All Grain Brewing For Beer Or Spirits 101 Intro

[@BeardedBored]

There are a surprising number of hobby distillers who don't brew beer, and I think that is a crying shame. There is so much crossover in skills and so much fun to be had. Thanks for doing this video Jesse!

[@michaelnichols1977]

You have a great point. Is it true that hops butcher the flavor when distilled?

[@BeardedBored]

@@michaelnichols1977 Hops oils get even stronger tasting in a distilled beer, so it can make for an unpleasant flavor. Kind of depends on the amount of hops in the original beer though. Pretty sure there are still a few commercial distilleries that make "bierbrand" or hopped whiskey from actual beer.

[@andrewc1038]

Cheers mate!! Long time home brewer here - doing my first mash for Distilling this weekend! Your channel is an inspiration- thank you!!!

[@StillIt]

OH. HELL. YES! Hope it goes well

[@OutDoorsMan1342]

Just another beautiful day in the office Jesse I have never done any grain brewing so I learned heaps thanks to both of you.

[@StillIt]

Awesome! This video was made just to peak the interest of those that have not used all grain yet. Glad it did it ;)

[@51rwyatt]

Great video. Been brewing for a while and was not aware of this spaceship level of equipment/methods.

[@StillIt]

haha yeah, Matt went next level man!

[@lordsigurdthorolf1202]

Thank you for your time. I switched from bottles to kegs because of the time to clean and not getting the bottles back ;

[@StillIt]

Yeah, the time and effort savings are nuts right?

[@lordsigurdthorolf1202]

@@StillIt Yep ;

[@engizmo]

Love imperial stouts and barley wines. Thanks for sharing.

[@StillIt]

Nom Nom

[@heymulen1840]

Chase the craft in evrything you do ! Was just making a rye bread, listning to Jesse praise Matt's gear and thought. JESSE show us what you got ! All your gear and all your stills and what you use the different ones to destill on. Have an awesome day chasing around after , , , stuff :-)

[@StillIt]

hahaha yeah man.

[@richardriach5775]

Good vid guys, Love the space. Cheers Jesse and Matt.

[@StillIt]

Cheers mate

[@fourdeadinohio8303]

as I said before..... the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys..you the man!

[@StillIt]

Cant argue with that!

[@whiskywaffle7361]

The part about different strike temperatures is fascinating! We have a distiller friend who tailors his mash to different barrel types: lighter casks such as ex-bourbon or pinot he will use a higher mash temperature to create more unfermentable sugars to create a character to suit the gentler wood. For ex-port or sherry barrels, however, he will use a lower strike temp as the final spirit will be able to stand up to the fortified wine better. I always thought there's an interesting experiment in there... Keep on waffling, Nick

[@StillIt]

Huh, thats a interesting idea. I have heard different ideas about leaving sugar in the pot to go through some mailard reactions.

[@heathhamlin2144]

Great video. What a set up!

[@StillIt]

Yeah, I lust after it!

[@SyBernot]

He broke the rule to buddy brewing! When buddy brewing the only correct answer to "What do we do now?" is "Have a beer!" It seems a bit of a paradox but you have to have beer to make beer.

[@StillIt]

Heh, this is true. Just like money.

[@wldtrky38]

What an awesome brew setup !! I'm rarely jealous of anything, but good Lord I LOVE that setup ! It would make my time and work soooo much better used! My 1st run of bastard Scotch is done, # 2 fermentation almost complete. Can't wait to get it in (and out) of my 2 gallon oak keg. The white dog is WONDERFUL 😉 Thanks Jesse, great upload.

[@StillIt]

Yeah, I want one! Awesome, glad it turned out well.

[@adiefender]

Brewing beer is epic! I use the SS Brewtech fermenters, they are awesome! Using O2 after the chill helps for the yeast to increase production before they start converting the sugars.

[@StillIt]

Yeah, I would love a uni-tank or two. Those things look awesome!

