Home Distiller

Hey Ya'll, This is a first posting for me as I am seeking a little guidance.

I had 20 gallons of a Rye wash go "bad" overnight during my cooldown. The wash must have been introduced to a wild strain of something........My grain floated to the top overnight, formed a barrier on the top of the keggle, and the who knows what byproduct of the wild strain caused an explosion. Mind you this was not a closed lid cooldawn, there was grain everywhere and flies all over the place! It smells exactly like Dog Shit! Never the less I threw it in some closed fermenters pitched some yeast at about 80F hoping it might win the battle and tossed some airlocks on it. It still smells horrible "like dog shit" "literally" and I'm wondering if I should even waste my time with it or not. I foresee it stinking up my still and leaving an odor that will be almost un-removable. From what I gather this has happened to others I just can't find very much info on what others have done. To me it seems like an old time way of fermenting things and probably harmless. However I'm not sure If I should even continue with it. Any advice or reply from some of you more experienced shiners would be greatly appreciated!

Harpinblue

2nd 20L run of 100L of BW. Need some more neutral.
in the offing: 5 strip runs 2 spirit runs and a feints run (the heart of which I'll use for aperitifs where i know I'll only drink a little)

Batch #2 of single malt mashed in last night, cooled to 80F, pitched harvested yeast from batch #1 and its bubbling away now.

Today Im on step 2 of a 'Producers Pride All Grain Sweet Feed' All Grain. I started by steep cooking overnight 25 lbs of that Producers Pride (Corn, Oats, Barley, Molasses) in 10 gallons of water and backset at 190F. (Its all that would fit in the keg cooker). I milled the grain first. And this morning took 30 minutes to stir up the cement enough to transfer it to my fermenter. Added 2 gallons boiling water and backset, and mashed in 5 lbs peated malt, 1 lb cherry smoked malt, 4 lbs rye malt and 2 lbs 6 row. Temp settled at 144.6F, PERFECT. Wrapped it up tight and letting it mash all day while Im at work. Its a thicker mash than I prefer, 37 lbs grain in 12 gallons, but its all that would fit in my 18 gal barrel. Its more a beer mash thickness than whiskey, but it thinned out pretty quick as I was stirring in the malt, so all is well. Ill split it into 2 fermenters and add 6 more gallons water before I pitch.

Im shooting for somethign like this http://www.highwest.com/spirits/new-campfire/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow its a real nice smokey whiskey if you get a chance to try it.

Cheers.

Jimbo wrote:Today Im on step 2 of a 'Producers Pride All Grain Sweet Feed' All Grain. I started by steep cooking overnight 25 lbs of that Producers Pride (Corn, Oats, Barley, Molasses) in 10 gallons of water and backset. (Its all that would fit in the keg cooker). I milled the grain first. And this morning took 30 minutes to stir up the cement enough to transfer it to my fermenter. Added 2 gallons boiling water and backset, and mashed in 5 lbs peated malt, 1 lb cherry smoked malt, 4 lbs rye malt and 2 lbs 6 row. Temp settled at 144.6F, PERFECT. Wrapped it up tight and letting it mash all day while Im at work. Its a thicker mash than I prefer, 37 lbs grain in 12 gallons, but its all that would fit in my 18 gal barrel. Its more a beer mash thickness than whiskey, but Ill split it into 2 fermenters and add 6 more gallons water before I pitch.

Im shooting for somethign like this http://www.highwest.com/spirits/new-campfire/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow its a real nice smokey whiskey if you get a chance to try it.

Cheers.

Anyway you can send me a pic of that Bag or a link to the right one? Last time I was in Tractor Supply, they had 2 different bags of SF and I didn't feel like asking which one had pellets. I have a bag of Sweet feed from the local Feed Store but it's just oats and molasses, and it needs more. I've been mixing corn in with it to help it. Gonna pick up a bag here at some point once I run out of what I got.

TSC finally got their molasses in as well $9.99 a gallon. GOD DAMN I paid $24.00 for 5 gallons as the local feed place.

Black Eye wrote: Anyway you can send me a pic of that Bag or a link to the right one?
TSC finally got their molasses in as well $9.99 a gallon. GOD DAMN I paid $24.00 for 5 gallons as the local feed place.

