Teddy's Fast Fermenting Vodka (FFV) Discussion

[Sam.]

I would call "fairly high" anything over 28c and I would call "high" over 32c but that's just me ;-)

[Bundaboy]

I would call "fairly high" anything over 28c and I would call "high" over 32c but that's just me ;-)

Your opinion is as good as a wink to a blind horse! ;-)

Ok, I'll have to try that if only to prove a point.

I'll modify my non-working freezer for a single fermenter and use a heat pad or something more powerful in conjunction with my STC1000.

I'll aim for a constant 30C (obviously it will oscillate but on average should be close enough).

In other words I'll get all scientific and get this blasted recipe to work one way or the other! ;-)

Cheers all.

(BTW as an aside, I wonder if my spirit tastes better for the longer ferment? hmmmm)

[Sam.]

From reading what you have posted I would definitely wrap your fermenters in blankets, the amount of heat they lose to ambient is significant in small volumes.

Longer ferments and clearing time are probably for a different thread seeming what the title of this one is ;-)

[Peregian]

IMG_1470.JPG

IMG_1469.JPG

Have added a couple of pics of the fermenter setup.

As explained in a earlier post they are all side by side to try and keep the temperature loss to a minimum.

The red cover is an old sleeping bag, get them from the op shop.

The wash in the fermenters is the most recent and has been racked and will be left for a week or two before stripping.

[Gavhancox]

I was thinking of giving this a go, I can get wheat bran in 20 kg lots for $17, but I will only need 5 kg to keep me going for a while. Anyone else keen on grabbing some?

[Bundaboy]

IMG_1470.JPG

IMG_1469.JPG

Have added a couple of pics of the fermenter setup.

As explained in a earlier post they are all side by side to try and keep the temperature loss to a minimum.

The red cover is an old sleeping bag, get them from the op shop.

The wash in the fermenters is the most recent and has been racked and will be left for a week or two before stripping.

Thanks for the piccys.

1) You have the same tiles as I do, same colour and size. :-)

2) I was wondering how you got a sleeping bag around four fermenters. That looks like like no sleeping bag I have ever used or seen - is it a double? or is it able to be completely opened and is a bag/blanket kind of thingo?

3) You have a lot more head room in your fermenters than I do, what size are they?

[Peregian]

I was thinking of giving this a go, I can get wheat bran in 20 kg lots for $17, but I will only need 5 kg to keep me going for a while. Anyone else keen on grabbing some?

The trouble with 20KG bag is the time it takes to use it all and can you beat the weevils.

I found most times the purchases from the stock feed stores went to weevils. Better to purchase the supermarket home brand 500 gram pack for just over $1.00, fresh and easy to handle.

At less than $3 for the 4 washes seem like fair value.

[Bundaboy]

The trouble with 20KG bag is the time it takes to use it all and can you beat the weevils.

I found most times the purchases from the stock feed stores went to weevils. Better to purchase the supermarket home brand 500 gram pack for just over $1.00, fresh and easy to handle.

At less than $3 for the 4 washes seem like fair value.

This one? https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/brow ... ctId=95076

[Peregian]

2) I was wondering how you got a sleeping bag around four fermenters. That looks like like no sleeping bag I have ever used or seen - is it a double? or is it able to be completely opened and is a bag/blanket kind of thingo?

3) You have a lot more head room in your fermenters than I do, what size are they?

The sleeping bag is the zip open type, zips down one side and across the bottom, opens up to a flat blanket.

I think the fermenters are about 30 liters, at present they are all holding about 21-22 liters, the original wash was 23 liters, so lost about 2 liters after racking.

[Peregian]

This one? https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/brow ... ctId=95076

That's the one!

[Bundaboy]

The one thing I forgot to mention that has to be a factor of sorts is that my attempt to aerate the wash just resulted in sticky sugar water all over my laundry floor, me, and anything unlucky enough to be in the vicinity. I even used a genuine Bamix. I quickly gave that up. :handgestures-thumbdown:

I can't see how you can do this if you are using, like me, standard straight walled 25L fermenters, there isn't anything to catch the over spray.

This, I think, shows what is necessary to avoid this calamity:

https://youtu.be/xptvVFoZ_pE?t=9m55s

[WTDist]

IMG_1470.JPG

IMG_1469.JPG

Have added a couple of pics of the fermenter setup.

As explained in a earlier post they are all side by side to try and keep the temperature loss to a minimum.

The red cover is an old sleeping bag, get them from the op shop.

The wash in the fermenters is the most recent and has been racked and will be left for a week or two before stripping.

lol, single bloke i presume with fermenters in the kitchen? :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[Peregian]

The one thing I forgot to mention that has to be a factor of sorts is that my attempt to aerate the wash just resulted in sticky sugar water all over my laundry floor, me, and anything unlucky enough to be in the vicinity. I even used a genuine Bamix. I quickly gave that up. :handgestures-thumbdown:

I can't see how you can do this if you are using, like me, standard straight walled 25L fermenters, there isn't anything to catch the over spray.

This, I think, shows what is necessary to avoid this calamity:

Position the stick blender almost touching the side wall of the fermenter and to start with just under the surface of the wash.

When it is switched on keep it near the side wall of the fermenter and just raise it a little till you hear the sound change to a louder sucking tone, all the time keeping the stick blender at an angle of about 45 deg. Don't raise the blender blade above the surface of the wash while switched on.

This does work well at getting air into the wash, maybe try a different blade on the Bamix.

[Peregian]

IMG_1470.JPG

IMG_1469.JPG

Have added a couple of pics of the fermenter setup.

As explained in a earlier post they are all side by side to try and keep the temperature loss to a minimum.

The red cover is an old sleeping bag, get them from the op shop.

