Mash Ingredients - wormwood?

[bukowski]

Firstly Hi there Im new here and to distilling.
I was wondering if there are any resources to give tips on different ingredients to add to your mash for different types of product. For instance crushed malt for a whisky type product?
Also anybody experimented using ingredients such as wormwood to create absinthe?

Would it be as simple as just adding it into the mash or would the chemicals have to be activated in some way?
Another Idea like this I had was to use guarana which is a herb but is used in energy drinks like red bull and relentless as chemicals in the herb supposedly give you energy. That could be a good experiment to create an "energy spirit"
Any one have any info about adding these sorts of things to a brew whether or not they need to be infused in some way?

[Phantom]

Hey there Bukowski,
I suspect it's more of a case of hitting google about that i.e. for recipes etc.
Most of what I've seen/read myself, is basically making the raw spirit and then using commercial flavourings (plus extra wormwood).
I seem to recall something about that at Gert Strands' site. Plus there's various bits for whiskey etc if you check out some of the "malt scotch" sites. You have to work on the basis that whiskey is basically distilled beer and brandy is distilled wine. The others are "distilled anything"
Hence it depends on what facilities you've got. I tend to stick to the raw spirit/flavourings route - but you have to work your way through the ones that you think you'll like e.g. both the "Prestige" brand gins I've tried are good (they make 1 bottle/70-75cls). The "Still Spirits" classic whiskey is good (but it makes 3 bottles/225cls per pack) - like a reasonable blended scotch. The "Prestige" malt whiskey is good - a little like glenfiddich, I'm told (tasted it but I'm more of a brandy and gin person). I've yet to find what I consider a nice brandy flavouring, but the still spirits Kentucky bourbon is quite like Jim Beam/Wild Turkey, and the SS Tennessee Sour Mash Bourbon is not that far from Jack Daniels.
The only non raw spirit/flavouring stuff I've done, is what I call a "mixed fruit" brandy i.e. it's wines and meads that I've not enjoyed the taste of, plus some cheapo cider kits that I've got, modified to up the SG, fermented and then distilled. It's currently in a large DJ/Carbouy, with oak chips ageing.
regards
P

[bukowski]

Thanks for the adivice thats all very usefull. I guess if the boiling point for (thujone which is the actve ingredient in wormwood) is lower than the boiling point of water than using wormwood in the distillation would be pointless as it would be left behind?
I found a clip from a documentary about absynthe distillers and they put lots of different herbs and things into their still like nettles and aniseed and things so I guess I could experiment with this in the fermentation stage.
Also thanks for the tips on flavourings. I guess when I have some more brewed beer I could spare some to distill and see how that tastes.
How much liquid do you need to distill 75 cl is there any way to gauge how much to use?
Also is vodka just fermented and distilled water?
Thanks a bunch!

[Jimmy]

Hiya, welcome!
A few questions there to answer - first off, the flavourings will depend on how you distill as well as what you put in. If you use a pot still (like the SmartStill) then you'll get more of the other components through, and if you use a column-type still then you'll be more likely to get pure spirit (although you can use these with skill). The best bet would be to do as you seem to be - find some old methods and techniques and adapt them. Let us know how you get on, would be very interesting!
For the reasons you mentioned above, it's often easier to flavour neutral spirits as Phantom mentioned - some stuff just doesn't distill easily without special skills, some flavours only come from certain aging techniques, stuff like that. It's like anything though, if you put in the effort to find out how then you'll probably get better results than with flavouring, but all depends on how much you care about that bit of difference.
As for how much liquid you need to get 75cl - depends on the strength you want out of it and how pure you want it. As a rough guide, if you get a decent strength wash to start with then you can distill 4 litres in a SmartStill and get about a litre of 40 - 45% alcohol out which is perfectly acceptable for mixing with coke or whatever. If you want it purer then you can re-distill and lose a bit, there's always a trade off between quantity and quality and it's a question of finding your own 'sweet spot'. If you're making neutral spirit (vodka) then it's important to get your head around the fact that the best results come from making the purest spirit you can and then diluting it back down with the purest water, so although it seems like you're taking the water out and putting it back in, having a sniff of the leftovers in the still should help you see otherwise!
Totally pure vodka is just ethanol and water in theory, often made from just sugar, water, yeast and nutrients. Stuff you buy at the shop has other oils and things in like methanol due to the way they're produced, as will yours unless you're a total perfectionist.
Right, and now I need to go and put the veg on - it's all glamour round here you know! Any more questions, feel free to ask - we're all glad to help because we all had to start off somewhere!

[alan]

Hi all ive been using the prestige absinth flavour for a while now its very good i add 6ozsugar syrup to 4 bottles of flavour then make up to 1 gallon with 40%

there peach snapps is also good as is black sambuca, i make a very nice sarsaparilla vodka sadly the flavouring is only avalable locally

regards alan

[Phantom]

How much liquid do you need to distill 75 cl is there any way to gauge how much to use?

If you look at the instructions for the smart still, using a sugar wash..
A 4 litre charge of 14% sugar wash, gives you 800 mls of 60% ABV spirit. It's a little imprecise because you sometimes get 13% wash using their measurements/weights of sugar, sometimes 14.5%. Then when the still has been run, you end up with spirits between 57/58% and 60/61 or 2 %.
You'd normally be watering it down to 40% anyway, to use with commercial flavourings. So it's up to what you want to do with the spirit etc.

[ozibrewer]

Hi all, just reviving an old post.
I have just last night enjoyed my first absinthe courtesy of the Prestige brand. First time too that I\'ve tried absinthe at all... Looks like its going to be an acquired taste.
Q: I followed the instructions and put the requisite amt of sugar in the mix; used 60% abv.
But does one then usually add further sugar just before drinking, as with the ornate absinthe spoons illustrated on the GT site?? Drunk straight over rocks it\'s a pretty strong flavour!
Sheers.

[alan]

Hi ozibrewer afew of my mates wives do the all ornate absinthe and spoon thing with a lump of sugar melted by the absinthe then add ice cold sparkling water,it must be good as they keep askin for a bottle

[trelliS]

Hi All

Am slightly confused i am currently drinking and ageing the prestige 55 pro absinthe ,and after reading the bottle several times i can find no mention of adding sugar.I cannot recommend this essence highly enough ..i find it is best left to bottle age for at least 2 weeks but after a couple of months it is very pallatable indeed.Think i need more willpower as it never gets past 2 months old lol
Regards

trelliS

[ozibrewer]

Hi Trellis. I\'m using the 20ml bottle of Gert Strand\'s Classic - the one with the red banner on the label. It says to add the contents plus 75 grams of granulated sugar to a 750ml bott of vodka.
I must admit to not having done much aging; the first shot was imbibed 10 mins after mixing and the 2nd only 24 hours later. Am going on hols on Monday so will see what it\'s like when I get back in a month.
Sheers.

[Andy]

I have also made the Absinthe and couldnt stand the taste but I followed the instructions for releasing The Green Fairy and now I enjoy.

http://www.howtodrinkabsinthe.com/

Its still not my fav drink but not too bad.