# LIQUOR KITS



## NorthernWinos (Nov 3, 2007)

A neighbor brought over a gift...[*PEACE OFFERING] 2 kits to make liquors...One is a Hazelnut Brandy and the other an Amaretto [which I love]. 


I opened the boxes and have begun to read the directions. having never made any kit wine or other products...I have to ask...


"What is all this stuff?"







Why 2 packages of yeast????


Think I have to read this over a bit more before I dive in a screw things up.


*PEACE OFFERING...the neighbor had come over to sample some wines with his friends [they had been into the sauce before arriving] When they left...they backed into a flowerbed, knocked over a planter and proceeded to drive through another flowerbed.
It actually was pretty funny because in the morning I was scolding the dogsuntil I saw the tire tracks....they were in one of those giant 4 wheeler golf cart things. Guess this was his appology...Iwill have to give him a bunch of wine and some liquors....



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05 (Nov 3, 2007)

I just started mine so I can't tell you if the charcoal will be easy to use/clean or not. So far, the first couple of steps are pretty easy. I thought at first it was just fermenting water, but is smells different than that, smells nice, and smells like it sets the base flavor tone for the brandy.

The 2 packages of yeast is to ake sure the will get this dry and to 20% abv. 

I added the second (and final) batch of sugar water on tues evening. The directions say to let it ferment till it stops, generally in 10 to 14 days.

I plan to check the sg daily in a few more days and if it is still active, I'm adding a touch ore sugar to try to get the ABV up as high as it will go. I have gotten EC-1118 to 21.3% before using 1 pack of yeast. 2 packs should go there easily.


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## rgecaprock (Nov 3, 2007)

Very interesting, I love Amareto also, NW. Try it over ice with a splash of half'n'half. Let us know how its going. Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 6, 2007)

Did steps 1-2-3 today....








Never fermented just water and sugar before...


Now wait 48 hours to add the extra sugar syrup.


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## PeterZ (Nov 6, 2007)

Ramona, the proper use for Amareto is in a Silver Cloud:

In a blender combine:
1 pint French vanilla ice cream
2 shots (1.5 oz each) Amareto
2 shots White Creme de Cacao

Blend until smooth and pour into 2 chilled glasses. Top with sweetened whipped cream (Redi-Whip is fine) and drizzle with Kalhuha.

SWMBO and I have been drinking this on Christmas Eve since I was assembling bikes for our now-adult daughters.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 6, 2007)

OMG...that sounds soooo goood!!!! Thank You for that one...






Guess my gallon of 'cough syrup' might get used 'properly'...


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 8, 2007)

The air locks had really slowed down since last night...kitchen is fairly warm, so figured the fermentation was going pretty fast.


I added the extra sugar syrup and they are bubbling away once again....Moved them to a cooler area and have to wait for the fermentation to stop then go on to the next step...Charcoal...wonder what that's all about...Color??? Flavor???


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## Dean (Nov 8, 2007)

Charcoal is there to assist with removing impurities created when the yeast push to their limits. High alcohol environments are stressful for them, so they also produce fuesel oils as well. This is the nasty hangover stuff that truly affects us when we drink too much. Charcoal removes a great deal of these.


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## grapeman (Nov 8, 2007)

If you want to get it really clean and make it easier to use charcoal- get a charcoal snake. It is a pice of plastic tube that you attach the regular platic tubing to. You put a special charcoal inside the snake, hook up to your primary bucket with spigot and let it run through. I takes a lot of the nasties out. I don't remember where I got mine a few years ago. It may take a little looking to find one, but they are worth it. 


Here is what one looks like:



<TABLE cellSpacing=1 width="100%">
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<TD =sub_category align=middle>CarbonSnake Filter System</TD></TR>
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<TD>Product Description:</TD></TR>
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<TD>CarbonSnake Filter System: The CarbonSnake is an inexpensive, easy to use carbon purification system which will remove unwanted odors and flavors from fermented alcohol bases (i.e. distiller’s yeast, nutrient blends, SuperYeasts and TurboYeasts) and ethanol distillates (grain or sugar alcohols). Essentially, the unit is composed of a spigot which will fit on any standard bottling bucket, and a hose which is attached to the spigot, filled with 60 grams of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and a small coffee filter strainer at the bottom, above the outlet valve. Product flows from the bucket through the filter hose. Each GAC should do at least a 5-6 gallon batch.</TD></TR>
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<CENTER></CENTER>*Edited by: appleman *


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 10, 2007)

A girlfriend makes chocolate truffles for Christmas gifts....I picked up a couple bottles of Liquor Quick for her to make her own liqours... 








