Teddy's Fast Fermenting Vodka (FFV) Discussion

[Bundaboy]

At a pinch you can always try this
https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Brow ... ctId=93035

Great, I didn't see it in there but now I have a reference - half the time they don't know what they have in their own stores.

I suppose it's good to use something that is (hopefully) guaranteed to be fit for human consumption, and also that drinking our favourite tipple keeps us regular as well ;-)

It's bubbling away nicely now, at least as fast as an Alcotec 48 hour turbo, so hopefully I haven't wrecked it with the variations to the recipe I made.

As others have said the airlock is not really necessary but it's comforting to know it's happily fermenting away when it's a first attempt at a new recipe.

[Bundaboy]

aaaah! From the same place... THIS would likely be the right stuff wouldn't it (obviously we would need to see the ingredients on the back to be sure).

https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Brow ... ctId=95076

[Teddysad]

That woolies stuff is essentially a generic all-bran. I understand it is the exact same stuff I use - from the flour mills but processed by being compressed into little sticks with some added vitamins.

I am perfectly relaxed about using the stockfood stuff. One must realise that all the corn/maize used in bourbons and wheat and barleys are not rated food grade per se but agricultural grade too.

[Bundaboy]

That woolies stuff is essentially a generic all-bran. I understand it is the exact same stuff I use - from the flour mills but processed by being compressed into little sticks with some added vitamins.

I am perfectly relaxed about using the stockfood stuff. One must realise that all the corn/maize used in bourbons and wheat and barleys are not rated food grade per se but agricultural grade too.

Fair enough, it's as easy for me to get the right stuff as it is the processed stuff, and it hasn't killed you (yet ;-)) so that'll do me.

[Boardy62]

I ran thus the other day the wash was as per directions it bubbled nicely (not as bubbling mass as expected though) but it must be my water even mcrum doesn't blast off! I ran it through the t500 as I wanted to compare it to TPW only one run each and they certainly are different and that slight wheaty taste is there it did not settle easy I put glycerine in it and screen filtered out of the fermentor that helped but there was a slight slug at the bottom of the wash May and may not have affected taste it finished @920 fg started@1050fg
I collected 4 ltrs @93% from two runs 50ltrs in total it is no slouch more testing to do and another fermentor going now will try on oak :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Bundaboy]

I should report that my heavily modified version of this recipe:

wheat bran - substituted Woolies Crunchy High Fibre Bran (64% wheat bran)

multivitamin tablet - I knew I was in trouble when I saw "crushed MV tab" - I have never seen a crushable MV tablet, I don't use MVs these days but years ago they were all capsules, and that's all I could find so I snipped off one end and squeezed the contents into the mix - this stuff doesn't seem to dissolve very well. I used 2 as there was some loss of content in the process.

DAP - I could only get wine nutrient from my LHBS - it contains DAP along with magnesium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, trace vitamins and minerals (probably meaning the MVT was unnecessary). There is no indication of the percentage of each component so I upped the dosage to 2 tsp.

Ended up quite well, I racked it off and then left it for 2 weeks (not intentionally - life got in the way). It pretty much didn't clear at all so I ran it through my airstill. As I was in desperate need of some whisky I just added some Irish Whisky essence to a litre of it (i.e. didn't age on oak as is my normal process) and it turned out very nice as is. I got about 3-1/2 litres out of it with heavy cuts.

[Bundaboy]

Just found a source for the bran at my local Co-Op - 20 kgs for ~ $14 - not bad.

They feed this stuff to the cows and we drink milk and eat steaks right?... right?

[warramungas]

DAP - I could only get wine nutrient from my LHBS - it contains DAP along with magnesium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, trace vitamins and minerals (probably meaning the MVT was unnecessary). There is no indication of the percentage of each component so I upped the dosage to 2 tsp.

