Whisky Blending : Finding Hearts, Heads Tails And Hunting For Flavour
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- Last week I finished the spirit run for my bastard whisky. Now its time to asses the cuts. I want to decide which cuts have something worth contributing to the final blend, and what should be left out.
Its all about finding the heads, hearts and tails & hunting out other flavours that may work well as the whiskey ages.
Don’t forget to check the comments, that’s where the real magic happens!
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The thing about the "toe jam" "wet dog" smells you mentioned-- when combined with other base aromas, they can alter things in ways you could never imagine: when chemists separated out the 70 or so chemicals that give chocolate its taste/smell they found some of the individual constituents to be reminiscent of burnt tires, feet, barnyards, burning garbage etc. However when they all act together you get a lovely chocolate taste. Chemistry is very fascinating.
Dude, that was awesome. I've read a ton about cuts, but watching you go through it jar by jar was so helpful. Really clears up so questions. Thanks so much for sharing the process!!!:-)>
+Bearded & Bored thanks man. Just re stating what I have learnt elsewhere hahaha
But I guess some people prefer to see rather than read :)
I love finding that savory note deep in the tails ❤️. It shows up for me most often with corn based runs, but I've had it turn up in everything from barley to brandy.
Thanks for sharing. We are learning to be better crafters
Great video. Thanks from the Great White North 🇨🇦
I like the paper towel techneque
@6:13 - "I've already drank.... Look how many I have to get through!"
Welcome to the party!
+BigEdsGuns bahahaha. Party started a few minutes after the camera turned off ;)
I found your channel from "Whisk(e)y Vault". I'm subscribed now. Very cool video!
Man I learned so much. Keep these videos coming.
+Andrew Alwine thanks man :)
Have you thought of taking out some of your core blend, separating into small jars, and then adding a to scale quantity of one (and only one) of the questionable jars to each? It seems to me that the uniqueness of any spirit will rely much more on the heads and tails included than on the hearts. Just discovered your channel and am really enjoying it.
loved this! Great job.
Hahaha “Funk and nail polish” couldn’t say it better myself 😂😂
+Inkwellish hah but it is though right??
Damn that looks like a lot of fun! I think geeking out on process can be as much or more fun than drinking itself.
Exactly man. I definitely like the making more than the drinking. . . . . And the drinking is pretty fun hahahaha
Celebrate when you make a good drop by drinking it :) rinse and repeat
Celebrate when you make a good drop by drinking it :) rinse and repeat
Great job on the cut mix video. Thank you.
ps.. fun watching, learning, doing.
I picked up a bottle of scotch before starting this series, and it happened to be the same scotch you used in this video for reference! I came here from Tech Ingredients, by the way.
Ah cool man, lucky coincidence haha.
Welcome and thanks for following the link over here :)
Fascinating! You should find a way to get Daniel and Rex to sample it after you age it.
+Keith Clark-Hoyos the thought may have crossed my mind dude ;)
I told them the same thing on episode 200. They liked the idea. That would be awesome. Whisky Vault on the road! Home brewed edition!
+Keith Clark-Hoyos will have to find a few other reasons to get them to NZ then I guess haha.
what more could the mooch need??? haha
+Keith Clark-Hoyos haha who knows man. Unfortunately NZ is not exactly a hot bed of whisky production.
Dude! Awesome vid. I am so jealous that you can distill legally, so I'm living vicariously through you. Keep up the good work!
Edit: too much whiskey breaks my spelling
Ah true that man! Yeah I feel for you guys :(
Luckily if scotch is your poison, at least its one of those drinks that the commercial guys do pretty well!
Well done, really cool video. I feel like my palate would be totally burned out after about 5 or 6 haha. Cheers!
Very interesting Sir.
Congrats..! You did a great job there, trying to make your first blend. You'll be surprised what you get once it has been on wood for a while. It doesn't really take long before it mellows out and takes some flavor from the wood. If you're going to toast some staves and drop them in, be careful not to overdo the toasting and not to add too many at the time. Remember the surface area compared to a barrel is much bigger when you have staves of wood in there, as the spirit surrounds the wood instead of just sitting on one surface. Happy stilling..
Thanks dude.
