The Book of Dnderhead

[BokaBakla]

Re: Still problems.

Kick it in the ass until you git product,,then turn it down a bit to a simmer.

by Dnderhead Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:30 pm

Forum: Novice Distillers Topic: Still problems. Replies: 14 Views: 289

xd I like that one.. That's pretty much how my brain works- I don't mess around anymore life is too short.. Take that into stilling as well- "Come on Cornellius!"

I thought this thread was sarcastic but he does have some good posts

[just-a-sip]

If you use ion-exchanged softened water , the water may not have adequate calcium, magnesium, and zinc for some of the yeast’s metabolic paths. Magnesium plays a vital role in cellular metabolism

. For best performance, zinc levels should be between 0.1-0.3 mg/l, with 0.5 mg/l being maximum. If you experience stuck fermentations or low attenuation, and you have eliminated other variables such as: temperature, low pitching rate, poor aeration, poor FAN, age, etc., then lack of necessary minerals may be a significant factor.
( if doing a AG then most minerals may not be needed but zinc.
(to much calcium can inhibit the magnesium



Re: water softness

Unread postby Dnderhead » Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:18 pm

[HolyBear]

Re: Barrel aging time

10 years is the magic number on full size .after that not much happons. over 10 years aging is just bragging rights. 30 gallon barrel aging time is about 3 - 6 years.

by Dnderhead Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:57 pm

Forum: Flavoring and Aging Topic: Barrel aging time Replies: 8 Views: 303

[HolyBear]

Re: G'day from Down Under by Dnderhead » Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:12 am

Rhum agricole producers ferment the fresh juice shortly after it is squeezed, cachaça producers boil the juice down to a syrup before fermenting it. Also, cachaça is generally distilled to a lower alcohol level than rum, 38 to 54 percent, compared with 70 percent for rhums agricoles, which are usually diluted before bottling.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11863 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Looking to Make Vodka

almost anything will make vodka.just run threw a reflux still or several times threw a pot still.until it has no or little flavor.

by Dnderhead Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:25 pm

Forum: Recipe Development Topic: Looking to Make Vodka Replies: 15 Views: 400

[HolyBear]

Re: Cloudy? by Dnderhead » Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:20 am

I dont care if he put shit in the boiler ,,if its distilled right it should come out clear... and that goes for a pot or a reflux. id say it was to full and puked.. id put it back in 1/2 full and rerun,,nice and gently this time..its going to take some time with that small tubing. now iv seen some say you dont need a riser/cap/column on a pot still but if he had one it mite have helped prevent this, if it was large enough to accommodate the vapor and the boil over. on a wash still you will see a large neck and some with a bulge both of witch are there to help prevent boil overs.(not reflux) a still can be run with out but caution has to be taken.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11863 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Pugi's Rum or "Pugirum" ""Sodium or Potassium Sorbate are used by wineries the world over to stop a ferment cold when they want residual sweetness """

They What???????????? sorbate does not stop a ferment. it prevents yeast from multiplying.

by Dnderhead Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:26 am

Forum: Tried and True Recipes Topic: Pugi's Rum or "Pugirum" Replies: 276 Views: 46509

[HolyBear]

Re: hard cider fermenting question

spices are not real good to add to a ferment.

by Dnderhead Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:38 pm

Forum: Beer, and Wine Topic: hard cider fermenting question Replies: 8 Views: 261

[HolyBear]

Re: Not inverting sucrose by Dnderhead » Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:32 am

"The down side is that invert sugar is less fermentable. I get 5-10% less abv."