Anyone have any experience with these???


Is adding glycerin necessary??? Can we pick that up in a drug store...grocrey store???


Boy..these are sure small bottles...20cc...It sure must be some strong stuff.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05 (Nov 10, 2007)

I have never seen these NW, they are small. Do they come in Chocolate flavor? Might be the answer to your Port question in another thread.


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## Wade E (Nov 10, 2007)

George sells these and the closest 1 to chocolate is Swiss chocolate almond. Look under liquor extracts which is under flavorings &amp; additives on the online catalog.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 10, 2007)

They are inmany flavors...look on the Fine Vine Wines OnLine catalog. 


Guess they would add chocolate flavor to wine...but wonder how much would be enough....?


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 24, 2007)

The kits appeared to have cleared and haven't changed much over the past week...








So, I racked them to a clean jug and added the charcoal...








So...in48 hours I will rack again and add Bentonite....


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## jobe05 (Nov 24, 2007)

NW, did you add the other quart of sugar &amp; Water to your gallon? Your level seems a little lower than mine. After the last rack, I add about 1/2 cup of water to top up, it was still bubbling some so I wasn't worried about the ABV. 

Thanks for reminding me to rack mine though............. I forgot....... I added the charcoal 3 days ago.......................


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 24, 2007)

My jug is a 4 liter, so it's not as full as yours, I did add the bottle of syrup at the beginning on the 2nd day or what ever they said. Wish I had a one gallon jug so they were topped off.


This stuff hadn't bubbled in many days, so I think I did it right.


What was your S.G.???


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## jobe05 (Nov 24, 2007)

I haven't checked it lately, was 1.026 about a week before I put the Charcoal in. Not really keeping track of it since the direction don't say to. It isn't dry anymore (by taste) but it's not 1.026 either.... I would guess 1.005 to maybe 1.010 before the charcoal. I forgot you were not using gallon jugs.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 24, 2007)

This was at 1.004...it didn't taste bad...not good either.


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## grapeman (Nov 24, 2007)

That's why I like the charcoal snake filter. It will take the alcohol and clean it up nicely without adding that dark gray color to it. It will pass through the filter in just minutes and be cleaned right up and ready to add the finals additives to.


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## jobe05 (Nov 26, 2007)

NW: Have you added Package E Yet?????

It says to mix packet with warm/hot water..............

USE VERY HOT......... BOILING WATER!!!!!!!!!!

My water heater is turned up on the very high side........ I like hot showers....

I figured it was hot enough to mix this stuff up, it wasn't.......... It looks like chunks or shavings of plastic, and smells like dried fish..........

I mixed it as well as I could, let it sit for 20 minutes and then added. It looked like it mixed up well till I poured it in........ it immediately turned to lumps (like Gravy).

That was yesterday, today, it is Chrystal clear! so it works, it will just need screening when I rack it.


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## Dean (Nov 26, 2007)

package E sounds like dry isinglass, and as Jobe can attest to, it is a real bugger trying to re-hydrate that stuff. Careful about the boiling water, as isinglass is protein based, and can start to denature if the temp is too high. You just have to be patient rehydrating the stuff. Sometimes overnight is required for that. I use liquid isinglass now.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 26, 2007)

I think it's Bentonite...I should have done it today but got side tracked...Will mix it up tomorrow and add it.
I have used Bentonite before, think I will try it in the blender and if it sets up too much might add some of th liquor to it and buzz it up.


Do you think processing some of the liquor in the blender with the Bentonite would hurt anything???


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## joeswine (Nov 27, 2007)

good morning,I make my own extracts,and have always made my own lemon-cell0,vinilla liquior,its quite simple if you can make simple suyrp and by any kind of grain acholo the you cam make liquoirs,or add flavorings of any kind and it can be fun




if you can think it you can do it//


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## joeswine (Nov 27, 2007)

bentonite used in kit functions is usually added in the beging,once you blended it with warm water and add it to the wine it sort of drifts to the bottom it reamearges in the fermentation stage and is pulled up with the yeast bobbling action,if I,am correct do you have a second finding agent if so that will also add in the clearring of the product,kits finded in the begining and finded at the end as a rule,,at least all the kits I've done do this


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

It's Not Bentonite!

Dean is correct, it's dry issinglass that needs rehydrating.... Alot of rehydrating. So apparently the temp wont help it, just give it more time than the direction call for.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

Would it work better in the blender like the Bentonite does???


I have some liquid Isinglass, should I use that??? Or just stick to the instructions????


