Store Bought Flavoring- Whats hot & whats not

pyrobrewer280 · Post by **pyrobrewer280** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 3:16 pm

rangaz wrote:anyone tried the still spirits tequilla? love tequilla but cant see myself finding cheap agave anytime soon.

I haven't tried SS Tequilla, however I recommend you try the Prestige Golden Tequila Anejo

Let me know if you can't get any there i'll post you some.

MMMM to bad its only 9am. I'll just go water the lime tree...

rangaz · Post by **rangaz** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:42 am

im building my still in the next coupla weeks. probably take a trip to the brew shop then. dont think they have the prestige, but ill give the SS a go first. im sure one of the other 2 nearby brewshops will have it. see how it turns out...
dont have much experience with absinthe but the SS one tasted alright, cant say much for the vodka i used it on though

noiceplease · Post by **noiceplease** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:11 pm

Im not a Tequilla drinker but I made some for a mate and he seemed to be happy with the SS one. I had it in mixers and its fine.

to quantify some other posts(sorry its been ages since my last posting I have been busy with a house renovation project, Im hoping to get back into the sillystillery swing again real soon)

SS London Dry
is fine, the wife is the Gin drinker and she is happy with it.

SS Tripple sec
is nice too, I dont use the total sugar tho and I add something to get the citric orange taste up...agh (sorry im away from my recipe book) ..erm coriander seeds! thats it . (make up an essence by soaking them in pure) can be quite strong tasting. i have also tried orange peel soaked in pure.

SS Irish and creams
.. i was never happy with the cream ones.. with or without the base and then there is the keep time.. so I make it without cream of any sort. call it Irish Liquor

its majic over ice or simply into a glass of milk.

SS irish whisky was way too Vanila for me. I use the WPK now much better and play around with it.

SS WPK(the whiskey profile kit)
Laphroaig ..i like
erm a few others i cant recall..
I must admit tho that all my bourbon or whisky are based on a pure thats soaked on chips (with various additives like sherry etc) for a few months b4 i make my drink out of it.
I guess im a kinda hybrid

anyway im away from my "cookbook" and the memory is faded :hic: ill get back to this ..if i remember.

I tend to drift away from comercial tastes.. im well out on my own now. have many essences bought and made and just have mixing days.

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:36 pm

been awhile since i been on here , hot weather & my still does not go together lol , way too hot !!

anyway , This isnt essence BUT it is VERY GOOD . From my brew Shop I buy peach flavored beer flavoring , I 1st used it to add peach flavor to peach wine as it looses flavor during fermetion. So, one day & had some sprits out & also was bottling Peach wine , I had melted suga & also some Peach Flavor ... I came up with home made Peach Schnapps & it was GREAT !!! The wife loves it, hard to keep any around my house for her or my sisters !! ,, I cut the sprits back to 50 proof, add some melted suga & peach flavor to taste , Try it sometimes , We love it !!

PseudoX · Post by **PseudoX** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:38 am

Been a while since i have posted, so here im back.

I just had a cocktail recentley, and to save on costs, used a few essences.

SS Triple Sec
Another recommendation over here, very nice, a tad on the sweet side if you follow the recipie. 4/5

SS Blue Caracao
Similar to the Triple Sec (being the same thing, but blue

), but doesn't seem as sweet. 4/5

SS Amaretto
Very nice, definatley almond flavoured, according to dad, very similar to the real thing. 4/5

SS Apricot Brandy
What can i say?... WOW.. tastes like you are drinking sweet apricots. Very nice, and very very popular with my sister and friends. 5/5

SS Italiano (Galliano)
Very nice flavour, very similar to the real thing according to dad (big fan of the stuff), he seems to think its a bit yellow, mum disagrees. Make your own decision. So nice, we were sipping on it neat while tending the bar. 5/5

SS Melon (Midori)
Great taste, a tad sweeter than the real thing, very nice on its own or mixed in cocktails. Made excellents Midori Splice's and Japanese Slippers. 5/5

