Deathwish Wheat germ recipe

[yankeeclear]

Took a week to run dry but it got there. The final color of the racked and settled wash was just a shade or two darker than the UJSSM washes.

After racking I let the wash settle overnight and got about 1/8-1/4" of sediment on the bottom of the carboy. I am planning on doing another run with backset and was wondering if you guys think its a good idea to add the turb to the hot backset (to kill the yeast for nutrient) before adding back to the fermenter?

Now to run it through the still...

[yankeeclear]

Stripping run completed. The run started at ~53% ABV and I ran down to ~20%. To my senses, the overall character of the shine is far less sweet and more subtle than the UJSSM I have been running. I took 200ml batches and ran the strip about the same as my UJSSM runs. From a novice perspective, in comparison to UJSSM it seems there were less heads and hearts and more tails.

Have others found that too? If so is it due to DWWG "Lighter" character". Is it just harder to detect the heads?

[frozenthunderbolt]

Both of my DWWGW runs have had clear heads - they reek of acetone after 24 hours airing, long tails - some of the early tails i like as much or more than the hearts - just have to watch out for the cut to cardboard - missed it on the 2nd run and had to dump the whole jar for feints. Ce la Vie i guess - will make for a nice all feints later on.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Oh, and here's a useful tip - cook the WG in a crockpot/slowcooker - it is near on impossible to burn or boil over - i have used this method twice and it has worked perfectly - more cooking as we speak

[yankeeclear]

FT, thanks for the confirmation and the tip!

[el-zonko]

Oh, and here's a useful tip - cook the WG in a crockpot/slowcooker - it is near on impossible to burn or boil over - i have used this method twice and it has worked perfectly - more cooking as we speak

That's a good tip.

Here in China we have rice cookers as standard. They're a bit like slow cookers and the good ones don't ever burn on bottom. Using that is an excellent idea. I can just set it and forget it!

[el-zonko]

Another question:

Anybody use backset in their DWWG?

[frozenthunderbolt]

Not myself, though i think it would sour it up some -could be quite nice. I have been throwing in a good T or 2 of epsome salts before distilling to help prevent foaming so didn't want that much going beck into a new wash - thought it would stress the yeast.
If I do a smaller batch with more head space and don't use salts then i might give it a go.

[yankeeclear]

Another question:

Anybody use backset in their DWWG?

I've got 2nd generation in the fermenter with backset now. I'll let you know how if there is much difference after it finishes and I run it.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Just had another lot blow out of the bucket - woke up in the middle of the night to strange noises and crept out of bed with a torch and personal protection only to confront an overactive wash barrel - too many multi-vits in this one maybe!

[el-zonko]

Another question:

Anybody use backset in their DWWG?

I've got 2nd generation in the fermenter with backset now. I'll let you know how if there is much difference after it finishes and I run it.

Thanks. Looking forward to hearing about that. I wonder if it'll take that "light scotch" taste up a notch.

[Stilly]

Well i just bottled a batch that i used a pound of 6row per 5gallons of wash. Its beens sitting on a oak keg for a year and wow this stuff is one af the smoothest drinks ive ever done. Gess its time to start some more for next year. Just a suggestion make twice as much as you think you can drink and put half of it up for a year.
I also put up a half gallon on apple chips for a year. it has a realy nice red color and is smooth, im going to let it sit for 2 or 3 years and see what happens.

HI RubberDuck,

Do you mean that you did the DWWG sugar wash but used 6row instead of Wheat Germ?

thank you
stilly

[yankeeclear]

Another question:

Anybody use backset in their DWWG?

I've got 2nd generation in the fermenter with backset now. I'll let you know how if there is much difference after it finishes and I run it.

Thanks. Looking forward to hearing about that. I wonder if it'll take that "light scotch" taste up a notch.

Afraid we are both going to have to wait a bit longer. First ferment was slow (8 days ) to run dry so I wasn't too concerned when this one was slowly bubbling at 10 days - figured it was finishing out. Couple days later and still the same pace. Finally dipped my thief in and pulled a sample at 1.02 (down from SG of 1.071) and finally figured out that the ferment stalled. I put together a nutrient mash and a yeast starter this afternoon and we are back in business.

I had not added any additional wheat germ to the 2nd gen and paid the price. Oh well, live and learn!

I think (very likely) if there is not a significant boost in flavor from the backset I will run all the low wines in a spirit run with an equal amount of dunder from the stripping run and some of the dunder and see what that delivers.

