Peregian wrote:Hi Bundaboy,
How are your FFV's going this winter, gets very chilly down your way.
I put down 4 a few weeks back and they were a little slower, took about 5 days with no insulation around the fermenters. Just about to put down another 4 and will insulate the them.
For the first time ever I used essence to make some Bourbon, never used essence before but had run out of product due to selling our house and moving, difficult to distill with open inspections. Used the FFV and essence found on ebay, made some up put it in a Mason jar with some oak and put the jar under vacuum, starting to taste not too bad. It will keep me going till I can make some more product.
Hi Peregian,
Sorry about the late response but, for some reason I didn't get a notification and have only just come back to the thread.
I finished a 150L batch just a couple of weeks ago.
I had a space blanket wrapped around it and was monitoring it daily for both activity. After about 2 days the temp had dropped to 22C and the activity had stopped. The hydrometer indicated it had a long way to go, fearing the worst, I dropped in one of my aquarium heaters (thanks for the advice Nino!), in what seemed like no time at all the temperature was again nudging 30C and the wash was fizzing along like a little bottler - all the way to the driest wash I have had (if the hydrometer can be believed - it was below the end of the scale!) - all within 4 days!.
Following Wolfrics method I dropped the yeast rehydration and just pitch it, I also dropped the blender step in favour of just a good stir, and I also now go the whole route with just the lid sitting on loosely (no bubbler) which makes it easy to have a thermometer, hydrometer, and the heater sitting in the wash - I just have to take a peak now and then - it's all too easy!
Keeping the FFV warm has been the trick without a doubt.
In summary, I now just do one big 150L wash, no rehydration, no blendering, no air lock, just keep it warm and cosy and it's seemingly fool proof.
The only thing I need to do is buy a bigger pot to boil up the bran - it fits now, but only just so I have to keep a very close eye on it - being the chap I am it's a good idea for me to have some head room.
I should also say I have been using the woolies natural bran which works great, I also experimented with the Coles' version - it went like porridge but seem to work ok, but I have now gone back to the stock food bran - when I got it home I found it had heaps of live weevils in it so I stuck it in the freezer for a week - we'll see how it goes.
I am still stuck on essences unfortunately, I have made Laphroaig, Glennfiddich, Irish Whiskey, Johnny Walker Black, Tullamore Dew, and my last, just to get rid of some of the unused parts of my Whiskey Profile Kit, a Bourbon which was ok... but I really am a Scotch guy ;-)
I also made some Kahlua which was very well received, my neighbours like to have it poured over ice cream as a dessert.
I would like to a) Get off the essences somehow, and b) get off the filtering - or find a more economical, high capacity system so I can do the lot in one go if possible.
Another possibility is to go bulk essence just to simplify the whole process, but also to always have something at hand if I am in a hurry. $50 for enough to flavour 30 litres is not too bad.
I am intrigued with you putting the oaking Bourbon under a vacuum - is that done with a Canning Vacuum Unit or something similar?
Cheers, and once again thanks for all your help.