Fermenting on backset

[OzKev]

When making run and whiskey we ferment in a ~25% backset. I got thinking :scared-eek: Does the ferment on the backset actually change anything or is it hyst important at the time of distilling? My idea is could I just store the dunder separately? I could then ferment a normal sweet wash, and add the backset at 25% directly to the next still run. Allowing a 50L boiler, with a 40L charge at 25% backset means I need 30L of sweet wash. In my 60L fermenter I could get 2 x 30L washes at once, rather than the current single 40L mixed one. Or is it the fermenting on the backset that causes the fermented wash to go sour?

[Kimbo]

When making run and whiskey we ferment in a ~25% backset. I got thinking :scared-eek: Does the ferment on the backset actually change anything or is it hyst important at the time of distilling? My idea is could I just store the dunder separately? I could then ferment a normal sweet wash, and add the backset at 25% directly to the next still run. Allowing a 50L boiler, with a 40L charge at 25% backset means I need 30L of sweet wash. In my 60L fermenter I could get 2 x 30L washes at once, rather than the current single 40L mixed one. Or is it the fermenting on the backset that causes the fermented wash to go sour?

Yes mate. Also, using backset or dunder alters the pH of the wash thus giving different flavours and reducing the risk of infection to a certain extent.
It is also the reason we get that generational thing that is mentioned a bit :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bt1]

Hi,

yeh backset does change the flavour of a grain sugarhead and a AG more. It's progressive in effect and kicks in around gen 3.

25% is a bit steep for mine but hey it will work. Normally run about 15% as I run to gen 10+ and it impacts on pH in later gens. Once the pH is under that 5 - 5.5 range your ok with wash infection prevention... the rest it purely a taste/preference thing.

bt1

[Yummyrum]

I often keep half my dunder in a bucket to age and funk up abit and use the other half in the next wash.

Having a store of old dunder is good for Rums....it also gives you a backup.

Once I had a Rum wash go seriously wrong ...infected I think...Run it anyway but even the dunder was off...got oit my last spare bucket ...off I go again. :handgestures-thumbupleft: