WoodyD40 from Melbourne

[Coastie]

Well woody I got some made up and I’m pretty happy with it!
Looks and tastes great

One question I do have for the masses…

So I made 2 batches. But I stuffed up the first batch and put too much water in. Only maybe like 200mls extra and I used my alchometer to measure the alcohol and it came up with below zero.
Can anyone answer why?
It definitely still tastes alcoholic and I’ve had it in the freezer overnight and it hasn’t frozen.
Is there something to do with the high sugar content putting the alchometer outta whack?

[The Stig]

Yes , it’s just a hydrometer so anything that’s not supposed to be there will mess with it .
Added sugar will really mess with it

[Coastie]

Ok so any tips on how to double check the alcohol strength of my brew?

[harold01]

refractometer 0-80

[WoodyD40]

EH Woody got into the vege patch today and ended up with just under 1/2 a kilo of cutup licorice root so the quest is on now to get it totally dried :handgestures-thumbupleft: So when it's all done I'll get your addy and send some licorice root over with a bottle of my AG Whisky :obscene-drinkingchug: which i'm sure you will love.

Cheers Bryan

I might be tempted to come out for a drive :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Coastie]

refractometer 0-80

Thanks Harold

[Coastie]

ok well let me know how your sampling goes tonight!

Ive got some high ABV vodka that im going to macerate for the 2 weeks. I might do two batches to compare

14 lemons skins peeled, 1L Vodka
18 lemons skins grated, 2L Vodka

I Also have the larger lemons a bit bigger then a cricket ball. Good to have friends with over producing lemon trees!

I will also confirm that the grated or zested Lemon skins gave the better flavour transfer! 1L Neutral, 500grams of sugar topped up to 1L water.
It gave a better Lemon flavour IMO comparing.

[WoodyD40]

ok well let me know how your sampling goes tonight!

Ive got some high ABV vodka that im going to macerate for the 2 weeks. I might do two batches to compare

14 lemons skins peeled, 1L Vodka
18 lemons skins grated, 2L Vodka

I Also have the larger lemons a bit bigger then a cricket ball. Good to have friends with over producing lemon trees!

I will also confirm that the grated or zested Lemon skins gave the better flavour transfer! 1L Neutral, 500grams of sugar topped up to 1L water.
It gave a better Lemon flavour IMO comparing.

Glad to know the 18 large lemons in 2 Litres (zested) worked for you as well. It does taste awesome.

[The Stig]

Use some of the lemon juice instead of water to drop the ABV , strain through coffee filter paper .
Enjoy
Your welcome :laughing-rolling:

[WoodyD40]

Use some of the lemon juice instead of water to drop the ABV , strain through coffee filter paper .
Enjoy
Your welcome :laughing-rolling:

I will certainly try that for any future batch. But i've still got over 3 litres in the freezer. It will be a long time before i'll need to do a new batch.
Too much gin to drink first.

[Coastie]

Use some of the lemon juice instead of water to drop the ABV , strain through coffee filter paper .
Enjoy
Your welcome :laughing-rolling:

Oh Dear sounds fun!

also have alot stashed in the freezer !

[WoodyD40]

IMG_1109.jpeg

AN update from me.

For the past 5 weeks I've been busy doing the McRum recipe and have ended up with 27 litres of stripping runs over a total of 5 fermentations (original plus 4 generations). Average would be about 70% to 75% abv.
Tomorrow is my Friday off - so all of that will be dumped into the boiler along with enough water (put through a carbon filter) to bring the ABV back below the safe 40% level.

I have already put every single glass of a decent size through the dishwasher on a hot water cycle only - so that everything is as clean as it can be to collect the spirit run.
I'm just guessing, but with that volume of ABV going into the boiler i am estimating a very long day - like 16 to 20 hours, depending on how slow I can run it thought. I'm assuming about 1.5 liter take off per hour for a stripping run - does that sound right?

If I wake up early - i'll start filling the boiler at at 4am. sheesh. Not really sure I want to get up that early. We shall see.

[WoodyD40]

Question about spiced rum.

Do a throw a Cinnamon stick in when I first put the rum on oak?
Or do I age the rum, then add cinnamon?

[The Stig]

Are you running in plated form ? If so , you should be running (spirit run) around 3L/PH
And from my understanding , spiced rum is made like Gin , either macerated or infused .
I have to ask , why stripping and spirit run ?

[WoodyD40]

Are you running in plated form ? If so , you should be running (spirit run) around 3L/PH
And from my understanding , spiced rum is made like Gin , either macerated or infused .
I have to ask , why stripping and spirit run ?

Why stripping …. So i can put all the generations together.
And
I only threw out the first 4 shots only and then kept everything else. :happy-partydance:

[WoodyD40]

And i am only running 3 plates in my lego still, and no packing. :music-deathmetal:

[The Stig]

2 very god answers , your heading the right direction .
Aim for 85% at the parrot , it won’t be as long a day as you think ,.
Run too slow and you’ll drop some flavour

[WoodyD40]

2 very god answers , your heading the right direction .
Aim for 85% at the parrot , it won’t be as long a day as you think ,.
Run too slow and you’ll drop some flavour

I got up just before 5am, and tipped the stripping run into the boiler. I had already put 25 litres of water in the boiler last night to help speed things up this morning.
The first 3 litres of product has already been taken, at approx 90% ABV at a rate of approx 2.5 litre per hour.
THEN i logged on and read stigs reply above. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I have put a demijohn under the parrot and slightly increased the flow rate and its approx 87% now at the parrot.

Thanks for your advice stig. I’m looking forward to a shorter day than i expected.
I’ll give a few progress reports as i go.

[WoodyD40]

the first 3 litres have been collected in 250ml jars.
Hoping that's enough to determine heads.
Now collecting in a 5litre demijohn.

[The Stig]

Thanks for your advice stig. I’m looking forward to a shorter day than i expected.

No worries, youve got my address, a small bottle would be nice :music-deathmetal: :happy-partydance: :happy-partydance: