Store bought flavors

Homebrew shop essences talk.

Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Nardy » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:21 pm

Lowndsey wrote:A mate asked me to try some Bourbon/wild turkey flavourings. Tried Sameul Willards Wild Duck. Was very watery and way too pale. Need maybe another half bottle of the flavouring to get anywhere near the correct colour strength of taste. Disappointing as the HBS talked it up as being one of the most popular.


I've always found that you need to mix essences up with less neutral than the instructions say.

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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Lowndsey » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:26 pm

Nardy wrote:
Lowndsey wrote:A mate asked me to try some Bourbon/wild turkey flavourings. Tried Sameul Willards Wild Duck. Was very watery and way too pale. Need maybe another half bottle of the flavouring to get anywhere near the correct colour strength of taste. Disappointing as the HBS talked it up as being one of the most popular.


I've always found that you need to mix essences up with less neutral than the instructions say.

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Starting to agree with that totally mate.

Anyone tried any of the mixes from this page?
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=109
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Frank » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:43 pm

Lowndsey wrote: Anyone tried any of the mixes from this page?
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=109

Mate, if you look back through this thread, you will find my assessment (amongst others) to a lot of the SS essences as listed in your link. ;-)

IMO, as the list is quite biased towards SS Essences it will, at best, only give you the closest SS substitute to the nominated 'real' brand
...as opposed to something comparable OR the closest essence available, regardless of maker.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Nardy » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:50 pm

This thread is making me thirsty.. Off to go sample some essence'd up booze.

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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Lowndsey » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:56 pm

Frank wrote:
Lowndsey wrote: Anyone tried any of the mixes from this page?
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=109

Mate, if you look back through this thread, you will find my assessment (amongst others) to a lot of the SS essences as listed in your link. ;-)

IMO, as the list is quite biased towards SS Essences it will, at best, only give you the closest SS substitute to the nominated 'real' brand
...as opposed to something comparable OR the closest essence available, regardless of maker.


Yeah I understand that. Just curious really as to whether anyone had tried that WIld Turkey mix as that is the only Wild Turkey "copycat" flavouring recipe I have been able to find anywhere.
Last edited by Lowndsey on Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Nardy » Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:00 pm

Where are you guys buying your flavours from? I've noticed quite a big variance in price between stores and some great prices online.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Lowndsey » Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:05 pm

Just get mine from the local HBS. To be honest the only flavourings I really buy are Tequila, Coconut rum and Bacardi. Experimenting with Bourbon for a mate. Extremely happy with my molasses rum and wouldn't be bothered if I never walked into an HBS again.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Linno » Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:57 pm

Hey Guys

if you are looking for WILD turkey type bourbons you could also try the scrub turkey and also Gobblers Chips. I am getting board with the hbs guys saying this is this and that is that so I have started to mix some of the essences in to my soaked blends at different amounts and am getting some cool flavours some smooth some sharpbut all have been pretty good so far.

Cheers
Linno
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby chrisc » Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:34 pm

i honestly don't have a great opinion on essences i find pot distilling whisky is the only way to go is through a grain recipe and aging on oaks witch if you do it right can only be under a month if you are trying to get it drinking fast otherwise i lock it up and forget about it for a few months might try the idea on adding essence to that but the only person i buy essences for is the missus and make vodka for it but im not much of a fan of them
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby grumpthehermit » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:47 pm

G'day,

I use these guys a fair bit.

Cheaper than my local shop, postage is pretty good but there is a surcharge for small orders.

http://discounthomebrewwarehouse.com.au/index.php?amain_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=693719d0e26ca4bb87089e8991789f12

On the subject of flavours, i have been making up a demijohn of samuel willards chips leaving for a few weeks then watering from 63% to 40% and adding the Edwards - Green Creek Whisky essence ... Bottle says add 10ml ... First few oak batches I made I tried 5ml of essence, last one I made I only added in 2ml of essence and I think it's the best scotch whisky flavour I have made yet.

I found it's better to add the essence in once watered down so I could play with the amount I added to suit my taste and it's best to let anything you mix up sit for a few days to settle before you taste it, the flavour seems to get stronger after a few days with the essence in it and I kept finding I was adding too much.

Also if you like bourbon, I bought a 1kg the generic american oak chips, I soaked 75 grams in 5L of 63% and it coloured up really fast and tasted very much of bourbon ... Sadly ... I don't like bourbon. So I gave it too a mate to drink, he says it's really good and it's had no essence added in at all. It does not say so on the website but the american oak chips are toasted and they are only $5.00 for 500g so pretty cheap to play around with.

Cheers
GTH
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Lowndsey » Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:37 am

grumpthehermit wrote: they are only $5.00 for 500g so pretty cheap to play around with.


As cheap as...well ..chips. :))
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby grumpthehermit » Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:36 pm

HA !!!

