StillSmart

I've got one charged with 65% to try
My theory on using lower abv to barrel was so the relatively short maturation and wood effects wouldn't be too diluted by water at bottling time
Plus I thought lower ABV less evaporation maybe not !
Dominoes next for sure I've got some both from the guy in the UK plus SDE
Still think a bit of barrel time will be needed

Now Dough time !

@AT: mate, seems though the barrel maturation works and its going to provide a winning solution, albeit with apparent 'loss' and trying to stem the problem of ABV% disappearance is understandable. I would be most keen to know what any comparative test/samples; between barrel and jar; tell you 'later'....as I'm not familiar with jarring spirit providing better results.

(IMHO: if you dont let the spirit breathe, you will lose much more than an angels share: ......longer-term trapped cogeners in your hard-earned spirit do not make for a better quaff)

I agree.
IMO It's not the breathing than concerned me. I think the barrel soaks it up.

Frank wrote:(IMHO: if you dont let the spirit breathe, you will lose much more than an angels share: ......longer-term trapped cogeners in your hard-earned spirit do not make for a better quaff)

+1 Frank. I regularly air my maturing spirits and transfer to a new/clean jar at the end of each month. I feel this makes sense when you consider what the spirit does not get by being in glass as against a wooden barrel.

AidanMac

The wine chaps proved this ages ago. Stainless like glass is not gas permeable. I aged wine in HDPE (it is) with good success. Might try the same with spirits.

I suppose it depends on what you're trying to achieve. Some are trying to make something close to a particular whisky type and I respect that but it's just not me

I make whisky in the Bourbon style and what I make is reasonably consistent and suits my palate so the method of airing I use seems to work for me.

Having said that I put Ginger Ale in my Bourbon so what do I know

AidanMac

Hi AT, aiming this at you, as we are the only two admitting to buying the "Chateau Whisky" malt.
I have run 2/3 of my 25Kg sack through my primitive mashing system,and realise tonight, after the first two strips, that I did not get very good starch to simple sugar conversion.
My bad.
My cheat with the rest is to be to add Amylase enzyme.
I know that I should not need it, but as I said, primitive mashing.
And have resorted to such methods in the past.

I am more interested in your thoughts concerning aromas here.
For me the mash was not pleasant.
The wash less pleasant.
The strip, I did not wish to end after getting to 1%, it just smelled so good.
I look forward to a finished product,
.
I would be interested to hear of your results.

Robert.

How bizarre that you post this on the same weekend that I am mashing the same malt !
Great minds etc etc well maybe not
You're ahead of me re low wines run but yes I concur the wash did have an unpleasant niff sort of 'sooty' in fact not unlike the sugar washes I used to make in the early days using that bloody awful liquid carbon.
Conversion wise it was only slightly down on the uk malts that I have run through the breumaister
From your comments I look forward to the next stage.....did you find it any more or less lively on the frothing stakes ?

Oh, I got bundles of bubbles and froth,until the simple sugars were gone.
Me being dimwitted I thought it was a PH thing on the first couple of brews.
Anyway the first are stripped and I will mash the rest of the sack tomorrow,hopefully with better results, (ABV wise), and look forward to a spirit run with saved feints from previous malt runs.
I expect/hope that this is going to taste good.
Raw spirit + wood + time.
+ luck!

Robert.

This is soooooo tempting.
Trying to work out how to get 3 mashes in one day through the BM.

Hi Robert
Was actually wondering how it behaved in the boiler
And Mashy 3 mashes = early start and late finish plus sticky floors! I find end of second mash = time for a pint

What is the best mash schedule. I have read alsorts. Including just a 15 minute boil which means 1 run is only a couple of hours. Or am I missing something?

Hi I'd have to fire it up to see what I've got it set at but approx 10 mins in the 50s 90 mins at 63 degrees half hour in low 70s and final 10 mins warmer again. No need to boil I generally sparge with 5 litres of 80 degrees or so at end.i find about 17or 18 litres water plus 7 kg of malt will give a wash of around 22 litres at 11 or 12 % once sparge water has drained through
Warm ups around 30 mins and run time about 2 1/2 hours

That was my preferred option. Basically beer without the boil.

But there is a school of thought that aims for a jelly forming at 70 something....

Admiral Toad wrote:Hi Robert
Was actually wondering how it behaved in the boiler
And Mashy 3 mashes = early start and late finish plus sticky floors! I find end of second mash = time for a pint

It behaved as I would expect, nothing special.
Tonight I did the last two mashes from the sack, and added Amylase, I should not need to, but there we go....
There are BM's, there are GF's, and there is me.

Sticky floors? I should say so.
Making it through to the end of second mash before a pint, hats off to you sir...
I need one before I start!

Robert