Honey Bear Bourbon

[DBCFlash]

Yes. Plain old bakers yeast here. I was on the grain, but I have no practical way to warm the big cooler mash tun. I do have warming blankets for my regular fermenting buckets so off the grain it is now. I think once it's warm again I'll see more activity. I just got my ph meter and I haven't yet calibrated it. It's a tough day for stilling here. My thermometer broke and now I've got four buckets going. I went ahead and gumballed the remaining grain in the big fermenter just because I didn't want it to go to waste. I'll run out and get some distilled water so I can calibrate my ph meter and I'll post those figures when I get them.

[Oldvine Zin]

My latest run of HBB had been sitting at .998 for the past couple of days, still some bubbles but I decided it was time to pull it(with those wonderful aromas coming of I didn't want it to change into something sour).
After many tries to come up with the newest and greatest way to separate grains from the mash I finely broke down and purchased a Rubbermade mop bucket with the press. Should of done that a long time ago talk about easy and just a little messy - separated a little over 30 gal in less than an hour

hbb.JPG

Put the spent grains (very dry) back into the fermentor with 50 lbs of panella, watered to 18 brix for a hbb sugarhead. Oh and a little Floyd in the background the whole process.

OVZ

[joeymac]

You just using a brew bag for the filter in the Mop Bucket Strainer?

I might have to break down and return my apple press before ever even opening the box.

[Oldvine Zin]

You just using a brew bag for the filter in the Mop Bucket Strainer?

I might have to break down and return my apple press before ever even opening the box.

Wish that I had a mop press big enough for a 50 gal fermentor I use 5 gal paint strainer bags and a lot of scooping. That's the messy part.
You did just give me an idea about using multiple small brew bags

OVZ

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

You just using a brew bag for the filter in the Mop Bucket Strainer?

I might have to break down and return my apple press before ever even opening the box.

Yep. Actually, a 5 gallon paint strainer from my home improvement store. Package of 2 for $3. Much cheaper than trendy BIB, and you can just throw them out and grab another if some oyster shells poke a hole in then from time to time. They work like a charm.

50 gallons squeezed in about an hour.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 3#p7463134

[WIski]

This is the process I use as well. Paint strainer bag and mop bucket. It's not glamorous and can be a bit messy. But it works and after you come to terms with what the process is, it's really not that bad. Going through the struggle makes the drop taste a bit better.......YMMV.

[MichiganCornhusker]

I might have to break down and return my apple press before ever even opening the box.

Or save it for pressing apples.
I agree with SCD that the fine corn will coat and plug the walls of the strainer bag in a press like that.
In fact, I actually blew out a piece of the geo-textile fabric once trying to press banana slurry with a small fruit press.

[Shine0n]

Speaking of the geo textile fabric, at the shop today because of rain and looking through some stock and found a load of this stuff. We use it when we have to pump dirty water off construction sites and don't have water tanks.
The owner said I could have one of the smaller sacks it's 5'x5' and brand new so this weekend I'll get to try it out. Yaaaeeee

My brother in law works at a sail shop and will sew the lip and add some heavy duty straps on it so I can just lift and drain with my come along.

I've heard great things about this stuff and now I'll have first hand knowledge and hopes it will save my hands.
Now let's see how it works with cornmeal...

[joeymac]

I might have to break down and return my apple press before ever even opening the box.

Or save it for pressing apples.
I agree with SCD that the fine corn will coat and plug the walls of the strainer bag in a press like that.
In fact, I actually blew out a piece of the geo-textile fabric once trying to press banana slurry with a small fruit press.

I guess I could get a big vibration motor and make the first fartvader fruit press

Actually though, I was going to go with cracked corn for this reason in my first recipe and maybe throw some alpha and beta enzymes in at the right temps to make up for any lost efficiency. If the cracked corn works well enough, then I'm fine using that because a 50 LB sack is only $9 at the store down the street. I can't find cornmeal at even twice that price locally. And if I try oats in any HBB recipes, I'll just use steel-cut oats or busted up oat malt... flaked and rolled oats always clogged up my grain bags just brewing regular beer. Need to set myself up or success, here.

[Oldvine Zin]

Wow the HBB panela sugarhead really took off - went from 1.073 to .999 in three days - looks like there is going to be another mop bucket straining session soon.

OVZ

[Shine0n]

OVZ, my sugarhead took off like a rocket too!
I was gone all week after making it and the Friday I returned it was dry and settled and ran the clear in the boiler and grains and stuff in the thumper.

Now all I need is to get my bootie in gear and make my 15 gal keg thumper.

[Bavis54]

Hey sdc- this recipe sounds great! If I can get the mashing procedure right it sounds pretty simple as well - I have a ?, I went to local brew shop for the grains, and he doesn't carry n can't order any red wheat malt. He has white, but no red. He suggested I jus substitute more white for red. I ordered myself some red tonight online but I wanted to ask if u thought this would work? Would it gimme same basic product or is the red wheat malt a really big player in the recipe.

