Still It

A small part of episode #003 of the Chase The Craft podcast. George from Barley & Hops and Bearded & Bored were kind enough to hang out with me to discuss many things related to home distilling. Specificly the use of PID's for heating stills. Are PID's a good idea? Do PID's work for distilling? Jesse and George disagree!

How to make an all-grain wash/wort for beer or spirits. All grain brewing can be very VERY daunting to those wanting to begin the craft. There is NO WAY one video can teach you everything you need to know. So today Matt and I are giving you the 101 course. We will walk through the basics of the main steps needed to make an all grain beer or spirit. Including recipe, mashing, sparging, boiling & into fermenting. Matt has a seriously pimped out home brewing setup. Don't let that distract you from the basics though. You can make beer that is just as good using a much cheaper setup.

While in Austin Texas I had the pleasure of hanging out with Kyle & Erin from Bourbon Blind. They were kind enough to pour a classic bourbon, the kicker is Kyle and I were not allowed to know what it was! So is Jesse from Still It full of it?

A small part of episode #003 of the Chase The Craft podcast. When I run the still I line up a lot of separate cuts jars and fill them separately. Then I go back later and evaluate them individually. But should you? Should you take multiple cuts off the still to evaluate later on? George, Bearded and I hung out to "talk" distilling. This was one of the things that came up in discussion.

Blueberry liqueur is a subtle and delicious drink great for sipping by itself or adding to cocktails. The best news is it's easy and fast to make at home! You can use frozen berries, which actually have some benefit. Freezing breaks the berries up a little allowing the alcohol easier access during maceration. But I like to pick our own fresh berries, in fact its turned into a bit of a tradition for me. I prefer to work with a higher ABV/Proof spirit. But this will work with a store-bought vodka as well (adjust the ratios accordingly) My final ratios: 5 parts strained maceration 1 part liquid honey 1.5 parts simple syrup (proof down to your prefered ABV/proof. I prefer around 30-35% abv)

I was lucky enough to join the Texas Whiskey Trails event at Balcones in Waco Texas. A small group of us got a behind the scenes tour and more importantly got to blend out own whiskey under the guidance of Balcones master distiller and blender Jared Himstedt. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend a blending class so I wanted to take you along for the ride!

I visited Derelict Air Ship Distillery with a couple of good friends to get an Absinth 101. How is absinthe made? How do you drink absinthe? Do you love absinthe? Let me know in the comments if its something you think I should make at home. If you already make it let me know your recipe!

What happens when you distil hoppy beer? Can it be distilled into a tasty whiskey? Does the bitterness carry over? Will the hop oils get stuck in the still. These are all questions I have asked myself and seen other people ask in the forums. I decided the best way to find out for sure would be to distil some myself and find out!

If you chase the craft of home distillation you are going to be proofing or cutting spirits down a lot. At first glance this seems really simple, mix the spirit with water to get to 40% before putting it in the bottle right? Its not always that simple.

Matt Drew (a professional maltster) walks us through the process of malting barley. Steeping, germination and kilning. Matt Drew has an interesting a varied history in music, advertising, marketing and coffee. Now he brings all of that to bear in the world of American whiskey as a maltster and the host of a kick-ass new podcast called Single Malt Matters. In this episode, we talk about the process of malting and how to get stuck in your self at home with minimal equipment. We also get into the state of single malt in the USA and many other things.

Yes, soap will kill this virus really well. But there is actually a good reason to make a reliable and effective hand sanitizer. unfortunately, a lot of people have great intentions but are not well informed. The World Health Organization released a document describing how to make a cheap and easy hand sanitizer that actually works. Please remember that these chemicals can be dangerous. Please treat them with respect and wear the right safety equipment when handling them.

Where do you get unmalted barley if you want to malt your own? What sort of barley should you look for? Luckily I was able to talk to Matt Drew, a professional maltster who had a few suggestions! Matt Drew has an interesting a varied history in music, advertising, marketing and coffee. Now he brings all of that to bear in the world of American whiskey as a maltster and the host of a kick-ass new podcast called Single Malt Matters. In this episode, we talk about the process of malting and how to get stuck in your self at home with minimal equipment. We also get into the state of single malt in the USA and many other things.

I wanted to make a quick video to give everyone an update on how things are for the family and I here in New Zealand. And also let you know what the plans are in terms of content schedule.

