Whiskey

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gibbiem

Whiskey

Post by gibbiem » Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:12 pm

Just found out the other day that you start whiskey the same as beer! Mash grains etc but then distill instead of boil. Anyone tried it or make whiskey regularly?

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Pinto
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Re: Whiskey

Post by Pinto » Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:22 pm

A number of distilleries do, yes :)

Sadly there is a total ban of discussion of such practices here because "the process" (in anywhere apart from New Zealand IIRC) is illegal without the necessary licencing from HM Customs & Excise or their national equivlent (be it IRS, BFS, etc) and something that is to all reasonable lengths, impossible to obtain. Due to this and the fact duty men will turn up and take away your car, house, wife and dog, the "D" word isnt allowed....

Search the web - there are other places where discussion is allowed or even encouraged.
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gibbiem

Re: Whiskey

Post by gibbiem » Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:34 pm

Ha ha oops! The "own consumption" rule doesnt apply then? Didnt realise it was illegal!! I'll stick to Laphroiag

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Pinto
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Re: Whiskey

Post by Pinto » Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:43 pm

gibbiem wrote:Ha ha oops! The "own consumption" rule doesnt apply then?
Again, only in New Zealand IIRC. The process isn't illegal, per say, but the measures you'd need to put into place to satisfy the duty man in relation to produced spirits are SO expensive and difficult to impliment, that they prevent anyone except the very, very serious from even applying for licencing. Any mistakes or short cuts will be deemed as an attempt to defraud the exchequer and result in an extended vacation to one of the the HMP Butlin's sites throughtout the uk :lol:

For perspective, I've heard that new startups can burn through hundreds of thousands of pounds in setup costs and duty whilst wating the ten odd years before the first drop of your product is aged into someting drinkable and sellable. Thats why so few new distilleries have appeared.
Primary 1: Nonthing
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DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
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In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

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jimpy0

Re: Whiskey

Post by jimpy0 » Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:43 am

the own consumtion rule does not apply to Alcotec kits which manage 23% ish ABV, base alcohol to which you add flavours.
I did a 5 litre kit last year and made white rum, tequila, american and Tennessee bourbon, all very drinkable with good taste, i think they're more about flavour as opposed to strength and falling down after imbibing.

gibbiem

Re: Whiskey

Post by gibbiem » Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:43 am

Makes sense about starting up like, waiting for it to age. I struggle leaving my beer to condition for a month ha ha

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Re: Whiskey

Post by Aleman » Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:38 am

The other issue (I was talking to a small brewery that has just produced a 'Journeyman' eau de vie) is that you run off 1000L of wort send it to the distillers who ferment it, then distil it 5 times, to return you 69L of eau de vie at 40%. If you actually want to produce Whisky then it has to be aged in cask for a minimum of 3 years before being bottled, but you pay your duty up front at the volume and abv that it goes into the cask . . . you then loose about 5% as the angels share . . .and if it comes out at less than 40% when you bottle it you can't call it Whisky either. Keep an eye out for Wibblers Craftsman Whisky in about 4 years ;)

Beer - Apprentice @4%
eau de vie - Journeyman @40%
whisky - Craftsman @TBC% ;)

I can recomend the Journeyman, of the 'distilled beer spirit's I've tried, it is the smoothest and most rounded. The others are very harsh in comparison.

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Re: Whiskey

Post by Pinto » Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:14 pm

jimpy0 wrote:the own consumtion rule does not apply to Alcotec kits which manage 23% ish ABV, base alcohol to which you add flavours.
I did a 5 litre kit last year and made white rum, tequila, american and Tennessee bourbon, all very drinkable with good taste, i think they're more about flavour as opposed to strength and falling down after imbibing.
Agree wholeheartedly :) the "alcotec" type kits get away with it tho because no "D" is involved in the process, just good old fermentation - the process we and know and love dearly - and which to this day they've failed to nail a tax to (and forever may that continue !!)

At over 20% alcohol, you simply need twice as much to fall down the same amount :lol: - and as you can brew unlimited quantites it more than makes up.

There are some excellent essence kits out there that you can use to flavour your brewed spirits (or cheap shop bought vodka) to make whatever tipple you desire - check out some of the HBS and ebay.

Like you' i've made a few of these kits myself - I have a Mead liquer aging away in my brew cupboard - and a nice drop it is too !
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In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

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Re: Whiskey

Post by themadhippy » Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:37 pm

and which to this day they've failed to nail a tax to (and forever may that continue !!)
up until the mid 60's home brewers required a licence,a tax all but in name
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Re: Whiskey

Post by oldbloke » Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:17 pm

Whisky doesn't start quite like beer, there's no hops

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Re: Whiskey

Post by lord.president » Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:51 pm

Whiskey = Irish,American. Whisky = proper Scotch.

Anyway,I've seen some 'whisky' yeasts on Whitelabs-ie the yeasts distilleries use to ferment the 'wort' before distilling it. Has anybody tried any of these for beer, they do recommend it and I quite fancy a go.
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micmacmoc

Re: Whiskey

Post by micmacmoc » Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:29 pm

You could buy a bland cheap crap spirit and get some barrel chips to make a cheats whisky. I've been playing with cheap vodka and aromatics, juniper, black pepper and he like, to make flavoured spirits. Did some proper gin on a distillery tour at Plymouth gin. Did Willamette hop gin. Smelled like sprouts! That faded eventually to make a decent 'gin' (it had juniper and licorice too). Recommend Plymouth tour, the head distiller is a big ale fan, chatted brewing with him for ages.

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Post by CJR » Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:25 pm

I can also recommend the Plymouth tour. I have done both the basic and middle level tours with SWMBO but unfortunately haven't had the pleasure of meeting the master distiller. I can also highly recommend visiting their bar upstairs, a nice atmosphere for a few well-made drinks by friendly staff with SWMBO and I can afford it.
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Re: Whiskey

Post by Eadweard » Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:42 pm

oldbloke wrote:Whisky doesn't start quite like beer, there's no hops
And not having the hops they don't boil either so though yeast is pitched there's also wild yeast and bacteria in the fermentation.

mshergold

Re: Whiskey

Post by mshergold » Mon May 09, 2016 6:53 pm

I've made carrot whisky (http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques27.asp) once. It was really good, but I've not gotten around to making it again, but hoping to this year with home-grown carrots. And maybe one batch with some peat-smoked grain. I bottles it in baby mixer bottles.

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