Home Distiller

made this a few runns.i dont know what to call it but for now its exp#31. all flaked grains from brew shop except malt and i have never put any oak to it yet and oldest aged is 6 months. im thinking light toasted oak, but it never last. my mash bill is 35% corn 25% rye 25% wheat, the other 15% is 10% M & F crystal malt ,5% 6row domestic, i did use ag to convert mostly. i produced a 8.0% abv wash and taste great for those that dont know what M & F crystal malt is. its used in beers it gives caramel flavor & body .it seems to help the taste of the rye and along with the wheat keeps a smooth character.

lil info on that malt >>>>>>>Like Body Malts, Crystal Malts contribute to mouthfeel and head-retention. However, where Crystal Malts really shine is their ability to add nutty, caramel & toffee notes to our beers while creating reddish/copper-toned hues.

No need for conversion!:
The malting process for Crystal malts essentially converts the starches to sugars and caramelizes them within the grain itself. This means that no mashing is needed, the sugars are ready to be extracted. However, it's important to note that when the sugars are caramelized, their molecular structure is modified to a form that can no longer be metabolized by the yeast. This means that all of the Crystal Malts flavor and mouthfeel contribution will remain in the beer. So, if you are not careful you can overdo it and end up with a beer that is too caramelly sweet and out of balance!


just thought i would share

any imput welcome

I use all flaked corn in my big brew rig and love the results. Costs more, saves a lot of time for me, which I am fortunate to have more money than time. However, no measure of money will buy the quality beverage produced by our hobby.

lol im low on both but in past i have done also that and love it ..try to play with specialty malts from brew shop. its not cheap but it makes things interrestin on taste... i have never been a beer maker ,, mostly wine but learning taste of beer makers malts. in distiling as in beer making its mostly just to flavor. you dont need a lot 6 bucks max 3 pounds

homemade12 wrote:. ..try to play with specialty malts from brew shop... in distiling as in beer making its mostly just to flavor.

homemade, I'm just about to set out on an experiment with brewer's specialty malts. Do you think 10% of the recipe is a good start for exploring the flavors of the grains in a spirit? Have you distilled anything using grains other than the crystal malt? I'm wondering what the darker roast grains might bring over. Or even some of the smoked grains... If I end up doing a 20# wheat mash, for instance, do you think 2 or 3 lbs of the specialty malts will lend quite a bit of character? Would 5# be too much?