Yeast is in short supply right now. The last time I was at the brew shop they were almost sold out because people were buying it make bread! So any technique that makes yeast go further is worth trying at the moment. Even when its not hard to get your hands on yeast making your brew a little cheaper is a good thing. This technique using our understanding of yeasts life cycle to seriously under pitch and still get an awesome result. Shout out to Gladfield for hooking me up with this amazing NZ peat malt.

Matt Drew is a professional maltster and student of the craft of Single Malt. In other words, the perfect person to get advice on how to malt barley for distilling. What equipment do you need to malt barley at home? How do you go about malting your own barley for distilling? We have you covered! In this video, we talk about the equipment and process you can use at home to malt your own barley. Matt Drew has an interesting a varied history in music, advertising, marketing and coffee. Now he brings all of that to bear in the world of American whiskey as a maltster and the host of a kick-ass new podcast called Single Malt Matters. In this episode, we talk about the process of malting and how to get stuck in your self at home with minimal equipment. We also get into the state of single malt in the USA and many other things.

It turns out home distilling is a great way to be a little more self-sufficient. Current events have made me think a lot more about how we would provide for our family and keep them safe if things really went wrong. The more I think about it, the more I realise that home distilling is an essential skill for preppers.

The New Zealand vintage is basicly on top of us. I am really hoping to be able to distil some grape-based products this year. Top of my list is GRAPPA! I have no experience making the spirit, so I wanted to get some advice from a professional distiller. Ilias owns and operates Mastrogiannis Distillery out of Lakewood, WA, that focuses on traditional Greek spirits. Understandably this means a whole lot of grapes for brandy and grappa. In this episode, Ilias gives us advice on finding grapes, selecting grasp, yeast and fermentation and of course distilling.

Most people need a hobby. Something they can work at and ultimately find satisfaction and fulfilment from. Something that is theirs. Home distilling will provide you with ALL of that. I need to blend some random aging things together to bottle something drinkable. It's going to take a while, so if you have any questions for me this will be the time!

There are a lot of different still options available to buy and build as a home distiller. But which should you use to distil whiskey? What about a lighter more refined whisky or a heavier, grungy single malt? Today I am FINALLY distilling a New Zealand Peated Whiskey. I wanted to walk you through my thought process when it comes to deciding which still I am going to use. A few of the things I cover: - Still Size - Packed Reflux Columns (like a T500 or CCVM) - Plated REflux columns - Pot stills - Stripping runs - Single run spirit runs

I'm guessing that those of us in this hobby have all run into someone at some point who used tasting notes and/or discussion to be a prick. Unfortunately, it happens. But I'm here to tell you that there is definitely a place for them, actually a NEED for them if you are chasing the craft. I would also love your help blending some finished product together. The live stream is coming up fast.

In this excerpt of the Chase The Craft podcast Roy and I talk about how COMMUNITY can be used to market a distilled spirit. Roy hosts @Aqvavitae​, if you are into enjoying whiskey you probably already know his work. If not Roy has created an amazing community based on the love of whiskey. He has a regular live "V Pub" make sure to send him some love and take a gander at his channel.

Today I am going to show you how I made a heavily peated whisky at home. I love peaty, smokey, briny, ashy whiskeys (no surprise I am a fan of Isley). So I jumped at the chance to make a whiskey with Gladfields New Zealand Peated Malt. I'm taking you from grain to glass. Including mashing, fermentation, distillation and cuts. I even force age a couple of samples to see what I think will work well for long term ageing in the "cask/barrel".

Ryan had an off flavour in his whiskey and was not sure how to fix it. We can't be sure if I helped solve it until he makes the same recipe again. But it did bring up two interesting problems that new distillers should be aware of! It also highlighted a few ways that new distillers and experienced distillers can better work together to help transfer knowledge.

Are you finding it hard to find yeast to brew with at the moment? Perhaps you just want to experiment and find out what flavour contributions your local Terroir? Have you ever thought about catching wild yeast? Jason is here to teach us how to get it done!

This may be my most important video yet. Not because of the video itself, but because of what I hope this will lead too! I want to collaborate with you, with the whole community. I am hoping we can all come together to build a flavour library for base malts. Wouldnt it be awesome if you had one resource that would give you an idea of all the flavours that are likely to carry through distillation from a base malt? I do! But I need your help to make sure this is actually a viable idea. So PLEASE: - Like this video, give it a thumbs up! - Leave a comment stating 3 base malts you would like for us to experiment with (we can't do them all) If you really think this is a project that needs to happen: make sure to share it around with anyone else you think maybe into it. Give it some love on your social media etc. The more people we have involved in this the better the data will be!

