New Dutch Courage Distillery

[Odin]

I have three courses planned for those interested in learning how to make drinks. One day introduction courses, where we work with the smaller equipment. Well, the big units may be producing as well, in the background. The courses of January 30th and Februari 6th were sold out in hours and days respectively. The new course for January 16th is starting to fill up as well.

I just whipped up a new ferment for course of the 16th. Some 200 liters of horsefeed with some old backset I had left. Darn, feels good to get something going again!!!

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

Here's a picture of our newest still: the iStill 250 Pro Series with glass column segments.

I will build her up tomorrow!

Regards, Odin.

[kiwi Bruce]

Great photo ! ! ! What a fantastic looking still. I love the glass segments in the column. WOW !

[Odin]

Thanks! First runs in a few days! Very exciting!

Odin.

[yakattack]

Odin- is that rashing rings in your column? If so what's your take on it?
Yak

[Odin]

Almost as good as our oversized SPP, Yak!

[fqu8847]

Odin... I'm out of commission for a few weeks, so I've got nothing to do but stalk this forum, read ADI, watch TV, and play xbox... please keep us updated on the progress!!!

[Odin]

Odin... I'm out of commission for a few weeks, so I've got nothing to do but stalk this forum, read ADI, watch TV, and play xbox... please keep us updated on the progress!!!

Okay, so here is a picture of the iStill 250 Pro Series boiler put in place. Tomorrow we will build her up!

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

Two of my guys, Matt and Adrian, just started doing final assembly on the iStill 250 Pro Series. And some final upgrades on the iStill 500 Pro Series as well. Here's a few pics!

Odin.

[Odin]

And here's the picture of the iStill 250 Pro Series with glass segments!

Regards, Odin.

[raketemensch]

And here's the picture of the iStill 250 Pro Series with glass segments!

Regards, Odin.

So when do they start pumping booze through their veins?

[Odin]

I may have found the master distiller I was looking for, Raketemensch, so the moment when we start to rock and roll is nearing. Also, yesterday I talked to someone who wants us to produce their drinks. I like that model, since it gives the distillery a flying start.

Regards, Odin.

[bitter]

Odin! Sounds awesome! We need an online video tour once your up and running!!!!!

B

[Odin]

Will do, B!

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

Phew! Quite the productive day! My recipes for gin, genever (new and old style) as well as the korenwijn are ready. First tests on our liquer went very well too!

Regards, Odin.

[bitter]

Very nice! Can't wait to be able to buy some to try it!

B

[Odin]

Here are some video's of a vodka run I am doing with the iStill 250 Pro Series. Too big to upload, so via my Facebook account:

https://www.facebook.com/odiniStill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Regards, Odin.

[bitter]

Very nice! Needed to make a fake account though to watch it

B

[Odin]

I just added a short movie of a potstill run on 17% low wines/fresh wash combination. Making whiskey at 20 liters per hour!

Regards, Odin.

[bitter]

Wow 17 LPH darn thats fast!!

B

[Odin]

Correction: 28 liters per hour.

Regards, Odin.

[bitter]

Odin, You blow my mind!

B

[Odin]

Wow! I had a great day. First, I made a vodka. Then I finished a "moutwijn" and turned it into a whiskey.

The performance in potstill mode is perfect. The numbers in pure mode were very impressive in terms of stability of the column and the stacking of Fores and Heads and ABV (96% all the way). The new Tails compression works like a dream too. Or so taste suggests. I run all the way down to having only 1.5% alcohol left in the boiler, and there were no tails coming over. But performance in terms of output per liter is still below standards. Well, she just had her maiden run in pure mode, so no surprise. I'll have to do two things: 1. Make a change to the software; 2. Do a good sacrificial run with more vinegar.

The sacrificial run with more vinegar will have to wait until tomorrow, since it is half past 10 in the evening here already.

Going to the supermarket and finding only 1.5 liter bottles of vinegar meant that I bought all their stock. The lady behind the counter looked funny at me. So, anyhow, that's for tomorrow. A tough boil at 18 kw with some 100 liters of water and 27 liters of vinegar will do the trick.

More runs planned? Oh yes! This is just too much fun! Especially with the all glass column. Darn, eye candy that prevents me to do much of anything else!.

On Thursday I will do another vodka run. Let's see if we can hit that 12 liter per hour! Given the enhanced stability this new rig has, I don't expect that to be a problem. Heck, I am only running 78 centimeters of column packing and 26 centimeters of the more open copper catalyst packing, currently. And on Saturday, I will make my first professional gin! I dusted my old recipes off, changed a little bit here and there, and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

Preparing tomorrow's gin run. I just put 110 liters at 60% strong pretty neutral alcohol in the boiler and added the coriander grains and juniper berries. Tomorrow I will add another 110 liter of water and the rest of the botanicals and start the run.

Here's a picture of the boiler's content.

Regards, Odin.

[buflowing]

And I thought you would start out with a malt wine genever style. What gives ?:D (Sorry if it is elsewhere in this thread)

Maceration only?

[Odin]

No, distillation starts in an hour from now. And the maltwine will be distilled next week. I will use this gin recipe in a special way. First, to make gin. But I tweaked it in such a way that - by adding maltwine - I can also create my young style and old style genever, Buff.

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

First run is done. Around 120 liters of 45% gin completed. That's a bit over 170 bottles at 0.7 liter each. I will it mellow out for a few weeks, and then bottling starts.

Here's the "depleted" herbs bags, as I took them out after the run.

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

I did another gin run. Currently I have over 220 liters of Odins Gin resting at 46 to 47%. Tomorrow I will do another run. This run will be another gin run. The goal is to make around 140 liters of 45% gin again. Together with the 220 liters I produced during the first two runs, that will add up to 360 liters. Around 550 bottles at 0.7 liters each. Well, in 5 weeks time. Because a good gin needs some rest. For the mariage between alcohol and water to take place. For the oils to dissolve perfectly. Hey, this is a craft distilled product, not an industrial gin!

More info? Heck, yeah! I started the production of maltwine. Maltwine? Yes, "moutwijn", as we call it over here. A young grain whiskey, but in the all Dutch tradition. Longer fermentation times for more taste. Use of backset in the mashing procedures for more taste. Lower pH ferments for higher esterification. On the grain fermentation. And the 1.5 distillation procedure, where we dilute low wines with fresh wash rather than tasteless water. With the goal of a hearts cut of 62 - 64% ... so (again) without the need to water down a taste rich product prior to barrel aging.

Grain bill of our "maltwine whiskey"? 45% rye for spicy taste. 45% wheat for a mellow note. 10% 2-row malted barley to create a "bridge" between the rye and the wheat, and to add a bit of maltiness to the mouth feel.

I distill this maltwine whiskey going pretty deep into tails. No chill filtering. It goes into the barrel as is. Pretty funky. First tests with smaller 30 liter barrels show great results tastewise. With only one "negative". The drink (half cut, as we call it over here, so with some heads and some tails smeared into hearts) is prone to clogging up when diluted. So many tasty oils there that 40% or even 45% dilution brings the fatty accids out of solution. The solution? We will bottle at 48%. More taste, that's the goal.

More info. Tomorrow I will be making a gin tutorial video. It won't be out tomorrow. Probably later next week. With all the do's and don'ts on gin and Dutch Gin making!

I will keep you posted!

Regards, Odin.

[yakattack]

I'll make the popcorn

[MichiganCornhusker]

Wow, Odin, is there some trick of the sun that allows you a couple extra hours every day? I don't know how you get so much done.
You obviously love what you're doing, maybe that's the trick.

I'll be watching, hoping to make gin, or genever, sometime this year!