New guy and AG

[eiscaer]

Thanks Chuck. I was considering buying some commercial white dog to make a comparison until I saw the price of it.

There isn't much sweetness to mine but I think that's just because the tartness overrides it. The ferments I'm doing have been pretty sour by the time they finish, which I'm putting down to the fact it's all grain. I guess the flavor carries over.

I'm about to try a sugar wash for a Cointreau type drink so that'll be an interesting change of pace.

[eiscaer]

Well it has been a few months.

I'm happy to report that the experiment of conducting all grain distillation with what many would term an "inadequate still" was very successful. I've made some rather nice corn whisky, admittedly with a lot more 'hands on' than many would like I'm sure. I've also learned a lot:

1- don't be greedy with cuts. I think this is something everyone probably learns the hard way. The first run was undoubtedly a bit harsh but after a few months on oak it has mellowed to the point that out is no more harsh than a commercial whisky. My best cuts have been my most recent.

2- don't use too much oak. Did this with the second one. Very smoky and overly oaky. Drinkable though, but probably better blended which leads me to...

3- don't be afraid to blend different runs. I put some of run number one with the over smoky and oaky and it was really nice. I did a second bottle like this and added just a dash of maple syrup and it's terrific. My father has been visiting more often since he tasted this one...

4- oak char level changes everything. I've done some medium char and some light char and I've ended up finding that light char provides more caramel and less smokiness. Darker char seems to give a different flavor, but I'm still trying to balance it. Haven't tried no char yet but I've heard it can achieve very different results. Maybe not ideal for bourbon types of whisky though.

5- the air still is a decent pot still. In fact if you could gain a bigger boiler underneath it would probably be even better. I'm trying to find a wattage controller to slow it down though. Too much smearing for what I'm trying to achieve. I know that's a given for pot stills but I'm fairly certain by its design that the air still is worse for it. However it's still a good device. I'll definitely upgrade one day but this is fine for now.

6- this hobby is insanely addictive. I'm genuinely getting more enjoyment from making rather than consuming the final product.

So there is my report thus far. I've done a sugar wash also (tpw) and used the cuts guide on the forum here to guide me. Turned out well. Wife finished the triple sec in a week. Thank you to all the great advice I've received here. I hope that what I've written above will help other people who are new at this hobby.

[Echo4golf]

Just read your entire thread. I'm glad to hear that your experiments are working out. I'm three runs into my airdtill and this weekend I'll be runnig my first non-sugar wash. It's a 5 gal. batch of Odin's Cornflake recipe. I used Liqour Quik Whiskey Pure yeast which will hopefully take me up to about 12%. We'll see how it goes.

Cheers!

[eiscaer]

Sounds delicious, echo. I'm keen to try one of the hybrid washes (sugar and something else). Might do the cornflake wash after my next tpw. I've got access to cheap corn too so maybe part corn and part sugar is worth a try. Still doing the enzymatic conversion but with added sugar for increased volume. Stay tuned.