Jason is an accomplished professional brewer Brew Union. But he also loves to mess around with crazy things that he just can't do commercially. Here he quickly explains how he fermented a beer with a culture taken from Silage. We then get onto the topic of the fickle unpredictable nature of wild yeast cultures.

Youtube is great, I will always love youtube. But podcasts have a few distinct advantages over shorter videos. If you have never listened to a podcast I think you are missing out! Here are 4 reasons I think you should give podcasts a go!

We are going to make moonshine by pot distillation and freezer jacking. The same method used to make APPLE JACK! Today we are making 4 different alcoholic beverages at home by raiding the pantry. One is going to be an "easy" sugar wash with a bit of a twist. The other will use malted barley to convert random starch sources (from your pantry) into sugar. The process really is not difficult. You will be able to follow along at home easily. Even if you do not have a pot still you will be able to make the freezer jack version. 2 pot stilled spirits and 2 freezer jacked "spirits".

Scott from @brandcreators joined me to record a podcast. In this excerpt, we talk about a few ways that you can exchange your time and a little hard work for something even more valuable, KNOWLEDGE! If you are looking at getting into the craft beverage industry getting some hands-on experience with the local distillery may be a great way to get started!

I asked you answered. We are doing this thing! We are going to turn sheds and kitchens all over the world into laboratories! The Great Base Malt Co-Lab is on. If you have ever wondered exactly what base malt to use in your next whiskey recipe this (not so) little project is going to provide the answers for you! To have your say on what Base Malts we should be focusing on you need to go vote here: https://chasethecraft.com/basemaltcolab If you want to receive updates on this project and stay in the loop - Make sure you are subscribed to this channel - Make sure you have the notification bell on - Sign up for the mailing list here (scroll down): https://chasethecraft.com/basemaltcolab

Corn is often thought of as a commodity product in the brewing, homebrewing, distilling and home distilling communities. Why don't we make our own specialty corn to help create more flavour in whiskey or bourbon (homebrewers I'm sure you can use it too!) This video will show you 4 different types of specialty corn that will bring out more sweetcorn like flavour. Or add toast, roast or even coffee-like flavours. Its up to you to decide what ratios you would like to use in whiskey to add some flavour. Or perhaps you want to max out the roast in a home brew?

When you start a whiskey distillery there is a big lag between first producing whiskey and being able to sell it. During this time most distilleries choose to either source whiskey or produce white spirits. There are a few traps you can fall into. Daniel Whittington from The Whisk(e)y Tribe, Whiskey Vault and The Crowded Barrel give us some tips on how to do this the right way.

This is a short clip from the Chase The Craft Podcast with Daniel Whittington from the Whiskey Tribe, The Whiskey Vault & The Crowded Barrel. Daniel talks about 3 things you REALLY need to do before opening a distillery.

Today we are home distilling Gateway gin. If you want to learn how to make your own gin that dials back the pine and resin a little you have come to the right place! This is a gin for "people that don't like gin". A gateway gin to get people started. We are going to dial back the juniper pine and resin by adding less juniper. Then bring back some of the earthy and berry notes with other ingredients. In some ways I guess this is more like a Geneva Gateway Gin: 2L White Whisky at 40% / 90 Proof (made from malted barley not corn) 18 g Juniper ( 0.63 oz) 10 g Frozen Blueberrys ( 0.35 oz) 5 g Corriander Seeds, whole! (0.17 0z) 2 Small Lime Peels (no pith/white stuff) 2 small Lemon Peels (no pith/white stuff) 1 g Angelica Seeds (0.035 oz) Macerate the botanicals for 5-10 hrs. If you have an electric still with exposed elements you will need to macerate for a week then strain the botanicals out. Add to the still, run a low slow steady drip on a pot still.

Neven started distilling Rakia at 8 or 9 years old with his father on his family farm. Now he is opening a commercial distillery, Kapela Distilling Company. Not one to take these things lightly Neven has learned from and/or apprenticed with distilleries in England, Scotland and the USA. In this episode, Neven helps us understand the process of making Rakia or Fruit Brandy.

Home distilling is a very safe hobby, the community has proven it to be so. But just like cooking, surfing, sports or driving if you dont pay attention to what you are doing things can go wrong! I screwed up today, nothing big (but it could have been bad). It showed me that familiarity breeds contempt. I thought I would share this with you as a reminder to stay vigilant!

