StillSmart

Re: Brandy

2015-03-25T21:37:09+00:00

I think it was just the aging. Rum is like this too, only more so. It tastes nasty off of the still but improves quickly with some time on wood. Other things, like bourbon take OK off of the still, at least to me. I may not be a discriminating drinking

Statistics: Posted by chill — Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:37 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-25T18:54:19+00:00

Mabbee shake some air in.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:54 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-25T15:23:13+00:00

After a couple weeks on chips, mine is tasting much better now. This might work out after all.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:23 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-25T14:16:59+00:00

My brandy experiment has come to an end for now, the cheap Sav Blanc kit made a pretty ok wine which my other half has taken shine too

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:16 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-19T16:37:20+00:00

2 weeks in the DJ with the oak dominos and colours starting to look good

Statistics: Posted by Admiral Toad — Thu Mar 19, 2015 4:37 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-16T10:03:22+00:00

I was just concerned about a column giving you a cracking good neutral - and negating all the good work that the white wine wash brings to the party.

Port is exactly what I use it for.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Mon Mar 16, 2015 10:03 am

Re: Brandy

2015-03-15T16:20:46+00:00

Hi Mashy

I was originally thinking to strip and spirit run but when I tought about it, it's 23lts to start with to give me 4-5 litres of strip, no where near enough to be able to do a spirit run, my boilers capacity is 50lt and at least 12lt is needed to cover the electric element.

I'm pretty sure enough flavour will carry over plus I get to collect a batch of feints for next time, this will add additional flavour to my next lot of hearts which will be mixed in with this batch anyway

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:20 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-15T14:14:44+00:00

Would a pot style still/setup be better to retain some of the flavour?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:14 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-15T09:02:24+00:00

My first 23lt batch of sav blanc has now finished fermenting, I was thinking of doing another one and runing them both together but I've decided to run just the one for now, I think I'm going to strip it using 1 plate, so a double distil and collect in 200ml jars noting the abv for each.

After deciding on my cuts I'll note the abv's for the hearts, each subsequent batch will be made following the same hearts cut, measured and collected using only the parrot abv but with recycled fients added to each batch from the last, I'm going to do 4 kits in total so this is getting quite expensive!! Even with a cheap wine kit its £28 a batch for the wine kit, £112 for 4 to give an estimated 8-10 litres!

Then I'll decide what to do with it before putting it on oak, I've always wanted to make some Port which is made by fortifing a half fermented red wine with un-aged brandy before aging the end result on oak, a bit off topic but here's a link to the Taylor's website about how they produce their port, it's intresting if you like Port and fancy having a go

http://www.taylor.pt/en/what-is-port-wi ... port-made/

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:02 am

Re: Brandy

2015-03-15T02:59:17+00:00

Finished my cuts tonight from a single kit, I ended up with about 2L @ 67% from an AirStill and I have 800ml of tails and over 1L of heads that will re-run and see if there any anything worth keeping from them.

Initial tastes are not that encouraging. It is OK but I was hoping for more flavour. I have it aging on 5g of heavy toast and 5g of medium toast oak chips. I need to get back in the shop and start sawing up more oak.

Chuck

Statistics: Posted by chill — Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:59 am

Re: Brandy

2015-03-03T13:31:36+00:00

I've got a 5 gallon savigon blanc kit going, it's only a few days old so it'll be a couple of weeks before it ready for stripping but I'm planning on the same idea, although my other half has her eye on it! She wants a gallon for drinking! How rude! lol

@Admiral Toad did you use two 5 gallon kits? Or are your results from just one? I'm guessing two and that's my plan at the moment.

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:31 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-03T13:02:54+00:00

... and they are drenched in free yeast !!

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:02 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-03T12:48:53+00:00

Good Thinking

Statistics: Posted by Admiral Toad — Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:48 pm

Re: Brandy

2015-03-03T10:42:31+00:00

In the autumn if you know chaps who make wine from grapes. They normally throw their skins away (black or white) - this and a few bags of sugar would make a very palatable brandy.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:42 am

Re: Brandy

2015-03-03T06:37:23+00:00

Update
stripped and did spirit run with one plate
Got 4.5 litres at 72% on some distilling dominoes
Initial taste was encouraging

Statistics: Posted by Admiral Toad — Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:37 am