Yup im goign to plan on having at least half of it sit for 6+months. I may put a little more wood in the other half just to have something ready a little earlier as well :)
keep up the good work learning alot from you bud.cheers
🥃 cheers mate :).
Awesome video Jesse! I have been looking for a video that makes learning how to blend and cut whiskey easy, at least for me anyway. I am just starting to distill and as I am sure most of us has done with the cuts, which is to totally screw it up. Thank you from making a video that helps dummies like me who can only learn from a visual explanation. BZ!
Cheers mate! Its a daunting task huh!?! I hope it went well . . . or will go well if you have not started it yet! Let us know how you get on :)
This was a solid video. Extensive and very clearly explained as you went through your thought process.
My only question is your feints, do you just add it to a wash/mash that you are distilling, or is it going into your stripping run for the next time you are cutting and blending to increase your hearts size?
or do you do a feints only cut run and just keep the hearts from that run?
Sorry if this has been already asked.
Your videos are all great and you present all the relevant info very well
Cheers mate :).
I have been doing a little of both. Mostly adding them into the spirit run next time.
I have also saved up a few different lots of feints. I'm thinking a mixed whisky(e)y all feints run may be interesting.
I would be very interested in your results from a feints run
Thanks Jesse! I have been torn making cuts mostly because I really don't like the rough bite of the heads. I've watched other videos where they take about 250ml or more off for the heads and Fores and keep the rest to 40%. (maybe this is fine for a year stint in a barrel?). I do find that the cuts I decide on when it comes out of the still can be different than what I actually cut after it has set for 48hrs, but the cuts sure do help to find the center of the run . Running pot mode with some scrubbies, I always toss approx 1L or more of heads just on smell (40L batch). But Hey, it's all about what you like. Cheers!!!!
Mmmm ashtray flavour 🤤
Hey man! Just come over from the Whiskey Vault! Fellow Kiwi here and loving the videos. Really helpful with trying to really decide if I want to start distilling myself. Reckon you'll make a bourban at some point?
+Shayne Griffin hows it man, welcome :). It's a addictive hobby dude, I don't mean the drinking part either haha.
About to put out a ujsm video today ;).
So much knowledge thanks
I just discovered the corn smell/taste.
For the longest time I never understood when people said moonshine smelled or tasted like corn. Like....without butter and salt what does corn even taste like? Let alone smell like.
But the last run I did, jar #5 I took a whiff and maaaan it was like sticking my face in a bag of Fritos corn chips. Like exactly the same. I followed that scent and my heads and tails came out perfect.
Hey, man. I was a cruel early critic of your channel but I have to say I now eagerly await your next video. You stopped talking and started doing, respect for that.
I am awaiting delivery of my new gin still from Alan Manning in order to keep up with you,
after my apprenticeship on an AirStill.
I wish I had the time and space to make one myself but hey.
Keep it up.
Hows it going Marc,
Yeah I think its pretty obvious that I had an awkward transition into the channel haha. In some ways I should have waited untill I was up and running to start, on the other hand documenting the whole thing is kina cool too.
Either way I think I am starting to find my way a little more. Wouldnt got there if people didnt tell it like it is though ;)
In this game you can't be afraid of failure! Well done, sir.
Well put. Cheers mate 🥃
your going to get hammered on that lot!
+brittenv1000 haha. It's going to be a while. And if it's as good as I hope I think I will be savoring it ;)
I find that if my deep tails be 100 proof no problem.. Rerun mixed still kicks out 130 gos up to 150 to 160 then runs for a long time at 100 proof... by this time main still cooking off water thumper full of alcohol.To my surprise take out first jar and mix the rest.from 55 gall get 3 gallons un cut hi test .Cut to 110 to drink mix 50/50 water..it's on.lol two kegs love me thumper.Found that after setting for a week it really changes for the best let air for a few days .
Would the feints clean up into something usable if put thru a turbo 500 or reflux still?
Have you considered doing a "Reserve" or "Queens Share" run?