Teddy Sads Fast Fermenting Vodka is a popular home distiller recipe for very good reason. It's fast, easy and reliable. But can we improve on it by adding more sugar and changing out the flavouring ingredients? What is the best homemade vodka recipe? How do you get more alcohol? The Recipe for 180 L total wash: This yielded 13L at 95 % ABV : 3.4 gal at 190 proof 1.8 kg / 3.9 lb Wheat Bran 2.2 kg / 4.8 lb Kibbled Wheat 2.2 kg / 4.8 lb Kibbled Rye 50 kg / 110 lb sugar (1.100 starting gravity) (I would strongly suggest dropping that to more like 1.070 - 1.080) I realised after recording this that the genio is likely calculating the % abv left in the wash using the temp of the boiling liquid and the pressure of the boiler. Unfortunately, to do so it would need to assume that there is only water and alcohol in solution. Because I had unfermented sugar left in the wash this would have been thrown out. This is likely when the product seemed so clean so "deep into the run".

Sam is the head distilling and head of distilling operations at Starward Distilling in Melbourne Australia. Starward is making waves internationally with their approachable yet interesting whiskey. They are doing so by making the most of what they have locally. Great malt, amazing ex wine barrels and the crazy Melbourne climate. Their whiskey is available internationally so keep an eye out and pick up a bottle for yourself.

How long should you ferment your wash before distilling it? I think that is the wrong questions. Fermentation is done when its done. Instead ask, How do I know when fermentation is finished? There is really only one way to know. A hydrometer!

Have you ever wondered what base malt to use for a whiskey? Or what flavours specific malted barley will add to a whisky? The Great Base Malt Co-Lab is here to turn kitchens, sheds, laundries, garages and distilleries int science labs. We are all going to pool our data to build a meaningful flavour library documenting flavour contribution of base malts to spirits. We need you, and its time to start! To get started go to this address and download the PDF. It has the base malts you can choose from, other ingredients and the process to follow: https://chasethecraft.com/basemaltcolab If you have any questions or are unsure about one of the steps drop a question down in the comments. I will do my best to keep replies up to date for a while. There are plenty of other people around that will help out too.

Cedar Ridge won ADI's 2017 distillery of the year and are well known for their approachable yet complex bourbon. As the director of operations, Murphy has an abundance of knowledge to share. Growing a mostly self-funded family business in a rural area (which operates both a distillery and a winery) presents a unique set of opportunities and risks. Murphy Talks us through his perspective on these issues as well as discussing the process and ingredients involved in making their world-class whiskey.

Distillers malt is made for distillers so it must be the best option to use in a all-grain whiskey right? Well, its not really that simple. There are two types of distillers malt you may come across. The type used by the Scott's to make single malt, which is high in extract potential. Then there is the type used in the USA to make bourbon. It has a high diastatic power (lots of enzymes). The high enzyme USA style distillers malt allows the use of less malted barley (to supply enzymes) compared to the other adjuncts, primarily CORN. This means that the barley gets out of the way and allows for more flavour contribution from the adjuncts (corn, rye, wheat etc). This is really the only useful situation I can see for distillers malt. The high extract potential Scottish style distillers malt is used in single malt for a higher yield. But it does so at the cost of flavour. I would rather lose a small percentage on yield to gain a better or just even different flavour profile

People are always asking for whiskey recipes. I thought it was about time to start a mini-series showing you how to do come up with your own recipe. This is the first video in the series that starts at the concept level. What flavours do you want to put into your whisky or whiskey? First, you are going to need to find inspiration have a look at the different malts and/or grains that you think you may want to use. You can look at the local homebrew store or jump on over to the malt Co-Lab as it develops for more information: https://chasethecraft.com/basemaltcolab Next, use this little trick to do a SIMPLE and FAST test to see what ratios of those malts/grains/etc are going to come together to give you the flavour profile you want. This method is not going to translate directly to what comes off the still. But its going to get you in the ballpark much faster than a long series of mash, ferment, distil, taste.

1919 is a craft gin distillery based in Auckland New Zealand. In this episode, Soren (owner/founder) explains the interesting way he started the distillery and shares information about how some of their products were developed including the (world famous in New Zealand) Pineapple Bits Gin.

