Buck's sweetfeed recipe

[buckfity6]

I have been making this recipe for a long time, for a 5 gallon batch I use 4 inches of sweet feed in the bottom of a five gallon bucket, I dump that into a 5 gallon stainless steel pot, I add 2.5 gallons of the 5 gallons of water, boil the water to 150°f keep it there, stir it frequently so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pot, add alpha amylase to help convert the starches to sugar, after 2 hours take it off the stove. Now you should have a 6 gallon bucket and a type of screen for this part, I use a type of kitchen sive, dip out the feed and use a potato masher to squeeze out the liquid in the feed use the water left out of the 5 gallons to wash the feed to help get all the sugars. Now that it is just liquid add your sugar 8kg is what I use, wait for it to cool down to 90°f to add your yeast, now put it in a carboy and let it work off, I let mine set for 18 days because it gets nice and clear, this helps keep the yeast taste out of your likker, I have been using this method for many years and I have the best tasting likker around here, I am from nova Scotia, Canada. 

I know someone is going to ask so I will add this now, I use a pot still with a double thumper, I yeild 3/4 of a gallon of good dam likker from each 5 gallon batch, mine comes off at 75% alc, 150 proof. With the double thumper there is no need to do it again, it's dam perfect!

Enjoy and cheers.

[der wo]

No glucoamylase for conversion?
8kg sugar for a 5 gal batch? Which yeast?
Do you measure the FG?

[Bigbob]

If your adding sugar why the enzymes?

[der wo]

I just read it again. 8kg sugar mashed with 5gal is around 6gal with a SG of around 1.130 and result in 20% abv (only if you use turbo yeast). PLUS the sugar of the sweetfeed. I don't think much of the starch is converted to fermentable sugars without glucoamylase or malt, but the molasses are fermentable for sure.

I have been using this method for many years and I have the best tasting likker around here

Hm. With stressed yeast and much sugar and starch unfermented?

[rad14701]

I think this topic would be better suited for the Recipe Development or My First topic, not here...

Is this a recipe that you have run several times with success, or are you just experimenting...??? As noted, you are shooting for WAY to high gravity of a wash/mash for what will ultimately be distilled as a flavored spirit...

Is this a first attempt at distillation or do you have previous experience...??? If you are lacking in experience then our collective suggestion would be to stick with a Tried and True Recipe selection until you understand what does what and how much... You'll waste less ingredients and have greater success once you have your head wrapped around the theories and fundamentals of the overall process... Once you have some experience you can start experimenting with a relative amount of confidence...

Edited to add: I see that you state in your OP that you have been making this recipe for a long time... I find it hard to believe that you could be having success and ending up with good results...

[buckfity6]

I just came back to check this and realized I put 8kg instead of 6kg, it's 6kg guys, guess I should have prof read this and checked for replies, yes I use a hydrometer and the sg ( specific gravity ) is where I like it to be, I use rocket 20% abv yeast. Cheers guys and sorry about the typo. Hope this helps yall out.

[der wo]

What was the SG?

[buckfity6]

I don't have my note book here and I have been working with a differnt recipe lately, but j do belive I recall 1.160

[der wo]

1.160? That would be enough for 25%! If the yeast could stand it. Sugar, molasses and some converted starch I think.

What was the FG?

Of course it is possible to make a god drink from a mix of sugarhead and AG. And yes, if you add sugar, it is not so absolutely essential, that all of the starch gets fermentable. I know, the most here don't like high gravity washes with turbo yeast, but perhaps sometimes the reactions are exaggerated about that.

I recommend you, only to use 4kG of sugar instead of 6kg next time. And try tried and true recipes here, low gravity with bakers or wine yeast, so you will be able to compare soon.

[buckfity6]

Fg was a little higher than I would like to see but it seemed to add a hint of sweet taste to the distillate. Perhaps I will try a lower starting gravity next time and see if I get the same whiskey that I have come to love. I do appreciate your feed back guys.