[@somerandomguy32]

Another great episode ..matt seems like the kinda guy that decides to try distilling and builds a geneo for his first still so he doesnt have to upgrade later ... hes doing better being in front of the camera also ...I think with his set up you could make a pretty interesting grain mash for distilling ...drag him into your garage to help on the run of the mash to see if he can still find the flavors or in which jar he finds it ...

[@StillIt]

haha, I mean he has been brewing for a LONG time. Its taken years for him to build up to this setup. No doubt he will be upgrading again some time soon though!

[@rickmilkovic]

Jesse knowledge is the key for the map to get to you destination. I enjoyed seeing Matt and his brewing kit in action, he seems to be a fellow of few words...

[@StillIt]

I mean the poor guy got thrown in the deep end and had some big hairy dude screwing up his brew day haha

[@rickmilkovic]

@@StillIt For thousands of years intimidation has worked,lol..this case you got his knowledge,a smileand a look at those swwet pink crocks..keep on keepin on brother...

[@davegoliathbrewing5719]

It was all impromptu, and I was nervous haha. I'm usually the opposite until there's a camera lol

[@rickmilkovic]

@@davegoliathbrewing5719 hey Matt you did great man , I get all nervous and make mistakes in front of people so much so that when someone comes to my shop I stop workin till they leave..lol

[@justinwoody8546]

Philosophical question. If you were to bump your SG up with corn sugar on an all grain mash, is it still considered all grain being corn sugar is nothing but converted corn?

[@dimash244]

Great video! Made some notes :) thank you!

[@StillIt]

Awesome :)

[@ethhunter7170]

Great brew day guys!

[@StillIt]

so good to brew some beer again!

[@philiptruitt]

Thank you!

[@DrunkinRhino]

Brewers Friend is a good free place thats like Beersmith.

[@StillIt]

Dam good recommendation!

[@davidrogers6262]

I've used "Brewer's Friend" for recipes and their calculators for brewing

[@peterscandlyn]

Also Brewfather

[@paulhoffman4712]

I use brew mate.

[@tysonc6422]

Hey, love the videos but have one noob question. How does the ccvm head prevent vapor from escaping straight out the top and still allow for coil height adjustments? Couldn't find a clear explanation of this in your library or on other videos. Is it open to atmosphere when the reflux coil is operating?

[@StillIt]

It just knocks all the vapor down that gets to it. That is why there is that little extension above the tee. Compleatly open and not sealed at the top.

[@tysonc6422]

@@StillIt Fantastic. Thanks for taking the time to get back to me and a huge thank you for all the content. It's much appreciated. Great channel! I'm gearing up for a whiskey distilled with birch sap in lieu of water this spring and have a very simple setup now (similar to the dr pepper model) but have enjoyed it and gotten some decent jars from it but your ccvm is an inspiration. Keep up the great work. TC

[@michaeljames3509]

Strike and target temperature are meaningless when producing home made ale but not when making home made, distillers beer that someone named ale. Beta is active at 64C but the malt is probably weak in Beta because the malt is high modified and conversion didn't take place. Beta is responsible for conversion. When conversion occurs, secondary fermentation takes place. Alpha involves starch, Beta involves sugar. Beta converts glucose released from amylose during liquefaction into complex sugar, maltose and maltotriose (60C optimum) during conversion, which yeast changes back into glucose during secondary fermentation. An enzyme in yeast does the converting. A grain whiskey maker uses a higher temperature to denature Beta because it adds a week to two weeks onto the process due to complex sugar having to change back into glucose. Maybe complex sugar adds something to the final product but I'm not sure what it would taste like after distillation. Glucose is simple sugar which is responsible for primary fermentation and ABV and a rest temperature at 66C produces mainly glucose and the temperature denatures Beta. Very little sweet tasting, nonfermenting sugar is released at 66C, as well. You threw away the starch that contains sugar responsible for body and mouthfeel into the compost heap. A distiller sells the starch and malto-dextrin is made from the starch. Amylo-pectin is hard, heat resistant, complex starch that makes up the tips of grain. The starch contains A and B limit dextrin which are tasteless, nonfermenting types of sugar responsible for body and mouthfeel. The finest ales and pils are made from dextrinous extract. Alpha releases the sugar during dextrinization and the mash jells up due to pectin, gelatinization. None of that happened when the distillers stout was made. Stick with making moonshine because single temperature infusion and high modified, high protein, malt make distillers beer, not ale. There's a certain maltster producing low protein Marris Otter, I can't remember which one. Obtain the spec sheet that's supposed to come with every bag of malt and buy the malt that's eight to 10 percent protein. The less protein the more sugar. Marris Otter is well know distillers malt. The low protein Marris is low in diastatic power, don't add adjuncts like corn and rice. Add six row malt when adjuncts are used.

