Deathwish Wheat germ recipe

[Schuman]

I've made DWWG several times with success and it could easily be my favorite... the other day I was in the Hyvee and got a box of wheatgerm from the healthfood section .... not the jar I usually get , It had more in the box than jar had.... it cost a little less than the jar did.... I thought yea this is good. got home and noticed it was untoasted. My question is... how important is to be toasted wheat germ? Thanks in advance for your reply

[rad14701]

I've made DWWG several times with success and it could easily be my favorite... the other day I was in the Hyvee and got a box of wheatgerm from the healthfood section .... not the jar I usually get , It had more in the box than jar had.... it cost a little less than the jar did.... I thought yea this is good. got home and noticed it was untoasted. My question is... how important is to be toasted wheat germ? Thanks in advance for your reply

I think it has been covered elsewhere in this topic that untoasted wheat germ works just fine... Give it a try...

[Beerswimmer]

Any results of this recipe done without boiling the wheat germ? Invert sugar with acid, then add cool water and wheat germ?

[Yungin]

I have a problem keepin this stuff round for longer than 3 weeks but I gave my neighbor a pint bout 2 1/2 months ago and told him it would b better the longer it sits. Well I was over talkin to him yesterday and he asked if it was ready yet so we opened it up and wow what a difference 2 1/2 months makes after tryin that I Dnt thnk I'll b drinking it until it sits for a couple months. Can't wait to age some on oak.

[Richiee]

Hi all

Just started DWWG, inverted 5kg of sugar in 5l of water, simmered 500g of wheatgerm for 1/2 an hour, added to fermenter with lemon juice and topped up to 25l. Waited for it to cool and added 4 tablespoons of bakers yeast, came to sit down and I had forgot to measure SG, ran back and it had already started to froth but I think it measured around 1.072-1.074. my question is would this be accurate considering it had already started and does that sound about right??

Smells real nice already, and I managed to keep the wheatgerm in the pan!!

[Richiee]

Woke up to a blown fermenter, the actual lid! Cant believe it never done anything this fierce before!! lost about 3L in overflow!

[Austin Nichols]

Woke up to a blown fermenter, the actual lid! Cant believe it never done anything this fierce before!! lost about 3L in overflow!

HAHAHA that's awesome

I've had this brew spewing out the airlock before but never an explosion.

Cheers.

[WalkingWolf]

That's one of the warnings with this recipe. Somewhere in this thread they had it blow and imprint in the ceiling tile. I've run several of these (always have the fermenter in a larger vessel and do not seal the lid for two days) and take steps to avoid a misshap.

You won't regret this ferment. Makes a very mild tasting "faux" neutral.

good stillin

[rad14701]

If you're getting aggressive results like that, Richiee, keep the airlock out and leave the fermenter in a tub until it mellows out a bit...

I've never had this recipe get overly aggressive, not that I'm complaining, even though I've tried several different brands of wheat germ... I've had other ferments that were a bit touch and go for several hours due to experimentation, however... My worst mess was an overheating oatmeal wash that I was afraid was going to burst a one gallon glass jug...

[Richiee]

Thanks Rad. I will try that if I run try this recipe again. I'm just working my way through tried and tested at the moment to try them all.

The way things are going its going to be difficult to choose a favourite at this rate

[Caprimulgus]

I have read all 19 pages of this topic. If it's there, I may have missed it. I am wondering, if I do exactly as the recipe says. How much of the "drinkable stuff" and "tails" can I expect as normal amounts?

[pistachio_nut]

Wow did I screw this one up. I had no idea how badly I could mangle something so simple.

I put my malt o meal in a grain bag in a boiler, set it on a turkey fryer stand, fired up the propane, and let it boil. Almost immediately the grain bag burned. I guess I'm supposed to suspend it off the bottom of the boiler. So, holes in the bag and a nice rich burnt wheat smell.

I dumped the wheat into the boiler out of the bag and then sank a sieve into the boiler for some stupid reason, thinking it would be a buffer against burning the wheat any further. Of course, the wheat sank below the sieve and my stirring was of absolutely no use whatsoever in moving the grain around, so I burned the entire bottom of the boiler. My wife came out of the house a couple of times to complain about the stink.

When the debacle was finally done boiling and I got it into the primary I went to clean the boiler. Dump, scrape, scrub, soak... nothing. I had to bust out a dremel with a wire wheel to scrape the burnt crap off the bottom. Went through two wheels and decided I had to go to a grinder to get the rest off. By then I woke the baby, roused the wife...

Aye yi yi.

Next time, maybe I'll set up the boiler, fill with water, sink the sieve, then the grain bag, then the malt o meal.