When I used to do 100 liter turbos I used to mix 30 kg of sugar and used one pack of turbo with about a good cupful of molasses (to save money on the turbos). They used to ferment right out. Ever thought of using a tablespoon of molasses instead of DAP. I never found any rum flavour carry over in my wash and molasses has nearly all the goodies yeast needs? A liter at a few bucks will last a very long time.

[WTDist]

Just found a source for the bran at my local Co-Op - 20 kgs for ~ $14 - not bad.

They feed this stuff to the cows and we drink milk and eat steaks right?... right?

Thats pretty good. i wonder how it would go if you mashed at 65 degrees (or whatever the conversion rate is) 3 kg of this stuff with 500gm barley. might make a good whisky? and cheap?

[Bundaboy]

DAP - I could only get wine nutrient from my LHBS - it contains DAP along with magnesium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, trace vitamins and minerals (probably meaning the MVT was unnecessary). There is no indication of the percentage of each component so I upped the dosage to 2 tsp.

When I used to do 100 liter turbos I used to mix 30 kg of sugar and used one pack of turbo with about a good cupful of molasses (to save money on the turbos). They used to ferment right out. Ever thought of using a tablespoon of molasses instead of DAP. I never found any rum flavour carry over in my wash and molasses has nearly all the goodies yeast needs? A liter at a few bucks will last a very long time.

No I had not considered using molasses a) because I have never really known what molasses was (treacle apparently), and b) my knowledge of what a "nutrient" is is still very sketchy I really need to do more research - it's one thing following recipes but it's another, and obviously much more useful, to know why they work (if possible).

I bit the bullet and bought some DAP online, the shipping was more expensive than the product but what are you going to do? None-the-less I am a big fan of trying alternatives etc. so I will definitely be giving that a go, if that works as well as DAP then I can source everything locally (I use that term loosely because down here at Bundanoon *nothing* is really local ha ha).

Question one, I was reading up on molasses and discovered brown sugar is covered in molasses - so should we be using, say, a kilogram of brown sugar in our recipes?

Question two, you wrote "to save money on turbos" - how does that work exactly? I assume that means by adding extra nutrient the amount of yeast will increase to ferment the extra volume.

Question three, you wrote "ferment right out" - I assume that means that all available sugar was consumed - I ask that particularly as my initial results do tend to be too sweet.

[Bundaboy]

Thats pretty good. i wonder how it would go if you mashed at 65 degrees (or whatever the conversion rate is) 3 kg of this stuff with 500gm barley. might make a good whisky? and cheap?

Well, I suppose there is only one way to find out. :-)

[warramungas]

DAP - I could only get wine nutrient from my LHBS - it contains DAP along with magnesium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, trace vitamins and minerals (probably meaning the MVT was unnecessary). There is no indication of the percentage of each component so I upped the dosage to 2 tsp.

When I used to do 100 liter turbos I used to mix 30 kg of sugar and used one pack of turbo with about a good cupful of molasses (to save money on the turbos). They used to ferment right out. Ever thought of using a tablespoon of molasses instead of DAP. I never found any rum flavour carry over in my wash and molasses has nearly all the goodies yeast needs? A liter at a few bucks will last a very long time.

Question one, I was reading up on molasses and discovered brown sugar is covered in molasses - so should we be using, say, a kilogram of brown sugar in our recipes?

Question two, you wrote "to save money on turbos" - how does that work exactly? I assume that means by adding extra nutrient the amount of yeast will increase to ferment the extra volume.

Question three, you wrote "ferment right out" - I assume that means that all available sugar was consumed - I ask that particularly as my initial results do tend to be too sweet.

1.no idea. Don't see why it shouldn't work but it probably more highly processed. You might move into the realm of a rum flavour if you don't know how much molasses is in there.

2. A lot of people,or should I say some, 'stack' their yeast so they will use 1 pack in 25 liters and 4 packs in 100 liters so they get sufficient nutrients to ferment out the sugars. With turbos being $10 and up they cost more than the sugar to do that. The molasses supplies the extra nutrients the yeast need to finish the ferment.

