Still It

The homemade bastard whisky is 3 months old. It didn't seem worthy of drinking before Xmas so I am trying it again now. If its tasting better I think I will throw it into a freshly emptied Laphroig 10 bottle to add a bit of smoke.

Time to tackle some controversy! Turns out I actually really like whisky or spirit stones. . . . . . . . Wait! Let me tell you why! But first a whisky stones vs ice test!

I had a few spare moments so I thought I would share some thoughts for the future of the channel with the crew that hang out every week! Don't worry the normal programming will continue later this week haha!

Matt got hooked up with a solid amount grain. Naturally, he wanted to make something to run through the still with it. But he didnt realise until after mashing in that it was roasted. So whats the problem? And what now?

We have lots of new members that want to start distilling and are trying to learn, which is AWESOME! Welcome. But let's be honest this is not a hobby you can pick up by just watching one video. So instead of trying, I thought perhaps I could describe (what I think) is the best process to go about learning. Think of it as a roadmap. A list of things to think about when getting started and a list of resources to help you get stuck in! STILL ITS 10 STEPS TO CHASING THE CRAFT STEP 1 : FIND RESOURCES (AT LEAST 2) Sure, still it can be one source. But I would suggest getting intimate with at LEAST one more. STEP 2 : LEARN THE BASICS AND LINGO Dont worry about learning all the ins and outs yet. Just start getting used to the overall process and learning keywords. STEP 3 : LEARN THE SAFETY STUFF!!! This is the big one. Nail your safety research early, then you can relax into the hobby knowing you will be safe. Just don't get complacent! STEP 4 AND 5 : WHAT DO YOU LIKE?

Hi, team a quick and light-hearted video this week. I mean come on, Im on holiday! haha First up talking about the "failed" collab with bearded and board. Then talking about a super simple bourbon desert. Bourbon and ice cream! Then I push the envelope a little further and try a bourbon, coke and chocolate ice cream float. Is it too much?

Today I am finally going to run my moonshine through the homemade pot still. This is the big batch, generation number 5! I have a little freak out at the beginning. But I learn from it, so I guess that's cool!

Today I am blending the UJSSM Moonshine back together jar by jar. Im going to talk through my thoughts on every cut and let you know my thought process as I go. If you are not sure how to spot heads, hearts and tails listen up, I will go through that for you as well. Just keep in mind, blending is partially subjective. Some things are fairly black and white but most are up to your taste. Make what you want the way you want it!

Hi team, So today I am tasting 3 different versions of my UJSSM whiskey, moonshine. . . . . stuff.

Today I am taking a hunk of American white oak and getting it ready to age spirits with. I need to cut it, split it and toast it. Although I am using American White Oak, other suitable woods are prepped in the same way.

Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe is a great alternative to a turbo wash and it is insanely easy! This is a quick tomato paste wash that delivers on simplicity and flavour . . . . or so I am told. Anyway, let's get this made so I can stock up on vodka and get to making some GIN!

This week I decided to test 4 different American white oak toasts and chars by quickly "ageing" some UJSSM whiskey. I wanted to be able to taste the differing flavours fast so I decided to use the nuclear ageing method. NOTE: - Yes, I used those "bad" lids. I know its a problem but I needed to use 4 "identical" vessels to keep variables down. I know its not on, but am willing to do it in a test scenario. - I understand that some people think of this method as unsafe. I understand your concerns, but personally, think the risks can be minimised to an acceptable level. - If you DO try this method MAKE SURE you are careful, take precautions and DO MORE RESEARCH! - Yup this is not "really ageing". That's the topic for a whole other talk. That's not what this video is about. It's about being able to experience the different flavours that wood imparts quickly so I can use that knowledge now. - Yes the wood will likely impart different flavours over a different time per

I had planned on making another video for this week, but my homebrew fermentation has ground to a halt! So let's talk about what a stuck fermentation is and how we can fix it!

Wanting some help with stripping runs? Not too sure what to do in your situation? These (in my experience) are some of the most commonly asked questions about stripping runs.

