Home Distiller

my first run of whiskey is almost done and being from virgin liquids as it were is a "sweet mash", if I don't run a batch back to back with this (for being away from home reasons) and wanted to do a sour mash, how long can I keep some backset for this purpose? can I freeze some?

Please advise, booze gurus.

I keep the backset for my rum in a "dunder pit" in a corney keg. I would think freezing would be fine as well. Or just seal it up tight and keep the air out. It should keep for a while until you can run your next. I would feel fine for a month or two.

I've kept it for months and months. I store in carboys filled right up to the top to minimize the exposure to air. I leave a little room in the neck for expansion. Then I tightly wrap some saran round the opening. Sometimes a little mold will form wherever there is exposure; I just peel that off. If you store in glass, don't put the lid on too tight as some have reported some sort of re fermentation or something like that. In other words, their jugs have exploded. Others freeze in plastic milk jugs or the like. Good luck.

Just unfroze 2 gal to kick off another batch of UJSSM... It had been in the freezer for 4 months stored in 1gal plastic bottles.

Its as good as the day I put it in there, no problems with freezing...

know a guy here who filled a 25L SS pony keg up with rum backset (dunder), sealed it and stored it for 18 months... His rum is very good indeed...

I leave mine in the fermenter, under the air lock, I have run five batches on the same wash. I add seven gallons of water and ten pounds of sugar. I sometimes get busy and leave it set for a few weeks. Seems like it is just getting better the longer it sets. This doesn't get much easier.
Mfradman

thanks people, I suspected freezing was ok because of how it's a pH buffer and not enzymatic stuff that is the principal action of sour mash.

I know I'm digging up an old thread but my searches kept this one coming up first so maybe it will help others in the future.....

Are you folks melting the sugar in the backset while it is hot then storing or heating up when ready and adding sugar then?

Don't add the sugar till your ready to make the next ferment.

i need a pump,

so I will be ok storing backset from my first bourbon run in sealed 5 gallon buckets in the fridge for awhile, and by awhile I mean how long?

Better to freeze it if you want to store it long term.

Saltbush Bill wrote:Better to freeze it if you want to store it long term.

Does anyone have any safety concerns with the storage of backset in 1 gallon plastic water jugs in the freezer (grocery store bought)? I would think that the low ABV% and the freezing would help offset most, if not all, of potential reaction of the plastic with the backset but there is still some residual ethanol in the backset that must interact with the plastic. I guess I am not sure how else to effectively store this in a freezer without using some form of a plastic container.

wishbone77 wrote:

Saltbush Bill wrote:Better to freeze it if you want to store it long term.

Does anyone have any safety concerns with the storage of backset in 1 gallon plastic water jugs in the freezer (grocery store bought)? I would think that the low ABV% and the freezing would help offset most, if not all, of potential reaction of the plastic with the backset but there is still some residual ethanol in the backset that must interact with the plastic. I guess I am not sure how else to effectively store this in a freezer without using some form of a plastic container.

The amount of ethanol in backset is not a lot.
The solvency of ethanol diluted in water is far less than pure.
The solvency of ethanol decreases with decreasing temperature.

For high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene(low density means low crystallinity not low molecular weight) or even better polypropylene plastics I would have no concerns.

I use grocery store water or milk jugs to freeze in. No issues. Just allow thaw time. The irregular shape makes it hard to remove solid without cutting the container into pieces.
Ask me how I know.

johnnyv wrote:

wishbone77 wrote:

Saltbush Bill wrote:Better to freeze it if you want to store it long term.

Does anyone have any safety concerns with the storage of backset in 1 gallon plastic water jugs in the freezer (grocery store bought)? I would think that the low ABV% and the freezing would help offset most, if not all, of potential reaction of the plastic with the backset but there is still some residual ethanol in the backset that must interact with the plastic. I guess I am not sure how else to effectively store this in a freezer without using some form of a plastic container.

The amount of ethanol in backset is not a lot.
The solvency of ethanol diluted in water is far less than pure.
The solvency of ethanol decreases with decreasing temperature.

For high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene(low density means low crystallinity not low molecular weight) or even better polypropylene plastics I would have no concerns.

Appreciate the insight and agree with you,
thanks guys

wishbone77 wrote:Does anyone have any safety concerns with the storage of backset in 1 gallon plastic water jugs in the freezer (grocery store bought)?...

Better than glass, I'd suppose. Better than stainless steel too, for that matter. Just don't over fill the jugs as they will tend to expand when frozen. You don't need a mess in your freezer...SoH may not appreciate that!
ss

Just ran my second generation UJSSM and decided too late that I should save some additional backset. Third gen will be ready to go in a few days, guess I'd better go get some empty containers!