This is the stuff. MIdwest Shinner gave me half a bag at a get together couple weeks back. No pellets. Its Oat heavy but there's corn and barley in there too. Not too much molasses, the mash was a light brown. Thats fine with me, going for a whiskey not a rum LOL
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/p ... nt=Default" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


$24 for 5 gallons sounds a lot better than 10 a gallon! Does yoru feed store not stock it any more?

Thanks. Funny I looked at both bags they had and I don't recall either saying all grain on it. I'll have to go back when I'm not sleep walking.

Made my first ever gin in my new mini-pot. Four people have given it a big thumbs up so far.

Now I need a recipe for tonic water.

NZChris wrote:Made my first ever gin in my new mini-pot. Four people have given it a big thumbs up so far.

Now I need a recipe for tonic water.

http://imbibemagazine.com/Homemade-Tonic-Water-Recipe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.reclaimingprovincial.com/201 ... nic-water/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://craftcocktailsathome.com/2012/07 ... -compared/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Interesting, but I haven't got a cinchona tree. I'll ask around and see what I can find.

I've just missed an opportunity to try and import some bark, but I think MAF would probably want to confiscate it anyway.

Jimbo wrote: 1 lb cherry smoked malt

That's a fantastic grain bill

Your use of cherry malt gives me an idea for something down the road, have you used it before and does the flavor profile carry over when it's so minimal to the total bill weight.

I havent run it yet pesty, but teh wash sure smells good. The cherry has a very unique sweet smokey smell, different than the peated malt. I can smell it in the wash. Sure hope it comes through. The wash smells amazing. I split that batch below into 2 fermenters yesterday and added 4 more gallons water. Its fermenting now on a good ale yeast, started at 1.061, about 8% ABV, right where I like my AG's to ferment to.

Im going to do 2 runs (really prefer AG's with a double run in general). So when I have the low wines Im going to taste for smoke phenols, and if they didnt come through as much as Id like Im going to macerate some peat and cherry malt in the low wines before the spirit run.

Sure hope this turns out, if the smell of the wash is any indication this is gonna be killer.

Edit: PS: I gave it a lot of credit on a recipe site I keep. (first line in description) Haha, hope I didnt jinx myself. If the recipe disappears in a couple weeks then it turned to shite. http://jimshoochrecipes.blogspot.com/20 ... iskey.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Well since my house has been on the market I haven't made anything. My personal reserves are depleted so I am thinking about doing an all Feints run with leftovers from Rum and some UJSSM. I figure I'll throw it on oak for awhile and if I'm lucky I may get a quart or so of some good white dog to hold me over as I am about to start brewing again. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

A small run of Absinthe with my mini-pot after gathering and drying wormwood and fennel yesterday. 525ml of 74% ABV product ready for colouring.

A Canadian tourist spotted me down by the river picking fennel and asked if I was making a salad. I laughed, "No, absinthe!". She totally wasn't expecting an answer like that. "Isn't that bad for you?". "It depends who made It.', I replied.

Tastes pretty good, so far, but I'm having trouble finding the right herbs to finish it off. My lemon balm and roman wormwood (rocking horse shit) have both died out in my garden and the only hyssop appears to be at the other end of NZ. I can try a small test with red as I have a few hibiscus flowers out of season. I have heard of mint being used, but mine all got thrown into the punch at a 21st yesterday.

...and my 3rd Gen UJSSM is still bubbling away nine days after I put it down. Just as well I'm not in a hurry.

Jimbo wrote:I havent run it yet pesty, but teh wash sure smells good. The cherry has a very unique sweet smokey smell, different than the peated malt. I can smell it in the wash. Sure hope it comes through. The wash smells amazing. I split that batch below into 2 fermenters yesterday and added 4 more gallons water. Its fermenting now on a good ale yeast, started at 1.061, about 8% ABV, right where I like my AG's to ferment to.

