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Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:11 pm
by Wellsy
Apologies Bender but I am on a similar path mate and thought I would start a thread here
This is an absolute copy of Macs Lemon Vodka.
I started with a 25 litre bucket of navel oranges, 12 kilos
The plan was to juice them until halfway through the juicer gave up so I simply cut oranges in half squeezed them then removed the segments with my thumb. I also added the zest of 6 oranges. All up I got 5 litres of pulp and juice.
I added this to hot water and gave it all a good stir. Topped the fermenter up to just over 50 litres and rehydrated 30 grams of EC1118 and will add with 20 grams of Epsom salts.
Then will run over 4 plates in my bubbler in a few weeks

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:09 pm
by Nathan02
I have 140L of the same wash on but mandarins. Nearly finished. Going to run it through 3 plates

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:11 pm
by Wellsy
It’s a very slow process peeling those things , how did you go with the mandarins did you leave the seeds in ?

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 7:31 pm
by iOnaBender
All good, you oxygen thief!! :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

I'll jump in/drag over MacStill's Lemon Vodka recipe tweaked for oranges and a 63ltr wash.

Orange Vodka Ferment!

Recipe for a 63ltr orange vodka ferment. (wringing it's neck with excess sugar for higher yeild)

This seems to be perfectly scalable for litres of wash you're making

I used 8Kg (8ltr approx) of peeled oranges, I wanted a Kg & Ltr value to oranges vs a bucket value, blitzed in food processor in roughly 800gm batches and set aside. Dissolved 13kg (pushing it!) sugar in 12-13ltrs boiling water, then topped up with water straight out of the tap. Added 20gm DAP and 2 Vitamin B tablets. Poured slurry of oranges into a BIAB and mixed to aerate while rehydrating 38gm of EC-1118. I have a theory on the extra yeast! Mixed again for aeration and added yeast slurry, fingers crossed!

Blitzed oranges amount
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Nice orange hue out of the gate!
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Highest SG reading I've done! :laughing-rolling:
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Best use of AGL Hi Vis vests I've come up with :D
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Looking, smelling and tasting the goods already, we will see how it goes from here! :music-deathmetal:

No action in airlock after 4hrs.....woke up this morning and it's going off like a frog in a sock!

@Wellsy, you need to put a little extra yeast is to keep the spirit angels from stealing your shit! :laughing-rolling:

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:13 pm
by Wellsy
Apologies Bender, I thought this was worth it’s own thread so we can all follow it.

For instance how does Nathan process 140 litres worth of mandarins , that’s like 3 x 25 litre buckets.

I have a shit load of grapefruits out there that I am looking for a short cut for :)

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 7:40 am
by iOnaBender
Wellsy,

You should know me by now, all good just stirring the pot..........of orange vodka that is!

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 7:43 am
by iOnaBender
Wellsy,

I cut the skins off with a razor sharp knife and put seeds and all in and blitzed them

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 2:57 pm
by indenial
Following. Recently had to dispose of a whole crop of oranges from our tree due to fruit fly. Next time I'll give this a crack instead.

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:45 am
by iOnaBender
Nathan02 wrote:I have 140L of the same wash on but mandarins. Nearly finished. Going to run it through 3 plates


Hi Nathan,

How did your mandarin run go with 3 plates? Is there a noticable change in flavour strength compared to 4 plates? :think:

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 3:54 pm
by Nathan02
Hi bender, i checked the gravity today whilst sparging 200L of corn angel wash. The mandarin wash is down to a 1.01 so not far off being complete. I might aim to run the wash on Friday. Ive never ran mandarins through 4 plates before but i have run plums. That spirit was one of the best ive made. Im hoping for big bold flavour through 3 plates.

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:40 pm
by iOnaBender
While having a few frothies (Dainton "jungle juice") and racking CFW into boiler for tomorrows run, then putting down a TPW, I noticed Orange Vodka airlock had slowed down. Banged the hydrometer in and it was at 0.990, giddy up! :o Was looking at a cruising weekend with 1 CFW over 4 plates, now it looks like i'll be banging out a OV run on Sunday too.....wanting max flavour, 3 or 4 plates is the question? Watcha reckon folks? :think:

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:01 pm
by Nathan02
3 plates for sure

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:39 am
by iOnaBender
Nathan02 wrote:3 plates for sure


No worries, will do! :happy-partydance:

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:18 am
by bluc
iOnaBender wrote:While having a few frothies (Dainton "jungle juice") and racking CFW into boiler for tomorrows run, then putting down a TPW, I noticed Orange Vodka airlock had slowed down. Banged the hydrometer in and it was at 0.990, giddy up! :o Was looking at a cruising weekend with 1 CFW over 4 plates, now it looks like i'll be banging out a OV run on Sunday too.....wanting max flavour, 3 or 4 plates is the question? Watcha reckon folks? :think:

Cheers

I have read a few posts of racking into boiler day before can cause issues. Small solids can settle out and scorch on element. Just so your aware.
Also read of someone running a thumper and the solids settled out and blocked his steam wand.

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:48 am
by iOnaBender
Hi bluc,

Thanks for the heads up, I haven't had any issues yet, that's not to say it won't happen in the future

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:40 pm
by iOnaBender
Racked Orange Vodka ferment into boiler last night and fired up 1200W heat belt (@115V) on external wall of boiler to preheat over night. I used bluc's advice and gave it a stir in boiler to get all the "smegma" (word of the month) off the bottom of the boiler and elements before powering up elements. This was to assist in preventing any scorching, plates were loading in 30 minutes after powering elements, you've got to be happy with that shortcut?. Overall the run went well over 3 plates at 87-88%ABV and around 2.9ltrs/hr, will do final cuts tomorrow, happy with results so far!

Cheers

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:51 pm
by The Stig
Sorry my video was too small to watch , no idea why that happened

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:52 am
by Nathan02
Just flicked the switch on my mandarin wash. Thee boiler reaks of over ripe fermented fruit. Hoping for a good result.

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:37 am
by Wellsy
Finally got to run this today and took everyone’s advice and ran it over 3 plates not four.

Well who would have thought 3 plates would act differently to 4 lol. First 300 mil came off at 90% and thought this is easy lol
Next 300 was 80 and the next 75. WTF!!!

Ok think this through and use your bloody eyes, why can’t I see the reflux dripping down. Apparently the 4 plate setting isn’t the same as the theee lol
Got to love rookie mistakes. Adjusted water flow and ABV back up to high 80%

Re: Orange Vodka

PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:10 pm
by chipboy
Mate we will have to give you a lesson in thermodynamics but I think you got there, nice work and its always best to learn yourself its by far the best way. Love your work and enthusiasm.