SS Prestige - Coconut (Malibu)
Nice coconut flavour, although slightly too strong. Also a tad sweet, pretty close to the real thing thou. Still recommended. 3.5/5

Spirits Unlimited Gold Medal - Calypso Rum
Very very nice, very strong vanilla flavour. Great to mix or drink straight. With cola, tastes like rum + vanilla coke (or somthing like that

) 4.5/5

SS Dark Jamacian Rum
Ugh, this stuff is undrinkable neat, not too bad with coke. Has a grainy edge to it. 2/5

SS Southern Smooth
Interesting. Tastes absolutley nothing like Southern Comfort, except for the peachy taste. I'm not that keen on it, I find it a bit sharp. (not all that smooth

). A mate of mine swears by the stuff, and drinks it neat. If it rocks your boat

. 3/5

I will be getting a heap more soon, as im creating a bit of a bar. I'll put up reviews of each one as I get them

Hope it helps

edgerunner · Post by **edgerunner** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:12 am

Apricot flavoring makes some fine sippin over a couple of ice cubes.

pothead · Post by **pothead** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:46 am

A few drops of good essential oils and a bit of sugar makes nice stuff.
The oils sold here http://www.faeriesfinest.com/essential-oils.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow are top-notch, and Very pure.
I used 5 drops of the pepermint and 1 cup of sugar and topped a fifth up with 120proof for a spirit that tasted similar to Ice101.
I used the same thing with the cinamon. It was pretty damn tasty,too. Mix the two together, and it gets interesting.

neverbee · Post by **neverbee** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:17 pm

Essencia sells "bourbon chunks"

I am not much of a fan of bourbon (prefer single malt scotch) but the smell of these made me buy some - THE nicest bourbon i have ever tried.

Apparently it is a mix choped up barrels left over after having held jim beam, jack daniels and something else (ie the packet contains woods from three different barrels - not all in the same one).

You sit your neutral spirit on these for a week and it leeches out the bourbon flavours that the preceeding spirits have imparted.

Again- ithe resulting spirit had the most full flavoured and complexly deep flavours I have ever had from a "flavouring".

Definatley worth a try though at $30 for a bag they are a little expensive (accoriding to directions a bag can make 2 lots of 2.3L of "excellent bourbon" or up to 10 lots of 2.3L bourbon for "ok bourbon")

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:11 am

yes ive tryed the essencia chucks got 2 lots ageing now
got a bargan at my brew shop you get a 2 lt barrel (plastic) a recipie sheet and enough chucks for 2lts of brew and it costs $14 aus.
one lot of brew is 4 weeks old and smells mmmmmmmm

looks good good colour but going to wait atleast another 4 weeks for ageing although im VERY tempterd too taste it but im going to hold offf for further aging.
and my other lot is only 2 days old.
but my brew shop said it taste like Jim Beam.
but will report when i do taste it.

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:41 pm

I make a wild turkey knock-off using 1 satchet of Still Spirits classic tennesee bourbon and half a rye whiskey. I then use 5mils of the light oak.

I think it tastes mighty fine!

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:41 pm

so do you only make 1.125lts do you?
as both sachets will make 2.25lts and so the a full bottle of the rye whiskey.
why dont you make a full 2.25lts.

erbachem · Post by **erbachem** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:54 pm

Islay style whiskey. Stolen from an earlier posting by Kiint.

Ingredients as follows.

Laphroaig© Style
To make 1.125L/40oz
Whisky Profile “B” - 8.6ml
Oak Cask - 3.8ml
Peat Smoke - 19ml
Astringent Notes - 0.5ml
Distillers Caramel - 1.0ml
Glycerine - 18.0ml

Not quite Laphroaig but this recipe leaves the one-mix options for dead. Anyone who likes a good whiskey should try this. If you can find something better than this (potstill officionados excepted) I want the recipe now.