All grain whiskey can be a little intimidating. Today we are breaking it down into a simple to follow process to help you make the transition from sugar washes to all-grain. Let's get stuck in with an easy all grain whiskey wash. If you are getting started keep it simple with the grains or grist. Pick one base malt and go with that. I would suggest an ale malt to start with. Recipe (makes around 23l or 6 gal of wash at 1.070 - 1.080 gravity) 23 l / 6 gal of strike water 8 kg / 18.3 lb of base malt Mash at 65 c ./ 149 f for 60 min (90 if doing the Co-Lab) You will need your strike water to be hotter than your mash temp. I used 72 c / 161 f. But its best for you to calculate your own based on volumes and temps.

Jeff Bradford is the host and creator of @drinkdestinations A channel dedicated to travelling the world and learning about the world of beer wine and spirits. Jeff has a long history with the military. When he retired he found a passion for craft beverages and how they are made. So he sold all his stuff and set out to learn everything he could about them. Soon he realised that other people were interested and wanted to learn along with him giving rise to his youtube channel!

I have had this little pot still for a year or so now. Every time it shows up in a video people get in touch asking for a full review of it. So here we go! A little mini pot still, what is it good for? Is it worth buying? These are the questions I am answering today. I had a really good hunt around for this same model, I cant find it any more. It seems to show up and then disappear again every now and then. This looks like the currently available option: https://amzn.to/30OhxlJ This version is quite different than my pot still but could still serve the same function. Here are my thoughts on the differences. Pros: - Copper condenser, with (I am guessing) more length. Better knockdown power I think. - Extended off-take (may need to be soldered though?) - Comes in different volumes - More modular - Clamp lid Cons: - A bit more expensive - Check that gasket . . . .

Kveik has taken the beer world by storm. But does kveik work for whiskey? Can you make whisky with Kveik? I decided to give it a go so I can report back to you. Kveik has gained a reputation for ripping through ferments super quickly at crazy temperatures. It makes clean beers with interesting esters. But do those esters carry over into a distilled beverage? Spoilers. YES they do!

Bearded and bored has his runs a youtube channel but used to work as a Chef in a range of different establishments. We sat down to have a talk about how food can fit into a distillery to create a full experience for your customers.

I have been using the Clawhammer 10 gal starter brewing kit for a long time now. Now that I am used to its ins and outs I thought I would record an overview with my thoughts. The pros and cons and how it relates Vs something like a Grain father.

In this video, I use "waste" from a commercial winery to make grappa. Although "high quality" grappa can be made from the whole grape its also often made from the by-products of wine. Seeing as this stuff was literally going to be thrown out I wanted to see if we could turn it into a tasty beverage.

It can be very difficult to put your finger on what you are tasting in a whiskey. It is often even harder to then describe what you are tasting to someone else. So how do you get better at the tasting and describing distiller of beverages? Flavour wheels can be a great tool! They give you inspiration and suggestions on what it is that you may be experiencing and give you the common vocabulary to share with someone else. Thats why we are going to use them as a starting point for our submission process for the great base malt Co-Lab. BUT, I NEED YOUR HELP! I think its important for us to at least be open to the idea of expanding on these flavour wheels for our use. So this is what you need to do to help out.

Should you use a PID to control your still? A lot of distillers end up asking this question at some point or another. The idea is to use a PID to track the temperature at the top of your still and use it to alter the amount of energy going into the boiler. To control the elements. This video gives my thoughts on the topic.

Rex Williams is the Media Mastermind behind @WhiskeyVault and @WhiskeyTribe. Rex has been in the media production for over 20 years and has built up a wealth of skill and experience when it comes to using video production to promote a business. This podcast focuses on how to use video and media production to promote a business, specifically a distillery.

I have been using the CCVM still for around 3 years now. If I had my time again would I change the design of my first still? Would I build a different still to start with? The TLDR is no, I love this thing. It's still my favourite still and I am very glad I built it! But there are a few minor changes I would make in the way I built it.

Calculating how much grain you need for an all-grain mash can be a bit daunting. But with a little information on the grain you are using it can actually be fairly simple. This video will let you answer questions like this yourself: "How much grain do I need to hit a certain gravity?" "What will my gravity be if I use this much grain?"

What on earth is Botanical Rum? Before this episode, I had no idea what to expect. Turns out Lunatic And Lovers expression is amazing! Tune in to hear what it is and how its made with Matt from Lunatic And Lover!