:D
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Citris » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:15 pm

Also if you like bourbon, I bought a 1kg the generic american oak chips, I soaked 75 grams in 5L of 63% and it coloured up really fast and tasted very much of bourbon ... Sadly ... I don't like bourbon. So I gave it too a mate to drink, he says it's really good and it's had no essence added in at all. It does not say so on the website but the american oak chips are toasted and they are only $5.00 for 500g so pretty cheap to play around with.


Hey grumpthehermit, How long did you leave it sit. And you didn't add anything else at all? I'm interested in finding a good recipe and this makes my bank account happy also :D Oh and how fast is the delivery at discounthomebrewwarehouse, their prices seem really good.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby grumpthehermit » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:49 pm

Hey Citris,

The delivery is pretty quick, they use a courier and you have to have someone sign for it or you won't get your package.

I added no essences, just the chips, they are not very big pieces and I think 75g was too much in 5L @ 63% ( would suggest 50g maybe ), it coloured up really fast and I think we mixed up a taste test in about two weeks, not my kind of flavour but my mate likes it. I tasted it on Coke over the weekend, it tastes fine, I just don't like bourbon.

Can't remember if I mentioned they charge a small order fee if you order under a certain dollar value, might have been $40.00 bucks, I can't remember. :?

I emailed them asking if they do a non toasted version of these chips and they replied to tell me that they don't.

Cheers
GTH
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Citris » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:33 am

I know no-one does cordials anymore... But some of us are a little slow on the set up, so I'm still using them (and probably will be for a few months) while moving around... Here are the ones I have tried so far. (Just trying them all, so I can find some good ones for when I'm lazy 8-) )

Image
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby unsub » Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:35 am

I've just started playing with essences and only tried 2 so far.

Essencia Blue Sapphire: Pretty damn close to Bombay Sapphire but a little weak when recommended amount of neutral is used. Initial taste was a little weak but got much better after 24 hours.
SS Classic American Bourbon: Not a bad drop, a little sweet but I've got it soaking with some oak chips which I reckon will give it a bit more body and take out some of the sweetness. I reckon it tastes a bit like JD and my Dad reckons it tastes a bit like cougar but I think the taste will be totally different after a week or 2 with oak.

The third experiment is with Essencia Bourbon Chunks. After a few hours the neutral had started changing colour and getting a bit of a smell about it but since I got my oak domino's from 5Star I put a couple of small bits in and wow, the transformation is amazing. An ok smelling batch of bourbon is now an awesome smelling batch of bourbon.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby ledgenko » Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:49 pm

Frank wrote:Hi Brigand
I have wondered about 'Prestige' brand for a while now and so (literally today) bought one at my LHBS. Its the 'Gin' essence for a friend who likes Gordons Dry (whatever that tastes like :lol: :? ).
I don't suppose you've tried that one or any others from the Prestige range, by any chance?? ;)
How about anyone else too?



The Premium Blue Jewel from still spirits classic range is excellent ... close to bombay sapphire .... london gin and din from other producers don't cut it in my opinion !! this is the flavour for a true gin lover ...
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Store bought flavors

Postby wedwards » Mon Aug 20, 2012 12:50 pm

Lowndsey wrote:
Frank wrote:
Lowndsey wrote: Anyone tried any of the mixes from this page?
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=109

Mate, if you look back through this thread, you will find my assessment (amongst others) to a lot of the SS essences as listed in your link. ;-)

IMO, as the list is quite biased towards SS Essences it will, at best, only give you the closest SS substitute to the nominated 'real' brand
...as opposed to something comparable OR the closest essence available, regardless of maker.


Yeah I understand that. Just curious really as to whether anyone had tried that WIld Turkey mix as that is the only Wild Turkey "copycat" flavouring recipe I have been able to find anywhere.


Yeah I have had that one I think and it was pretty good. You MUST add the glycerine or the mouth feel is wrong.
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Store bought flavors

Postby wedwards » Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:40 pm

Also, as a general comment, I almost always mix 2 different whiskey essences and make up 4L instead of what each one recommends. They need to be reasonably similar styles, but I find this creates something with a much more complex flavour.

I've since moved on to the whiskey profile kit which I am fairly happy with as well.
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Re: Store bought flavors

Postby Tiger Lily » Mon Sep 03, 2012 5:49 pm

Great thread and thanks for all the info. I have taken notes

I have only tried 2 so far -

SS Classic Australian Gold Rum - I gave 3 bottles away and they were all gone in 2 days. The feedback I got was good

SS Classic Tennessee Bourbon - Tastes ok but nothing like JD. Not even close. Tastes more like Kentucky Gold or other discount bourbons but quite drinkable. :smile:

Next run I was thinking about trying Edwards Tennessee Bourbon but I doubt I will bother now after the feedback I have read here. $13.50 for the SS Classic range is a bit steep
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