Im going to do 2 runs (really prefer AG's with a double run in general). So when I have the low wines Im going to taste for smoke phenols, and if they didnt come through as much as Id like Im going to macerate some peat and cherry malt in the low wines before the spirit run.

http://jimshoochrecipes.blogspot.com/20 ... iskey.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

HOOOOO DOGGIE, Now I know why the Scots age their peat smoked single malts for 10 years plus. Running this recipe now on first stripper run. With only 5 lbs peat smoked barley and 1 lb cherry smoked barley in 37 total lbs grain, a taste from the hearts at 55% is still mighty smokey. With the warm sweet caramel of some toasted oak after a bunch of months this is gonna be DAMN GOOD!

Sounds mighty tasty Jimbo!
I'm going to be running my single tmrw morning after sitting for the last 10 days. The top of the beer is nice and brown with slight yelllow at the base. Cleared out really nice.

now for something new..

I decided to try some redwheat this time for a neutral as my stock is getting low and it's going to be months before I can drink the single malt.

10lbs malted redwheat
1 lb rice hulls for sparge filter
1 lb palm sugar
2 lbs dextrose

SG= 1.075

us-05 yeast pitched and bubblen like mad, huge 3" plus head in there right now.

Why the palm sugar and dextrose? Just curious.

Man, just tasting an old style genever. Why the heck can't I leave that darn liquorice alone? Burning holes in my mouth. Okay, I actually ... like that. But no way can I present this to anyone else. Ever try ordering that extra spicy stuff at your local oriental restaurant? Yeah, like that. Only spicier.

Odin.

haha! Make a wicked Bloody Mary out of it?

Thats ... not a bad idea at all!

Thanks, Odin.

Jimbo wrote:Why the palm sugar and dextrose? Just curious.

I'm going for a neutral and wanted to pull some of the buttery caramel from the palm and extra % from the sugar.

Next trip to the local asain market and I'm going to grab 10lbs of palm sugar for the next batch.

Jimbo wrote:haha! Make a wicked Bloody Mary out of it?

now that is a wicked awesome mary for the sunday brunch!

First real run with my new "Tinker Maid" flute. saved a quart at 120 proof,,sippin "MY" likker now,,,,yum

Spirit run on some B.W. Gunna use the heart to have a better crack at gin - got me 60gms of Juniper berries just today!
Slightly less neutral I'm going to have a stab a liqueur made with young bay-Laural leaves - apparently comes out like chartreuse

Finished one 9ltr stripping run and onto my second strip now. Preparing some birdwatchers for a chartreuse of my own making sometime later in the week, can't wait

Just started up ... some neutral wash. I am no fan of it. I prefer my vodka's from grainy stuff. But we have a potential client coming over and he wants to try out our stills with a neutral. Client's king, right?

Odin.

Odin wrote:Just started up ... some neutral wash. I am no fan of it. I prefer my vodka's from grainy stuff. But we have a potential client coming over and he wants to try out our stills with a neutral. Client's king, right?

Odin.

haha, one day you'll be a huge stillin tycoon, in the mean time, make the neutral for your client and drown some strawberries in it.

screw the strawberries, I wanna go drown myself in Odin's stash. Then, when I sober up I'll be stopping by to drown in yours.

I'm beginning to think that today I managed to make myself an alcohol problem.


All kidding aside, I'm in the process of making 10 more gallons of rum wash, I'm just letting it clarify and eating some dinner.

Ran the spirit run and made the cuts on the 'Bonfire 7 Grain' Its a smoked up 'All Grain Sweet Feed' done as an All Grain, mashed with Rye Malt, 6 Row, Peat smoked malt and cherry smoked malt. Recipe here http://jimshoochrecipes.blogspot.com/20 ... iskey.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The yield was pretty low for 37 lbs of grain total. 3 qts + 8 oz at 72%, or 7.5 fifths at 80 proof. 5 lbs grain per fifth, usually run 3.5 to 4 lbs per fifth in my All Grains. I think mostly due to lots of whole oats in the sweet feed that sailed largely unscathed through the malt mill.

Hooch is tasty, lots going on with all the crazy grains and a definite smoke. The cherry smoke adds another tweak to the familiar peat smoke in single malts. Very nice. Aging it on oak, should make a nice mid winter drink.

Cheers

Anybody visiting Holland will have free access to my stock!



I am running some cornflakes with rye. Fermenting that is. I hope to distill it in a day or two.

Odin.