Home Distiller

Good day to everybody.
I have access to vast amount of dates.I normaly load them and feed to the cattle and game on the farm.
These dates are suitable for human consumption and they only get discarted as they do not meet export standards.
I collected 2 tons during the week for the animals but kept 50kg for distilling.I put them in the cold room until I can use them.
Is there anybody who have used dates for and if so do you mind sharing you secret potion.
Rgds
Shane

Shane,

In case you haven’t seen this, here’s a member who has been successful:

viewtopic.php?t=86266

Thanks Twisted B.
Yes I did see that after posting.
I wonder if the fresh dates Iam using will have a higher sugar content than the dried ones.
I calculated, if using 40 kg of fresh ripe dates @ 66% sugar by volume and adding 100 liters of water, aiming for 1.080- 1.090 Sg I should be running potential Abv of 12- 13 % .Does that sounds right.
I dont want to ad any sugar I want to see what is possible with the natural sugars.

Shanenel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 28, 2022 5:56 am I calculated, if using 40 kg of fresh ripe dates @ 66% sugar by volume and adding 100 liters of water, aiming for 1.080- 1.090 Sg I should be running potential Abv of 12- 13 % .Does that sounds right.

The SG will will give you a good indication of the sugar content of wash.. aim for 1.070 - .080, start with less water and add to the SG recommended.. fresh may have less sugar content than dry, but I don't know as I'm never done dates..

Mars

PS.. I've used dry dates in packs on a few occasion when making rum.. I puree then first, then cooked to soften and extract whatever sugars would of been in the skins..

Thank you sir.Yes this is a first for me to.Will see how it goes.

All the sugars probably won't be released quickly into the must/water mixture... Take a 1C. sample by weight of must to water ratio, blend well (puree), strain/squeeze, and then measure for SG and perhaps pH... Rinse and repeat until you have your ratios to get to 1.070'ish SG...

Adding sugar will dilute the flavor..

Cheers!
-jonny

re: sugar fresh vs dried

As dates dry out most varieties lose water rather than the sugar syrup/molasses, so I'd guess that the per-date sugar content is the same, but by weight dried dates would contain more sugar per kilo. That also fits my experienced of date ferments.

There are a couple of varieties that tend to leak sticky sugar syrup rather than dry out hard but they are use as feedstock because they tend to form cakes naturally in storage.
Tmar al-majhul are one of the few human-grade dates that behave like this but it varies with storage temperature, harvesting ripeness and most don't self-cake unless stored in damper conditions just after harvest - prolonged rainfall on a ripe crop just before harvest can trigger it - they are known as tmer-al-medjul-fayadan if it happens. Tends to be a once-a decade phenomenon. They are delicious but almost impossible to pack for wetsern retail sale - they tend to self-ferment in packaging and will blow at any attempt to pack in plastic tubs)

Dates can sometimes take off again with malolactic fermentation as some varieties are literally covered in yeasts and malo-friendly bacteria. For this reason I soak the whole dates with a campden tablet or two to tame it down before I mash them up. Boiling will also help. Not all malolactic is bad but it can cause blown tops on jars if you don't run it as soon as primary (the intended initial fermentation with your pitched yeast) has completed.

This can be a problem if you use empty 5L drinking water jugs as wash-until-run-day storage because the effects are like a very large sticky (but very tasty) grenade.

Thank you for the info.Dont know the variety that my neighboring farm plants but they are all for the european and middle east markets.Wil find out.They sure have alot of syrup in them.
I have boiled and deseed them all 50 kg what a job.
Any recomendations on what yeast to use.I was thinking of EC 118 but are open for suggestions.Dont want to get it wrong next date season is only next year.

Shanenel wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 9:38 am Any recomendations on what yeast to use.I was thinking of EC 118 but are open for suggestions.

I personally would be more incline to go with bread yeast vera EC 1118, only cause I view dates more in line to rum making..

Mars

Think I ll split up the dates in two batches one with bread yeast and one for fruit wash and compare and see where it takes me.
Thanks for all the input

Hello, I make date, raisin and figs brandy for winters. They have good nutrients and easy to ferment. I simply pour boiling hot water on them in fermenter and after cooling, simply pitch the yeast. I use more dates than figs and raisins. Makes a very tasty drink.

You mentioned MLF or Malo Lactic Fermentation earlier in the thread. If the dates have high malic acid you might enjoy processing it like a wine and co-inoculating with an MLB (VP41 has been a good performer for me but I've also used others). The lactic acid contribution to finished taste is typically smoother and preferred in grape wines with higher malic acid content. Not sure whether they typically do an MLF with date wine production or not...

Cheers!
-j

Sorry for the ignorance what is MLB.

Shanenel wrote: ↑Thu Sep 01, 2022 5:27 am Sorry for the ignorance what is MLB.

Major League Ballsup!

EricTheRed wrote: ↑Thu Sep 01, 2022 5:29 am

Shanenel wrote: ↑Thu Sep 01, 2022 5:27 am Sorry for the ignorance what is MLB.

Major League Ballsup!

MLB = Malo Lactic Bacteria

It converts Malic acid (which is tart and puckery) into Lactic acid (which is perceived as smoother and creamier) - Used in wine ferments. Usually reds but also Chardonnay.

MLF aka Malo Lactic Fermentation is often referred to a "second ferment".. It can be spontaneous from existing MLB in the environment or inoculated with a cultured strain..

Cheers!
-j