Whisky Mash

[mfdes]

G'day all!
I'll be working in Nelson, New Zealand for a few months as of July this year. Being an (or THE) enlightened country where home distilling is legal, I'm getting together with a friend who has a good reflux still (which he uses to distil only neutral grain spirits) which can be also ran as a pot still to brew him some whisky mashes.
I've read up a fair bit, and it seems like yeast choice and grist composition are as important as in brewing beer. However most people seem to be going down the Turbo Yeast and lots of adjuncts road which leads to inferior results. My friend has tried this, and been disappointed, a reason why he doesn't do whisky.
Having nearly 15 years of all-grain brewing experience, I think brewing him a good whisky wash should not be particularly challenging.
Any thoughts on good yeasts, grain bills (Is BB galaxy malt with its insane diastatic power a good base malt option), fermentation temperatures (commercial fermentations are over in 2 days so temperatures must be very high).

Thanks!

MFS

 

[AlwayzLoozeCount]

h34r: distilling is bad mmmmkay

 

[Tony]

50/50 Golden Promise/Peat smoked Distilling malt

I have a...........um........... friend that is planning to do this in NZ as well and this will be his first atampt at a Scotch Whisky.

What yeast are you using?

cheers

 

[DJR]

There is a dried yeast, Safwhisky M1 not sure about where to get it and all that though (MHB had some a while back). Wyeast from time to time releases the distiller's M-strain as a VSS (this is the most widely used strain in Scotland). Other than that i'd go for the Wyeast Scottish ale if you couldn't find the rest. Washes are usually done to 8% ABV (fermented grain and all) and then distilled. I'd assume a reflux still would take a lot more of the flavours out.

YEAST STRAIN: 4347 | Eau de Vie

Back to Yeast Strain List

A very good choice for alcohol tolerance and stuck fermentations. Produces a very clean, dry profile, low ester formation and other volatile aromatics.

Origin: France
Flocculation: Low
Attenuation: NA
Temperature Range: 65-80F, 18-27C
Alcohol Tolerance: 21% ABV

Styles:
Eau de Vie
Grappa/Marc/Bagaceira
Rum
Scotch
Vodka
Whiskey

Or Safwhiskey M1:

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/EN/pdf/SafwhiskyM-1.pdf

 

[mfdes]

No, really, I'll be doing this in Nelson... I have to go there for work a couple of times a year to work at the Cawthron Institute. My friend also works there.

I'm personally happy with beer and don't drink spirits at all. Too many sessions of head-hanging-over-toilet all-nighters as a teenager. I presume, since a lot of people do it in New Zealand, that finding the right yeasts may not be a problem. Only Nelson is a small town, and I don't even recall if it had a home-brew shop... Anyway, he can mail-order the yeast before I get there.

Tony: Why the Golden Promise? I know it's a scottish barley variety but I would have thought (from a non-whisky drinker's point of view) that not much of the malt character would make it through... Peated malt I already told him to buy, but I did not realise it was such a high percentage.

It'll be interesting to see. but I won't be reporting results till August or so.

MFS.

 

[tazman1967]

ummm...google is your friend..If not have some recipes.. the Stillspirits Whisky profile kit has had some nice Scotch and Irish whisky for me. Im drinking there Tullamore Dew recipe atm. Used there triple distilled turbo yeast with 9kg of Dex. Makes a mess of the fermenter. black carbon everywhere.

 

[mfdes]

No, I'm not after el cheapo essences.
I want the challenge of brewing him a proper whisky mash.

MFS

 

[PostModern]

In all fairness, I'd be asking http://www.homedistiller.org/forum/index.php here.

 

[crozdog]

In all fairness, I'd be asking http://www.homedistiller.org/forum/index.php here.

Or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new_distillers/

for example this post may be useful

or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Distillers/ for more advanced topics such as this post re whiskey

 

[mfdes]

Thanks everyone.

MFS.

 

[tcraig20]

No, I'm not after el cheapo essences.
I want the challenge of brewing him a proper whisky mash.

MFS

Wont making it properly mean putting it in a sherry barrel for a couple of years?

 

[stillscottish]

Baker's yeast and peated malt works well for ...... a friend of mine.
The red tubs (can't remember the brand) that you buy in Coles, Woolies etc.

Homedistiller.org and the Yahoo groups are your friends.

Wont making it properly mean putting it in a sherry barrel for a couple of years?

Toasted oak in a demijohn with a cork cork - i.e. not a rubber one.

Campbell
edit - added more stuff

 

[kirem]

I have heard that the use of bakers yeast and a good ale yeast like nottingham works well on 75% Pale malt 25% peated malt.

It is getting the blending and cuts correct that is the real trick. Don't use temperature to make your cuts, use specific gravity, use a parrot's beak with a spirit hydometer.

Someone I know has got a 'recipe' and information for glenmorangie clone. If you like that style I will get it off my friend and pm it to you.

You can replicate a sherry barrel or any other fortified barrel by just adding some of the real stuff to your spirit like 100mL to 50L, taste to get the flavour profile you want. You can also help smooth it out and speed up the maturation by use of micro-oxygenation. It is a real art and a good understanding of what you are trying to achieve with micro-ox is essential and taste the spirit regularly to check. A hack version could be achieved with an aquarium air bubbler.

Of course some will say that maturation slowly in a barrel is best.

Good luck.

Kirk

 

[ozpowell]

Please 'scuse my ignorance, if distilling is illegal, what do people do with the essences that you always see in you LHBS? Do they just add it to vodka, or do they buy pure ethanol?

Not really a spirit man myself, so never really been that curious about making my own spirits....

Thanks!

 

[mfdes]

Hi Oz,
There are kits with turbo yeast that get you close to 25% ethanol with just a plain fermentation. The product tastes like crap, but that's the main legal use for those essences. Or to add to vodka, or to another neutral ethanol solution...

MFS.

 

[ozpowell]

Hi Oz,
There are kits with turbo yeast that get you close to 25% ethanol with just a plain fermentation. The product tastes like crap, but that's the main legal use for those essences. Or to add to vodka, or to another neutral ethanol solution...

MFS.

Makes you wonder why they do it....

 

[brendanos]

Wyeast from time to time releases the distiller's M-strain as a VSS (this is the most widely used strain in Scotland).

+1 for the Wyeast... if you can find it.

 

[crozdog]

+1 for the Wyeast... if you can find it.

I've been looking for it for a while. Anyone got some they could send me?

crozdog

 

[onescooter]

That peat smoked malt is fairly strong. I would suggest maybe two batches. One of smoked malt. One of pale malt. Mix to your palette once matured.I would think that a good pale malt that you enjoy would make a suitable base. I believe that half of your flavours will come from the oak. If you can't get a high alcohol yeast, anything that attenuates well and is clean, could work well.
More importantly, patience is the key.
Mind you, I've never made whiskey, just what I've heard.
Cheers
Scott.

 

[mfdes]

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated.
MFS.