3 Ferment out means finish all the sugar off and read below 1.000 on the hydrometer. From memory mine usually read .990 to .980. I was happy anywhere below 1 though. If its above 1 on a clean sugar wash it means some sugar is still remaining for whatever reason.

[Woodsy71]

DAP - I could only get wine nutrient from my LHBS - it contains DAP along with magnesium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, trace vitamins and minerals (probably meaning the MVT was unnecessary). There is no indication of the percentage of each component so I upped the dosage to 2 tsp.

When I used to do 100 liter turbos I used to mix 30 kg of sugar and used one pack of turbo with about a good cupful of molasses (to save money on the turbos). They used to ferment right out. Ever thought of using a tablespoon of molasses instead of DAP. I never found any rum flavour carry over in my wash and molasses has nearly all the goodies yeast needs? A liter at a few bucks will last a very long time.

Hey Warra,

Is there anything you do that doesn't involve molasses? :teasing-neener:

[Bundaboy]

I have now done 8 ferments on this recipe.

I do highly recommend this recipe for doing essence whiskies over TPW as the resultant flavour/sweetness seems to suit whiskies more than the TPW IMHO.

As for it being a turbo alternative I am less convinced. The last 6 ferments have been as close to the recipe as I can possibly get, I even use stock feed bran weevils and all, but a) There is no "taking off like a rocket, and b) it ferments at about the same rate as TPW, possibly even a little slower although that may be due to cooler weather.

I just wonder if anyone else has been able to replicate the turbo bit?

It's not that I am particularly after a fast ferment (although in winter that would probably save some energy bill money), but it would be good to know if I am doing anything wrong.

Just as a sanity check, 1/2 teaspoon of DAP has always seemed a very small amount to me, can that be verified?

Cheers.

For others doing this recipe for the first time, if you go the stock feed route I would recommend buying it in the smaller quantities (not the 20kg I bought) as I think the weevils will get most of it over time. Getting smaller quantities will enable you to freeze or microwave it to kill the weevil eggs (which WILL be in there).

[WTDist]

20kg wheat bran?
how cheap is it?

and i wonder what sugar conversion you can get with it for whisky? if its cheap and you dont want to waste it bring to around 65*C i think it is and add a packet of enzymes and let sit to convert. I did a all weetbix wash with 45% backset from same wash and at first it was different :? and then it came good after 2 months. not surte how long 6 would have done but AG would beat it hands down

[Sam.]

20kg wheat bran?
how cheap is it?

and i wonder what sugar conversion you can get with it for whisky? if its cheap and you dont want to waste it bring to around 65*C i think it is and add a packet of enzymes and let sit to convert. I did a all weetbix wash with 45% backset from same wash and at first it was different :? and then it came good after 2 months. not surte how long 6 would have done but AG would beat it hands down

Might want to read the original recipe :whistle:

[WTDist]

$6.5 for 5kg in NZ but is OZ different?

[Sam.]

I was getting at the fact that it call for 250g of the bran in the recipe and 4kg of sugar.

[WTDist]

lol yea, i was also thinking if bundaboy bought 20kg and used 2kg and the rest was getting eaten by weavels he could have tried a whisky from it perhaps. Even though i have no expirence in AG i dont see how it could hurt, or even a sugar head one, up the amount to a few kgs per 25l wash.

[Bundaboy]

20kg wheat bran?
how cheap is it?

$14 a 25kg bag (and no extra for the protein)

and i wonder what sugar conversion you can get with it for whisky? if its cheap and you dont want to waste it bring to around 65*C i think it is and add a packet of enzymes and let sit to convert. I did a all weetbix wash with 45% backset from same wash and at first it was different :? and then it came good after 2 months. not surte how long 6 would have done but AG would beat it hands down

You can't do that with bran can you? Bran is just husk isn't it?