StillSmart

I would

Don't bother soaking,but mince or chop them is my usual M.O.

Robert.

I'm wanting to get away from Turbo's too. The above recipe states 350G of chicken or malted wheat.

Would that be chicken as in the stuff we eat? Cooked or uncooked?

And where do I get malted wheat from. (I'm fearing im going to be told Wheatabix haha)

Wheat for feeding chickens, chicken food, NOT chicken meat! However... if do try a chicken wash, do let us know how you get on. But please, no pictures.

Malted wheat can be purchased from places supplying the home brew market.

Just original fresh from the field wheat.

Hey Makum
Almost any of the Homebrew shops will stock Malted Wheat and its quite cheap.
Regards
Runningman

Thanks for the replies. Well thats this weeks blond moment out of the way

Just thought i'd add to this... packets certainly in the UK need to list preservatives if an ingredient by law so the packet should tell you (usually E2XX numbers apart from a few exceptions of acid stabilizers in this range i.e E202- Pot Sorb. There's about 50 - 60 preservatives used between E200 - 300). Mostly you'll just find veg oil and sorbate(s)/sulfites as the 'extra' ingredient on raisins etc as they are most suitable for the product but the cheap shit value products tend to be loaded with them. Buy better quality and organic i.e crazy jacks or visit H&B or the likes) and they will be devoid of preservatives which potentially could ruin your wash. Boiling the shit out of your raisins first will drive off the sorbates/sulfites and separate the added oils used to stop sticking if you are worried - but if it doesn't list them as an ingredient it doesn't contain them . Also the closer to pH7 the wash is (not overly desired but...) the less effect sorbate will have on yeasts. The efficacy is practically 0% at pH7 and only 5 - 10% efficacy at pH6.5. In soln it's now technically sorbic acid that's the preservative. The sorbate is just the stable salt that's easy to add and keep over time. If your yeast was pitched 24hrs (wash/mash >pH5.5) before the addition of raisins containing sorbates and bubbling away then the culture will usually overcome any effect the preservative may have anyways - too many yeasties, not enough preservative per se. This would be of no consequence though of a wash at about or below pH5, sorbates (the most common food preservative) are most effective between pH4 and 5 and below this pH range and will stall your wash irreparably

Organic raisins/sultanas etc are also a source of natural yeasts just like the original grapes. I used to make ginger beer just by the addition of raisins to the original 'plant', no added yeasties. Always brewed fine (mostly) >:D

That is one very well crafted piece about raisin additives,giving a whole bunch of detail that I did not know.
It sent me to go read the back of the packets that I usually use.
Tesco Value Range.
OK,Sultanas,not Raisins,but hey not a million miles apart.

Ingredients:Sultanas,Sunflower Oil.

That is it.

I add 50g minced to all the washes that I do and believe that it helps.
I may not need them,but if the only additive is a bit of oil,possibly even utilised by yeast in reproduction,then I don't think I am losing anything.

Robert.

That's on of the good things about EU law Robert, if it contains additives of any kind and manufactured in the EU most have to be listed, just be a little wary of ingredients purchased in world food aisles lol! Food transparency and all that. I'm a big fan of using raisins/sultanas in my wines for similar reasons. Makes a start to a good ferment and adds depth to the wine. Certainly this must translate over to washes and I will certainly be using them in mine Also I intend on making a brandy wash solely from raisins and sultanas in the very near future. Not looking cheap haha but certainly cheaper than using wine from the supermarkets - £30 vs £100 at the cheapest Big saving! Good to know Tesco value sultanas don't contain additives, they're very reasonably priced so I shall be utilizing some of them - unfortunately I know their raisins do contain preservatives though K.

Can I ask how you guys are keeping them out of your syphon when you rack off? Admittedly I have a cheap as chips wilko syphon with sediment trap but those raisins were just straight in there! I scooped the floaters off the top but I didn't want to disturb it too much, there seemed to be bits right the way through the wash so no where was safe & it took an eternity to transfer across.
Maybe a bigger hose & a sieve over the new bucket is a better option?

Benoit

Sieve option sounds good!
I own up to bits getting through my first racking to a clean fermenter.
And sometimes the subsequent racking into the still.
But the ones that bug me are the ones that block the end of the pipe,- My siphon is cheaper than yours,a length of clear tube!
I may be becoming complacent.
Ho hum.

Robert