More Peated Whisky experiments

[Admiral Toad]

Well overdue with an update on my latest daft ideas

Had a 25kg of the usual medium peated Faucetts malt which whilst not bad doesn't seem that smokey to me
Well back in June I was in the Shetlands doing a little job and while driving around the wild areas of this fascinating place 'accidentally' chucked 3 lumps of peat in the back of the van
They dried out nicely over the summer so using a Smoker and putting batches of grain in two large collinders I attempted to raise the phenol level somewhat
Managed to do about 16 kg which is ample for 2 mashings in my shiny Breumaister
That produced about 42 litres at 10% yield a bit lower than usual maybe the heat of the smoking knocked it back a bit but loads of smoke in the dark result and having done the low wines run they appear to have carried through
Planning on using a sherry infused 10 litre barrel to age it but I think I wil mash and ferment the rest of the malt and combine all 3 for the spirit run and barrel at a higher ABV more like the big boys do and see what happens

As it happens just bottled a 10 month old light peated sherry and wine plus usual JD chunks infused barrel pretty good, better than a previous one which was a bit harsh and has gone back in a barrel

One thing I have learnt with the barrels is whilst the ageing time is dramatically reduced so the angels share also accelerates going to try and cork better in future

Anyway not far off bottling the first all grain spirit soon

Lastly following our recent holiday vist to Islay I think I might be able to source some of the 'Holy Grain' from there in the future happy days !

[Easydrinker]

A grain source like that does make me envious.
Lucky you!
And well done on the peating,collanders in a smoker,genious.
Robert.

[Admiral Toad]

Many a promise made in the Ardview inn may be forgotten next day
However I think it gives me a excuse to retun with a couple of empty sacks by car as I don't think our lass was prepared to tie a bag on her back on the pillion seat

[Easydrinker]

Come on AT,there's love and there's bonkers.....

[packapoo]

Most interesting post, Admiral, most interesting. Thank you.
Found colanders handy when I smoked my cornflakes

Like Robert, envious of the relative ease of choice you seem to have there.

[Admiral Toad]

Back to an old thread here but got somewhere at last

Never heard from the guy in Islay about getting peated malt (not surprised probably forgot what he said the next day !)

Any way had an idea and chatted to a local brewer I know and quizzed him where they get their malt asnd happy days its from Simpsons who supply 3 of Islays distilleries

They don't normally supply small quantities under a ton but he's managed to get me about 25kg at 55ppm phenols which sounds like Ardberg territory to me

This should be fun and maybe if we want a group buy this could be a possible opening

[Easydrinker]

You Jammie Dodger!
I could certainly put my name upon several sacks,if you chose to put yourself in the hotseat for such a deal.
Personally I would counsel against such a move,as barely known people on websites are often aerosols,and promises often don't come through.
I am going to wish you well with yours,though.

Robert.

[Admiral Toad]

Just got it

Bloody hell 36kg for £30 yippee

[Mash]

If you do think of a group purchase I am in.

[Admiral Toad]

That's the spirit run done from three 23 litre wash strips of the Ardberg malt used about 25 kg in total
diluted to 15 litres at 50% and filled a sherry soaked 10L barrel and a 5L port one both with som JD barrel chunks in
decided to go my tried and tested maturing route with this special malt rather than dominoes which I'll try with next All grain wash.
smelt and tasted pretty damn good.dont want to wish life away but in a year or so time it going to be interesting
and how time passes just realised got a 15 month Madeira barrel ready to bottle
the sample I took to the local last night got a very good reception !

[Almanac]

I used to find in hard to keep my hands in my pockets during the ageing period but with several batches at various stages of ageing, up to two years, I find it doesn't bother me at all these days.

[Spirits4BB]

Interesting thread AT, what still would you be using for this type of run?

BB

[Mash]

Snoopy, I have to say I am tempted by this - have you done it before ? Is there a recipe?

[Almanac]

Snoopy, I have to say I am tempted by this - have you done it before ? Is there a recipe?

On the peated whisky AT is probably your best man

My grain washes are done in a processor I call my twin tub which is not dissimilar to the Braumeister but home/hand made from a 50lt keg and a cannibalised Burko type boiler.

I mash using Irish Malt and I cheat with some additional sugar. However, my whisky ageing is probably no different than anyone else's other than I use American White Oak exclusively.

[Admiral Toad]

I ran the all grain washes through the new keg boiler with no plates

Actually to correct earlier post it was 4 x 22 litre washes so 2 strips done

Spirit run was alembic dome on T500 boiler with bit of copper mesh in the riser for a touch of basic reflux

My all grain washes are just that All grain and nowt else mashed in a breumaister