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Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Sat May 24, 2014 11:40 pm
by Brendan
Hey guys, sorry I've been away for a while with work stuff...

As mentioned, the finer the better...as long as your ratios of water are correct and added at the right stage, you won't get that gluggy mess that people generally run into.

This is still my staple go to recipe and method :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:58 am
by Brendan
Hey guys, I've been away from this for a few weeks and getting back into it with a few batches.

For anyone interested, I'm still sticking with this method as I am loving the results and find it very easy to get in a routine and it's not too labour intensive for all grain!

Will probably stay with this for a long time now...moving onto some grain variations and scotch styles, but the method will be the same :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 4:57 pm
by The Stig
test

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:41 am
by Brendan
6 MONTHS - HALFWAY

Here's some update pics of the same batch at the 6 month mark (well, in a week anyway). The colour is a beautiful rich, dark golden brown. The smell is a mix of vanillin, oak, and the bread-like nose from the grains...it's amazing.

On sampling at 45%, the colour is still a little too light for what is desired. The nose and taste are great, with a thousand times more complexity than a sugarhead, but it still needs some time to develop stronger oak/vanillin notes. It is more than drinkable right now, and already surpassed any sugarhead I've ever tasted, but we're shooting for something special here...out of home brew territory and into craft spirits :handgestures-thumbupleft:

So another 6 months it will sit.... :roll:

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Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:01 pm
by pulsetech
Looks amazing

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:27 pm
by 1 2many
Looks great Brendan I admire your patience I don't think I could last 12 months ^:)^

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:11 pm
by Brendan
1 2many wrote:Looks great Brendan I admire your patience I don't think I could last 12 months ^:)^


Ahh, but you've only got to do it once. I'll do another batch this month, and that way once the first one is ready, there'll only be a 6 month wait for the next one ;-)

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:39 pm
by pulsetech
I can wait that long.
my bourbon was looking good until I saw your photo. looks like cat piss in comparison

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:03 pm
by Zak Griffin
Looks good! Can't wait to give this ago, to see how it compares against my CFW :D

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:08 pm
by Brendan
pulsetech wrote:I can wait that long.
my bourbon was looking good until I saw your photo. looks like cat piss in comparison


You've got to remember that the less liquid and more diluted, the lighter it will be. This is 9L and at barrel strength, which is why it's so dark...but those things aside, you've only got 2 variables...amount of oak and ageing time :smile:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:48 pm
by Brendan
Zak Griffin wrote:Looks good! Can't wait to give this ago, to see how it compares against my CFW :D


Sorry Zak, I've stopped buying sugar all together now! :laughing-rolling:

The comparison isn't even fair, guess that's why the pros don't use Corn Flakes (well, that would be more expensive too).

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:33 pm
by pulsetech
Brendan wrote:
pulsetech wrote:I can wait that long.
my bourbon was looking good until I saw your photo. looks like cat piss in comparison


You've got to remember that the less liquid and more diluted, the lighter it will be. This is 9L and at barrel strength, which is why it's so dark...but those things aside, you've only got 2 variables...amount of oak and ageing time :smile:


Yeah mine needs more time. I have 12L @65 abv on oak but its only been a month

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:10 pm
by Sam.
Brendan wrote:but we're shooting for something special here...out of home brew territory and into craft spirits :handgestures-thumbupleft:


The difference being? :think:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:36 pm
by Brendan
sam_and_liv wrote:
Brendan wrote:but we're shooting for something special here...out of home brew territory and into craft spirits :handgestures-thumbupleft:


The difference being? :think:


Just a pep talk Sam :D

The difference being a matter of opinion. I guess my opinion would be, ditching the sugar for all grain and attempting some longer term ageing... :think:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:38 pm
by Sam.
Brendan wrote:
sam_and_liv wrote:
Brendan wrote:but we're shooting for something special here...out of home brew territory and into craft spirits :handgestures-thumbupleft:


The difference being? :think:


Just a pep talk Sam :))

The difference being a matter of opinion. I guess my opinion would be, ditching the sugar for all grain and attempting some long term ageing... :think:


I agree, there is no reason you can't do all grain and age properly at home :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:43 pm
by Brendan
I mean craft spirits are obviously something that is niche and the like, but I more meant that I was trying to get as far away from 'homebrew' as possible, where that would be sugar washes with turbo yeast and air stills (sorry to those amongst us) :? ...Followed by JD oak chips for 3 weeks :shifty:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:48 pm
by Sam.
Brendan wrote:I mean craft spirits are obviously something that is niche and the like, but I more meant that I was trying to get as far away from 'homebrew' as possible, where that would be sugar washes with turbo yeast and air stills (sorry to those amongst us) :? ...Followed by JD oak chips for 3 weeks :shifty:


All good, I just hoped you weren't talking about some of the "craft" spirits mobs that produce horsepiss on a commercial scale :handgestures-thumbdown:

Luckily the shit ones don't go far and shut down without anyone noticing anyway ;-)

Sorry for the off topic, bourbon will be something I want to try properly one day :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 12:15 pm
by Brendan
BackInBlack wrote:Excellent write up Brendan.
Gave this a go today.
7.5kg corn ground to a coarse flour
1.9kg malted rye
2kg malted barley (pilsner)
Mashing out in the mash tun at 64.7 deg, will leave overnight.


Haven't seen you around for a little BiB, but keen to hear how this is ageing for you... :greetings-waveyellow:

I've been doing a '4 Grain Bourbon' with:
7.5kg Corn
1.3kg Rye Malt
1.3kg Wheat Malt
1.3kg Barley Malt (Pilsner)

It's showing a lot of promise, the whole 'complexity' of all you put in really comes through. I think i'm going to start looking into adding a little specialty malt for flavour variations...possibly a little chocolate or caramel malt :D

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:29 pm
by vqstatesman
If you're following the recipe as outlined i.e. using both malted barley and malted wheat is there a need to add packet enzymes?

Re: Simple All-Grain Bourbon For Anyone

PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:33 pm
by Brendan
vqstatesman wrote:If you're following the recipe as outlined i.e. using both malted barley and malted wheat is there a need to add packet enzymes?


To be honest mate, I don't really know. I've never been game to try it without them, and at a few dollars, never worried about it. :doh:

It was hard to know the exact DP of the malt I was getting too, so hard to calcumalate accurately and know how much will convert. It's a much slower conversion than an all malt beer, so was concerned it would be too slow without the added enzymes.

Chances are you'd be fine with out though.