Add Some Character To Your Bourbon In The Still
Even though the most challenging part of making bourbon at home is over, you cant make a toast just yet, because the fermented mash at this point lacks character of the bourbon.Using the copper still can be extremely dangerous, so proceed with caution. Put the mash in the still, and heat it over medium heat, so that it can evaporate the alcohol, and separate the distillate into a pot.
If you purchased a still from our recommended source, your still will come with instructions on how to make everything happen.
Grains And What They Contribute
This information was gathered by me from many sources including Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate and talking with many master distillers over the years.
Corn Is what gives Bourbon its signature flavor and is considered the engine that provides the highest yield of alcohol per bushel of all the grains.; The flavor of corn is very prevalent fresh off the still in the White Dog.; But over years of aging, corn becomes neutral, and lends mostly in the overall sweetness to the finished product.
Barley Prized mainly for its enzymes for converting starches to sugar for the fermentation process so the yeast can feed on the sugars.; Where corn is the engine, malted barley is considered the work horse that delivers these enzymes.; Barley provides some flavor with the underlying malty and chocolate notes along with some dryness.; Usually only around 5% 14% of any grain bill, the use of barley is mainly for those enzymes, and gives it that biscuity texture.
Rye & Wheat Contribute most significantly to the flavor of mature bourbon.; They are referred to as the flavoring grains.;; Any grains can be used like oats, or rice, but these two are only ones used, with Rye being the dominant flavoring grain with distillers.
Rye Brings a range of spice notes including pepper, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon which are all intensified during the aging process.; Think of eating a piece of rye bread.; Rye gives bourbon that wonderful flavorful bite that it is known for.
Large Glass Bottles Or Masons Jars
Large glass bottles or mason jars are where you’ll be putting and storing all of your mixtures. Make sure bottles or jars have good caps tightly sealed to keep your whiskey infusion safe from dirt or bacteria. You also need to ensure it is durable with an opening large enough to fit your ingredients.
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Collecting Your Bourbon Distillate
Now comes the delicate step of collecting your bourbon distillate.; This is where your practice and patience comes in very handy.; When you start the process of distilling your bourbon, you will collect the distillate in 4 stages.; The foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails.; Each of these stages will look, smell and taste differently.; Being able to detect the subtle changes between each of these 4 stages take lots of practice and experience.
Fermentation Mash To Make Whiskey
After youve cooked the grain and its transformed into mash, its time to get yeasting! Add some yeast to your cooked corn mash, and fire up the fermentation process in any type of sealed container or repurpose the home brewing beer kit to ease the process.
It is indeed better to ferment in a home brewing beer kit, as you can regulate the temperature, which helps because you dont want the yeast to get too hot or else it will die. It may take several days for the fermentation process, so you just have to be patient.
Fermented home whiskey will start of as tasting fairly sweet to a fairly sour taste, which simply means that its working, and your sugar is being converted into alcohol.
Once the home made whiskey is fermented, you will need to strain the mash into a still, and since you dont have an industrial grade appliance, a small scale home whiskey making still should do the trick.
Fire up the mash until its a piping hot 80 degrees Celsius, and let the mash convert into vapor. The vapor that rises from the still is basically converted back into liquid, which is voila your homemade whiskey.
Word of caution: You should probably not use the first 100 milliliters or so from the batch of homemade whiskey, as it might not taste great, and can be potentially dangerous to drink. To transform your raw whiskey into a finished product, you will have to let it age in a barrel.
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Diy Whiskey & Bourbon Flight Board
I just love how this flight board turned out.; It was a super easy project and adds the perfect touch to our bourbon collection/bar.; Again, this could easily be used for whiskey, scotch or brandy.; You could also make a slightly larger version and use it as a beer flight!; Now if someone could just tell me where I could find another bottle of Blantons.; Its impossible to come by it nowadays!
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What is your drink of choice?; Living so close to Kentucky has definitely helped my husband and I embrace bourbon.; Were hoping to check out some of the bourbon trail this year.
Check out my chai spiced bourbon cocktail recipe if youre into mixed drinks.; Its so tasty!
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An Illustrated Description Of The Production Of Bourbon
When you ask the master distiller of a bourbondistillery about the strongest influences in bourbonproduction, you get the following answer: the grain, the yeast strains, the new white oakbarrels and their storage have the biggest influence on the taste of bourbon.
What’s the reasoning behind this statement, which tells nothing about the particulars of the production process? The answer is as simple as it is convincing. The American distilleries usually have the same production equipment and the same climate. Therefore the distinguishing features of individual bourbon producers must be sought on another level.
