC Piedmont

Does an oat sugarhead still have the same mouthfeel?

Post by Steve Broady »

I’ve read about the creamy mouthfeel that oats give to a spirit. I’m curious if doing a sugarhead on the spent grain from an all oat mash would result in a similar mouthfeel.

There’s a malt house near me that sells malted oats, and I’m quite tempted to try making a single malt out of them. Which led me to wondering about the sugarhead. Would a neutral from them have that creamy mouthfeel? Or a pot distilled “whiskey”? I’ve read some comments about oats having a subtle flavor, which makes me wonder if there’s anything left to be gotten out of a sugarhead, or if it would just taste like a sugar wash.
Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
NormandieStill
Distiller
Posts: 2097
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Does an oat sugarhead still have the same mouthfeel?

Post by NormandieStill »

Sugarheads have a surprising amount of flavour. Nothing like the original AG but was way more than a straight sugar wash.

I once used a batch of sugarheads for making neutral because I urgently needed neutral for another project. Refluxed the low wines to 95% and the result was far from neutral. Made a nice drop of gin but the whisky flavour definitely carried over.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
User avatar
rubberduck71
Trainee
Posts: 767
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 11:22 am
Location: Eastern PA

Re: Does an oat sugarhead still have the same mouthfeel?

Post by rubberduck71 »

NormandieStill wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 4:12 pm Sugarheads have a surprising amount of flavour. Nothing like the original AG but was way more than a straight sugar wash.
Agree. I'd SWAG it ~80-85% of the A/G. Especially if you toss the feints in from the A/G.

Doing sugarheads is part of my standard procedure now. Helps keep your paws off the A/G while it ages.
There are two times of year: FOOTBALL SEASON and... Waiting For Football Season
User avatar
jonnys_spirit
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3938
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am
Location: The Milky Way

Re: Does an oat sugarhead still have the same mouthfeel?

Post by jonnys_spirit »

You can also mash in a bit more oats or whatever to minimize the sugar.

Cheers,
J
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
Post Reply