Oat whiskey

[m314]

Has anyone here tried an all grain oat whiskey? I've acquired the ingredients I'll need to get started on it this weekend.

28 pounds steel cut oats
Alpha and beta amylase enzymes
Yeast

I was planning on putting 14 pounds of oats each into 2 8 gallon buckets. Add boiling water to fill to 7 gallons, cover, then add alpha and beta amylase enzymes at the appropriate temperatures as they cool down. Mixing well at every step. Pitch yeast when the temp gets to 80 - 90 degrees F.

I tried a recipe like this last year on a smaller scale, only with half the oats and with some added sugar. It came out well after 2 distillations with the air still, after aging a few months with oak chips. This will be my first attempt at an all grain batch.

[chill]

I have only tried part Oat before. I will be watching your progress with great interest.

[packapoo]

Yes, please keep us posted,

[packapoo]

Yes, please keep us posted.

[Myles]

Makes a nice pot distilled vodka, but I don't know about 100% whisky. There are a few topics about it, but mostly oats are added to a grain bill in smaller quantities as enhancers.

Apparently it makes a very mild whisky.

[m314]

The batch I distilled in November came out with a distinct oat taste. Twice through the air still, it had a much stronger flavor than my pot stilled "rice vodka" batches. It was a little rough, but I didn't know what I was doing with cuts at the time. It has improved a lot sitting in a jar with oak chips for 5 months. I'm hoping the all grain batch comes out smoother with more flavor.

I've read some positive reviews of a couple of all grain oat whiskeys on the market now. I've never actually seen oat whiskey at a liquor store.

[m314]

I want to make all grain batches with lots of things this year to learn the individual flavors. Oat, corn, barley, wheat, rye. It will be fun. Once I know what they taste like on their own, I'll start experimenting with different mixes and recipes.

[Easydrinker]

Jump your list and go for barley, or rye at a pinch.
You will then not find the time to even try the rest.
Wishing you luck with the current one, but it will fall by the wayside once you move to the king of grains

Robert.

[m314]

I do have a couple of buckets free. I should pick up some barley at the brew shop this weekend. I'm pretty much set on oats this time, since I already bought 28 pounds. That's a lot of oatmeal.

The only problem is that the all grain process seems labor intensive, and this is mostly a weekend hobby for me. I feel like taking a week vacation from work just to start some new batches and catch up on distilling old ones.

[m314]

I'm getting ready to get started. I just haven't decided on which yeast to use. Baker's yeast or dry active distiller's yeast? I also have champagne and cider yeasts, but I'll probably go with bakers or distillers.

[Easydrinker]

Yes, all grain is more labour.
Sitting here, mellowed by some of mine, I would say it is worth the effort.
My advice for you is to use more yeast than you think.
And, in a while you will also be sitting, mellowed by your product.

Robert.

[m314]

I'm already mellowed by my last oat batch. That was half oat / half sugar. The taste is something special, probably because I made it myself and it's new. I hardly have any left.

A big bucket of oatmeal will stay hot for ages, apparently. It smelled so good I had to have a bowl with some brown sugar. The rest is reserved strictly for whiskey.

I have about 15 gallons total split between 2 8 gallon buckets. I waited for them to cool to 155ish before adding the alpha amylase. They went from ultra thick oatmeal to liquidy in 15 minutes. I added the beta amylase at around 140. They're both liquid and sweet tasting at this point in the 120s. I might let them sit overnight before pitching the yeast.

[m314]

I finally pitched the yeast this morning. I went with DADY, 6 heaping teaspoons per bucket. I mixed it in well with the paint stirrer drill attachment.

The airlocks are bubbling nicely 15 minutes later. I hope this turns out well.

[m314]

Both buckets are overflowing. Damn it. Should have left more head room. The yeast got a little too happy too quickly.

I'm not sure how to handle this. I took out the airlocks, and I'm cleaning up the oatmeal from the lids as it comes out.

[m314]

I moved them to the tub so they can overflow for a while. I took out the air locks. Now there's a slow stream of bubbly liquid coming out of the hole in the lid of each bucket.

I'm thinking this might reduce the yield a little. Next time I'll use less oatmeal per bucket.