My man. Love it
Cheers dude 😉
Well done. This is one of your best vids. You are settling into doing these vids and your true self is beginning to shine through as your confidence is rising. You come across much better. Now dont be offended with what I am going to say next - in contrast to some of your earlier vids it was great that you did not go on with "Im pumped" "Im stoked" almost air punching shite, it impresses no one. You are a good lad, genuine and doing your best and this shines through as it did in the video. Again, well done and keep the vids coming - just be yourself! Please remember most of us are normal lads just interested in stillin. We can do without the tom cruise enthusiasm. You may hate me for this but dont, I am in your corner.
+Jimy Dee bahahaha nah dude. I don't take that stuff personally! Actually I appreciate it when people speak up. So thanks man.
Yeah I hear you. It was never faked, I think more that it's just weird as hell talking to a camera.
It's weird I kinda pride my self on being a good public speaker. But talking to no one is WEIRD. I think the vid I did with my buddy kinda snaped me out of it.
Still It - your a great guy and I love your vids. Well done. Keep up the work.
+Jimy Dee thanks dude appreciate it!! Let me know if there is anything specific you want to see 😃
hey still it love your work keep it up can you put tails in the thumper thanks. btw your really helping out the distilling community
Honestly, I have not used a thumper yet. So can't speak to it's Intricacies.
But I can't see why not. It's essentially another still. And you can definitely use them in a still.....
Is there a reason you don't want to put them into the main boiler? (Actually asking a question there, not being jerky haha).
yeah i dont think i will put them in i havnt distilled yet so im still a noob but wouldnt they build up tails in the next run thanks for your quick reply
Sorry for the not so quick follow up haha.
Yeah, I guess you don't want to keep doing it indefinitely. A lot of people will save all the heads and tails (and call them feints) and save them up over multiple batches until they have an all feints batch. Then run that. . . . reportedly that can be something special.
This is always the hard part,when I get out of the sting or tingle on the heads, and when I smile the tails were they start smiling gross I stop ... great video
Thanks man :) Appreciate it !!
Yup its goign to take a fair bit more learning before I am completely comfortable with it. But I am getting there at least!
Interesting video...will want to try this down the learning curve...want to get more experience 1st on bourbons
Nice mate. I do everything like this now, even the vodka etc. Its easier for me, no need to make decisions while the still is running.
12.34 "Ah, Whatever, it's all going in! *demon cackle* ".
Hahaha - how much had you consumed at that point?
Very cool, nice when you make something that tastes just like you wanted it too when you set out.
Good on yah fella!
+LemmingHerda hahahaha. Not a lot actually! Hahaha. But it seems to me that just smelling and tasting/spitting. Gets you merry too!
Dunno about "like I wanted before". But definitely happy with it for a first attempt. Now I need to wait for it.....and not drink it.....
First sweet nailpolish.
Then some ethanol
Then Wet socks.
Save the liquor in between
If ethanol evaporates at room temperature, with all those glass jars being unlidded, is it a concern that you're losing alcohol? Or is it such a small amount of loss that it's trivial?
enjoyed the video mate
got a still on the way excited to start
+Kasey Cox yeeeeeeooowwwww! Awesome! What kit are you getting?!
Still It north Georgia pot still
+Kasey Cox awesome man. Bet you are getting excited!
very very cool... educational and funny!
Thanks my man!
Would it be worth the time, effort and expense to distill the heads and tails a second time as opposed to disposing of it or adding it to the next mash?
hi my friend.just got into this wonderful new hobby.one big problem Is I'm anosmiac(clinical lack of taste and smell due to head injury)so I'm being extra cautious and relying on thermometer.any tips on how to get round this problem.I presume probably best to enlist a helper with taste and smell.I'm probably losing a fair amount of good stuff,but don't wanna go blind.haha.thanks for all the info.stay kickbacks,west cork.eire
What's reflux run? Can you redistill heads or do I give it to the wife as nail polish remover? Can I redistill tails?
How's it mate I would suggest you watch the "what is reflux" video I made a while ago. It is part of the ffV video :). That will explain reflux.
Throw away the fore shots, keep the heads and tails as " feints" you can add those back into your next distillation.
Thanks for your vedio
Trying to remember to like and comment on every video as the playlists roll. Good background TV while I don't distil my own recipes. Keyword don't. Because that would be illegal. So I wouldn't ever do that.