[Oldvine Zin]

OVZ, my sugarhead took off like a rocket too!
I was gone all week after making it and the Friday I returned it was dry and settled and ran the clear in the boiler and grains and stuff in the thumper.

Now all I need is to get my bootie in gear and make my 15 gal keg thumper.

Finally had time to start the strip runs on my HBB. 12 gals of mash took a little over 1 1/2 hour start to finnish, stripped from 65% down to 5 - for a little over 7 liters of low wines (Lynezy is such a good stripper) only 24 more gals to go Hope to do the other two runs in the morning and a spirit run this weekend. I have a new five gal Gibbs barrel waiting to be filled. Then I can run the 30ish gals of HBB sugarhead. Oh did I mention that HBB is a great recipe?

OVZ

[Still Life]

I went to local brew shop for the grains, and he doesn't carry n can't order any red wheat malt. He has white, but no red. He suggested I jus substitute more white for red. I ordered myself some red tonight online but I wanted to ask if u thought this would work? Would it gimme same basic product or is the red wheat malt a really big player in the recipe.

That's a beyotch your grain shop doesn't have red. Even the small guy near me sells it at the same cost as the white and honey, so I don't think it's that exotic from a retailer's point of view. Maybe he's lazy or apathetic?
From a distiller's point of view, however, just as each grain has its own unique aroma out of the bag, that difference can only be imparted to the final product.
All white will work just fine, but I imagine it won't be the gourmet concoction of a Honey Bear.

[Bavis54]

The brew shop has several specialty grains, but he acted like red wheat was something out in left field. It was easy to find and order online. I jus went to brew shop bc I wanted it yesterday. I had already soaked 7 lbs corn overnight. So last night I went ahead and prepared the mash using all white wheat. One thing I did notice that was awesome- after I poured the boiling water over corn n honey malt, I waited cpl hrs n checked temp, once it hit 153 I uncovered and the aroma from the corn n honey malt was amazing, looking down in the liquid u could clearly see something going on, bc the corn wasn't gooey, I almost think the honey malt was already starting to convert the corn. I added wheat and pale malt, covered and left til this morn. This morn I checked og and it was 1.055 so the procedure works, There's s lot I need to get better at, and improve but for first time it worked good, can't wait to see how turns out

[joeymac]

For those of you running internal elements, how much power can you put into stripping runs with before foaming becomes a problem in the boiler? Since there is no sort of post-mash boil/hotbreak or even a mashout, am I right to assume it's pretty easy to foam and puke while pushing a stripping run hard?

[ShineRunner]

For those of you running internal elements, how much power can you put into stripping runs with before foaming becomes a problem in the boiler? Since there is no sort of post-mash boil/hotbreak or even a mashout, am I right to assume it's pretty easy to foam and puke while pushing a stripping run hard?

Generally, with AG you're going to foam up a lot more than with sugar heads. I run a 15.5 gal keg and usually keep it around 11 gallons max. And usually when I'm that full, I'll add some butter or fermcap to reduce foaming. Conventional advice is 2/3-3/4 full.

SR

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I put about 13 gallons in, but heat up slowly.... start at like 70% power, then increase it by 10 every 20 minutes or so. If it's a high fg, like 1.02, I may throw a few table spoons of olive oil in there.

But after heat up, full 5500w on 12-13 gallons. And, if it pukes, just back off the heat for a sec until the foam is gone. It's alot like a hot break when making beer. It don't stick around forever.

Ain't afraid of no puke, anyhow. It's all just a strip, anyway, and lots of folks purposely put fresh wash into low wines before a spirit run. I figure it ain't no different.

[Tinner22]

After a nice hard strip, I get the best clean tasting fresh filtered water I can and add it then do my spirit run. I usually run my neutrals twice.

[Oldvine Zin]

My little 1 gal barrel just got a big brother - 5 gals of Honey Bear goodness

HBB23.JPG

Might have to order a 10 gal barrel to complete the family
This recipe needs to be a sticky if not tried and true

OVZ

[joeymac]

How much wash it take for you to fill that 5gal barrel?
Is it filled completely or is there some headspace?

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

How much wash it take for you to fill that 5gal barrel?
Is it filled completely or is there some headspace?

That all depends on your cuts. I estimated 120 gallons, or (3) 55 gallon barrels based on usual yield. In practice, however, it took 4 barrels (160 gallons) because I fought high fg's in the winter. So, with the average barrel ending at 1.02, I didn't get as much as I usually do. It's a sweeter bourbon because of it, but needed an extra batch.

[Oldvine Zin]

How much wash it take for you to fill that 5gal barrel?
Is it filled completely or is there some headspace?

That all depends on your cuts. I estimated 120 gallons, or (3) 55 gallon barrels based on usual yield. In practice, however, it took 4 barrels (160 gallons) because I fought high fg's in the winter. So, with the average barrel ending at 1.02, I didn't get as much as I usually do. It's a sweeter bourbon because of it, but needed an extra batch.