1)heat is about 50% affective at converting sugar..
2)acids/heat is about 75% affective at converting sugar..
3)both heat and acids will caramelize sugar, thus can not be used by the yeast. the only affective way to "invert sugar" is to use enzymes.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11866 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Not inverting sucrose by Dnderhead » Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:40 am

"invertase" used for baking/candy etc.. inverting keeps sugar from recrystallizing.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11866 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Not inverting sucrose by Dnderhead » Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:15 am

i looked it says 1 drop per 1 lb (1/2 kg)of moist sugar..if cold it wont work,,when it warms to room temperature it will convert the sugar. the technical name> Beta-fructofuranosidase its used in candy/cakes frosting etc.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11866 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: old school moonshine mash ? by Dnderhead » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:03 am

if you want "authentic" sugar head .then fiend a wooden tub like that was used for water and holds about 300gal.throw in about 2-300lb of grain ,does not matter what. add 300 lb of sugar. one large chunk of horse meat,or if you dont have that use a woodchuck/scraps from your last butchering etc..top with warm water and gallon of horse pee .hopefully in about a week it will be fermented (no yeast).now draw this off and run it threw your still witch was probably made from a fuel tank.. the meat(amino acids) and pee (nitrogen)was necessary nutrients when using sugar. there was different methods/recipes but this is typical.you did not run down to the "brew store" nor the "farm" store there was no such thing.
been there....

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11867 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[ipee7ABV]

its something like boiling potatoes,,you bring it up to a boil ,cut the heat back so it does not boil over.
it boils at what temperature it boils at and not much you can do about that,all you can do is control how fast it boils
doing so controls how fast your product is taken off.

[Barney Fife]

Re: skunk in my distilling shed by Dnderhead » Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:53 am

"quit fighting nature, you dont have to control everything and just learn to live along with it."

Dnderhead

The home distiller's "wise man of the mountain"!

[HolyBear]

Re: Question bout temperature ... and a few other things. by Dnderhead » Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:40 pm

you want a steady output. you need a steady input...a electric stove heats to what you set the thermostat at. then shuts off. then what ever your heating cools to the lower temperature of the thermostat.and turns back on just to repeat.so instead of a nice steady stream you have spurts... as for a thermometer...the temperature wash or the vapor will very depending on the amount of alcohol. so as you boil off the alcohol the temperature will continue to rise. this happens throughout the run.so there is no "magical number"

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11905 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Malted or Gelatinized?

malted grain has enzymes,flaked does not. malted grain can convert itself and some other grain to sugar. flaked can not. you can cook flaked grain but not malted,well thats not entirely true but cooking will deactivate enzymes.

by Dnderhead Thu Sep 27, 2012 8:16 pm

Forum: Q&A with Mentors Topic: Malted or Gelatinized? Replies: 3 Views: 170

[HolyBear]

Re: PEACHES, PLEASE HELP, WHAT NOW? by Dnderhead » Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:04 pm

if you want sweet wine with out chemicals ,you can add a small amount of sugar.if it starts fermenting let it do so..when it stops add another small amount, keep doing this until it does not restart fermenting,,at this point the yeast has reached its limit,,then you can sweeten as you want.

to clear ,,you can use gelatin/egg whites/dry milk/shells from shrimp etc . but most clear with out. rack into carboy. as trub settles rack into another ,repeat until no more settles,this mite take a week ,month or even a year.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11910 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: To boil or NOT to boil...that is the ? by Dnderhead » Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:02 pm

many things like this is a given until some one tries to make something with just sugar/water..and most is common sense...any one that knows anything about cooking/preserving,knows high sugar/salt /spices work a preservatives.so you avoid these in a ferment.what works? the stuff that spoils.most things that bacteria/molds like, yeast also like. that piece of fruit that will spoil just "by looking at it" or the beer mash that needs special attention befor it fermented.once you figure this out its a matter of keeping the "bad bugs" out and the "good" in.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11910 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: old school moonshine mash ? by Dnderhead » Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:26 pm

"The real "old school" mash brought from the old countries " let me add maze/ corn was not used in the "old country" as most distilling was brought over with the scotch/irish and they used barley or oats. moonshine started in the north east,and was chased south but barley being more of a cool weather crop does not do well in the south east so corn/maze was used. corn/maze has to be treated a bit different as its a hard grain and low in enzymes.thats where "sour mashing "came in.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11910 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: The About "The Book of Dnderhead" thread by Dnderhead » Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:31 pm

If it helps ,,,,go for it,,,most like my post,a few don't.if you one of them that don't then don't read it.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11917 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[redfrog]

havent seen this one posted, little gem of an advice for any fermentation time question

Tried and thru recipes

Re: Gerber

by Dnderhead » Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:45 pm

" batch was done in a few days then some take a month"
the temperature
the amount and type of sugar
the type and amount of nutrients.. (including whats in the water)
the type and amount of yeast
last but not least how you hold your ..........................head?

