 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2012(UTC)
Posts: 13
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Hi all, First time poster, month long lurker. I received an air still for Christmas and have successfully run a batch of wine, sugar wash and rum wash all with pretty decent results. A week and a half ago I decided to try a no cook mash using the following ingredients 3lbs flaked Rye 2lbs flaked Corn 1lbs 2 row malt 5lbs Corn Sugar 2lbs Cane Sugar 1 pack EC 1118 4 tbs yeast nutrients 4.5 gal of water 3 days ago I racked the mash from my bucket to a carboy hoping to remove the grain. I siphoned half the grain to the carboy  Last night, the hydrometer was at zero and decided to load the still. The first run of the spirit tastes nasty. I've read that you should use the first run for whiskey and age with toasted oak but I think if I start with something that foul it isn't going to get better with age, is that correct? I was planning to finish running the wash and then distil a second time. This helped with my rum wash but I'm afraid I'm going to lose all the flavor from the grain. Then again, it sucks now so I guess it couldn't hurt. Any advice on what I did wrong or how to save the batch? One other item, the spirit tastes really dry...super dry...death valley dry. The wash also tastes dry. Will this get better with aging? Did I ferment too long?
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
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"Well you said - a week and a half ago....then you said 3 days ago...doing some math, is that about 6 or 7 days to ferment???? Thats for sure not to long to ferment--no where near long enough. Well it could be close to done fermenting but it still needs to settle and most probabley is still not done.
You really did'nt give much recipe prep.......I see you said a no cook mash.
The rye wont need near as much mash time as the corn or two row.
If it tastes so shitty would'nt you want to loose all the flavor (trying to be funny)
Dont know what kinda still ur useing but if its a reflux type why not just reflux it and make a neutral out of it??"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2012(UTC)
Posts: 13
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I'm using a still spirits air still. I'm guessing it's more of the pot still variety since I'm getting flavor in the spirit. I was going to wait longer on the mash but when my hydrometer read zero, I said "what the heck". Perhaps I was being dumb trying to get a nice rye on my first try. I'll let you know how the second run goes. If it still sucks, I'll run it again and get a neutral spirit I'll try again soon using that popular sour mash recipe. How long does a batch usually take to ferment? This was also my first time not using a turbo yeast so I wasn't really sure how long it would take, I just used my hydrometer to determine when it was done. Also do you have any ideas about the dryness issue?
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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 would'nt say dumb, just overly anxious, which is not a bad thing. Well if the hydrometer said it was done then - done is done. Lots of times its just better to let it sit and settle and that (to me) just seems to be better. I usually give mine 2-3 weeks in the fermenter. (minimum)
you made your own turbo with ec-1118 and nutrients so it prolly finished really fast, which means it ate all the sugar (thats why the dryness) -- and that yeast is really good anyway so no worries mate."
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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Don 't you need some enzyme's when it isn't cooked?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/6/2011(UTC)
Posts: 161
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" Originally Posted by: heeler  I would'nt say dumb, just overly anxious, which is not a bad thing. Well if the hydrometer said it was done then - done is done. Lots of times its just better to let it sit and settle and that (to me) just seems to be better. I usually give mine 2-3 weeks in the fermenter. (minimum)
you made your own turbo with ec-1118 and nutrients so it prolly finished really fast, which means it ate all the sugar (thats why the dryness) -- and that yeast is really good anyway so no worries mate. if depleating the sugar makes it dry would that mean adding a little a couple hours before distilling make it a little less dry?"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/14/2012(UTC)
Posts: 13
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"Ran the spirit a second time and the flavor is a lot better. Came out at 150 and brought it down to 100. I added some toasted oak and set in the cellar. I've read that I need to open it up and swirl around from time to time, is that correct? If so how often? Also, I've heard a bit about the ""angle's share"" and I'm wondering if it takes down the proof or the volume (or both)? If you know anymore about it or how it works I would love to hear about it. Thanks for the words of advice. I'm going back to a brown sugar and molasses wash for my next batch. Keep it simple.  "
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