Reiner

   I briefly talked to someone about making plum brandy and the fellow said that even 10 kilos of plums is too little to make a decent batch of plum brandy . Which is why Id like to ask how many kilos of fruit is required to make a relatively decent amount of brandy ( say 10 to 15 liters ) . Im asking for all types of fruit in general by the way , however I realize that different types of fruit may require different amounts , so feel free to correct me . Id also be interested to know if theres an online guide that deals with this topic .

 Anyways thanks ahead of time .

  Yup thats the thing . Ill have to look into how to fit one on my barrel , since it doesnt have a hole on it , into which a fermentationlock could fit .

  Ive been reading up on the subject of making spirits and I found an article which states that one should use a special type of tool ( one that I dont know the name of in English ) to release built up carbon dioxide from your mash while its fermenting ,  without letting in oxygen . Id like to know if this process is indeed necessary and Id also like to ask about how to fit a contraption like that into a 30 liter barrel , since mine doesnt have a ready made hatch or what have you into which a contraption like that could easily fit into .

  Thanks ahead of time -

  Id also like to ask if the quality of fruit matters when making brandy . In other words can inferior quality fruit be used to make decent brandy mash ? Im not talking about rotting fruit by the way , just inferior quality that most fruit merchants would happily give away to you for free .

19 hours ago, rtshfd said:

There are a few distilleries doing it.  I would imagine they would have to keep the distilling space fenced in and secured with approved locks.  It could only be done year round in warm climates too.  The thought of distilling outdoors without ample insulation during a NY winter makes me cringe. 

Also, to answer OP: Apply bug spray to yourself away from the still and you'll be fine, i guess.  Make sure you're collecting into an enclosed tank and through a screen of some forms.  I suggested a triclamp gasket that has a screen on it that would be sufficient.  You wont be able to seal the still or the parrot very well though.  Some bugs are unavoidable I would imagine.  It builds flavor character!

maybe you could encase the still and operation floor with a large bug net? 

  The bug net idea sounds good .  Though Im not exactly sure how that would work out .

  At any rate thanks again for the answers everyone .

23 hours ago, rtshfd said:

Are you worried about keeping them out of your product?  I would use a gasket with a screen through which product can flow but no solids.  Make sure your tank is buttoned up as much as possible.  You're outside though.  You wont be able to avoid them completely.  I've found that whiskey, in particular, attracts fruit flies rather well so expect your parrot to gum up with bug guts.  I believe people call that "earthy flavor!"

  Yup Im worried about keeping them out of my product and Id also rather not get a million bug bites . Im just worried about the chemicals from bug spray contaminating my product which is why Im asking .

     Is clawhammer supply a reliable source when it comes to information about distilling by the way ? They have quite a few guides about making homemade spirits which is why Im asking .

I plan on possibly distilling outdoors , however Im worried about bugs because of the upcoming summer . Is it safe to use bug spray near your mash ? Or are there better techniques to keep bugs away ?

   Thanks ahead of time .

15 hours ago, MDH said:

What kind of fermentation and fruit processing equipment do you have available?

You can mash the plums into a fine pulp, add some water - no more than 10-20% by volume, then remove the pits (most of which will sink to the bottom) before fermentation proceeds.

With plums, you can either ferment the plums by simply allowing them to begin fermenting by themselves. This is the best method in my opinion when it comes to clarity of fruit taste - the only caveat with using wild yeast is that you must distill immediately after the fermentation finishes. Or, you can use a commercial yeast like Red Star Cote de Blancs.

In all cases, you will want to make sure the fermentation is not allowed access to open air. This is because the fruit will form a cap during fermentation, and this cap can become infected if allowed access to oxygen.

Best of luck.

   Just a few barrels at the moment .  Can the pits be removed before adding water to the pulp by the way ? Or is it important that they be removed only after water has been added to the pulp ?

  Anyways thanks for the answer .

On 2016. 05. 27. at 11:22 PM, MDH said:

Reiner, what kind of fruit are you trying to mash?

    Im interested in all sorts of fruit but as of now I think Im going to stick to plum mash .

   Im pretty sure that the process involves grinding down the fruit and adding it to water , but I suspect theres much more to it than that .  Id appreciate any sort of info .

    Thanks ahead of time .

Just now, Gwydion Stone said:

http://homedistiller.org/

What are you interested in making?  

 

     Whiskey and fruit brandy

   Ill probably look into buying some books about distilling spirits , but Im curious to know if there are any online guides available regarding this topic . Id greatly appreciate any sort of info or links .  Thanks ahead of time  .

   P.S. I apologize if this is an already existing topic , but this forum doesnt seem to have the option of searching for specific thread terms . This isnt meant to be a complaint by the way , just a simple explanation . 

Does whiskey mash go bad if you leave it out too long after its fermented ? In other words is it safe to let fermented whiskey mash sit for two weeks ?

I apologize if this question has already been asked before , but Im not familiar with this forums search engine . Anyways Id like to ask how long it takes for corn whiskey mash to ferment . Some sources say three days , while others say three .

Thanks ahead of time .