[HolyBear]

when some one says "clear" they mean lack of trub,sediment,grain,yeast etc...not clear like water.

by Dnderhead Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:02 pm

Forum: Sugar Topic: Help with sugar mash Replies: 13 Views: 445

[HolyBear]

Re: Not inverting sucrose by Dnderhead » Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:32 am

"The down side is that invert sugar is less fermentable. I get 5-10% less abv." 1)heat is about 50% affective at converting sugar.. 2)acids/heat is about 75% affective at converting sugar.. 3)both heat and acids will caramelize sugar, thus can not be used by the yeast. the only affective way to "invert sugar" is to use enzymes.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11930 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007

[HolyBear]

Re: My whiskey taste like water!? What have I done wrong?

if you want whisky use grain,all grain and nothing but grain.

by Dnderhead Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:59 am

Forum: Novice Distillers Topic: My whiskey taste like water!? What have I done wrong? Replies: 27 Views: 766

[HolyBear]

Re: NHL Lockout

iv always thought so called "sports" was rather boring,Id spruce it up a bit. in hockey use the puck for rabbit shooting practice,,football wing shooting.

by Dnderhead Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:21 pm

Forum: Off-Topic Discussion Topic: NHL Lockout Replies: 8 Views: 113

[HolyBear]

Re: Over oaking "

"Nominate Dnderhead for president!!! "

" DONT git me started on that!

by Dnderhead Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:55 am

Forum: Flavoring and Aging Topic: Over oaking Replies: 14 Views: 1067

[HolyBear]

Re: some advice needed by Dnderhead » Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:55 am

some do similar to what your doing,this is sugar with some sort of flavor such as grains,fruit etc. others make a "neutral" and flavor withe fruit.but its a hobby so part of it is trying different things. some you will like some not.then some distillers are looking for that perfect mash or wash.if you keep doing the same thing over and over then there is no use of this site as any one can make a sugar wash and flavor.and what is the fun in that. but I thank for me at least is self pride or is it a obsession?

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11949 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north

[HolyBear]

Re: Ethanol profile vs. ABV

yes with fruit...the more pectin the more methanol..if you look in jams/jellies some like apples ,grapes(especially the tart ones) ,need no pectin added to make jelly/jams..there is other fruit as well.the pectin will brake down into methanol.

by Dnderhead Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:34 pm

Forum: Novice Distillers Topic: Ethanol profile vs. ABV Replies: 10 Views: 152

[HolyBear]

Re: My first corn mash

although some say 1/2 malted corn and 1/2 cracked i found all malted is much better/dependable

by Dnderhead Fri Sep 14, 2012 10:21 am

Forum: My First ..... Topic: My first corn mash Replies: 26 Views: 610

[HolyBear]

Re: Aging wood to age with by Dnderhead » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:08 pm

all waste from processing sugar is "dunder" but what they use in the caribbean is "dunder" from the cooking coppers these are the pots they boil the sugar can juice in,as they cook the juice down it foams this is used and what caramelizes on the bottom of the pot is also used. now with "modern techniques" not enough "dunder"is produced? .so some make caramel and add.also some make rum "flavor" to add.this flavor is made from ethanol/propanol/butyric acid (in tales when distilled).these normally occur in the ferment.then in time and oxidation change to the flavor of rum. but as most " modern" things these days they are synthesized in a lab and added back.

Dnderhead Master Distiller

Posts: 11952 Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm Location: up north