The wash in the fermenters is the most recent and has been racked and will be left for a week or two before stripping.

lol, single bloke i presume with fermenters in the kitchen? :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

na, got one wife but 2 kitchens in the house and the one in the pictures is all mine, except when visitors stay over, then I have to remove all my shit to the garage.

[Bundaboy]

Hi Peregian,

I have just finished my spirit run. I ended up with about 6 litres of hearts @ ~ 45% (after watering down).

My maths tells me that's about right:

3 ferments of 21 litres = 63 litres @ ~11%

This stripped down to 18.5L @ ~30% (I stopped at 93C)

That "spirited" down to 2.5L of hearts at ~93%
I reckon the 300 ml of heads and tails will boost that up for my whiskey to ~3L @ ~92%

Diluted to 45% (actually measured ~50% but my arithmetic says it should have been 45%)

After flavouring I like mine with a dash of soda hence I prefer 45% to start with).

I noted that with 4 ferments you say you get 6L of good neutral which beats the heck out of mine, mathematically it implies you are getting better better than 40% hearts? (I calc 3.7L (100% ABV)theoretically).

Anyway preliminary tasting says it's all good.

(PS to save energy and water I stopped this run when I began to taste very strong and bitter tea).

[Teddysad]

Thought I would chime in here with a few points.

1 Temperature
This time of year my shed is ambient temperature 15 to 17C.
I keep my fermenters warm via either a heat pad underneath or a heat belt around the fermenter.
I then wrap them with a car sunscreen blanket thingy - the silver coated stuff designed to go inside the front windscreen. It does a great job of insulation and they are cheap as chips to buy.
This means the ferment temp inside the barrel is around 25C.

2 Speed
To achieve the speed, keep the sugar to the recipe's level. Pushing it up will add to the time.
I found that a slightly lower finished ABV is not a problem and the speed allows for more runs is a given time.

3 Bran
On purchase I transfer the bran to a sealed airtight bucket. As a result I don't get the weavils/moths. That supermarket stuff is also a good way to go for smaller packs - if concerned it can be kept in the fridge.

An interesting observation.
I have been away on a 7 week trip and left several fermented barrels under airlock while I was away.
On my return the wash was extremely clear, almost transparent, with just a slight yellow tinge.
Racking, stripping and a spirit run gave me a really great result with I believe (as did the Gardener) the best I have produced so far.
The extra time spent sitting can add to the end result - if one can be patient of has a spare fermenter to dedicate to this.

[WTDist]

The trouble with 20KG bag is the time it takes to use it all and can you beat the weevils.

freeze it? use a chest freezer or something?

[Bundaboy]

Thought I would chime in here with a few points.

1 Temperature
This time of year my shed is ambient temperature 15 to 17C.
I keep my fermenters warm via either a heat pad underneath or a heat belt around the fermenter.
I then wrap them with a car sunscreen blanket thingy - the silver coated stuff designed to go inside the front windscreen. It does a great job of insulation and they are cheap as chips to buy.
This means the ferment temp inside the barrel is around 25C.

2 Speed
To achieve the speed, keep the sugar to the recipe's level. Pushing it up will add to the time.
I found that a slightly lower finished ABV is not a problem and the speed allows for more runs is a given time.

3 Bran
On purchase I transfer the bran to a sealed airtight bucket. As a result I don't get the weavils/moths. That supermarket stuff is also a good way to go for smaller packs - if concerned it can be kept in the fridge.

An interesting observation.
I have been away on a 7 week trip and left several fermented barrels under airlock while I was away.
On my return the wash was extremely clear, almost transparent, with just a slight yellow tinge.
Racking, stripping and a spirit run gave me a really great result with I believe (as did the Gardener) the best I have produced so far.
The extra time spent sitting can add to the end result - if one can be patient of has a spare fermenter to dedicate to this.

Thanks Ted, it's always great to get the good oil straight from the horses mouth (so to speak).

Since my 23 day ferment appears to be somewhat of a record (at least when unintentional) I thought I would just point out that I have followed the recipe as closely as I possibly could especially the quantity of sugar, and my results are almost identical with the theoretical (~11%).

I think that pretty much leaves it with the temperature as the culprit and over the next few days I will be implementing what I hope to be a solution for that. I am determined to get a fast ferment if it is the last thing I ever do - not because I need to, or even should do, but because I want to! LOL.

With the bran, I immediately filled an air tight container with around a kilo or so - to be honest, mainly for convenience.

When I came to get the second lot of 250g I noticed a grown moth on the inside of the lid and a few of the little beasties darting around in the bran - it did not surprise me all that much as I already knew that the larvae can come in with the produce itself - most old fashioned house wives know that.

The cost of this bran is so low that even if I lost 80% of it to the little blighters it wouldn't unduly phase me - as long as they don't escape and get into my pantry. I have had pantry moths (in another house) in the past and it's not fun.

I will definitely try the clearing tip as I have found I need to filter the wash to date even with drastic cutting.

Thanks again.

[Bundaboy]

Yuk yuk yuk - why didn't one of you numbskulls tell me there was a aerator blade for the Bamix? and that the blending blade is NOT the one to use - why I oughta make one of you come and help me to clean up the sticky laundry, but never mind the local ant community will volunteer I am sure...

:doh:

[Peregian]

Yuk yuk yuk - why didn't one of you numbskulls tell me there was a aerator blade for the Bamix? and that the blending blade is NOT the one to use - why I oughta make one of you come and help me to clean up the sticky laundry, but never mind the local ant community will volunteer I am sure...

:doh:

I did suggest a different blade in a previous post

"This does work well at getting air into the wash, maybe try a different blade on the Bamix." Remember?