Are you struggling to get a variety of flavours in different distilled products? Why does everything just taste the same? If you are new to distilling this is a pretty common problem to run into. IT could be that your spirits actually do taste fairly different, you just need to give them a little more attention to find the differences. It could be that you need to play with a few more of the variables/factors that we can experiment with as distillers.

Do specialty malt flavours carry over through distillation into the final whiskey? Can you influence the flavour profile or a spirit using chocolate, biscuit or crystal malt? This is something I have been wanting to test for myself for a long time! Luckily I made 4 batches of "specialty corn" a while ago. Time to test this out with them!

Being able to taste and assess your spirits is an essential part of chasing the craft. If you can't articulate exactly what is going on in your glass how can you improve it? Tasting and assessing a spirit is a skill that you need to develop and nurture. Here are a few tips on how to hone your skill.

One of the patreons sent a recipe over from South Africa. Im super glad I gave it a try, it turns out that Melktert/Milk Tart shooters or liqueur is really good! Here is the Recipe: 750 ml 50%abv neutral spirits (26.4 FL oz of 100 proof) (can substitute vodka or ever clear, adjust for proof though) 1 can of evaporated milk (375ml or 12.5 FL oz) 1 can of condensed milk ( 395 g or 13.9 oz) 1/4 tsp of cinnamon Enjoy :)

Murky distillate or spirits can happen from time to time. They may look cloudy or hazy or even bubbly and foamy. It may still be transparent or opaque. There may even be some colour to it, usually a brownish colour, the same as the wash. These problems can be pretty perplexing and worrying for the new distiller. Let's go through them one at a time!

ITs no secret that Ironroot is one of my favourite distilleries. I love their product and the way they go about things. So I invited Robbert back to talk again. This time we cover growing heirloom corn, blending and their barrel program.

I attempted to make Mango Vodka. It did not go to plan. Turns out I made Fish/Mango vodka! How this happened I have no idea! I blame the frozen mango. That being said I think this was an ingredients issue, not a method problem. This "test" gave me enough information to hypothesise that a clear distilled mango vodka could be quite nice.

People have been asking why they don't get tails when cutting off the still. It's not that your not getting tails, it's just that not all tails taste the same. I think I have led a few people astray by talking specifically about whiskey/grain tails more often than not.

Boil overs or pukes can happen fairly frequently in distilling if you do not take action to stop them. So how do you stop your still from puking? What can you do to stop a boilover? Thats what we are talking about today.

What are the advantages of sugar washes? Are They Worth it? I wont to talk through my thoughts on sugar washes.

Do I think filtering is worth it? Here are my thoughts. Tennessee whiskey is famous for its charcoal filtering. Rumour has it that filtering can help smooth a rough spirit. So why do I NOT do it? I'm happy to do a little test in the name of science though. Let me know what you think I should do in the comments.

Yes, but how much? It's kinda complicated. How much do you need to clear your wash based on your still? Different stills are going to get away with different things. If you want the "easy" answer. Follow these guidelines. They will work for almost all stills: 1 - Make sure fermentation is finished then wait a few more days 2 - Rack/syphon off the top of the fermenter avoiding the yeast cake 3 - Don't let any bits of grain into the pot 4 - Don't stress if the wash is a little murky 5 - Don't let the wash sit in the pot for a long period of time before distilling

Underfilling your boiler/pot can be a big problem when distilling. So can overfilling. But how do you know how little liquid you can get away with before running your still?

Packing = higher abv or proof when distilling right? Well yes, but it's a negligible effect unless you also have a reflux condenser.

Thanks to the people that put sweet comments in the tails video. What I was trying to say was good info, what I actually communicated didn't work so well!

Its a trap! There is no general ABV to age spirits at. Its just another one of those spectrums that we have control over to push flavours in a certain direction. Generally, the goldilocks zone is between 50% and 60% ABV (100 and 120 proof). Aiming for the 50% side of things will give more sweet, caramel and vanilla flavours. 60% more spice, pepper and tannin. Have a think about the kinds of spirits you enjoy drinking. What flavour profiles do they have? Use those preferences to pick a ABV that may be best for you. Give it a shot, assess it and then change your approach next time based on these results.

Adding sugar to an all-grain or fruit was is an attractive way to boost the starting gravity and ABV. But what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Can we make vodka with real berry flavour using a neutral spirit, frozen berries and a little pot still? Let's get stuck in and find out!

