 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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"I am currently on my third fermented run in my pot still. All three runs have been using an AG recipe along with Prestige WD yeast. All three runs have been a stripping run and then low wines which has consistently put me at
160 proof output. The taste is pretty good but has a little bite to it, I am assuming this is from the barley? But the smell is distinctly tequila on every run. I have read that using bakers yeast can present this smell but I am not using that. I thought the Prestige WD was one of the best yeasts for an all grain wash? Lastly, when I transfer from fermenter to still, I am using a sump pump with nylon screen over it. I know I am getting the yeast in the still, is it possible that is what is causing the tequila notes?
As always, thanks in advance for your assistance!
Best,
Dave"
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
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what are you trying to make???
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't really detail that. I am making a corn whisky. My grain bill is 20lb corn, 9lb 6 row malted barley 12 gallons water with gypsum added for hardness and ph adjusted to 4.5 with lemon juice.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
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tell us how long your fermentation lasted and sg readings if you have them. you also said you had only run the wash once and very fast if i got it right.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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SG on all of them were around 1.050, FG were around .995. On all three runs I have made a stripping run and then a low wine run. Stripping runs came in about 60%, then diluted with water and low wines run can in about 80%. On all three runs during the stripping and the low wines the final product smelled like tequila, except for the heads and tails. Heads smelled sorta sweet and tails like wet card board. I have read that most corn washes actually have a sweet corn nose to them but mine smell nothing like corn at all.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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Almost forgot, ferments lasted roughly 10 days. One actually went 2 weeks, not out of necessity but just because I didn't have time to run it until the weekend. On average though, I have started them on the weekend and checked them the following weekend and run them.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
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"what was the grain bill??
\
Did you air out your hooch for a couple of days"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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My grain bill is 20lb corn, 9lb 6 row malted barley 12 gallons water with gypsum added for hardness and ph adjusted to 4.5 with lemon juice. Yes, I aired the cuts out for 2 days.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/4/2012(UTC)
Posts: 303
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For a pot still, I thought that cheap tequila was what you were looking for.
I found this on the 'net:
If it smells like fingernail polish remover it should be acetone or some other noxious chemical.
If it smells like cheap tequila that is a signal for moonshine.
If it smells like wet tennis shoes..socks..jock straps etc. means you're into the tails.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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I suppose a lot of people make that assumption because there are so many people running crap. I am not running moonshine, I am running all grain corn whisky with the intent of finishing it as a bourbon. Maybe that is what it smells like prior to aging, I don't really know. That is really why I posted here, to find a definitive answer.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 526
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Hi Dave, I was talking to a friend of mine that has made Bourbon for quite awhile, he said his comes out of the still smelling and tasting nothing like what it does when it's aged. He set me up with a flight of 3 mo, 6 mo, 1 yr, 3 yr, and 6 yr. There was a noticable difference between all of them and a major difference between the 3 mo and the 6 yr.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/8/2012(UTC)
Posts: 31
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Thanks Bushy I appreciate that info. I assumed that it was going to take on some caramel and vanilla notes from the barrels. Could you ask him about the tequila smell when you see him next? I would greatly appreciate it. I am not in any hurry as I am still trying to hone in the exact flavor I want but I would like to know if I am doing something wrong or if this is the smell I am looking for coming out of the still. I am actually quite surprised more people don't have an answer for this question. Maybe I am one of the very few actually running an AG mash. I find it hard to believe though. Thanks again!
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