StillSmart

Are you planning to use a whiskey yeast?

Don't know who that question was aimed at, and AT may disagree with me here.
Islay distilleries are very lax on the yeast that they use,seeking merely a "neutral" ferment, and seem to favour baking yeasts.
Spend your money or save it.
I have had excellent results from Allinson/Mauri double yeast mashes before, and my latest efforts are simply Allinson.
A five day ferment to me says it all.
I may be rubbish at mashing, but my ferments and subsequent distillations are not too shoddy.

Robert.

All settled then.
Bakers yeast it is. I use Fermipan.
So all I need now is the weather... and maybe a day to spare.

Think a sensible trail would be 23liters. Which would fill a 8l tapped killer jar. Where it can sit on some oak dominoes for a couple of months.

Personally I use Alcotec whisky yeast which is supposedly single strain and nutrient enhanced but that's just me...I am a wimp with yeasts bur consider better safe than sorry for not much money

Mashy I'm trying to work out the 23 to 8 litres on dominos ?? I do know the SD guys recommend maturing on thes at cask strength
For now I still prefer results from my small barrels but still experimenting and keeping an open mind

I have dominoes for wine making. Just seemed the ideal way to do a small quantity. Right size. Easy to breathe it. Easy access for dominoes.

Call me a cheat, but adding amylase to my final two mashes from the sack of malt upped the SG, and has seen the brews ferment down to 1.000.
The previous brews ending at 1.020 seemed such a waste.
I am content.
This weekend I will get down to the business of whisky distilling.

Robert.

(I trust this thread is open for comment from others..... )
I make AG single malt whisky a fair bit....and I am pretty sure that:
- the ONLY apparent benefit to be gained from using generic bakers yeast in an grain ferment (esp a peated AG) is that the yeast will tolerate greater temperature variation (esp at high end)during its initial fermentation period
- if you like running low ABV% washes (eg AG) so that the pot-stilled grain flavour is potentially maximised in the end product, then you will likely notice the smell/taste difference of bakers yeast vs, say, ale yeast in your quaff, even after a few months
- selective oaking IS the ultimate key to a good peated 'scotch' and 'a-little-for-a-long-time is best IMHO

(just sayin' )

Frank,you know that here insightful interjections are always more than welcome.
And jumping to your last line,I could not agree more.
My favourite commercial Scotch distillers all claim that the aging is more than 40% of the finished product.
(For evidence here, is the fact that in the years around 1750 most raw whisky distilled in Scotland went South to be rectified to gin, - so must have been tasting fairly neutral!)
Your input before that may be a greyer area,as here,once again the distillers that I attempt to follow all use bakers originated yeasts.
In fact they hold water,malt and yeast in low regard, compared to oak aging.
What do I know?
I have been doing this a short time, and have run out of my own AG whisky.
It was so awful, I had to drink it.
Looking forward to this latest one.
Patience is not one of my virtues.
Actually, not sure that I have any others.


Robert.

I have tried adding crystal malt successfully to the spirit, after it had some time on oak. Came out quite good

I agree, low and slow is the way to go.

Hi ED the amylase is the supplement used in the Alcotec yeast and I concur it ferments down to near 1.000 usually 1.010
I've done the low wines run on the Belgium malt and it looks promising currently got 18L at 42% ish to charge plus usual tails from last time
I'll let you know how it goes

My strips/low wines runs on the Belgian malt sack produced around 38 litres @ 20%.
My 5 litre Whisky feints jar @ around 50% has been run with two runs for spirit, and I'll do the final one tonight.
It looks like I'll collect no more than around 7 litres at around 63%.
Maybe foolishly I was hoping for nearer to 10.
I am sorry not to use amylase earlier, I believe that I lost some alcohol there, but at the end of the day it is quality, not quantity that is important.
So then comes aging, and my lack of patience.
Some intriguing smells coming from the raw spirit.
Life is a bagatelle.

Robert.

And sometimes it just smiles at you, and wishes you a good day.
7.5 litres @ 63% for £39 plus my time.
Nuked half a litre today (see here for more viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2034) out of interest for an early taste.
Oh boy!
The ad stated 30ppm phenols, the sack 35ppm, the finished article tastes that high for me.
Which shouldn't be.
It is Laphroaig like in character,and totally gorgeous!
Can't wait to to hear how AT got on.

Robert.

My own mashing of the same Belgian heavy peated malt was not as successful as I had hoped for.

I have 8 litres @ 67% abv which I sat for a three weeks on heavy flamed dominoes. I has now bee racked off these and it is resting on unflamed American white oak dominoes now.

Smell and taste (when sampled) appear delightful.

My intention is to gradually dilute whilst on the unflamed dominoes

Nice one Toper, hadn't realised that you had tried this one.
A slightly better mash result than myself.
I am sure no two of us would age it the same way, the bulk of mine is sitting with recycled ex whisky nee Sherry barrel staves, planed back to clean wood and chopped to almost matchstick size.
Wishing you well with yours.

Robert.

Well my spirit run gave me 9 litres @74% for the hearts plus plenty tails for next time. Happy with the that

Must say I'm impressed with the raw spirit. Plenty flavour quite sweet and not too harsh

Popped it on some SDE american oak dominoes well chopped up colouring nicely. think I'll give this about a month then into the sherry cask for a decent rest

Definitely think another 25kg of this malt will be on its way soon. Mind you I saw my Simpsons friendly head Brewer so suspect some Ardberg type malt may be in the offing soon as well !