Lindsay is a sensory scientist and a founding partner of Sample Ox and Draught Lab. We talk about the software and about the art/science and geekery of sensory evaluation in general. Live stream incoming! The live stream is coming up soon. Expect to see more on this topic on the channel. 11:30 am Saturday the 19th (NZ time).

Trying to decide if your wash is safe to distil? Worried that it has sat too long? What if it turned to vinegar? Should you worry about botulism? The answer is nearly always "Yes its safe" let's talk about why.

A wine is fortified by adding a spirit to it. I have a little feijoa wine, so let's distil some of it to fortify the rest! Like port or sherry. But no grapes, just FEIJOA!

Want to join the tasting event? You can taste your samples on the day, or do it ahead and just chill. Don't forget that Lindsay is a legit sensory scientist. So have your questions ready for her. The That We Will Be Tasting: Starward Nova Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon Johnnie Walker Black Monkey Shoulder REMEMBER: The samples/bottles will be added to the tasting as our experts get the tasting notes in. Don't worry if the bottle you have is not there when you first log in. You can submit your tasting notes anytime between now and the end of the live stream. If you are having trouble, Lindsay and I will be able to help out on the day. Or drop a question in the comments.

Is your spirit too astringent, spicey, tannic or oaky? Do you think you used too much oak for too long? Don't give up on it yet! We have a few easily accessible techniques that can fix it almost all of the time!

Gregg over @howtodrink recently released a cool video showing how to make Bath Tub Gin. A bunch of people in the home distilling community reached out asking me to comment on it.

The upcoming live stream just got even better. Roy from @Aqvavitae will be joining us as well! Hope to see you there team. 10:30 AM Wednesday the 23rd Bottles you can play along with: Monkey shoulder Jonnie Walker Black Starward Nova Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourdon

How do I clean my still after a run? What if it has something like peat, rum or hops in it that needs extra cleaning? How about blue or green discolouration? We are going to talk through all of that today and answer the question: "How do I clean my still?"

How do you operate a still with bubble plates? First I think its a good idea to understand how bubble plates work. Then we can talk about how to drive them.

Use the Iodine test to see if your mash worked. Its Cheap and very easy. Its not something I would use in every mash. But if you are doing something a little different or using ingredients that you have not used before its a great way to get peace of mind! Purple/Black = Fail (starch is present) Red/Orange = Pass (no starch left)

Have you ever distilled a wash as 2.5% abv? I had not until this run. I had no idea what my still would be able to do with this. So I thought it would be interesting to share.

The Air still is one of the most widely available stills. But is it as good as a mini pot still? This video is an Air still review, Mini Pot Still review and fight night (piss-take) all rolled into one. Who is going to win this fight? I will give you my opinion but also point out the advantages for both so you can make up your own mind. What still is best for you in your situation?

Feints are just a part of distilling. Making a quality product means that you need to be picky with what you choose to make the cut. That does not mean that we cant use feints at all though! You can use your feints in a few different ways: - Add them back to the next run (and keep doing so) - Save them up until you have enough feints to do an all feints run (all the same recipe) - Save them up for a Chimera run

This simple souring technique can help to add flavour to your distilled products. There are different ways to go about it. But this is definitely the easiest. All it takes is a little bit of patience! Sour your mash to add more flavour to your distilled product.

I have wanted to make potato vodka for a long time. Why I'm not entirely sure, I guess I just like to try different things. It turns out potatoes vodka tastes great. A little different, but interesting and unique.

I would argue that unless you are reaching azeotrope then the ABV of the wash in your pot totally matters. Of course the still maters too, but both will affect the output ABV. Apologies for the inconsistency between numbers on the graph shown and the numbers I am talking about. When talking I was using a slightly different graph using fat fingers to "draw lines". The exact numbers do not matter, its just an illustration of the concept. If you are interested in using this graph I would very much suggest you spend some time reading these threads!

Do you need a thermometer on your still? Or SHOULD you have a thermometer on your still? Thermometers are a useful tool on a still. Unfortunately, some new distillers tend to overvalue them and fall into some common traps that hold their development back. This video discusses how and where thermometers are useful in a distillery. But also warns of the mistakes they can lead too.

