Mac's Bourbon Whiskey Knock Off (BWKO) Discussion

[SBB]

Another option from what Ive read, is to add some low wines to the last wash you do, This ups the abv to a point where you should be able to leave the wash for quite a while before distilling it. Ive also seen it said that washes can be left for 6 months or so before running as long as they are kept under airlock.
Ive currently got a UJ wash that has been sitting since before Xmas.......it will be interesting to see if its still ok when I finaly do run it.

[R-sole]

Make a new wash for the last time, let it run it's course fermenting and leave it sealed. The fermented wash will last for months.

[victorski]

:handgestures-thumbupleft: cheers, i'll just leave it till i'm ready to run it and try avoid the temptation of wanting to open it to have a sniff ;-)

[cdbrown]

There's a stock feed place nearby (Stockfeed West) which has 40kg bag of wheat for $26.50 and flaked barley (25kg 19.50). Is that what I want. Unfortunately they don't seem to have cracked corn but hopefully city farmers or better pets and garden have it. Could it be called something different?

I take it that it doesn't require to be milled and I can chuck it all in the just boiled water for the first get. For 2nd gen onwards McStill mentions taking 1/2L of grains out and replacing with fresh - is that 1/2L corn, or 1/2L corn, barley and wheat each or 1/2L total using a blend of corn, barley and wheat.

I've got malted barley and malted wheat from brewing - would I substitute the full amount of barley for the malted stuff or only a portion.

From the first post - McStill makes up 2 x 30L batches and expects to get 25L wash from each leaving 5L behind in lees. Is the 10-12L backset for the 2nd gen for a 30L (33-40%) or is it actually 10-12L split across 2 fermenters (17-20%).

Blows my mind that you can keep the wash on the yeast for months on end - what temp should it be stored? Also - I've not used a fermenter lid with airlock for about 4 years. Any issues just using gladwrap like I do for beer ferment.

Cheers
-cdbrown

[Kimbo]

There's a stock feed place nearby (Stockfeed West) which has 40kg bag of wheat for $26.50 and flaked barley (25kg 19.50). Is that what I want. Unfortunately they don't seem to have cracked corn but hopefully city farmers or better pets and garden have it. Could it be called something different?Yes, this is what you need. dont go to city farmers, youll pay $ 10 for 2kg

I take it that it doesn't require to be milled and I can chuck it all in the just boiled water for the first getcorrect. For 2nd gen onwards McStill mentions taking 1/2L of grains out and replacing with fresh - is that 1/2L corn, or 1/2L corn, barley and wheat each or 1/2L total using a blend of corn, barley and wheat.1/2 L total( if you want- up to you)

I've got malted barley and malted wheat from brewing - would I substitute the full amount of barley for the malted stuff or only a portion.Personal preference, malted is nice ;-)

From the first post - McStill makes up 2 x 30L batches and expects to get 25L wash from each leaving 5L behind in lees. Is the 10-12L backset for the 2nd gen for a 30L (33-40%) or is it actually 10-12L split across 2 fermenters (17-20%). 2 fermenters ( you dont have to do a double batch if you dont want, maybe just start with a single 25L ferment for a while

Blows my mind that you can keep the wash on the yeast for months on end - what temp should it be storedwhat ever your shed is? Also - I've not used a fermenter lid with airlock for about 4 years. Any issues just using gladwrap like I do for beer ferment.go for it
i'll expect a decent sample when your finished :D
Cheers
-cdbrown

[R-sole]

I use malt barley (just a base malt, ale or pils) in ujsm.

I still use plain barley and wheat, but in a scotch type ujsm, not with corn.

I think you really want the malt flavour (and the enzymes) if you are trying for a bourbon.

[cdbrown]

So where's a good place to get the cracked corn?

Would the malted grains need to be cracked?

Would most likely be stored in the shed which is pretty much the same temp as the outside temp so it has a big range between night and day.

I have about 3 25L fermenters, 6 20L cubes and 5 60L fermenters (although I use 4 of them for grain storage).

Do any of you guys use finings agent at the end of ferment to clear up the wash - something like gelatine? Preventing the solids from getting into the boiler I could strain through some cloth as I'd plan to pour from the fermenter tap.

As for a decent sample - do you mean a decent amount or a decent quality (I can't guarantee the quality).

[cdbrown]

I use malt barley (just a base malt, ale or pils) in ujsm.

I still use plain barley and wheat, but in a scotch type ujsm, not with corn.

I think you really want the malt flavour (and the enzymes) if you are trying for a bourbon.

Could try and emulate the Islay whiskeys and use up some of the smoked malt I've got! So you basically substitute the corn with malted barley for a scotch and keep the unmalted stuff as is. Ever tried an all malt wash (well half malt grain, half sugar)?

[Kimbo]

So where's a good place to get the cracked corn?Most stock feeders sell it, i get mine from city livestock on Gnangara Rd, theres also Brigadoon Livestock on Gt Nth Hwy

Would the malted grains need to be cracked?its better if they're cracked

Would most likely be stored in the shed which is pretty much the same temp as the outside temp so it has a big range between night and day.