SCD you are spot on - Two 60 gal ferments, stripped down to 5 then a spirit run did the trick.

OVZ

[OtisT]

My thinking is that the box alone (not the little bulb heater inside) would keep the heat from escaping to begin with. Any air in the box would equalize in temperature with the mash quickly and the box itself isn't drafty at all. In hindsight, I should have chosen metallized foam insulation board instead of plain pink Foamular and kept the foil facing inwards to retain heat best. But the $15 pink insulation panels were easy to cheaply make a box and a terrarium bulb on a dimmer switch makes it VERY easy to control temps.

I actually have plans to switch from my 4 brewing buckets to a single 28gal square Brute fermenter bucket and build it's own more form fitting little insulated box in the near future. This would let me keep my ability to ferment 24 gallons of liquid at a time, but keep it in one big bucket to make mashing and fermenting on the grain a bit simpler and more consistent.
23"H x 22"W ... not much more space than a keg boiler or 20 gallon brute bucket.
$33 http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-C ... 087851-_-N" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Joeymac. The foil lined insulation board does work great. I have a darn good seal and this requires very little power to keep ferments warm. Been using a 15w bulb, when I need it.

[nerdybrewer]

My thinking is that the box alone (not the little bulb heater inside) would keep the heat from escaping to begin with. Any air in the box would equalize in temperature with the mash quickly and the box itself isn't drafty at all. In hindsight, I should have chosen metallized foam insulation board instead of plain pink Foamular and kept the foil facing inwards to retain heat best. But the $15 pink insulation panels were easy to cheaply make a box and a terrarium bulb on a dimmer switch makes it VERY easy to control temps.

I actually have plans to switch from my 4 brewing buckets to a single 28gal square Brute fermenter bucket and build it's own more form fitting little insulated box in the near future. This would let me keep my ability to ferment 24 gallons of liquid at a time, but keep it in one big bucket to make mashing and fermenting on the grain a bit simpler and more consistent.
23"H x 22"W ... not much more space than a keg boiler or 20 gallon brute bucket.
$33 http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-C ... 087851-_-N" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Joeymac. The foil lined insulation board does work great. I have a darn good seal and this requires very little power to keep ferments warm. Been using a 15w bulb, when I need it.

That's how I do it!
This box can hold 100 gallons wash or mash.
<edit> looking at your box closer I think I need to add more to mine, at only 1" thick it doesn't insulate as well as I'd like.

[OtisT]

<edit> looking at your box closer I think I need to add more to mine, at only 1" thick it doesn't insulate as well as I'd like.

Mine is made from one sheet of the 2" thick stock and a big roll of tape. In addition to the good insulation value, the 2" is structurally strong and helps maintain shape for a good seal. My ferment box consists of three separate pieces, so that rigidity is important. The bottom is a flat sheet, and I have a slightly smaller piece of plywood sitting on that to place my fermenters on. The ply keeps the insulated bottom from getting crushed or otherwise messed up by the heavy barrels. After placing the full fermenters, I slip the wall piece over the top of the fermenters then place the top sheet on that. Since the walls and lid are so light, I place a small box of mason jars on each end of the top to make a good seal.

[joeymac]

Good looking boxes.

My plain-pink 1" foam is good for ferments, I probably only need about 30w to keep warm in the winter. But when I go to do mashes in it, I think I'm going to build a 2" box.

[OtisT]

Hi. Would someone please tell me what a Sugar Head is, or point me in the right direction to look this up? There are several mentions of a "sugar head" in this thread, and I want to know more. I've tried searching HD but the words are too common to search.

Thanks in advance. All y'all rock.

[RedwoodHillBilly]

Hi. Would someone please tell me what a Sugar Head is, or point me in the right direction to look this up? There are several mentions of a "sugar head" in this thread, and I want to know more. I've tried searching HD but the words are too common to search.

Thanks in advance. All y'all rock.

Use the google search at the top of the page. Click on HD Google Search, then add a space then sugar head. You will be rewarded with many threads.

[joeymac]

Hi. Would someone please tell me what a Sugar Head is, or point me in the right direction to look this up? There are several mentions of a "sugar head" in this thread, and I want to know more. I've tried searching HD but the words are too common to search.

Thanks in advance. All y'all rock.

Sugar head (as opposed to a sugar washes which just uses sugar and nutrients) uses grains for flavor, body and nutrients but then sugar is added directly to the wash to boost the alcohol content. It's food for the yeast... yeast don't eat raw or malted grains directly. The starches must be mashed and converted into simple sugars for the yeast to turn it into alcohol. Mashing grains can be hassle and adding simple sugars to the wash directly is a shortcut for better or worse.

Common sugars to add are:
Cane Sugar (table sugar, sucrose)
Beet Sugar (table sugar, sucrose)
Molasses
Honey
Dextrose (Corn Sugar)

A sugar head can use the "spent" grains from a previous all grain wash to flavor the next wash and then sugar is thrown in to allow the yeast to continue making alcohol.