Last week I made potato vodka which had an interesting creamy mouthfeel and an earthy potato skin flavour. I decided to make a savoury gin to accentuate these characteristics. Recipe: 1L of potato Vodka at 91% (33 fl oz at 182 proof) ( If you are using a different proof scale the volume accordingly) 5 g of coriander seeds ( 0.176 oz) 3 g of rosemary (leaves only) (0.105 oz) 3 g of Sage (0.105 oz) 2 grams of angelica seeds (0.071 oz) 5 g of dried shiitake mushrooms ( 0.176 oz)

This earthy savoury gin deserved to be even more savoury. That means MEAT! More specifically, Bacon and Roast Lamb. What sort of cocktail would bacon or Roast Lamb gin go well in? For me, it has to be a Bloody Mary, or more specifically a Red Snapper!

Spencer Whelan is the CEO of the Texas Whiskey Trail and the Executive Director of the Texas Whiskey Association. It's an exciting time for Texas Whiskey, we are witnessing the birth of a new whiskey region that punches well above its weight. Spencer talks about how having a "team of rivals" is advantageous to distillers, distilleries, consumers and the progress of whiskey as a whole.

I'm sorry it's taken me this long to get this section of the Great Base Malt Co-Lab live. But it's here now! You can now submit the recipe and process data from your sample to the great base malt Co-Lab!

For me, Liquorice Allsorts are the pinnacle of nostalgic Kiwi / New Zealand lollies (candy for you Americans). So lets see if we can make a boozy version to enjoy as adults. Licorice Allsorts Liquor! Thanks to James for showing me this, cheers mate! This is what I did (although I think you should be flexible and do everything to your taste instead): 150g (5.3 oz) orange allsorts cut 300 ml (10 fl oz) 60% abv vodka Orange peel . .. . . or not . . . Let macerate for 24 hrs. Strain / filter Proof down and sweeten to taste. I proofed to 35% abv and added 17.5 ml (0.6 fl oz) simple syrup

Is Spiral Prismatic Packing (SPP) worth the investment? Does it really give any advantage over something like copper scrubbies or rasher rings? SPP is an alternative packing medium that gets rave reviews from those that use it. In this video, I run through a quick test to see if SPP lives up to the hype.

Understanding how low wines fit into the art of distillation can be pretty difficult for the new distiller. It's a topic that often gets overlooked. So lets get stuck in and make things a little less confusing for the new distillers.

Froth technologies are supplying vibrant liquid yeast cultures to New Zealand's craft beer industry. Ryan and Simon hang out to talk about yeast, cross over between beer and spirits and the industry in general.

If you want to ferment an alcoholic beverage you need yeast! But how do professional yeast producers create the yeast that breweries and distilleries use? Froth tech (from New Zealand) create liquid yeast cultures for award-winning craft brewers. Hopefully, one day they will do the same for professional distillers!

Do you know someone that chases the craft of home distilling? Are you looking to buy them a distilling related gift? Or perhaps you just want to get yourself something nice! This is the video for you. The top 11 gifts for distillers as voted by our community. . . . . and a few extra personal suggestions.

Turbo Yeast, I have always stayed away from it. In three years of distilling, I have not used it once! Because its BAD. . . right? I thought it was time to test that out for my self!

The last video I put out "How Bad Is Turbo Yeast . . . . .Really?" had a lot of interesting comments I thought deserved a follow up video. Here we go . . . .

Diastatic power doesn't get talked about that often, yet its a really important concept to learn if you want to make your own all-grain mashes! The long and short of it is you need to average the diastatic power out over the whole first and make sure that is higher than 40.

57,214 views Dec 10, 2020 #distilling #still #BubblePlate The T500 still comes out of the box with the product & reflux condensers in line. This is fine for basic operation. But separating them will give you much more flexibility!

I have wanted to distill rice wine (baiju or soju) for a long time. But the traditional methods always seemed like just a little too much work. Thankfully I came across angel yeasts yellow label product. It promises to allow you to ferment starch WITHOUT mashing OR boiling! How crazy is that?!? I decided to put it to the test to make my own distilled rice wine. Its similar to a traditional baiju or soju, more importantly its EASY to make. After the testing in the video this is the recipe I would make again. You can split it into multiple fermenters like I did, or ferment in one larger fermenter

Selecting the size of equipment you want to work with is one of the first and most important decisions to make while getting into the hobby. In short its a trade-off between: Cuts Fidelity (bigger is better) Cost To Buy/Make (small is cheaper) Time To Run / Make (smaller is fast, just) Amount of product to make (Bigger makes . . . . more. . . ) Logistics, moving, cleaning etc (smaller is better)

I hope you enjoy making these drinks as much as I have. You should consider, in fact, I encourage you to alter them and adulterate them to your own tastes. Have fun and keep chasing!

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