Fine Scotch Whisky Recipe Discussion

[620rossco]

Best to crush the grain if you can. The husks form a bed that assists with sparging, if it is too fine it will hold the moisture.
If you are batch sparging a rest for 15min minimum at 78deg before sparging...

[Dyno]

So after a few last night we decided to give our first brew a decent go. Was put down early Sept so pretty young. Anyways, we drained a bit out, gave it a bit of an airing, watered it down to 40% an lined up some good crystal glasses. I'm not shitting you, this stuff was ACE. Seriously good recipe here. Smooth as silk, little smokey / peaty and started sweeten up well. Colour was light caramel. We were just fizzing ..!!!! I can't wait for the other barrel to catch up. Looks like another wash will be happening shortly. We had a talisker and a Glenfidich on hand as a yard stick ( $60 range ) an this brew was well in front. Also had a 15yr Glenfidich but hey... can only dream.. lol. Good feeling to know tho the expense and effort with this brew was worth it. Surprised it's not in the Proven thread. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bluc]

Dumb question but do you do gens /use backset/ sour mash whisky? Or is all that reserved for bourbon style mash's?

[Doubleuj]

Surprised it's not in the Proven thread. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Umm, think it is...

[EziTasting]

Dumb question but do you do gens /use backset/ sour mash whisky? Or is all that reserved for bourbon style mash's?

Non-burbon style Whiskey doesn't usually do gens. That's not to stop you from trying it!! I think some guys here do do it for a certain time, but commercially, the single malts are single gens only, as far as I know.

My reading has Whisky Distillers using grain bills,yeast mix, time of fermentation and barrel oaking/time as their main ways to influence the flavouring. There may be exceptions to that rule, tho!

[Dyno]

Surprised it's not in the Proven thread. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Umm, think it is...

Yr right. Is tbat just recent or am I messed up here ? Dont matter..all good

[Dyno]

Dumb question but do you do gens /use backset/ sour mash whisky? Or is all that reserved for bourbon style mash's?

No we havent been. Dont think it's inline with Scotch . Just done fresh brews from the start. Has worked out well. Te hnically we cant call it a scotch can we till it hits 3yrs, so I believe, is that right ? Not sure. Certainly a brew to keep on the 3 month rotation.

[Psykamaholik]

2 years on oak by Australian standards to be called whisky, 3 years in Scotland

[rossgillespie]

Hi all just wondering if u had to boil the malt extarct as i have read that it takes abit to extract the sugars?
And did anyone have any trouble with foaming with this much LME?

[Sam.]

You only have to dissolve malt extract, and he sugar has already been "extracted" from the malt and concentrated into the can.

And yes have a bit of head room and watch for pukes as you come up to temp :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[rossgillespie]

Ok, i wna give this recipe a go with my 30ltr boiler with 2000w element, ill be running 20 ltrs at a time so leaving 10 ltres head space should be enough to hopefully avoid pukin on strippin run at full power?
Spirit run will be dialed back to 1500w anyway

[Sam.]

Should be ok, you can always add a conditioner to minimise foaming on boil up :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Doubleuj]

Or olive oil :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dyno]

Ok, i wna give this recipe a go with my 30ltr boiler with 2000w element, ill be running 20 ltrs at a time so leaving 10 ltres head space should be enough to hopefully avoid pukin on strippin run at full power?
Spirit run will be dialed back to 1500w anyway

I've never had it puke in my little 30L ( fill to 25L ) boiler. Run it full tit and you'll be fine. Mine takes 3hrs to strip from start to finish, at 2000w. It's an awesome brew mate .!! If yr using a pot still run yr spirit run around 990w on the controller and happy days.

[TasSpirits]

Dumb question but do you do gens /use backset/ sour mash whisky? Or is all that reserved for bourbon style mash's?

I tried 3 Single Malt gens a while back, not worth it imho. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bluc]

Or olive oil :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wondering is oil as defoamer just a bubbler thing? Have tried rice bran , olive, and peanut and they all leave a taste through a pot ~x( :think:

[TasSpirits]

Or olive oil :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wondering is oil as defoamer just a bubbler thing? Have tried rice bran , olive, and peanut and they all leave a taste through a pot ~x( :think:

Grapeseed oil is the go, bluc you want the most neutral tasting oil you can get, those 2 would leave a taste through a reflux :laughing-rolling:

[bayshine]

Bit of topic but I always put olive oil to stop rum from foaming and have never had any tastes through my bubbler :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dyno]

I wouldn't be .putting any shit in yr boiler with this recipe unless yr a rich prick who can chuck money away. Fuck that. It don't puke so it don't need it. If you overfill it is when you'll have a prob but oil won't save you anyway.

[Sam.]

I wouldn't be .putting any shit in yr boiler with this recipe unless yr a rich prick who can chuck money away.

This would be by far the most expensive sugar head wash to start with. The cost of a proper condition or butter/oil etc is fuck all in the scheme of things.

If your running on gas and can throw a heap more power at it you might find foaming a bit more of an issue.