Figs

[crow]

:icon-lol: :icon-lol: :icon-lol: thats why it had me stumped I thought no fucking way this can't happen , I mean I watched it ferment, this would have mean I'd produced about a 3 to 4% wash . Anyway checked it it should be around the 12.25 % mark

[crow]

[quote="5Star"]If it tastes like wine rather than cordial it's about finnished. leave it a few days or a week to clear.


Yep tastes like wine pretty friggen ordinary wine but not god awful or infected :handgestures-thumbupleft: still not tempted to drop a pint of it . So what do ppl think about me running it as a low wine first and just mixing all the low wines together until all the fig washes are done and then a spirit run or is that a waste of effort for this type of product

[R-sole]

I thought you asked this question back on page 1 :?:

[crow]

:oops: just reread the thread sorry remembered you advising on the use of the backset but not the spirit run advise . I was just reading about it concerning whiskeys and thought should do that :doh:

[SBB]

http://homedistiller.org/fruit/wash-fruit/method
Might be worth you having a stickybeak at the above link Crow.
I aint saying its the right way or wrong way..........just seems to be a lot of info on making Fruit Brandies and Snapps.
Could be a handy hint or two to be found.

[crow]

yes was an interesting read not sure how much it relates to figs but certainly some of it does . could have got many many tons of those nashi pears for nothing a month ago they were unsalable this yr and ppl back home had huge crops just rotted on the ground , got to love free trade :handgestures-thumbdown:

[R-sole]

I'd be drinking Perry year round if i could get free pears. I love cider.

[crow]

:text-offtopic: yeah not hoping for their crops to be wasted next yr but might have to look into getting their rejects off them . I know a few blokes on here and other forums are pretty close to me with in 15 or 20 km thinking of P.mailing and seeing if theres enough interest in bringing back bin full . only had 3 good mates here one just died the other 2 are brewers and might be interested as well , ones an engineer the other a boilermaker might be handy if I knock up a plated column :D

[crow]

Okay update :The first 60ltrs of fig wine is clearing nicely has a crisp dry white taste to it not unpleasant if ya like that sort of show . I am a bit worried about the fig flavor as its very light there is more figs per vol. in the next lot but on the down side the next lot is done with 100% lowens and researching more on this I'm worried the esters this will produce might overpower the ultra light fig flavor . Not necessarily make it taste bad but it might be difficult to tell what its made of. of cause this might change once I start getting generations going :handgestures-fingerscrossed: , fuck I hate being patient :problem: Editing note : First and second wash are not quite the same not saying one is better than the other but I think maybe I should only use the lees from the first one(on account of esters) with the 2 yeasts in it and add a wine yeast 3rd option ditch all the lees use backset and fresh wine yeast. whats your opinions ppl

[crow]

Update : how weird is this shit ,okay as said I stirred the shit out of this to get everything to settle and it was . Now it seems to be fermenting again releasing Co2 and gravity dropping slightly :? this stuff had stopped for at least 24hrs can anyone tell me what the hell is going on with it

[BackyardBrewer]

When I rack beer to secondary I often see fermentation kick off again and a few points drop as the movement sparks any leftovers into life again.

The agitation probably ramped up the yeast & sugars again maybe? Have you got a heat belt? Put some warmth on th fermenter and you'll finish it right off.

[crow]

Wish I could but its outside to heavy to move and I left my submergable ferment elements in SA :angry-banghead:

[BackyardBrewer]

And if you were in SA I could lend you a heat belt;-)

Your figs must have been late bloomers. My figs were over and done about a month and a half ago.

Next year I'll ferment them - better than turning them into jam

My pears though...those i'll still be turning into perry. The wife loves her pear cider.

[crow]

Transferred the first ferment in to a different barrel inside now can keep both washes warm , electric blanket siselation and feather down doona that'll speed her up still plenty on the tree but this krud weather might f..ck em before they fully ripen EDIT : Nup picked 10 kg this morning ,lost maybe 10% and of that 90%+ was second set fruit that would of had no chance of developing anyway . I am aprox 2/3 through the harvest and have 120 ltrs brewing with as much awaiting some better yeast . I'm guestermating I'll have somewhere around 300 to 340 ltr of wash to work with providing 80% of the crop is harvestable . Looks like the first batch is ready just run some tests get some seals and I can get underway :mrgreen: keen as . :shock: Just dawned on me , where the hell am I going to put these low wines

[crow]

UPDATE : First batch with the 2 yeasts in it seems to be fermented out now . Its at or a fraction below 1.000 , should be about 15.5 % you little beautie :banana-guitar: :banana-linedance: just amazing what a little warmth can do
Really clearing out now has the aroma of wine tastes as dry as a lime burners boot . I now have every confidence this stuff will turn out to be something out of the box

[crow]

Put down another 60 ltr batch this evening far out 5Star this yeasts the bomb wish I had this gear to start with punched the cap down twice , its cold as a mother in laws kiss got no heat on it yet and its going ballistic . PS couldn't put it on a backset as I just have too many figs around ran out of room . Even had to empty the BEER fridge :handgestures-thumbdown: ,always next batch I guess . I was thinking might not be the worst idea not having any on the first 2 lots of backset , spurious yeast and a guy going by Blanikdog on HD p.m.ed me reckon that it might turn out too figgy as his did .

[R-sole]

Glad you are happy with the yeast. :-D

[crow]

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[wynnum1]

With the figs how much pectin do they have all the wine recipes use pectin enzyme to break down the fruit but this seems to be a bad idea if distill Also high temperature and high alc% looks to be a mistake .

http://homedistiller.org/intro/methanol/methanol
fermenting at a high temperature, or adding pectin enzyme, or trying for an abv higher than 12% all increase the risk of methanol being produced, so his advice about low temperature fermentation, adding no exra enzymes, and a target lower than 12%abv is all good stuff.

[crow]

Well as figs are not a true fruit but an inverted flower I expect the pectin levels would be much lower . I have used some pectinase but nowhere near the amount recommended for fruit , about 1/2 teaspoon for 60 ltrs seems to work fine on these . I'm not sure of the temp now but the first one was brewed out side in weather that was quite frigid and only finished off with a little warmth when I noticed the fermenting started to recommence . The 2nd 60 ltr batch was wrapped with an electric blanket and insulated when it was 3 days old . I expect it is around 25' and the 3rd batch is yet to be heated I was going to do that today , shortly in fact . from this one on I hope to use the lees and backset , I may use the backset but not the lees from the first first ferment depending on what i think of it once I stripped it possibly tomorrow . I am aware of the chance of elevated methanol levels and will be paying close attention to this accordingly during the spirit run and may even do some head cuts in the strip if it looks like being a lot