This homemade "scotch" has been ageing on oak for 6 months now. Time to check in with another taste test! I do realise this is not REAAAAALLLLLY a scotch. But thats what it is suposed to imitate. So excuse my liberty taking :P I also decided on the spot to try a wee experiment involving some peat bog oak! Basicly I cold smoked it at let it age a little longer, tasty stuff!

How do you control an electric still? What controller should you use on an electric element? You could of course use a PID (very specific ones) . . . . Or you could use a cheap and simple SCR. SCRs make it easy and cheap to control an electric still!

Do spirits just taste like burning? Do you feel like you are drinking liquid fire? Honestly, I think we have all had that experience. But if you can get past the alcohol heat to the flavours underneath a whole new world of beverages will open up to you. So how do you do you stop spirits from burning when you drink them? Here are a few tips to help beat that burn!

I decided to lift my game a little and try to have uniform matching bottles. These ones will work . . . . I guess. Can you guys help me find something better??

Distillers parrots or parrots beaks are a very common piece of equipment for home distillers. But what does a parrot do? How do you use a distillers parrot? Do distillers parrots cause smearing and should I use a parrot? These are the questions I am going to talk about today! I also geek out a little bit a do a small experiment involving food coloring :)

A little while ago I smoked some of my bastard whiskey with a little bog oak. It's been sitting and chilling and now its ready to taste. So what does whiskey and peat bog oak smoke taste like? Let's give it a go and find out! Also, its time to reveal which rum recipe I will be making next. Spoiler: It is Buccaneer Bobs Rum!! I hope you will give it a go and brew it too

The crew on patreon voted and its decided! My first rum recipe is going to be Buccaneer Bob's Rum! So let's get stuck into making some homemade rum. Just a heads up team I have gone off a recipe in a few places so make sure to check the link to the original recipe below (it has a cool PDF to download linked there). The ingredients I used in this video: 5kg of blackstrap molasses 2L of old, funky birdwatchers wash (dunder replacement) 100g of dry angel yeast Juice of 3 lemons 2 packets of Safeale BE-256 (Abby ale yeast) Water to top up to 25l total.

When you are chasing the craft of home distillation it's super important to be able to assess your own product. Today I am going to run through 6 things that will help you assess your own spirits better.

Daniel and Rex from the whiskey vault are nutters, its true! But they also know whisky!! I happen to be in need of a whisky expert or two to help assess my spirits. So I think its time to send a little assessment pack over to the Som and Mooch at the Whisk(e)y Vault! Honestly, I am not too sure if they will have time to really look at it (they kinda have their hands full with the whiskey vault, whiskey biscuit, and the crooked barrel right now!) So if you would like to see what they have to say about my "bourbon" and "scotch" let me know down in the comments then go and let them know too!

I'm excited. Today I am finally distilling homemade RUM! A few weeks ago we made Buccaneer Bobs Rum wash and today I am going to run it through the still. I have been looking forward to homemade / home-distilled rum for a LONG TIME. While we are at it I thought it would be a good time to have a bit of a talk about what dunder is. Dunder, dunder pits, muck and muck holes are words that get thrown around a lot. But can be hard to understand for new distillers. So lets see if we can help answer "what is dunder?". Lastly, I need to get the second generation of buccaneer Bob's home-distilled rum making. So let's use some of the dunder from the boiler and make a new batch of rum with the leftover yeast and some new molasses!

Dunderpits are a little mysterious. But the community seems to agree that they help make great rum! So Its time to save the backseat from the last run (a wash of blackstrap molasses) and get my live dunder pit started. I have colected a few samples from around the property (and further) and think I am adding Brett (Brettanomyces) and Lacto (Lactobacillus) + a mix of all sorts of other things. Today I am also tasting the Buccaneer Bob's Rum from the last video! Its always fun tasting home made spirits. This is my first time with rum though!

Hows it going everyone, sorry for the short episode. The kids are crook so time has been short! Never the less I have a few awesome treats from Wither Hills Winery. Thomas came to visit and dropped of some new bottles that are perfect for a distiller. He also gave me a little wine! So I thought why not soak some oak in it :)

The MaltMuncher 2 roller grain mill is one of the cheaper mills on the market so I decided to order one and see what it was like. Today I am setting up, reviewing and testing the malt muncher. Grain rollers/mills are a great addition to your all grain brewing equipment allowing you to mill or crush your own ingredients.