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## Dean (Nov 27, 2007)

rehydrating in the blender might help, but you still need to let it sit for a while. I'm not sure how much isinglass it uses, but if it doesn't clear well for you, certainly use a bit of your liquid isinglass.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

I buzzed both batches up in the 'Lil' Oskar'... mini food preocesser....








One of the packages got thicker than the other, I marked which jug it was and will add some liquid Isinglass if it doesn't clear as well as the batch that was more like jelly.....wonder why they were a little different?



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

joeswine said:


> good morning,I make my own extracts,and have always made my own lemon-cell0,vinilla liquior,its quite simple if you can make simple suyrp and by any kind of grain acholo the you cam make liquoirs,or add flavorings of any kind and it can be fun
> 
> 
> 
> if you can think it you can do it//




Do you make extracts like vanilla for cooking???? I have also heard of putting Vanilla beans in sugar for flavored sugars.


What about coffee liqueurs???? Have you treid that too???


A friend makes all kinds of Liqueurs with Vodka and fruit.


I would like to make a chocolate liquor and add a touch to some Strawberry or Raspberry wine.


So many possibilities out there...we just have to pick each others brains.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## joeswine (Nov 27, 2007)

If you want to make a real yummy vanilla liquior start with van/beans from madagasagar,ther the best in the world take five and slit them down the side,before that you can either buy everclear which is 95 proof grain alhcolol,or voka,grain will give more power with less volume as apposed to vako,softer not as pronounced in a quart jar place the beans and alcohol,let in set for at least a month,in a dry dark place,then let your senses take over and your creativity,try orange vest the same way ,coffee beans,or real coccoa beans,lets your mind wander,I get excited when it cimes to blending or makeing something unique//


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

Would love to get Cocoa Beans...Going to a real health food store tomorrow...hope to get Vanilla Beans...they had them before..2/$1.80...will ask for Cocoa Beans...can't remember seeing any since I was in Mexico.


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

Did the blender trick work?

Mine has bigger chunks in it but it did clear, very quickly.

When I went down to look at it last night, most if not all of it was floating, I shook the bottle and some fell to the bottom. I will go check it here in a minute, I'll take the camera.

Here's some pics:

This is what it looks like before moving it:






After shaking it up a bit:






And it settles out pretty quickly:






As you can see, they are big chunks, but it did clear this pretty well.

When I rack, I'll use a racking can and run it through a screen in my funnel.

*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Wade E (Nov 27, 2007)

Looks pretty interesting you 2.


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

Joan posed an interesting question:



"it
isn't "vinted", is it? So what should go under your name? Distiller?"</span>Good question. What would you call it?
</span>

<div ="Msonormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">

<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">

</span>


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

The little blender/food processor worked well...I guess...It sure stirred it up, butit did have jelly type chunks in it.


*Well, it's not distilled liqour it's just beefed up water at this point..then we add the flavor.


I looked at mine a hour ago and it had black stuff on the bottom and some floaty stuff too...when I tilted the bottle it stirred up and got black again...


Jobe...does that stuff float back up to the top??? Will it ever settle???


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## grapeman (Nov 27, 2007)

It goes under the same name as wine unless you want to end up behind the bars wearing stripes. Unless you are a licensed distillery- don't use the word "distiller".


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

some of it seems to go to the bottom and stay there, most seems to float around and go back up to the top.

I noticed on the bottom of the jug looked like that gelatin, clear fuzzy type build up over the black soot that had settled.

I didn't really shake mine, I just kinda rocked the jug back and forth to mix up the top. I'll do that a few time to see if I can get more to settle out each day............. Or maybe I'll just rack it like I said before.


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## grapeman (Nov 27, 2007)

You will end up with some of the black in the liquid when you are done. When you add the flavor it also adds color and you don't see it. This is why I suggested the carbon snake when you guys started. They cost about $12-15 and you can get lots of replacement carbon cheap. They hook up to a spigot and you just run the "booze" through it and it comes out sparkling clear minus the off flavors of the yeast byproducts. I experimented fairly heavily with this a few years ago and made 6 gallon carboys of the stuff adding my own flavors. You can sweeten and give it some body with corn syrup(like karo syrup). Lots of Christmas presents that year. I also had some of it I accidentally left in plastic buckets outside when it got down to -10 degrees outside for a few days. I tried to dumpit out to salvage it, but there was ice left frozen in the bucket. I only was able to retrieve about half of my fermented sugar water- but boy it was strong


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

I don't really have a problem with the charcoal. It's the dry isinglass that is a mess. The charcoal racked off fine, leaving just a little in the must which the isinglass took right out in less than 24 hours. Now it's cleaning up the dry isinglass thats going to be tricky............