A word on Tennessee whiskey: Tennessee whiskey separated from Kentucky straight bourbon and the Bourbon Act for marketing reasons. However, the production process of these two whisky types is the same, except that Tennessee whiskey is charcoal-filtered before it is filled into barrels.
On the following pages the production process is described in its chronological order:
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How To Make Whisky At Home
Once you get the hang of distilling to make whiskey at home, you may want to experiment with different grain ratios to create a whiskey that is truly one of a kind. Practice is the key to mastering the craft, and before too long youll be able to distill a homemade whiskey which ticks all of your boxes.
Bourbon Vs Whiskey: What Is Bourbon What Is Whiskey
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.;
Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage made by distilling a fermented grain mash.; The grains can include barley, corn, rye, and wheat and whiskey may contain additives and flavorings.
Bourbon, on the other hand, is a type of whiskey highly regulated by the U.S. government.; If a distiller doesnt follow the rules, the product cant be labeled bourbon.
To be labeled bourbon, it must:
- Must be made in the United States
- Contain at least 51% corn in the fermented grain mash
- Must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume;
- Must be no more than 62.5% ABV when it enters the barrel
- Must be stored in BRAND NEW charred oak barrels
Fun Fact: Whiskey can be spelled with or without the e.; Traditionally, whiskey is the American spelling, and whisky is the Scottish spelling but youll find the terms used interchangeably.
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This Recipe Is Easy To Scale
One advantage of this simple recipe is that the ingredient ratio is easy to remember, making it easy to learn how to make a whiskey sour. This recipe is also easy to scale, so you’re covered whether you’re mixing a drink for yourself or you’re prepping for a 12-person holiday get-together.
The ratio for this simple whiskey sour recipe is 2-1-1 . I like bold, strong-flavored drinks that allow me to taste every ingredient and enjoy the way they play off of one another. For some, this exact whiskey sour recipe may be a bit overpowering at first sip, but I promise that if you mix it over plenty of ice it makes for a delicious drink once the ice begins to melt. If you find this recipe too sour or too sweet, add a splash of water to your drink or a few ice cubes to the mix prior to serving. This will eliminate the need to wait for melting ice.
Update the classic whiskey sour recipe with a new presentation. Use decorative glassware or spend some time preparing a beautiful garnish for a unique look.
What Makes A Whiskey Bourbon
Answers to the most common bourbon queries.
What makes a whiskey bourbon?The law. While knocking back a dram of bourbon is a decidedly carefree exercise, making it is exceedingly technical and requires that the whiskey meet a rigid set of criteria. The Federal Standards of Identity for Bourbon stipulate what is and what isn’t bourbon. For a whiskey to call itself bourbon, its mash, the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled, must contain at least 51% corn. The mash must be distilled at 160 proof or less, put into the barrel at 125 proof or less, and it must not contain any additives. The distillate must be aged in a new charred oak barrel. If you distill a whiskey in your kitchen that meets all of these standards, congrats, you’ve made bourbon. Also, you’ve broken the law; the ATF is probably outside your house right now.
Things get a bit more complicated than that, though. If you want to call your bourbon “straight bourbon,” you have to age it for at least two years in the barrel. If you age it for less than four years, you have to put an age statement somewhere on the bottle telling folks just how long you aged it. Thus, when you pick up a bottle of straight bourbon that doesn’t explicitly say how old it is , you’re probably getting sauce that’s at least four years old, but probably not much older.
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Preparing The Grain Aka Malting
Grain shipped to the whiskey manufacturer is first stored in silos, and then inspected and cleaned to remove all the dust, and any other foreign particles that may be present. Except for barley, all other grains are ground in a gristmill.
The resulting meal from the grind is then mixed with water, and then slowly cooked in a closed pressure cooker at temperatures up to 310°F The meal can be cooked even more slowly in an open cooker at 210°F.
Barley contrarily is not cooked, but is malted a process that involves soaking it in water, and then spreading it out, and keeping it moist for roughly three weeks This process of malting basically helps the barley sprout or germinate, and converts it into sugars.
What Is Bourbon And How Is It Different From Other Types Of Whisky
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, distilled from a mash made primarily of corn. Despite its popularity, the spirit remains a mystery to many. So how is it defined, and what else does the beginner need to know? Here are 10 bourbon FAQs to get you started on Americas Native Spirit.
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Rules For Drinking Bourbon Correctly
Americas homegrown whiskey has become one of the most popular pours around. And with so many bottles flooding the market, the backbar has turned into a crowded landscape, one that could easily overwhelm the average drinker.
So we found a spirit guide. Beau Williams, the owner of Kansas Citys, lauded for having one of the countrys most outstanding bourbon selections, shares his rules for picking, sipping and mixing Americas favorite spirit.
