Mac's Bourbon Whiskey Knock Off (BWKO) Discussion

[Rowey]

I am running my wash as a spirit run I haven't done a strip as I wanted to try see if I liked the flavour before I started making big bathes.
Cheers

[rumdidlydum]

On my strip run last night it started at 70% and was a steady steam, if you do a straight spirit run you wil probably only get a verry slow stream and not yeild as much, with spirit runs we start at 40% alc in the boiler anc it tends to boil off a bit quicker.
Just my thoughts :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Rowey]

Thanks Rum :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I did 2 rum strips last weekend and they started at 80.

I have 1 L so far of BWKO and it has only dropped to 58%

Cheers

[rash]

ive been wanting to try a grain recipe for a while now after doing many rums and cereal ferments. thought this would be a great place to start! Picked up all 3 grains from the produce place this morning and its bubbling away now :D
Although I screwed up already :oops: Misread and thought it was for a 50ltr wash, so I halved it all for my 23ltr fermenter...... by the time I realized, it was too late....already topped up and bubbling. So I just stirred in another kg or so of sugar. Which reminds me, I should throw in some more yeast.
I figure it should be ok being the first gen, I will get more grain into the next gen.

One thing I noticed once in the fermenter, I had a few tiny bugs and grubs float to the surface......maybe weevils, and maybe moth larvae.... is this normal for stock feed bought grain? I picked out what I could see. Hoping its all ok and that the boil would have killed anything nasty about them... :pray:

[Bushy]

Bugs and sticks and shit are pretty normal mate. And harmless in my opinion. Grain from the brew shop is cleaner but dearer.

[rash]

Bugs and sticks and shit are pretty normal mate. And harmless in my opinion. Grain from the brew shop is cleaner but dearer.

Thanks for the reassurance! looking forward to the outcome of this one.

[Atreu]

Hi guys,

Just bought the grain for this recipe from the local stock feed place, in anticipation of the 5SD 4 plate Bubbler that'll be on its way soon (woulda been here already, if cyclones would be a bit more respectable! :angry-banghead: ).

I was taking a closer look as I lugged the bags up the stairs, and noticed that the barley has been "micronised" :think: - while I'm not sure exactly what that means, I also noticed that it's been covered with molasses (8% by weight)... is this going to fuck things up? Obviously, it'll change the taste, but maybe not for the worse? :pray:

Thanks
A

[Zak Griffin]

Will definitely change the taste, but a lot of yank's make and love 'sweetfeed' whiskey, which is what you'll be making there ;-) :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Atreu]

Thanks Zak.

Out of curiosity, what commercial bourbons would you call sweet feed? I'm going to try the patience game with this one (bets, anybody?? :laughing-rolling: ), so I'm looking to oak it for at least 9 months - possibly up to 12... I suppose my question is, will it age as well as without the molasses, or should I just get this bag of barley out of the picture as quick as possible and try waiting with something that can benefit more from it?

[Urrazeb]

Thanks Zak.

Out of curiosity, what commercial bourbons would you call sweet feed? I'm going to try the patience game with this one (bets, anybody?? :laughing-rolling: ), so I'm looking to oak it for at least 9 months - possibly up to 12... I suppose my question is, will it age as well as without the molasses, or should I just get this bag of barley out of the picture as quick as possible and try waiting with something that can benefit more from it?

Anything that's not a sourmash could be considered sweetfeed :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Zak Griffin]

'sweet feed' is grain that has been sprayed with molasses, Zeb... I don't think you'll find any commercial sweet feed whiskeys!

[Atreu]

That's golden!

If there's nothing on the market like it, that means I'll be making something that can't be bought!! :happy-partydance:

Thanks heaps guys! :D

[CyBaThUg]

Does this taste like anything store bought or similar to

[Zak Griffin]

Depending on your wash, cuts and aging, it should put any of your mid-top shelf bourbons to shame :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Atreu]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about the bko - pretty sure I know the answer, but I have to ask.

I ran a gen 1 bko about 3 weeks ago, (it had been sitting for 6 - 7 weeks), it was my first run with my mac4 ssg, and from a 100 ltr wash, I ended up with 5.5ltrs @ 65%. as it was my first run, I know I could have run it better (and gen 2 was).
I put half on 10g/l med toast American oak, the other on 15g/l.

Soooo, I got impatient, and watered the 15g/l to 40%... whoops. :oops:

I think it's alright with coke, but is horrid on ice, really not good. I know I have to chalk it up to a learning curve, and it is seriously young, but, will the other half be okay if I just leave it for another 6 months, or was my first run so bad I should hang my head in shame? :doh:

thanks all

[spoonjab]

This was one of my first grain recipes i made and recently sampled some that has been on the oak for nearly 2.5yrs. Have about 5L at 65% of it.
The flavour is awesome.
I added molassas to my recipe, 1L initally and then 250ml/wash there after.
Currently in the process of stocking up a little 20l keg for aging.

I also have another bottle with similar age made with ale male and peat smoked malt (substituted the plain barley).
This has slightly more depth of flavour than the unmalted grain. I prefer this grain addition to the recipe.

Both recipes were first stripped and run thru my 3" 4 plate bubbler.

[ricko]

hi guys just finished fermenting my first wash I am using a twin reflux still 25 ltr having trouble getting my alcohol up over 45 who makes a column to fit this still to turn it into a bubbler .cheers

[robduca]

Tested a BWKO I have had sitting for well over a month now and is reading 1020. Sound OK for this wash to finish that high?
Temp has been cool here for a while. I have an aquarium heater to go in for next gen to keep it up around 28 degrees. Is there an ideal temp or around that OK?

Cheers
Rob

[Roger]

Hi All,
I know this has been answered in parts before in this thread, but thought I might check on latest thinking with latest gear.
I am ready to put my BWKO (well its more an original UJSM recipe) through the bubbler - I have a lovely 5 plate neutraliser from 5SD. I am thinking of only doing a single run through 4 plates and not doing a strip run prior.
Would there be advantages (quality) to doing a strip run first?
I will then water down to 65% and put on medium charred French oak (10g per litre) in a demijohn.
thanks

[wiifm]

Hi All,
I know this has been answered in parts before in this thread, but thought I might check on latest thinking with latest gear.
I am ready to put my BWKO (well its more an original UJSM recipe) through the bubbler - I have a lovely 5 plate neutraliser from 5SD. I am thinking of only doing a single run through 4 plates and not doing a strip run prior.
Would there be advantages (quality) to doing a strip run first?
I will then water down to 65% and put on medium charred French oak (10g per litre) in a demijohn.
thanks

Roger, I only speak from my experience, which does not include stripping runs. I run my BWKO over 4 plates and age on medium charred American oak and am very happy with what I am drinking :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I've never felt the need to run more plates or do stripping runs as I don't want the flavour to be any lighter.