[yankeeclear]

2nd generation finally finished fermenting and I ran it through the pot head. No discernible difference in taste - hearts still with a hint of flavor. Interesting note though, more heads in this batch, though both runs were ~9% ABV washes. May be due to any number of factors - backset, no new WG, alternate nutrient source, longer ferment, etc.

Anyway, took both strips and diluted with an equal amount of backset to the still for a spirit run. The hearts had a bit more character right out of the pot. Jars are airing now and I will be making cuts tonight. Will age half on light toast oak in keeping with the "light" flavor and half on medium toast.

[el-zonko]

May be due to any number of factors - backset, no new WG, alternate nutrient source, longer ferment, etc.

Dam right. Brewing is a complicated and chaotic science huh?

My plan was to add a whole new batch of WG. I was just hoping to step up that "light" flavour a bit.

Another question: Was your backset gloopy? Mine was like watery glue!

Will age half on light toast oak in keeping with the "light" flavor and half on medium toast.

Mmmmm.... sounds good Yankeeclear. Wish I could join you for a drink. Cheers!

[yankeeclear]

Another question: Was your backset gloopy? Mine was like watery glue!

I'd say the fermented wash had the consistency of whole milk/light cream - a bit more viscous than water but I would not describe it as "gloppy". All of the solids had settled before I racked the wash and I had about a 4 inch layer of WG/lees.

Wish I could join you for a drink. Cheers!

Cheers!

[yankeeclear]

Another question: Was your backset gloopy? Mine was like watery glue!

I'd say the fermented wash had the consistency of whole milk/light cream - a bit more viscous than water but I would not describe it as "gloppy". All of the solids had settled before I racked the wash and I had about a 4 inch layer of WG/lees.

Wish I could join you for a drink. Cheers!

Cheers!

Edit: Misplaced quote.

[rad14701]

Another question: Was your backset gloopy? Mine was like watery glue!

Are you referring to "backset" or "lees"...??? I've never poured anything resembling glue out of my boiler after a run of well cleared and racked wash... The lees (trub) do, however, could possibly look like glue depending on the ingredients mixed in with the yeast bed...

[el-zonko]

Another question: Was your backset gloopy? Mine was like watery glue!

Are you referring to "backset" or "lees"...??? I've never poured anything resembling glue out of my boiler after a run of well cleared and racked wash... The lees (trub) do, however, could possibly look like glue depending on the ingredients mixed in with the yeast bed...

OK, I am going to rephrase what I said slightly to "Very watery glue". There was nothing offensive about it at all. It reminded of a woman's beauty product or some other cosmetic.

Yes, I am sure I am talking about backset.

I noticed both the brew, and the boil (when distilling) were quite foamy. I presumed that was due to a lot of protein from the WG. Short chain proteins may account for the gloopyness I think.

***************

On another note, I have my first spirit run of DWWG coming through the still right now.

Even the foreshots smell great.

The heads smell so good it makes me hungry!

[rad14701]

You really only need to simmer/par boil the wheat germ rather than actually boiling as in a rolling boil... I've never had a DWWG wash foam during distillation but I seem to recall several others having such experiences...

Good luck with your run... Keep us posted on your results...

[el-zonko]

Thanks Rad.

Ok, little update.

For anybody considering doing this recipe I would just say upfront that this makes a very CLEAN distillate. The heads didn't smell very solventy. The tails didn't smell dirty or cardboardy. People here have talked about a "light scotch" flavour, but I don't really think that description does it for me (no offence anybody). My impression was overwhelmingly that this was simple and CLEAN, yet at the same time a yummy buttery smell is there. The whole thing reminded me of breakfast.

On the whole I've been impressed with DWWG all the way through because of the vigorousness of the fermentation and the clean, breakfast-like smells coming from both the brew barrel and the still. But if you're looking for a "scotch" flavour, I would throw a bit of malt or toasted barley to step up the flavour.

I would (and shall) do this recipe again as is - but later (since I've got shit loads of WG) will be adding barley, millet and perhaps rye to introduce some more robust flavour and complexity.