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:19 am

i bought a whiskey profile kit and so far not really impressed.
ive made a highland and lowland
johnny walker black
and jamison.
but will try the one you were refering to.

erbachem · Post by **erbachem** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 5:39 pm

If you are expecting an exact copy of Laphroaig then prepare to be disappointed. If anything, the result I got lacked the same kick you get with the Islay whiskeys I have tried and, as a result, is actually more drinkable although missing some of the character of the real thing.

On the other hand, I can see myself regularly drinking this mix straight as compared to the one bottle flavouring mixes I have tried to date which only tend to be useful in mixers.

Admittedly, I did this mix from my latest wash which has come out far better than my previous attempts. I may have to mix up a control version from a previous batch and do some serious subjective comparions.

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:03 am

reporting on the essencia chunks very impressed althought i have another batch on at moment i mixed with essecia bourbon will try this in a few weeks just letting aliitle ageing.
although i think next batch ill add some american oak chips aliitle of extra oak would b nice.

rangaz · Post by **rangaz** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:09 pm

Finally got round to trying the SS top shelf tequila gold style. Not Impressed at all, is incredibly weak and only faintly smells of tequila. It isnt even gold, the colour did not change at all. The butterscotch shnapps on the other hand is brilliant.

Post by **bourbonbob** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:21 pm

I like Top Shelf Aussie Gold Rum, I cut my spirit to 42%.......The directions say to mix it with 2.3 litres of spirit at 40% but it is way too sweet for me, I use just over half a bottle of essence to two litres of spirit........very nice.

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:27 am

im with ya there burbonbob i LOVE the aussie rum essesnce.

sketchie · Post by **sketchie** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:05 pm

My question is, can you use just the oak chips on their own without the essence, will it produce a good colour and a good flavour if left for a month or so? If you can, I have some JB Bourbon chips here itching to be used, and some Whiskey ones too. So if they are good just on their own, I will be using just those and skip the essence all together. Advice?

rangaz · Post by **rangaz** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:37 pm

use the search function to look up aging with oak. Plenty of info.

Himbeergeist · Post by **Himbeergeist** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:00 am

I made my first experiments with store-bought flavourings a few days ago. Usually I do not bother with "essences", but since I had to order yeast anyway, I just gave it a try.

My distillation background is probably a different one from most people over here. I am orignally from Europe and learned distilling in Austria. I usually don't try (and don't care) for neutral alcohol, but do things like alcoholic extraction (sugar "wine" in the still with flavouring ingredients like fruit or herbs in a steam basket in the dome area of the still) or distill from fruit mashs (plum, apricot etc).

For the kind of distilling I usually do, I use a small, Italian designed pot-still (all copper). That being said, this kind of still was not designed with "pure" flavour-free alcohol in mind.

A bit to my suprise, the neutral alcohol I made from sugar wine (Turbo 48 yeast, about 18% alcohol) turned out to be extremly good (heads discarded liberally, distilled up to 91°C vapour temperature) and even unaged tastes like a very good and smooth vodka after adjusting to 40% alcohol.

I used this distillate with the following flavourings:

Prestige Collection German bitter (adjusted to 45%). First impression (unaged): very nice and very close to the original, although slightly on the sweet side.

Prestige Collection "Ambrosia - Nectar of the gods" scotch whiskey essence (adjusted to 43%). First impression (unaged): ugly. Tastes very artifical and "off", with a hint of Amaretto (and I HATE almonds). I tossed in a few oak chips now and hope that this stuff will improve with aging. Otherwise this might end up as antifreeze in my washerfluid

More reports on flavourings to come...

eel · Post by **eel** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:23 pm

I tried ss classic finest reserve whisky and it was vile.

essencia fermenagh whiskey, vile.

I did like a citrus vodka one, wish I could remember wich one.

If you are going straight essences, no wood, how long should you age it? (if at all)

Post by **HookLine** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:39 pm

I have been experimenting with some flavours from the local supermarket. They are natural citrus oils (lemon and lime), peppermint, and bitters. The brand is 'Queen'.

FLAVOUR = Bitters: Lemon: Lime: Peppermint

RATIO = 12 : 4 : 4 : 1

For a 700 ml bottle, use approx.