Or, I could just dump in the MOM, and babysit for the entire boil, stirring every minute or two.

Guess I'll run this batch on the reflux tip. Whiskey's next week.

[rad14701]

pistachio_nut, it sounds like you went through quite an ordeal with the wheat germ... It's worth noting here that when simmering the wheat germ you need to stir it constantly in order to avoid scorching and burning, with "constant" being the key word here... Pis on the idea of boiling in a bag like some brewers are accustomed to doing, just let it simmer (par boil) and stir for as long as you want and then you can strain it if you like... I have always fermented on the wheat germ so I can't comment on whether straining before fermenting results in a cleaner wash or not... What I can say is that after fermentation is completed the only thing remaining suspended in the wash is the yeast until it drops to the bottom... The wheat germ drops early on in the ferment so I don't see any advantage, personally, because you will always end up with a layer of yeast covering the wheat germ anyway at racking time...

Just my two cents...

[pistachio_nut]

pistachio_nut, it sounds like you went through quite an ordeal with the wheat germ... It's worth noting here that when simmering the wheat germ you need to stir it constantly in order to avoid scorching and burning, with "constant" being the key word here... Pis on the idea of boiling in a bag like some brewers are accustomed to doing, just let it simmer (par boil) and stir for as long as you want and then you can strain it if you like... I have always fermented on the wheat germ so I can't comment on whether straining before fermenting results in a cleaner wash or not... What I can say is that after fermentation is completed the only thing remaining suspended in the wash is the yeast until it drops to the bottom... The wheat germ drops early on in the ferment so I don't see any advantage, personally, because you will always end up with a layer of yeast covering the wheat germ anyway at racking time...

Just my two cents...

You know, that sounds like a good idea. I'll figure a way to mount a whisk onto a pole of some kind. Maybe untreated wood would work well.

Another dumb one... malt o meal IS wheat germ, yes?

[rad14701]

Another dumb one... malt o meal IS wheat germ, yes?

I can't answer that one as we don't have Malt-O-Meal around here...

Anyone...???

[Dnderhead]

made of malt and farina (wheat germ)

[pistachio_nut]

Update: Malt O Meal is NOT wheat germ. No "farina" product is wheat germ. Farina is what's left over after the hull and the germ have been removed.

Battin' 1000,

pistachio_nut

[Dnderhead]

Farina is a milled cereal grain, usually made from wheat germ and the inner parts of wheat kernels called the endosperm

[pistachio_nut]

From Wikipedia:

Farina is made from the germ and endosperm of the grain, which is milled to a fine granular consistency and then sifted. Because the bran and most of the germ are removed, this cereal is sometimes enriched with Vitamin B and iron. Farina, by itself, is most often served as a breakfast cereal, but can also be cooked like polenta. Farina can also be used to make farofa. Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal, and Farina (see the photo at right) are brand names of a type of wheat farina used for breakfast cereal. Farina brand is a trademark of the Malt-O-Meal Company.

From http://www.malt-o-meal.com/about-us/que ... wer.php#iq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Q: What is farina?

A: Derived from the wheat kernel, farina is produced through a milling process which removes the wheat bran and germ layer. The very middle portion of the wheat kernel - called farina - remains.

From http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Org ... und%29.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

This fine whole grain cereal is milled from the entire kernel of #1 dark northern hard red spring wheat and is complete in every respect. It contains all the wheat germ with its precious oil, all the fiber from the outer bran layer of the wheat, and all the protein from the inner endosperm.

INGREDIENTS: Stone Ground Whole Wheat Berries.

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I'm not saying that you can't make good whiskey with malt o meal, not at all. THat's what I bought, thinking it was wheat germ. Maybe the fortification with b vitamins and iron contribute to making good whiskey.

I have a couple boxes of MOM left and I'll probably throw it in when I do my next batch. The next batch will definitely have wheat germ in it in addition to MOM.

[rad14701]

I knew I had discussed Malt-O-Meal before so I just did a search and found that I have posted in several topics about it after researching the cereals ingredients... Here is a list of topics I found on the subject, including this one... I was pretty sure I had researched it but wasn't able to take the time to look these up at the time of my previous post... I apologize for causing undo research and debate due to my short reply...

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6829184

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6814586

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6802027

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6801855

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6800972

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6800731

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... &p=6763261

[Caprimulgus]

I have read all 19 pages of this topic. If it's there, I may have missed it. I am wondering, if I do exactly as the recipe says. How much of the "drinkable stuff" and "tails" can I expect as normal amounts?

