Moonshining with Icky

[HIGHRISK]

Me either lol. It's on ice for now, life is getting in the way. Work is starting to explode for the spring season. Hoping to mash in this weekend or next.

Nice pics that you sent btw. Glad to see the buildout coming along!!

lol understandable for sure.

Thanks. Yeah finally starting to roll. All the electrical is almost done. A/C and plumbing is in. Porches should be done today or tomorrow. A/V guys next week I believe.

 

[ickyrica]

Quick look at this batch of mash. You can see the difference visually when the honey is added and blended. My fingers had a red runt to them for like 2 days

 

[HIGHRISK]

Quick look at this batch of mash. You can see the difference visually when the honey is added and blended. My fingers had a red runt to them for like 2 daysView attachment 111155 View attachment 111154 View attachment 111153

Jesus who laid those tiles there crooked af!

 

[ickyrica]

Jesus who laid those tiles there crooked af!

Not me bud. I'm almost done with the bottom floor, top floor is next. Pretty sure they just put the tile directly on the subflooring

 

[HIGHRISK]

Not me bud. I'm almost done with the bottom floor, top floor is next. Pretty sure they just put the tile directly on the subflooring

Damn it! I thought that was part of your work you’ve been doing lol

Can’t wait for the shine.

 

[ickyrica]

Damn it! I thought that was part of your work you’ve been doing lol

Can’t wait for the shine.

Haha, I gotcha. All tiles are on subflooring with no backer board. The previous owner did everything half assed. Backer board is dirt cheap, short money. Lazy fucks.

So, back to the shine. What I am noticing is this isn't the fastest reacting mash I've had. Actually it's the slowest. I am not getting much activity at all in comparison. It's doing its thing, that I am positive of. You can smell the alcohol conversion so that's good. It's at a good temp and all that so I'm not worried overall, it's just killing my timeframe of distilling it next weekend. I may end up running it midweek (14th/15th) or something like that based on necessity.

 

[HIGHRISK]

Haha, I gotcha. All tiles are on subflooring with no backer board. The previous owner did everything half assed. Backer board is dirt cheap, short money. Lazy fucks.

So, back to the shine. What I am noticing is this isn't the fastest reacting mash I've had. Actually it's the slowest. I am not getting much activity at all in comparison. It's doing its thing, that I am positive of. You can smell the alcohol conversion so that's good. It's at a good temp and all that so I'm not worried overall, it's just killing my timeframe of distilling it next weekend. I may end up running it midweek (14th/15th) or something like that based on necessity.

I have the utmost confidence in you my friend. Just make sure you drink it first lol

 

[iceman440]

So is the shine also private list? What’s bulk order minimum?

That cherry looks great.

 

[HIGHRISK]

So is the shine also private list? What’s bulk order minimum?

That cherry looks great.

Same as tgi. Send @ickyrica hairy butt hole pics and bam! It shows up in the mail

 

[iceman440]

Same as tgi. Send @ickyrica hairy butt hole pics and bam! It shows up in the mail

Mother fucker has been jipping me for months

 

[ickyrica]

So is the shine also private list? What’s bulk order minimum?

That cherry looks great.

I wish I could produce enough to sell it! I only have a 10 gallon still which is peanuts in reality. Highrisk gets some because we ride tandem on his jet ski, naked : )

Ok, so the mash is sitting around 75 degrees. Its bubbling but slowly. It's still very sweet but at the same time has a nice alcoholic smell and the cherries are getting a booze taste too. Wondering if this is ok, or should adjustments be made. Like a little warmer to aid in fermentation speed or more yeast for the sweetness maybe? I'm in uncharted territory for me @System7 @Tinytim any thoughts?

 

[Eman]

I wish I could produce enough to sell it! I only have a 10 gallon still which is peanuts in reality. Highrisk gets some because we ride tandem on his jet ski, naked : )

Ok, so the mash is sitting around 75 degrees. Its bubbling but slowly. It's still very sweet but at the same time has a nice alcoholic smell and the cherries are getting a booze taste too. Wondering if this is ok, or should adjustments be made. Like a little warmer to aid in fermentation speed or more yeast for the sweetness maybe? I'm in uncharted territory for me @System7 @Tinytim any thoughts?