1.5 tsp Bitters
0.5 tsp Lemon
0.5 tsp Lime
0.1 tsp Peppermint

Adjust flavour ratios, and overall strength, to taste.

Sweeten lightly.

Shake bottle each time before pouring, to re-mix contents, as some of the oils tend to sit on the surface a bit.

It gives a pleasant, light taste, very refreshing.

I have some natural vanilla I am going to try adding into the mix.

Post by **HookLine** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:44 pm

Bourbonbob, and Lawnman, I just tried some of that Aussie Gold rum essence, and it is pretty good, especially for the price.

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:56 pm

HookLine wrote:Bourbonbob, and Lawnman, I just tried some of that Aussie Gold rum essence, and it is pretty good, especially for the price.

hell yeah $8 aus to make 2.25 lts plus wash cost toooo cheap
seeing how a bottle in shop is $28 mark

tracker0945 · Post by **tracker0945** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:35 pm

bourbonbob wrote:I like Top Shelf Aussie Gold Rum, I cut my spirit to 42%.......The directions say to mix it with 2.3 litres of spirit at 40% but it is way too sweet for me, I use just over half a bottle of essence to two litres of spirit........very nice.

I found the same problem but now make up some Dark Rum and blend them to taste

rumbaba · Post by **rumbaba** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 4:23 am

HookLine wrote:Bourbonbob, and Lawnman, I just tried some of that Aussie Gold rum essence, and it is pretty good, especially for the price.

Yeah, the aussie gold is pretty good when way diluted more than the directions. The "Kentuckey Bourbon" smells great( I have not tasted it, I made it for presents) but it would probably be in the same boat for dilution. Quite honestly, the turbo, then the finings, then the distillation, then the filtering through carbon, Man, it's easier and far more satisfying to just make the real rum. I found the SS stuff nice but left a really noticable artificial aftertaste. Now I make a standard mollassis rum, take my cuts and age 1 week with charred pear, toasted oak, 2 whole vanilla beans, 1 grated nutmeg, 1 cinnamon stick and 10 peppercorns and 10 cloves @53%. I bottle after 1 week. You will never go back to SS, or Bundy for that matter. The recipe and method I use now is almost a dead ringer for Mount Gay.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:43 am

rumbaba wrote:
HookLine wrote:Bourbonbob, and Lawnman, I just tried some of that Aussie Gold rum essence, and it is pretty good, especially for the price.
Yeah, the aussie gold is pretty good when way diluted more than the directions. The "Kentuckey Bourbon" smells great( I have not tasted it, I made it for presents) but it would probably be in the same boat for dilution. Quite honestly, the turbo, then the finings, then the distillation, then the filtering through carbon, Man, it's easier and far more satisfying to just make the real rum. I found the SS stuff nice but left a really noticable artificial aftertaste. Now I make a standard mollassis rum, take my cuts and age 1 week with charred pear, toasted oak, 2 whole vanilla beans, 1 grated nutmeg, 1 cinnamon stick and 10 peppercorns and 10 cloves @53%. I bottle after 1 week. You will never go back to SS, or Bundy for that matter. The recipe and method I use now is almost a dead ringer for Mount Gay.

What recipe do you use for you're rum?

Real thing ends up a tiny fraction of the price of the cordial flavoured ones too...

rumbaba · Post by **rumbaba** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 5:18 am

I have tried quite a few, Punkin. I have them all written down-ingredients, quantities,time etc. I will post a recipe tomorrow, the books out in the shed at the moment and its 12.15 at night-I'm about to turn into a punkin
oops, I meant pumpkin

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:52 am

rumbaba wrote:I have tried quite a few, Punkin. I have them all written down-ingredients, quantities,time etc. I will post a recipe tomorrow, the books out in the shed at the moment and its 12.15 at night-I'm about to turn into a punkin
oops, I meant pumpkin

Thanks, mate. I'm still trying to figure the rum out as good as the UJSM. Playing with fruit atm, so i will write your recipe down and play with it in a couple of weeks

Appreciate the effort