Good video BRHO! Please keep in mind that whisky is whiskey and Scotch is Scotland species. This is always the existing part of distilling. Go with what you like and stick with it. Remember it’s not what you do it’s the way you doing it! Cheers!
Thanks man.
Whisky = Scotch. Whiskey = bourbon version ;) Tricksey "e" hahaha.
But yeah, obviously its not actually a scotch as I am not in scotland hahah.
Still It go is Scotland and tell them that there whiskey is awesome! Scotch = single malt. And Whiskey = blended malt. I would like to know if you have try the Crown Royal whiskey?
+Norbury53 that's a dang good point!
And honestly I had no idea about whisky in India! Do you know what their grist is? Will have to look into it!
+1FrenchConnection1 yeah very good point dude.
I have but it was before I actually cared about spirits for much other than getting drunk. If I remember correctly I drank it with coke.
Still It yes you can but I like mine straight only for tasting! Your are on the ball with answering quickly it’s very appreciated.
Be Cuz dude.!
I know this is a much older video so I hope you see this.... Do u do that for all ur whiskeys? I have just been mixing everything & cutting it down to 80 proof (40%) to drink. Have let oak more or less (clean up) the not so great flavors
Yeah I do this for everything man. It's the best way for me so far.
...Takes break appears in exactly the same spot in the same position... are you JESUS? XD Good video... I love/hate blending. It's fun to taste all the different points of the run but I can't stop second guessing myself and when I lock down a blend I always have regrets... "SHOULD'VE LEFT OUT JAR 18!!!!"
+dannalbob hahahaha I think we all know the answer to that one!
Yeah I hear you dude. It's kinda the make or break point in some ways huh?
I've had a lot of people tell me to put the shine that's left over, back into my mash. But, to save the last 3/4's to1 gal of a gal of the tails and put it into the thumper of a higher proof run. So my question's are, Can I add the leftovers back into my mash ? And does it rais the overall proof of my run by putting the tails into my Thumper ?
+John Boardman personally I wouldn't stick it back into the mash. And when I say that I mean pre fermentation. The alcohol is just going to make it tougher on the yeast to do their job.
But put it into the boiler with the mash, or put it into your low wines. Generally it's called "feints". Google feints and you should get all the info you need ;)
That's kinda what I was thinking . And it makes good scence to put in with the RUN NOT the MASH. Thanks for your imput vvery well recieced,
+John Boardman no danger dude :) happy stillin ;)
Man this is fascinating, so will a master distiller create casks of distinct flavours using multiple still runs to create a unique blendable casks at the end?
+Terry Dolan as I understand it I do not think this was ever part of the traditional scotch process. They basically take the hearts. Seperating them from heads and tails.
When you can age it for 10 years a lot of the tails funk and heads fake fruit/bite end up transforming into other tasty flavours.
Im not going to have the patience for that!! I may last 6months hahah. That doesn't give nearly enough time to chemically change all the nasty stuff. So basically I am being more picky now about what I put in there.
Depends on the distillery, and how they are collected. If no cuts, then everything was collected and then racked into barrels for aging.
After aging, some would blend several barrels together. Others would bottle from a single aged barrel from a run. Keep in mind each "run" could be a single, double, or tripled distill.
Can heads be used for fuel purposes?
Does anyone know what the chemical makeup of the heads are, what exactly is giving it that acetone taste? I know acetone is produced by a dry distillation of acetate, but still unsure if small amounts can be produced in the fermentation and distillation of grains, fruits etc
How do I clear my alcohol after using tap water to dilute. Is cloudiness the only reason not to use tap water"
Novice here. I've heard that if there's too much tails in your blend, it can go cloudy when diluted, because the fusel is less soluble at lower abv so precipitates out. You could check if that's the problem by taking a jar of mid hearts(where there's no tails) and diluting with same water. If it still goes cloudy, your water is the problem.
Did you get all those jars out of a single 50L run....or is that multiple distillation runs from a much larger ferment?
That's correct bud. This was from the spirit run that was made from stripping runs. So yeah one 50l spirit run, but that was made up of more than one strip.
Ahh gotcha that makes sense. I was confused, thinking how the hell did he get 12-15L from a 50L run? hahaha. :D cheers.