[@DKeternal]

I want to be like Dave, but are pink Crocks necessary for a successful brew?

[@themig2131]

If you're ever in the California area, I'd love to show you the other method using liquid or dry malt..cheers.

[@williamsmith1741]

(12:09) Is that a Tupperware container or a plastic lid? That's a great idea to avoid channeling if you don't have the equipment to distribute the sparge water evenly. I don't have a fancy setup like Matt, and my layout kind of doesn't allow for the use of sparge nozzles and things like them, so I've had to work really hard to avoid channeling issues. Setting up a little plastic lid to float on top of the wort underneath the sparge stream should work perfectly. I can't believe I didn't think of that before!

[@williamsmith1741]

Also might want to talk about how you don't want to mill your grain to finely. Yes, you'll probably squeeze a little more starch out of the grain, but you also increase the chance of getting stuck mashes, which are a real beeyoch.

[@StillIt]

Indeed it is hahaha. Low tech solutions are great sometimes haha. Yeah dam good point!

[@lucassundman4316]

I'm a massive fan been watching you for a while now and even setting me up a still, but esky really your a Kiwi it's chilly bin haha I'm not mad I'm just disappointed hahahaha. Na I thanks for all the passion you have for the hobby it helps the rest of us want to do it

[@StillIt]

Ask me where I was born . . .. . ;) hahahaha

[@szcpos]

This button from 1:00... have to put on the to-do list!! :)

[@StillIt]

hahaha right?!

[@davegoliathbrewing5719]

Haven't had to use it for reals so far. Kills all pumps and elements but leaves displays up

[@robertschumann3840]

Shit. That was an awesome video. That boy Matt has all the toys. I’m a beer brewer. Thanks for that.

[@StillIt]

Yeah he takes his beer seriously haha

[@corywilliamsmith]

Stupid noob question but what grain is best for beer and where can I buy it

[@NetworkGeek280]

Wow, demineralising water before adding minerals back in to suit the beer profile is full beer nerd. Love it.

[@StillIt]

Indeed it is haha :)

[@tnm140]

This makes a complicated process even more complicated. I’m it’s simplest form all grain isn’t easy..... this is about as advanced as u can get

[@rasmusb2523]

When it comes to mineral additions to water it's kind of not necessary for distilling, unless it's for yeast health or adjustment of mash PH. Why? Well, you're distilling the beer/mash, it's going to stay in the boiler anyways ;). For beer it's a whole different game, mineral additions can greatly affect the taste of the final product.

[@StillIt]

Unless you are using RO water . . . . . . . then it is essential.

[@rasmusb2523]

@@StillIt Like I said, unless it's for yeast health :).

[@jivahar]

is it worth adding yeast nutrients?

[@szcpos]

Sometimes, very strong beers may require it.

[@StillIt]

I think of it like insurance. But its definitly less of a "must have" when fermenting all grain compared to sugar.