I don't know if bumping is allowed. If not, just erease this. But I'll soon have my boka and 4 generations of Deathwish ready to go. I know it is different from run to run and still to still. But this will be my very first run on my very first still ever. And it would be interresting to have something to compare with on this specific recipe. If not out in the open, a PM would do just fine too. Thanks......

[rad14701]

Caprimulgus, the percentages are the same regardless of the recipe... All volumes and percentages are based on the amount of alcohol in the wash, based on Original Gravity (OG) minus Final Gravity (FG) and multiply that result by 129... Therefore a wash where ((OG = 1.065 - FG = 0.990) * 129) = (0.075 * 129) = 9.675% ABV... If you have 10 gallons of 9.675% wash then there is .965 gallons of pure ethanol in the wash...

See the following pages for more information...

http://homedistiller.org/sugar/wash-sugar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://homedistiller.org/dtw/collect" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

There are many calculators on the parent site Calculators Page that will help answer your questions.. .There are no exact answers because you have to factor in things like not getting 100% of the ethanol out of the wash, the amount of foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails that are extracted, etc... Just run the wash, pay attention, and take notes... Every wash and every still will have different results for every run...

When running a pot still instead of a reflux still, all bets are off on the measurements due to the nature of the beast... The figures above only work for a reflux still running at or near 95% azeotrope...

[Caprimulgus]

Hmm.....I was thinking more about the actual cuts Not the calculatable amount of ethanol. That part is no mystery to me. I mean....."I stop it at about 100 proof that is what I call the drinkable stuff" and "The tails I will take down to about 20" isn't really exact measurements. Wich I wasn't asking for anyway. I just wanted to know the amounts others have got and what could be realistic for me to expect of the two. Not to be greedy or anything. Just so I have an idea of how I'm doing, once i do my 4 runs.

Could anyone just share the % of hearts & tails described as above in mililiters you where blessed with, with this recipe? I do understand the amounts will be different, depending on who is answeing, and of all kinds of factors. Information that have been shared in a free and friendly manor about other recipes here amongst the T&T.

[rad14701]

I think you are asking for a generality that is of little to no realistic value... Theoretical and actual yields are posted throughout the forums and the parent site but are no indicator of what you can expect... Just run your wash and use taste, smell, feel, an alcometer, and your thermometer... You're over-fixating on soft numbers...

[Caprimulgus]

Okidoki. Then I'll share my numbers, as the free and friendly soul I am

[Rargh]

Mine has been fermenting for 9 days now. Checked it last night and its down to 1.003 taste is sweet but definitely slightly grainy.
Ferment is now very slow but ongoing.
I am guessing it should drop below 1.003?
Perhaps I have it a little cool. its probably around 17C.

[Ayay]

The magic numbers:
1. Brew to around 12% alc calculated on the sugar content. The recipes tell you. You can doublecheck with the winomometer but it will only confirm that the bubblin has stopped and there's no sugar left in the taste.
2. Get all the alc out you can. There's many ways. You should get most of the estimated yield out.
3. Sort the alc accordin to your tastes; ie makin the cuts. I'm happy with 25% hearts from a single reflux run cos I don't want any trace of heads nor tails at all, and I don't go for agein much. The first 15% is foreshots and fuel, I take the hearts, and the rest is feints for another run with a similar yield but a very different behaviour in the stillin. You will see.

I get 0.5 to 0.8L hearts at 95% from a 25L brew brewed to 12% first time. I get more on the second run of the 'feints' - what's left after removing the foreshots/fuel and the hearts.

[Caprimulgus]

Thank you Ayay. That also helps me get an "idea" of what "might" be left for a final neutral run.

[loneswinger]

Could anyone just share the % of hearts & tails described as above in mililiters you where blessed with, with this recipe? I do understand the amounts will be different, depending on who is answeing, and of all kinds of factors. Information that have been shared in a free and friendly manor about other recipes here amongst the T&T.

I will typically collect the first 20-30% as foreshots/heads. Then the next 40-50% as hearts than the final 30% or so as tails. This is volume of distillate, not amount of ethanol (ok in reflux still it is amount of etho). Even though I cut by taste, these are pretty typical values for both my whiskey stills and my reflux still regardless of the wash. I do age my whiskeys though so I want to carry some flavor over. With these numbers in the reflux still I will get a very clean, taste free spirit. I know this post is behind schedule but eh.

Hi,

Whats this taste like undistilled?

Sara

It tastes like a bland wine to me. Not interesting but certainly not disgusting. If I was a wineo I would probably drink it. It is cheap enough.

-Loneswinger

[Caprimulgus]

Thanx for sharing that loneswinger.