I have about 3 25L fermenters, 6 20L cubes and 5 60L fermenters (although I use 4 of them for grain storage).

Do any of you guys use finings agent at the end of ferment to clear up the wash - something like gelatine?No Preventing the solids from getting into the boiler I could strain through some cloth as I'd plan to pour from the fermenter tap.
i have made a big funnel with some S/S mesh in it, just to catch the floating bits
As for a decent sample - do you mean a decent amount or a decent quality (I can't guarantee the quality).

I'll Taste it and tell you how much i want :)) :))

[R-sole]

No i haven't but plenty have.

You can use feed store barley and malt in quite hefty unmalted ratios and still do a converted mash. Just crack as usual and do a cereal mash on the barley before adding the malt.

A lot of people use some sugar to up the yeild on their allgrain (called a thin mash). You should start a new thread for discussion on this.

Yes, you need to crack the malt for your ujsm.

[bt1]

hello all,

Been rather impressed with a slight variation of this recipe of late. I'm using

2L cracked corn
1L wheat
1L Malted Pale Ale
Both wheat and malt short boil in backset before adding, wheat for about 2 mins longer
4 KG sugar
1/2 lemon med for inverting
1 teaspoon Dapp
2 teaspoons gypsum
1 teaspoon Epsom salts

It's definitely calmer than the corn / rye brews with less volatiles/heady smells much earlier and notice this difference at day 2 only of ageing. Backset has a distinct earthy/grainy smell at gen4 and is welcomed.

Fermenters has a real pleasant grainy smell to them when active compared to corn/rye.

Being a single runner with a preference for big bold flavours i reckon somewhere between blending the two brews will be a very pleasant drop and hopefully at a younger age as the corn/rye does need a fair bit of age before it turns imho.

Cheers
bt1

[R-sole]

If you just add your crushed malt to the warm fermenter instead of boiling you could get a little enzyme action happening over the course of a fermentation.

[bradsgonetrekkin]

Ive just started to do a bit of tasting over the last week or 2 with my oaked UJ style whiskey.

I must say, the addition of the malted barley (from Marks home brew in newie, basic malted barley for around 2-$2.50kg). to the grain bill for this one has made a massive taste difference compared to to the straight corn I originally did.

My ratios where between 60/40 to 50/50 corn/cracked malted barley.

If it tastes this good after a month on oak its going to be awesome after 3-6 months!!! I was hoping to hold off drinking this one for a while but I've had several 750ml bottles @ 40 odd % with cola over the past fortnight and I cannot get enough of it!!!!! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I haven't tried the wheat in the grain bill mix yet. Can anyone give a comparison to the flavours between corn/malted barley and corn/mbarley/wheat mix?

Theres also some smoked malted barleys that are available, has anyone used these in an UJ style mix??

[R-sole]

The general consensus round my neighbourhood is 75% corn, 15% malt and 10% malted rye. Mark will have the rye too.

Wheat and smoke will both lead you to a scotchy type flavour as will using 50% malt. You are missing out on all the conversion that's offered by the malt as well as bringing out tannins if you heat it over 65-70C

[Goldie]

When adding wash to my low wines for a spirit run, what sort of volume of wash are people adding?

[bradsgonetrekkin]

Will have to try the rye next time 5Star...
Hi Goldie, Id probably aim for around a a fifth to a quarter of the the total volume you can fit in the boiler for your final spirit run.

[cdbrown]

Will have to try the rye next time 5Star...
Hi Goldie, Id probably aim for around a a fifth to a quarter of the the total volume you can fit in the boiler for your final spirit run.

Just to clarify - the fifth (or quarter) of the total boiler volume? Or should it be a fifth (or quarter) of the total spirit volume if that fits in the boiler?

I figure I'll have about 17.5L of low wines from 5 gens, so could add 5L of wash which would be 22% of the spirit volume. Or based on 30L boiler volume I'd need to add nearly 7L of wash (which would be 29%). Or maybe I'm thinking too hard about this and should just shut up and patiently wait for the 3rd gen to be ready for stripping..

Also what is "cap" that I've seen mentioned in this thread a few times?

[Goldie]

Fifth of boiler volume was what I was going to do.

[cdbrown]

Does anyone add a bit of fresh yeast for each new gen? my current 3rd gen has been bubbling (no airlock, can see the bubbles forming on the surface) away since tuesday last week and I was hoping it would be finished now so I could strip it tonight. Most posts suggest the ferment is over in 3-5 days but now on the 8th I'm thinking the yeast is getting very sluggish. I've had the temp sitting around 28-31c (helped along with a heat belt as needed), so it's not getting cool enough for the yeast to slow down.

[R-sole]

It slows down after a few gens. that's the ph from the backset.
It already has a massive yeast bed in there, adding more will do nothing.

If you are really held up the answer is to put another wash on so you have two going.