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Aging with Apples


sweetT14

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So I have recently been experimenting with a moonshine, aged for 72 hours in chopped apples to smooth the harsh taste. Seems to work really well but takes out the flavor of the whiskey and gives just the slightest hint of apple flavor.

got any ideas on how to make my shine smoother besides using apples?

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We elaborated special treatment of beverages on the base of fresh fruit and grain distillates in flow by dinamic method. So, it is possible considerably improve organoleptic properties of the drinks. Bevereges do not lost its spicific features but are becoming more balanced, noble, smooth in taste and aroma, all defects of spirit are removing. By the way, the method is suit also for matured spirits. We installed a number of the installations in Europe at some big different kinds fruit and wine brandy manufacturers. As for capacity of the technologies here to be able to treat 600-15 000 LPH of the drinks.The system is very serviceable and allow to obtain different by conception drinks out of one spirits.

As for applying choped apples for smooth harsh taste i think it is very original idea. But i suppose it is not convinient to implement it in industrial conditions. You should to thoroughly filtrate the drink and stabilize it. More over from choped apples the beverage get different unwanted nonorganic and organic salts, at first place salts of iron which will be considerably destabilize the drink.

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So you are saying my Mash is what is causing me to drink fire? I thought it was more about the aging process that smooth's it out. Im experimenting with different aging techniques to put the flame out on my whiskey, but I don't want to age it in barrels or wood. I know using apples is very original but I wanted to start at the simplest idea to fully understand as I progress. I thought it would help me come up with better ideas if I have researched and tried every aging technique. I want to get away from the obvious barrel aging. Trying to spark a new idea.

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Mash is spot on. With a shine it's all about your grain bill, how your run your still and your cuts. There's no oak to mask loose cuts or harsh starch/sugar choices. It's a real challenge to make a super smooth shine. We've tried many bills and found one that works real well. It's not very economical to make due to the grain bill costs and hearts cuts, but man... I've never had a smoother and full body shine, ever.

So, you might want to experiment with a small still and test out many grain bills. We did and found a real winner. Now, if we could only make it econimically... I just don't think people will be down with paying over $30 for a shine. But, the grain bill, taxes and work put it there.

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I can analyze chromatographs also. I work as a chemist now but unfortunately I cannot use the labs HPLC or GC for anything non-work related.

I would bet you are correct Valerii but what would cause the organic compounds to be in the alcohol. My distillation technique must have error, correct??

That is the trouble I'm having. I do not want to lose the flavor produced by running a single run through a pot still but I need to find a happy medium for refining my distillation technique to increase separation between other organics and the ethanol.

I think that is just it though, removing the organics from the alcohol is essentially removing the organic compounds that give flavor also. This must be where the art of distilling whiskey comes into play...

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Yeah, the book of hard knocks. Nothin' better than some elbow grease, a bunch of different ten gallon washes and good notes. If you put in the time and effort then you'll find it too. Start with single grains and find what works. Then move to combining different types of that grain family for more complexity. If running a simple pot, run it twice. If a thumper, once. Can't advise on a fractional, never ran one.

So, I guess the question isn't what makes it hot, but what doesn't. You'll find it if you put in the effort.

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Sweet, yes i suppose that what kind of problems you have here it is difficult to say at once. In generally for right result as for organoleptic properties of distilled spirit are responsible both quality of grain, grain preservatives, processes of fermentation and distillation itself. Naturally, to denote and describe the reasons you want to exlude in order to get rid of negative results in organoleptic properties of the spirits, for sure, i think it is not possible. There are description of organic compounds that indeed are responsible for bitter, burning, harsh tastes, but what concretely you have to correct to improve organoleptic properties it is possible to solve the task just on place.

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Thanks guys! All of that makes perfect sense to me, and has pushed me in the direction that I was needing to go in regards to "What do I research?". I know the business side of the start up will be tough but I run several small businesses now, so I think I can handle that side of it. But I was working with only one light bulb when it comes to distilling whiskey, and ya'll have turned on a lot more light bulbs for me, so seriously thank you!

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Is it common to drink the results of a single run off of a pot still? Even with a thumper I would think it would benefit from another pass.

It is very common on the show moonshiners for the distillers to do single run pot distillation, without a thumper. I have also learned from watching the show that you do not need to make heads or tails cuts and that some prefer to include the foreshots as well. Their stuff obviously tastes great. :lol: </sarcasm >

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Today I spent about an hour doing the blending of our shine and I can say without a dought, the greatest factor for no sting is really good cuts. You can have the best wash, the best still run, but if you screw up your cuts, it's going to have needles when you drink it. We try to make all our spirits without needles. Ya know that feeling, needles poking the back top of your throat when you drink it. The cut was small, but insanely smooth and full of flavor. Call it, the heart of the heart. This is well worth $40 a bottle, if not more.

If you're just starting out, capture the hearts in many canisters and proof down samples of each jar, then blend them many different ways. You'll learn a ton doing this. Try not to be greedy and only take what you like. You can use the left overs in your next run to grow your hearts.

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