Welcome to still it, the channel all about chasing the craft of home distillation and making it a legitimate hobby! I'm Jesse, I hope to see you in the comments section of the other Still It videos. I do my best to reply to everyone so I will see you there.

It's time to make a big old batch of Buccaneer Bob's rum. The plan is to use up all the blackstrap molasses and make a decent size rum wash. We also have a little look at the two dunder pits.

Why do we care about fermentation temps? What happens if our ferment gets too hot? Is it a problem if your wash is too cold? In this video, I am going to go over all these questions. Then I will offer a few solutions to actively control the temperature of your fermenter using light bulbs, blankets, heaters, aquarium heaters, fridges and of course the mighty STC-1000. If you do not know what the STC 1000 is stay tuned. These things are awesome!

All grain washes and mashes can sound complex at the beginning, but really they are not that hard. There are a few key components you need: Water, gelatinized starch, alpha and beta amylase and the right temperature.

Wow! Still It made it to 10K . . . . . . I really am stunned! hahaha!

Rum and live dunder, The mystery is ripe! the Buccaneer Bobs rum is almost ready to go. But I still had not decided exactly how to use the live dunder for it. I have heard and read so much about live dunder pits. So many things that contradict each other. I decided that I should attempt to set up a little test. I wanted to taste test these three things against each other. I have also seen "esterification" referenced when talking about dunder pit rums. So I wanted to test that too! - Straight low wines in a pot still - Low wines + live dunder in a pot still - Low wines + live dunder refluxed for 1.5 hrs then pot stilled

The day is finally here! It's time to pot distil my Buccaneer Bob's, blackstrap molasses rum! I will be distilling it with my CCVM still in pot still mode.

All right team, what do you think? Should I start making a few "chase the craft" products? To be clear I am not talking about hats and shirts. I am talking about distilling and all grain accessories! If you are interested make sure you sign up for the newsletter. I will be sending out polls soon!

This week I am blending my Buccaneer Bob's rum. I have over 40 different cut jars to sample. I blend by taste and smell so that's the plan today. Find the heads hearts and tails, and go hunting for flavours that should or should not end up in the final spirit. This is a blackstrap molasses rum that has been pot stilled and has live dunder added back into the boiler with the low wines. So I am hoping for big flavours here!

Last week my senses were off so its time to taste my homemade rum again (to do it justice!). This is a pot stilled, blackstrap molasses rum with live dunder added in. So I expect to find a little bit of funk. But I did do a bit of an average job blending while sick. I guess I will use the heads and tails in the feints for something else in the future though, so it's not a total loss!

I have been looking forward to making an all grain Irish whisky for a long time! So today we are mashing in and getting the process started! Connemara's peated Irish whisky is the inspiration for this recipe although I am not really going for a clone here. I will be using: 20kg distillers malt 20kg steam flaked barley 9kg peated malt 4kg Oats 1.5 kg Dark chocolate I think that should give me plenty of enzymes to ensure conversion with the overnight mash. I am aiming for a starting gravity of 1.075.

18,920 views Sep 14, 2018 Discussion and talking head videos There is going to be a fair bit more all grain mash action going on around here so I thought I should dedicate a video to going over the basics of all grain. A beginners guide to mashing that gives definitions for a few key words and overviews the process of how to make an all grain mash yourself! So lets talk mashing, enzymes, diastatic power, Gelatinization, maltose, starch and of course malted grains!

Ever wondered how to make homemade extracts? Today we are making three infusions with my home distilled rum. The goal is to get a fruity rum, a spiced rum and a coffee flavoured rum!