Finish The Flight Board
To finish the board, I first sanded it starting with 120 grit and then 220 grit sand paper using my orbital sander .; After that, I applied Walrus Oil cutting board oil and then let it dry for 24 hours.; The next day I applied some Walrus Oil wood wax .; The finish is so smooth and pretty.; It couldnt have come out any better in my opinion.
This is what it looked like after it was sanded but before any oil or wax was applied.
Here it is after the oil and wax were applied!
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So How Can Your Age Your Own Liquor At Home
Using a wooden barrel to age liquor is easy. Our Red Head Barrels Liquor Flavoring Kit is a convenient set containing a wooden barrel and the flavor essences you need to make your own homemade whiskey. Each set comes with complete instructions on how to age and flavor your own liquor for a premium finished product producing ample enjoyment. Or, just follow the steps below.
- Step One Cure your wooden barrel. Curing is necessary to get rid of any bacteria and eliminate any leaks.
- Step Two Fill the barrel about halfway with a neutral-flavored spirit such as vodka or grain alcohol for bourbon, scotch, whiskey, brandy, or vodka essences. Taaka vodka is an excellent choice and costs only about $10 for a 1.75-liter bottle. If you want to use a rum essence, start with a clear, flavorless rum.
- Step Three Pour your flavor essence into the spirit barrel. Use one bottle of flavor essence for each liter of alcohol.
- Step Four Fill the barrel the rest of the way and place the bung in the hole on top.
- Step Five Avoid the temptation to open the barrel for two weeks.
- Step Six The fun part: taste your liquor. If you like the savor, its time to start drinking. If you dont want the flavor to change, pour the liquor into a bottle. If you would like to age it further, leave it in the barrel for another week, then taste again. Once you have consumed all your alcohol, pay us another visit to order more essences for next time.
Good News for Wine and Beer Lovers
Set The Depth Of The Drill
Clamp your board to the base of the drill press.; Attach a forstener bit that is slightly larger than the base of your glasses to your drill press and then set the depth that you want.; For the glasses that I used, a 2 diameter bit was perfect and drilling into the board 1/4 was plenty.; If you dont have a drill press, you could place a piece of tape on your forstener bit at the height that you want to stop drilling.; Then, when you drill down to the tape you know that youve reached the desired depth.
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What Is A Whiskey Bourbon Infusion
It is soaking other ingredients in the alcohol so their flavors meld, thereby making it more complex. There are many options when it comes to bourbon infusions.
For instance, bourbon paired with cinnamon, vanilla bean, nutmeg, apples, or peaches. The possibilities indeed seem endless here. The choice does come down to personal preference at this point.
Corn Moonshine Basis For Homemade Bourbon
Americans are famous for their love to corn moonshine. If the beverage was made in Kentucky, then after 2 years of maturing in oak barrels it has a right to be called bourbon. In other states its just corn whiskey. So how to make;bourbon?
Real bourbon is made from corn malt germinated grains, which are then dried, crushed, boiled and fermented. If you want to follow classic technology, you have to make malt and work with it just like with homemade whiskey. At home, it is simpler to use corn grits or flour saccharified with any variety of malt. Both methods of making bourbon give an equal taste of the final product.
Ingredients: Corn Grits 3.3 lbs/1.5 kg Malt 10.5 oz/300 grams Distillers Yeasts;
The choice between grits or flour is not crucial because it has no impact on the moonshine yield. Malt is required for corn raw materials saccharifying , It wont work without malt.
Caution! Its very important to maintain temperature regimes which are mentioned in the recipe. I recommend preparing thermometer in advance and not starting the making process without it.
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Straight Rye Whiskey Recipes
Straight Rye Whiskey Recipe: 51-100% Rye A Traditional industry standard usually includes corn/barley mix like a traditional bourbon, but majority grain is rye instead of corn.; Rye whiskey can be up to 100% rye, but some distillers argue you should have at least 6% or more of barley malt to ensure the conversion of starches to sugars so the yeast can convert those sugars to alcohol.; Otherwise, additional enzymes need to be added to the recipe to help with that conversion, so 100% to 94% rye whiskies will need that help.
Those rye whiskies that are 100% rye typically come from Canada, since they make 100% rye for their blended whiskey.; But remember that they are blending that 100% rye in with a 100% malt whiskey and a 100% corn whiskey.; So rye is sort of regional in taste profile.; Canadians like a softer, lighter whiskey so they blend it with other whiskies, but they refer to their whiskey as rye even though its not a true rye.; But they make 100% rye whiskey, so some new brands here in the U.S. are sourcing it from them as rectifiers here in the states.
Straight Rye Recipes: From 51% on up to 100%
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