StillSmart

Unpeated? Yes. I had a 55 lbs bag of Golden Promise waiting to be used.

The plan is to make an 8% beer and strip 4 x 20 L batches down to 10% resulting in about 22 L of low wines.

The Mash for One Batch:

13.25 lbs/6 kg of Golden Promise Malted Grain
Single Infusion Mash in 10 Gal/40 L round cooler with false bottom
Target Mash Temperature of 145F/63C
Dough-in Water Volume of 5.3 Gal/20 L
Dough-in Water Temperature of 168F/76C
Mash Time of 3 hours

The mash temperature is lower than what is done for ale because a highly fermentable wort is needed. The longer mash time allows the alpha and beta amylase enzymes to convert the starch to fermentable sugars.

The Sparge:

Using another 10 Gal/40 L round cooler for fly sparging
Sparge Water Volume of 13.9 Gal/14.75 L
Sparge Water Temperature of 168F/76C

To Boil or Not?

I am using a no chill cube which will hold about 5.3 gallons of pasteurized wort until I am ready to ferment. So, I boil for at least 10 minutes and to also reduce the volume to about 5.3 gallons to fill the cube completely. And then, over the next several days, I repeat the process three more times.

Pitching the Yeast:

I used Safale US-05 as it is recommended for Scottish ale. I pitched one packet per 20 L plus one teaspoon of gluco-amylase per 20 L at room temperature.

Fermentation:

It may take 24 hours before signs of fermentation are visible. Fermentation is complete when the specific gravity measures 1.000. If the wash will not be distilled within 48 hours from time of completion, then use finings to remove as much yeast from wash.

Strip Run:

For a 20 L strip run, it is ideal to have about a 12 L head space in your boiler which should have a volume of at least 8 gal/30 L. Before switching on power, the wash should have been racked off the sediment, degassed and treated with conditioner or vegetable oil. Now, with the prerequisites out of the way, switch on power.

Monitor for puking. If puking occurs, resolve puking by lowering power. Collect low wines until evolving ABV is 10% and then switch off power. Low wines should be stored in a 5 gal/19 L glass DJ/carboy. If it pukes, thoroughly rinse out pot still before the next strip run. Once the low wines from the four strip runs have been collected, next step is the spirit run.

Spirit Run:

There should be about 17 L of low wines charging the boiler for the run. It should take about an hour to get to temperature at full power. At the 50 minute mark, dial the power back to 450 W. Closely monitor and adjust power upon seeing foreshots to maintain a drip rate of 1 to 2 per second. Upon transition to heads, adjust power to maintain a drip rate of 2 to 3 per second. Upon transition to hearts, adjust power to maintain a very thin stream. Once the evolving distillate is at 60% ABV, strip down to 10% ABV. Save feints for future spirit runs to develop fuller whisky flavor.

Collect in 300 ml jars to facilitate determination of cuts. Cover with coffee filter and secure with band. Let air out for 24 to 48 hours. Make conservative cuts for drinkable white spirit; otherwise, generous cuts will require aging on charred oak.

Aging:

Transfer spirit let down to 65% ABV to an aging container such as a 2L demi-john or 1/2 gallon jug. Age spirit on heavy toast American oak cubes (1 cm3) at a rate of 8 cubes per L or quart for 8 weeks. The oak cubes should be rinsed in distilled water to remove dust prior to use.

Bottling:

Decant spirit off cubes and filter spirit through coffee filters to remove any oak particles. Let down spirit to 40% ABV and transfer to bottle.

Sounds good mate,

Keep us updated.

Are you planning to get some peat flavour into it or just going without due to your grain being non-peated?

@Keystone,
if its ok with you, I reckon grab LOTS of strip run tails.....
Also, what kind of yeast are you using?

This round will be unpeated. My next AG will be a rye with 20% of the mash being 2-row pale malt, already designed in BeerSmith as a double infusion mash. After that, peated will be on the agenda.

The yeast for this batch is Safale US-05 as I read good things about it. In the meantime, I tracked down a vendor for Safspirit Malt which I will use going forward. I'll update the first post.

Yes, I will be saving the tails for subsequent spirit runs in a large glass DJ/carboy.

Yesterday, my learning was curving. The gluco-amylase allowed for an FG of about 1.000. So, I had a dry, unhopped Golden Promise beer. I racked about 20 L directly from the conical into the boiler, put on the pot still head and switched on power.