The holidays are approaching fast, and this aged eggnog is a special and decadent holiday cocktail. But you need to make sure to make it SOON so it has enough time to age. The recipe: 600ml whole milk 400ml cream 1/2 tsp salt 1 & 1/2 cup of sugar (this is right, wrong in video) 3 cups of 40% abv + alcohol. This is what I am using: 1/2 cup of makers mark 1/2 cup of spiced rum 1 cup UJSSM "bourbon" 1 cup of stout barrel aged rum

A lot of new distillers ask the questions "how do I clean my still?" and "when should I clean my still?" So today we are going to cover exactly how I do this and what my thoughts are on the topic.

Wow, FINALLY. It seems like it took FOREVER for the peated Irish whisky all grain mash to ferment out. But its done. I have a problem though, I need to separate the grain from the liquid so I can distil it without scorching.

It's time to try and squeeze a little more life ( and flavour )out of the spent grain from the peated "Irish" whisky. So I am making a gumball head. Basically, that means I will add the spent grains to a little more fresh grain, sugar, some backset and ferment it again to create another wash to pot distil later on. Cheap, easy, and it should be rather interesting! Also, welcome to the MB's from the whisk(e)y vault. Good to see you here.

Wow, I am feeling lucky! Daniel and Rex from the whiskey vault uploaded a video this morning testing MY WHISKY! I thought it would be interesting for a few of you to capture my thoughts on the video as I saw them for the first time.

Why is there cloudy distillate coming off my still? Why is my spirit hazy when I am distilling? These are common questions for new distillers that often come along with "HELP" and "Did I screw up my whiskey/whisky/vodka/rum/etc". I'm here to tell you not to stress about it. It's not a huge problem! Let's talk about how to fix the issue and also how to make sure it does not happen again! Oh, Also I am summing up what happened this week with the Whiskey Vaults review of Still it products!

I'm fired up for this one team! Fermentation is done, the stripping runs are finished. It's time to distil the Peated "Irish" Whiskey! I'm so excited I think I will even stick around to blend it as well!

A little while ago we made an all grain peated Irish whisky. This whiskey was made by adding some more corn and sugar to the spent grains. Now its time to distil and blend it to see how it turned out. Lots of heads (mostly from the feints, not the gumball head) but that's understandable, all in all I'm pretty happy!

It's time to reflect on everything we have home distilled on still it. Basically, I wanted an excuse to taste everything and I thought you may like to come along for the ride! FFV vodka UJSSM - Uncle Jesse's Simple Sour Mash (not me) Bastard Whisky Rum Infusions The good the bad and the ugly!

can you age spirits with other woods? Why only use American white oak to age with? Today I decided to get stuck in and just try a few other types of wood. So lets test these woods: New Zealand oak Pear Cherry Manuka Maple And let's throw a 6th control in there, US white oak. I'm doing that just to use as a reference and make sure nothing goes too crazy. Before we run the test we need to prepare the wood though! This one was shaping up to be a super long episode, so I split it into two videos. The tasting will be up 2 days after this is released.

A few days ago I released a video setting up an experiment to test the effects of woods (other than US white oak) on aging spirits. This video is all about assessing and testing the results of that test. Basicly I am taste testing a gumball head whisky aged on Cherrywood, pear wood, maple wood, Manuku, NZ oak and US white oak.

The family is pretty crook right now, so I admit this is basically me refusing to miss a video haha. Keep on chasing the craft team!

Lets face it chasers of craft beverages can be a little hard to buy for (unless you know their favourite drink). So here are 12 gift sugestions for great gifts.

Christmas is going to be here in no time and I want to be able to bottle up a few of my spirits so I have something to enjoy! Today I am going to go through a few of the things I plan on bottling and see if they are ready.

I thought it would be nice to bottle up my holiday stash a little nicer than normal. I will be honest I just love the look of waxed bottles. . . . Wax: Check Corks: Check Homemade spirits, of course! Oh yeah, I am FINALLY getting around to putting some labels on my bottles too!

I have been looking forward to this for a long time. I have wanted to know . . . . . Are home distilling essences any good? Is a whisky flavouring bottle worth using? Can they stand up to a "real" drink? Well, today I am going to find out I am taste testing these four drinks: Woodford Reserve Duck Distillings Tenesy Bourbon Essence My UJSSM UJSSM + the bourbon essence