[@dimash244]

Pink Crocs brewery :)

[@StillIt]

HAHA

[@pexi86]

Thanks for this :)

[@glenna3434]

I agree with you Jesse, all distillers should learn how to be a kick-ass all grain brewer. Better mash = better spirit.

[@StillIt]

If you are going to use all grain its definitly worth the effort.

[@basevol9646]

Relax have a homebrew!

[@StillIt]

Rdwhahb

[@the_whiskeyshaman]

Yea the whole boil no boil issue the thing is if you want to boil and distill that’s totally fine if you wanna ferment straight out that’s fine. There’s good and bad to both.

[@davidrogers6262]

Jessie, Again, great video! I have been following you from the beginning and you, George and Bearded have taught me a ton. I have ,however have also been beer brewing for almost 2 years now and it has taken my mashing to another level. You can learn a lot about mashing from brewing good beers. Keep up the good work!

[@StillIt]

Totally agree Randall. Think we may need to setup a vid on that

[@StillIt]

@David, yeah I agree. Honestly I think both hobbies have a lot to learn from each over. Cross over is definitly a good thing.

[@phillipmain6475]

Don't sterilize a mash for distilling, you denature the enzymes. You want to break down as much of the sugars as possible.

[@StillIt]

There is a up side to that. There are also up sides to boiling as well. Depends what your goal is really.

[@southcack8245]

Very good and informative video, but I think the technicality of all the fancy equipment and methods are probably confusing for the novice learner. If I had to put it into practice with only very basic equipment, I think I would be lost.

[@MrEamo37]

If I wished to make a 30 litre mash with say a 14% ABV after fermentation, how much malted barley would I need to use without using sugar to obtain that ABV level ??? Or would I be better off using sugar with malted barley to reach that level and have the flavour from the barley in my end product ... Thank You in advance...

[@tasheemichelle2882]

6min 30, you say Matt "strips it back to pretty much just pure water". Does that mean his RO "pretty much" conducts electricity?

[@StillIt]

Depends how serious your Reverse osmosis setup and treatment/handling of that water afterwards. Im not standing in a tub of it with a hair drier. I wont bet my life on a complete lack of ions. :)

[@michaeljames3509]

Beta converts glucose into complex sugar maltose and maltotriose during conversion, not into a simpler sugar. Glucose is as simple as sugar can be which yeast loves during primary fermentation and it's responsible for ABV. When conversion occurs secondary fermentation is required because an enzyme within yeast has to convert complex sugar back into glucose and the time when that takes place is after all of the glucose released by Alpha is wiped out during primary fermentation. Beer doesn't need to be artificially carbonated when conversion occurs, beer naturally carbonates during conditioning. Artificial carbonation creates soda pop fizz. Beer made by using single temperature infusion and high modified malt is known outside of the home brew hobby as moonshiners beer because it's chemically and enzymatically impossible to make ale and lager using single temperature infusion and high modified malt. The method and the malt are used for making grain alcohol. Next time use 66C for making extract for distilling. Beta denatures rapidly at the temperature leaving Alpha to release glucose from simple starch, amylose during liquefaction and saccharification. The temperature is low, so less sweet tasting, non-fermenting sugar will form. The ABV will be high because the extract will contain more glucose than sweet, non-fermenting sugar. There's no sense in using a conversion rest when producing whiskey or to use it as a single temperature to make ale and lager. Since, the mash was rested at a temperature that activates Beta fermentation time increased. However, if the beer didn't require secondary fermentation the malt was over modified. To make ale and lager under modified, low protein malt is needed along with at least a step mash process. Under modified malt is rich in enzyme content and low protein malt is rich in sugar content. Weyermann's floor malt is an example. To determine modification and percentage of protein ask for the spec sheet that comes with every bag of malt, the numbers are listed along with a bunch of other numbers that a brewer uses to determine the quality of the malt before buying it. You really don't have a good understanding of the function of Beta and Alpha or the types of beer that are made with Beta and Alpha. A big beer wasn't produced, instead a thin, high ABV beer was made. To make a big beer too many steps were left out. Amylopectin is complex starch that contains limit dextrin. Limit dextrin is responsible for body and mouthfeel. The sugar is tasteless and non-fermenting. Amylopectin is heat resistant. The temperatures used with single infusion aren't high enough to cause the starch to burst and mix into the liquid where Alpha releases A and B limit dextrin during dextrinization. The richest starch in malt is thrown away with the spent mash. Dextrinization and gelatinization didn't occur when the beer was brewed. Skim off hot break as it forms. When it drastically reduces add bittering hops. Less hops are needed because the extract will be a little cleaner. Dry hopping rapidly stales beer, use a Randall.