I took really tight cuts (by my standards) and out of 14 jars (250mls each) I blended:

Hearts: 3,4,5,6,7 = 75% ABV
Tails*: 8,9 (splash of 7 to top up) 68% ABV
Feints**: 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

* I personally found these jars OK to taste, especially 8. My wife though, hates tails, and is very sensitive to the taste, so I use her as the "tails detector". These flavoursome jars were mixed together and this went into a couple of small bottles as a special experiment to see what happens when put on light oak and aged for an extended period. I have done the same thing with rum tails - see here: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 6#p6920251

** these feints have gone into a large jar marked "Assorted Whiskey Feints". It has barley, millet, corn (UJSSM), corn and oat and now DWWG feints in it. I can't wait to run that and see the result.

Peace. EZ

[yankeeclear]

My impression was overwhelmingly that this was simple and CLEAN, yet at the same time a yummy buttery smell is there. The whole thing reminded me of breakfast.

You've GOT to have me over for breakfast!

I agree that "light scotch" is quite a stretch at least off the still. I have oaked 1/2 gallon on lt toast, 1/2 on medium toast and left 800 ml (all at 65%) white. Time will tell. I also have a few gallons of tails from DWWG/UJSSM that I am anxious to run - think I'll wait for the barley feints (nest on the list) and run em all together.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Just tasted some of my DWWGW that has been sitting on toasted charred Manuka for almost a month - it is lurverly - tastes nothing like the white i kept which is wheatier and sourish. The manuka aged stuff (at 50%) tastes most similar to a light bourbon but without the headsy sting that commercial stuff has. I'm impressed. Cant wait to see that the lot ive got on oak turns out like.
SO glad i have another two runs waiting to go, + with the feints from those two combined with what i already have i should get a 3rd all feints run! Ye-Haa

[fields]

I see some people are saying this works better with a yeast starter

I've looked up and most starter recipes use molasses - i'm a bit unsure of doing this as it may add more flavour

Does anyone have a recipe on how they make their starter for this recipe and can I use baker's yeast?

[rad14701]

I see some people are saying this works better with a yeast starter

I've looked up and most starter recipes use molasses - i'm a bit unsure of doing this as it may add more flavour

Does anyone have a recipe on how they make their starter for this recipe and can I use baker's yeast?

You don't really need a starter with this recipe but if it makes you feel more confident there's no problem with using one... Any standard method of creating a yeast starter will work... Don't be worried about the relatively small amount of molasses that you might use in a starter creating off flavors as it would be minimal in comparison the the amount of sugar used...

[the pure drop]

I just started a 5 gal batch of this in a 6.5 gal fermenter. Overnight it puked up through the airlock and made a huge mess lol. I know everyone comments on it's extremely vigorous ferment, but I never imagined it would go like that. Anyway, I wanted to say that while I was cooking this stuff up, the writer smelled and tasted nearly identical to one of my all barley mashes. A tad sweeter I must admit, but very, very close. I wonder if the resulting distillate will taste similar. One huge difference is that this one is fermenting so much more
actively than my all barley mash.

[pigroaster]

It will age faster. Good recipe to use while you are waiting for barley to age properly. Sort of fills the gap!! It is great after 13 months.

[6ix]

I just have to join this thread too - I read the original over at the artisan and have learnt to invert my sugar and have done 5-6 25l runs of DWWG.

I gotta say done right and aged a bit it is fantastic - Mine comes out nice & dry, with an enjoyable flavour. I have a pot belly stove we have been using over winter so just about every time it's lit I have had a pot of sugar inverting or wheatgerm slowly simmering away on the top.. The sugar I store in lemonade bottles after it's cooled down, the wheatgerm I have let sit up to a week before getting it frementing. I have used 50% packs of turbo, a couple of tablespoons of bakers and lately a single pack of foil sealed yeast I found in the cupboard..

However the last batch - I cocked up, I overdid the tails. Is it alright to chuck it all back in my next run through the pot still, or should I just reflux it?

Just tasted some of my DWWGW that has been sitting on toasted charred Manuka for almost a month

I havent had a chance to play with ageing with wood yet, but loved the eel we smoked as kids in manuka - could you explain to a newbie you process for the manuka? Dont get much of the big stuff down here - not like in the Bay of Islands anyway..

[frozenthunderbolt]

I used the center inch or so of a 6inch round, bout 15cm long - chuck it in a metal biscuit tin i have with a few tiny holes punched in it. Baked for a few hours in a toaster oven until dark brown and then directly charred two sides of it on the element on the stove then pitched it into my booze. I like the taste, different to oak, but not bad.

[Odin]

On the original recipe it says: 16 OZ of wheat germ. Can anybody translate that to a metric volume or weight?

Odin.