One hour later, it puked.

Back to the learning curve, I discovered a few things. One, I forgot to stir to release CO2 and to add veggie oil or conditioner, despite allowing 6 or 7 L of head space. These two steps are needed for a grain wash.

For tonight's strip run, I am not making the same mistakes. If anything, they'll be new.

As for the yeast, it's mostly settled and some is in suspension. I have plate filters and finings to clarify; but I have read that some yeast in suspension won't be harmful to the overall taste after it has aged.

Hi Keystone
Yes my latest wash came down to 1000 or slightly under so my mashing is getting better

Even fully degassed and with a conditioner added the wash will still puke unless you can turn the power down. It happened to me first time until I lowered the heat.the wash is far more volatile than a sugar wash. if you visit any distillery all the low wine stills ie their stripping stills have sight glasses in the neck so the still man can see if things are getting too lively and adjust the heat accordingly.

I gauge it by listening to the bubbling sounds at the output end

AT,

Thanks! I have another 20 L ready to strip. I will power up initially at 1200 W and then step it down to 900 W.

For the second strip last night, it still slightly puked despite the degassing and one capful of SS conditioner.

Keystone, your method is almost identical with mine so I can relate to it easily. Only difference is that I use gas.
I have a 50 litre keg as a boiler and I run 40 litres of wash at a time. I also use about 2-3 ml defoamer to keep the puking in check (but if I don't keep an eye on it, it will still puke).
I've worked out the amount of heat to throw at it and still be under the puke temperature (even at 40 litres in the boiler).
One trick I learned was not to be afraid to cut the heat down. I generally strip at about 8 litres/minute, and spirit run at 2-3, depending on recipe.
With my AG single malt, I found it easier and more economical to strip run 40 litres of wash at about 2 litres/minute. Painfully slow, but one (slow) run is easier and quicker for me than 2 fast runs (with my setup).
After 2 (slow) strips down to 10%, I do a spirit run (at about 2-3 litres/minute). Sounds arse about and ironic, but it works for me.

scarecrow

Scarecrow,

Looking at the litres/minute rate you posted, that's fast. One day, when I get beyond my copper grasshopper stage, I will have to try a 4" build.


I am stripping my last of four batches and the puking is under control. Yeah me!

@Scarecrow
mate.... are you sure you are doing strips at 8 litres/minute? I wonder if you would be so kind as to detail how you achieve this?
Also, I'd suggest 2/3 litres per minute for a spirit run is likely to result in much smearing of fractions...despite the fantastic time savings.

@Keystone, it'd be a VERY special 4"CM that gets such output flowrate results.
You will need to get the design I reckon. For instance, I've got a domestic waterpump that only rates at 11 lpm!

Now Frank, behave! You Ausies can't resist having a pop at each other, can you? That's what makes me smile about MD, they're always taking pot shots at each other over nothing.

I am assuming SC meant litres per hour not per minute because, usually, it's only the Yanks that make such BIG claims because everything's BIG in The US

AM

aidanmac wrote:Now Frank, behave! You Ausies can't resist having a pop at each other, can you? That's what makes me smile about MD, they're always taking pot shots at each other over nothing.

I am assuming SC meant litres per hour not per minute because, usually, it's only the Yanks that make such BIG claims because everything's BIG in The US

AM

I tend to recall that the 4" plated stills can run at a 2 to 4 litre per hour pace.

@Keystone
mate, for ref: my 2.5 inch potstill (50 litre boiler/3 ring LPG burner) setup will easily strip at 5 to 6 litres/hour. I have pushed it to over 7 lph, but that's on maximum gas/flame.

So...yes, 2-4 lph is most certainly achievable with a 4" still, it mainly depends on the heatsource.

Frank wrote:@Scarecrow
mate.... are you sure you are doing strips at 8 litres/minute? I wonder if you would be so kind as to detail how you achieve this?

You've caught me with my pants down Frank. It should read litres per hour. Not even I'm that good. (cough cough)

Frank wrote:Also, I'd suggest 2/3 litres per minute for a spirit run is likely to result in much smearing of fractions...despite the fantastic time savings.

Arrggghhh!!!! Caught fibbing twice in the one post. The ignominy of it all.[/quote]

Nobody loves me. I need a hug.

scarecrow

scarecrow wrote:Nobody loves me. I need a hug.

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Feel better now?