Prickly pear pad (nopales)

This area is for recipes that are not yet proven, use this area for experiments, recipe research and development of your own variations. Once a recipe is accepted as being good by the consensus it will be moved to the proven section.

Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:42 pm

I can find commercial brewers using them to make a whisky/vodka with tequila qualities, but no information on how to actually do it. Anyone had a go? It's prime prickly pear season out Goondiwindi/St George way. I'm already using the fruit but I'm interested in the pads as they can be harvested year round.
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby EziTasting » Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:10 pm

I take it the pads are the leaves?!?

I'd assume you'd smash them up and do it like a sugar wash... but that's a guess only!
EziTasting
 
Posts: 2084
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:15 pm
Location: FNWA
equipment: Newbie - Keg Boiler & 4" 4 plate glasser

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby rumsponge » Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:39 pm

havent used them yet, but got a few growing nearby so interested in this as well.
I would try to blend them up, taste them if they are sweet. if not cock them for a couple of days and taste again. Tequila agaves are roasted in large ovens before fermentation.
If not happy with the SG or sweetness, simply add more sugar ?
rumsponge
 
Posts: 270
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:10 pm
Location: SE QLD
equipment: FSD 4" Neutralizer, 50L keg boiler with 2x2.4kW elements, 60L and 200L fermenters

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby prawnz » Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:43 pm

rumsponge wrote: if not cock them for a couple of days and taste again.



Pardon ? :scared-eek:
prawnz
 
Posts: 387
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 1:44 pm
Location: The Wild West
equipment: SS Super Reflux with home made 2in 800mm packed extension with RC coil built in .

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby Dig Brinker » Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:53 pm

prawnz wrote:
rumsponge wrote: if not cock them for a couple of days and taste again.



Pardon ? :scared-eek:


I think it makes them sweeter :laughing-rolling:
Dig Brinker
 
Posts: 552
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 5:46 am
Location: South of Melbourne
equipment: 4 inch 4 plate bubbler on keg boiler

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby bluc » Wed Feb 08, 2017 1:11 pm

May make an interesting tequilla style drink :handgestures-thumbupleft:
bluc
Site Donor
 
Posts: 8967
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:47 pm
Location: sunshine coast
equipment: 2" pot with 2" shotty 400mm long 5x 1/2" on a t500 boiler.
50l keg boiler 4" still mount 4" sight glass 1" drain..
4 plate 4" bubbler, 600mm packed section

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 1:20 pm

Just visited the local distillery (Castle Geln) and had a chat with the head distiller (I love my job) he said it's much like fermenting the fruit, which he uses to make fortified wines. It only takes a lot longer, which is the same info found on Spike Vodkas website in California. Very tight lipped about the actual process tho
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby wynnum1 » Wed Feb 08, 2017 2:01 pm

They look to be high in nutrients and low in sugar so may be like TPW used for nutrient and flavor
.
wynnum1
 
Posts: 1494
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:18 pm

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 5:21 pm

I've just gone and filled a 30l bucket full of the fruit and pads. It's a PRICK of a job by the way :laughing-rolling: :violence-smack: I'm going to do a 20l test batch with the pads and fruit (to up the sugar) they are just soaking in water now to stop the spikes from going air borne when I run them through my food strainer attachment on my kitchenaid
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby coffe addict » Wed Feb 08, 2017 6:37 pm

With tequila they slow roast in an ugly drum smoker for a day or two before fermenting.
I think you'll have to do two batches one roasted and one not to be able to compare the difference in taste and yield.
If you need tasters just say the word :laughing-rolling:
coffe addict
 
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:00 pm
Location: Brisbane central
equipment: 18 gal keg boiler on its side on wheel's with fill port, 1in drain and 2x2.4kw elements
4in 5 plate modular blockhead with optional infusion basket

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 7:33 pm

After straining the pads, they gave me an SG of 1.015.. Dam. The fruit gave 1.038 and both have a pH of 5.5, so I threw them both in the fermenter, topped up to 20l, and added 5kg of sugar to bring up to 1.08. My water usually is alkaline (6.5), but the wash still measured 5.5. the juice seems to be a good buffer.
I pitched 50g of hydrated lowans. I'll update as it ferments.
Now to deal with the 1000s of spikes in my hands and lips (I just had to taste it)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 7:35 pm

coffe addict wrote:With tequila they slow roast in an ugly drum smoker for a day or two before fermenting.
I think you'll have to do two batches one roasted and one not to be able to compare the difference in taste and yield.
If you need tasters just say the word :laughing-rolling:


I will have to try that next. Just with the pads and no fruit
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 7:58 pm

ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Wed Feb 08, 2017 8:31 pm

Minor issue. This takes off. Moving to bath tub.
https://youtu.be/dc6ztTQVRqw
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby Wobblyboot » Wed Feb 08, 2017 8:35 pm

Wobblyboot
 
Posts: 669
Images: 0
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 4:41 pm
Location: Melb
equipment: 4" glass bubbler

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby EziTasting » Wed Feb 08, 2017 9:04 pm

and to think they introduced the moth and Cane toad to deal with this stuff!!

Imagine they had made it available for Home style distilling!! No Cane Toad! No Moth!! Environmentally friendly and a happy population!! :laughing-rolling:

Win - Win- Win - Win! :laughing-rolling:
EziTasting
 
Posts: 2084
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:15 pm
Location: FNWA
equipment: Newbie - Keg Boiler & 4" 4 plate glasser

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby Azza76 » Wed Feb 08, 2017 9:45 pm

Cane toad was for cane beetle man not the prickly pear one of the worst things ever you don't get them in wa yet lol :laughing-rolling:

When I was growing up in Bundaberg we used to go out at night with golf clubs and cricket bats they fly well :))
Azza76
 
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:22 pm
Location: North QLD
equipment: 2" pot still shotgun condenser
2"boka 50 lt keg boiler

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby ultrasuede » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:49 am

Wobblyboot wrote:http://www.hillcountrytxdistillers.com/texas-prickly-pear-cactus-moonshine.html


I flicked them an email asking how they do it.

"We add sugar and yeast to get the cactus pads to ferment. As you know, there are LOTS of different kinds of yeast so you will need to experiment to find the one that appeals to your taste. For a 5 gallon mash setup, we would put in 5 gallons of water about 18 lbs of chopped cactus pads and 90 lbs of sugar. Then your yeast according to the directions on the yeast. You can stir the mash the first few days but then don’t stir it anymore and definitely don’t stir it before you pump the liquid into the still. You want the solids to settle to the bottom and if you stir them up, we find it adds more yeast taste which we did not want."

I think they meant ounces and not pounds. That's 500g cactus pads and 2.5kg sugar to 20lt. I used 1.7kg pads and 3kg fruit, i might get a second fermenter going with their recipe
ultrasuede
 
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:25 am
Location: SE QLD
equipment: Boka 1.5 metre, 50lt keg boiler and a pot still.

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby coffe addict » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:45 am

I'm watching with interest, as out at dad's there's lots of prickly pears. Might be a good insensitive to clean up his paddocks lol
coffe addict
 
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:00 pm
Location: Brisbane central
equipment: 18 gal keg boiler on its side on wheel's with fill port, 1in drain and 2x2.4kw elements
4in 5 plate modular blockhead with optional infusion basket

Re: Prickly pear pad (nopales)

Postby wynnum1 » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:37 am

Prickly pear some people are allergic and eating the fruit can make them sick .
wynnum1
 
Posts: 1494
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:18 pm

Next

Return to Recipe Development



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests

x