[@StillIt]

Lol dude . . . . . . .

[@davegoliathbrewing5719]

You have allot of interesting theories mate

[@bryanbrunk1186]

Does he have a KZbin channel?

[@StillIt]

Matt? Nah, find him on insta. Dgbrewingco

[@bryanbrunk1186]

I'm not that social

[@toddsimi5998]

Why does Matt's shirt say Dave? haha

[@williamsmith1741]

Fancy equipment doesn't necessarily make a better beer. It just makes it easier to make a good beer.

[@davegoliathbrewing5719]

Pretty sure that's nearly a direct quote at 3.10. brewer makes the beer, the gear makes it easier

[@williamsmith1741]

@@davegoliathbrewing5719 (3:08) It's half a direct quote. The second half is mine. Brewing and distilling can involve a hell-a-ton of work, but some good equipment can really reduce or simplify the work load. Still, if you're using crappy inputs or have poor sanitation practices, you're going to produce a poor product, regardless of the equipment.

[@StillIt]

Yup totally agree. Or it lets you do it faster, or larger batches etc etc. No such thing as "the best setup". Just different trade offs for different people.

[@deanc2322]

Pink crocs?!?!?

[@CybreSmee]

I considered getting involved in homebrew whisky, but the expense and time don't warrant the mediocre results. I'd rather just buy a decent Scotch. The laws are tighter than you let on here in New Zealand. Sure, you can make it but you're not actually allowed to let anyone else drink it. You'd want to be a fairly hardcore drinker to get through the hundreds of litres of hooch by yourself of offset the cost. A bit sad and quite unhealthy.

[@StillIt]

I think you misunstand my interest in it. I'm more interested in the making than the drinking. I still have around 70% of the first whisky I ever made. It's still ageing on wood and getting better month on month. I agree it's not a hobby to get into to make things for cheap. It's a hobby to get into if you like feeling out and learning all sorts of different things. This is the same misunderstanding that makes people think "oh you have 25 bottles of whiskey. You must be a alcoholic". In fact it's the opposite. I rarely drink more than a few drinks at a time. But I very much enjoy being able to choose the exact drink for the mood/occasion. If I drank for the alcohol I would have 0 bottles of whiskey on the shelf. Because I would have drunk them.

[@StillIt]

You are correct that the letter of the law says it is for personal use only. You also have misunderstood howuch effort it takes to make "100s of liters of hooch". That is a LOT of wash/grain.

[@CybreSmee]

Chur bro and all power to you, but from my experience, the no1 reason ppl get involved is because it's apparently heaps cheaper than store brought. It might be one day, but my friend reckons he saves about $10 per litre over buying bourbon when all added up, and his rig cost him about $2k. Thats 200 litres just to break even. Whos drinking 200 litres of hooch in an effort to save some bucks. I hear what you're saying, the craft side is interesting I guess, but since you can't let anyone drink it, you definitely can't sell it, you'll need to drink like a fish by yourself at home to start saving this 'heaps' of money or tip it down the drain (unless you want your house knocked over when someone learns of your huge stockpile of grog). Love your videos, and not trying to be negative. Just saying why I'm not bothering. Give me an Ardbeg 10 and I'll be happy watching you brew :)