Hahaha yeah man :). There is a playlist on the channel that has all the videos for this recipe
Still It thanks dude I'll check it out. I'm sure I've watched them all but probably not in the right order and I have learned a bunch since... So maybe it will sink in a little better now? :D
Hahaha true that. I need to find a better way to organize new videos that relate to old vids!
Hey man 2 questions :
1.) I just made a 5 gallon wash and when I was pitching the yeast I made sure to use distilled water at 110f and added my yeast, as I waited for my mash temperature to come down to 80f my yeast starter started to overflow so I split it between two cups for a minute or two before I added it to my mash at a final temperature of 80f, in thinking my fermentation will be ok but I wanted Another opinion, thoughts ?
2.) I have a small boiler for my still maybe I could fit about 1-2 gallons safely with enough room so it doesn't overflow, how do I control my cuts with my heads hearts and tails if I have to keep refilling my still to finish my 5 gallon wash ?
+I Control yeah 80f is plenty cool enough. That should go great. Just give it time and let it do it's thing😀
Best way would be to run 2-3 stripping runs first. Then combine the low wines for a spirit run.
Still It would I need to throw out foreshore each time I refill my still to finish my 5 gallon mash ? Also thanks for the response to my questions
+I Control could do it either way. Personally I only take the fores off the spirit run.
I figured tht the fores are more compressed that way.
VITAMIN I BET
+walt braden I don't remember this video well enough to know exactly what you are talking about sorry.
Slack as.....and a few drinks deep tonight haha😁😊
Cheers man.
dude, i am smelling jim beam buorbon and there is a scent it is ok. (do not mind the oak) then i smell my foreshots and hearts section; foreshot's scent closer to jim beam than hearts section. my hearts section always smells like green banana. is it normal? i can not find the word to explain. when i smell a real bourbon there is a sour fruit scent like when you open cap of finished fermantation bucket and i love it. i think all good flavors goes with foreshots.. i cannot save this sour fermantation scent in my product. almost all of whiskeys same scent in empty bottle even more. i can not catch them. any advice? thank you. if you can not understand (i could not explained good sorry) scent i talk about, please smell empty whiskey bottle then you can understand me sorry for bad english: (
DAM IM ALREADY MEESED UP
+walt braden hahaha
Hi, love your videos but I want to ask you why you have so many different levels in your jars. I collect in 330ml jars (easy to source and cheap) and after throwing the first one as a safety precaution, the second and third are what I call foreshots and they are almost always cloudy and really don't smell good so I put them in my next distillation. After that, I collect in 330 jars until I judge that the smell coincides with the reduction in % proof. I stop at 40% and anything after that goes with the foreshots in to the next distillation. How much of the fores and feints do you include?
Guess it depends what your making man.
But for rum/whisky you definitely want to at least have a look at the lower tails and see what flavour is down there. Then potentialy do a small scale test of the blend before throwing it all in.
But yeah reflux I can see my self doing something similar.
Or if you mean the smaller glass jars it's just so I have greater resolution near points where I think I tricky decision may turn up.
Thanks, I appreciate your reply.
Any time mate :)
What do you mark your jars with ?
a pin
Looks like you stopped spitting it out man...looks good though..
Tails - old wet cardboard?
+Roger Corbett fDPO sounds about right to me! Is that what is smells like to you too?
I'm sorry I'm sure I should know this but how big of run was this?.and also very well done on the video
Thanks my man.
ahhhhh this was just under 100L I think. (of wash)
Hey dude, who large was you wash?
+glenncol hows it man, a touch over 100l
Cool as dude, looks like you are going to have a blast
+glenncol delayed gratification I guess....it's going to be a while
+glenncol haha. Yeah. Need to get this oaked and out of sight so I actually get to taste it with some age!
35%😂
3 vids and that's enough yapping for me.
Seeeeeee yaaaaaaaa 👋
Nah I should drink this shit.
You say too much
+Leonardo Gomes a distillery never says to much, nor does he say too little. He says precisely what he .......
Oh, crap, wait.......
No. That's wizards and arrival times. Never mind.
So how much did you start with in the wash ? And after the stripping run
Very interesting method and presentation job with fraction of the distillate. ⚗️👍