 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/24/2013(UTC) Posts: 53  
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"The following is my Maple Brandy recipe. I'm posting it on a few forums to see if I can get any constructive feedback or determine if anyone else uses maple syrup as a primary fermentable (if it looks familiar). Obviously this recipe can (and should) be scaled down for a trial, but I don't have any reason not to make this much since I only do it once a year now... and I love the quality of product I get from 20 liter barrels.
This ingredient list is for 44 gallons of wash. I do 2 single runs (22 gal each) through my 4-plate column and combine all the hearts to fill a 20 liter oak barrel
58% abv.
8 gallons maple syrup
2 32oz jars molasses
8 lbs brown sugar
8 packets of bakers yeast
Go-Ferm Protect
I mix up half the wash at a time since I use 25 gallon fermenters.
Boil 6 gallons of water and add 4 lbs sugar, 1 jar molasses, and 4 gal syrup.
Add mixture to fermenter and top up to 22 gallons
(I top up to 20 gal and use my hydrometer to finish topping so Og = 1.075/1.080)
Make yeast starter with 4 packets yeast & Go-Ferm Protect and pitch.
Ferment 2 weeks minimum (syrup ferments slow, like honey)
Single run through flute; recycle feints from 1st run to 2nd run
Fill barrel at 58% abv (2nd use; first use is bourbon) and wait 4 to 5 months
Proof to 42% abv and add 1 pint of maple syrup for total of 7 gallons
Bottle
I know Maple Syrup is expensive. I have friends in upstate Vermont (USA) that make it and they sell it to me cheap ($30/gallon... I know that doesn't sound cheap, but it is). My goal was to make a spirit I enjoyed, not to formulate an inexpensive recipe for production. I think the go-ferm protect is unnecessary as there are nutrients in the brown sugar and molasses, but when I've tried to get advice on this in the past I've mostly been ridiculed... and when I have that much money in syrup at stake I don't want to take any chances... so I go with what has worked for me in the past and throw it all in there. It's just a modified version of my rum recipe with the syrup as the primary fermentable. This stuff tastes like everything that's right with the world. Any questions, comments, or criticisms are welcome."
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
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"I am in no way saying you are doing anything wrong --- OK --- but I think when we use all sugars or syrups like that it's really a rum or vodka not a brandy. You certainly can call it whatever you want but we get brandy when we ferment fruit not sugar and if it's good to you well there ya go.
And a 44 gallon wash is ginormous to me, but like you said you only do it once a year so why not make enough to get cha through the tough times.
Happy stillin"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/29/2011(UTC)
Posts: 25
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This sounds delicious! And since I am in the middle of Maple Syrup country (North East Ohio) I think I will give this a shot. I am assuming you are fermenting until dry?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 463 Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 3 post(s)
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Would love to hear the results.
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 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/23/2015(UTC)
Posts: 4
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RandyMarshCT -> I would love to know what feedback got about your choice of "bakers yeast" and "Go-Ferm" from other practitioners of this dark art? ;)
Also, did you change your recipe since the original post a few years ago?
Or anyone else's thoughts for that matter!
Cheers!
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