Did you take a hydrometer reading?

Make a yeast starter? You could probably still make a yeast starter to give it a boost it it's moving slow.

 

[ickyrica]

Did you take a hydrometer reading?

Make a yeast starter? You could probably still make a yeast starter to give it a boost it it's moving slow.

I can't find my brewing hydrometer since we moved. I need to get another one I think. Found the distilling one though. I'm going to probably go the additional yeast route seeing the temp is in line with where it should be...

Those cherries man, you ever eat one of those alcoholic cherries that come in chocolates and shit like that? The taste is really close to that inside the cherry! The rye is subtle but it's there. I'm assuming it will be more pronounced when it's distilled. I need that brewing hydrometer asap.

 

[Eman]

I can't find my brewing hydrometer since we moved. I need to get another one I think. Found the distilling one though. I'm going to probably go the additional yeast route seeing the temp is in line with where it should be...

Those cherries man, you ever eat one of those alcoholic cherries that come in chocolates and shit like that? The taste is really close to that inside the cherry! The rye is subtle but it's there. I'm assuming it will be more pronounced when it's distilled. I need that brewing hydrometer asap.

I would make a starter. Just warm water with a little bit of the mash and fresh yeast. Just add a little bit of mash at a time over a few days until it's really cranking away then pour into the mash barrel.

I have made hard lemonade that actually had preservatives in the lemon juice and the strong yeast starter is able to overcome the preservatives. I just started using it for all my brewing projects. Come to think of it, I really should make some more of that... it has a tendency of disappearing really fast.

I had cordial cherries from Germany over Christmas that I shit you not would give you a buzz if you ate a handful.

 

[ickyrica]

I would make a starter. Just warm water with a little bit of the mash and fresh yeast. Just add a little bit of mash at a time over a few days until it's really cranking away then pour into the mash barrel.

could try this. I'm also wondering if the sugar content is too high. Lots of sugar...

 

[Eman]

could try this. I'm also wondering if the sugar content is too high. Lots of sugar...

Yeah, that's probably why. The yeast starter let's the yeast multiply and get strong before getting hit with the high sugar content in the mash. If the yeast is a little old it can move really slow also.

I usually just start with warm water, pour yeast on top and let sit until it's foaming. Then add a few ounces of mash or corn sugar and let it get active and bubble. I'll add a few ounces every few hours on the first day and then add a few cups on the second day and on the third day I'll work it up to about a gallon. Once the gallon is really putting off co2 I'll pour into the mash and aerate for a few minutes.

Edit: check the label on the cherries you used and see if there are preservatives in it... Frozen often don't, jarred often do.

 

[ickyrica]

They probably have preservatives in them. I'll do the starter today. Do you think it's worth watering down what I have in an effort to reduce sugar content? I would essentially take 1/3 mash from each bucket and start a 3rd bucket with that, adding 1/3 water to compensate. It would be kinda sick to run the still all day, 2 different runs back to back. Would be a first for me.

 

[Eman]

They probably have preservatives in them. I'll do the starter today. Do you think it's worth watering down what I have in an effort to reduce sugar content? I would essentially take 1/3 mash from each bucket and start a 3rd bucket with that, adding 1/3 water to compensate. It would be kinda sick to run the still all day, 2 different runs back to back. Would be a first for me.

I think you'll be okay once the you get the yeast starter added... Although, this kind of brew is a little out of my realm to be honest.

As long as you get the yeast starter going really well I think it'll be fine. The preservatives are already pretty diluted by the whole mash probably... But it may account for the sluggish start.

 

[ickyrica]

I was in the neighborhood so I grabbed the hydrometer. Siiiick.

 

[Rockclimber]

You ever done this? I've seen guys do it with a wet burlap sack in the sun that looked really effective. I wonder if just a brewing bucket with water would work also?

I have done it before but it's so much easier to buy it premalted that I just buy it that way nowadays. When I did it I malted it about 4 inches thick on a bedroom sheet. My wife was very upset. The brown stain never came out.

You guys talking about starters, when I do that I usually get a pint of wort and make that my starter. If you toss a full pint into 5 gallons of wort you will see fermenting almost immediately.