I like your freezing trick, and if I had thought of it I could have started 5 of these kits, froze 5 gallons and freeze. Pour off three gallons and finish the kit. Quick mind math says that would be around 30 to 35% ABV, or 60 to 70 proof.......... that would have been good.


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

Here's the label that Joan has come up with...........

I absolutely LOVE it:


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

Mine looks like a lava lamp...









Do we have to drink this stuff????


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

Love the label...How did she do that????


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## JWMINNESOTA (Nov 27, 2007)

Amazing how Joan can get those squirrels to pose like that! The Liquor kits look......interesting.


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## jobe05 (Nov 27, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Mine looks like a lava lamp...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wow...... What a difference between mine and yours. I would say that it's the isinglass removing more of the Charcoal in yours and I had less charcoal in mine, but based on your pictures before, yours looked clearer than mine did. 

Hopefully that will all fall out. I still think you need to get them toped up with something or rack to something smaller.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 27, 2007)

Yours looks crystal clear and like a snow globe....Mine looks so funky....The slimy stuff is going up and down in the jug just like a lava lamp.


I suppose I should have treated it like a wine and kept it topped up...they never mentioned that and I just used the containers I had on hand..Hope I didn't ruin it....It actually was smelling good today.


I could rack it to a few smaller containers...but, leaving early in the AM...so will check on it tomorrow night...maybe time will settle this stuff out....


Had hoped it would be something drinkable so I could give some to the neighbor who gave me the kits...Time will tell.


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## Wade E (Nov 27, 2007)

Joan, that label is completely awesome. I had t show that to my wife who really isnt in to all this stuff and she really loved it too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Dean (Nov 28, 2007)

The isinglass chunks will keep rising until the "wine" is degassed fully. Basically CO2 is making that stuff float.


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## Joanie (Nov 28, 2007)

The label was nothin'! It only took copying, pasting, resizing, cloning, liqifying, filtering, rasterizing, smart objecting, painting, and using about a million tools!





I loved every minute of it! Thanks, Jobe for allowing me the privilege and the fun of making your labels for you!


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## Wade E (Nov 28, 2007)

Oh, and I thought you actually had to do a little work to create it!


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## jobe05 (Nov 28, 2007)

How humbling is that...... you thanking me.............. I owe you big time for the labels that you have made for me, and I thank you. What people don't realize is it's not just the labels that look great, it's how somehow..... your able to almost personalize them to fit me, my wines and the bottles I put them in.

I told Joan in a PM that it's completely ironic how she put a squirrel on the label with the hazelnuts. 

This past weekend when my sister was here, we had a small squirrel on our front porch. I took him out a walnut and a pecan which were rather large and he didn't touch them. My sister suggested a smaller nut. So I took a couple of the hazelnuts out and left them on the porch rail and he came right out and took them to his home.

Joan, somehow captured a moment in my life and created a label with it.

At first, I thought Joan was my neighbor, but she doesn't know what color my car is...................


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## Joanie (Nov 28, 2007)

Hazelnut Brandy brown?


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## jobe05 (Nov 28, 2007)

Based on the color that is on the front of the box, it will be just a few shades lighter than the brown you used in the label. I believe it will be almost a redish brown color.


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## Joanie (Nov 28, 2007)

Your car came in a box???


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## grapeman (Nov 28, 2007)

Jobe you will love the Hazelnut Brandy. Cindy used to put it in her hot chocolate until it ran out. All this talk about the brandies.....I have got to open one of the two bottles of Cherry Brandy I made a couple years ago.


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## jobe05 (Nov 28, 2007)

So far, I'm pretty impressed with this little kit. I do wish I had gotten 5 of them though. I got this about 2 years ago while traveling through Charlotte. I just happened to stop at my local Brew shop and he had them on sale for $16. It's been kicking around here for a couple of years.

I'm also impressed with Deans knowledge on these kits, he has been 100% correct every step of the way.

I just went down and looked at mine, it was nice and clear with the lees on the bottom and the white floaties on top. I got the mityvac out and started to degas. It quickly foamed up and started rolling the lees off the bottom of the jug. The thick black yuk was everywhere, it looked just like NW's did in her picture. Within a minute after stopping the degassing, it was almost Chrystal clear again.

So your fine NW, just degass......... degass............and degass.


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## jobe05 (Nov 28, 2007)

Joan said:


> Your car came in a box???



At one point in time................Yes!


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## grapeman (Nov 28, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> A girlfriend makes chocolate truffles for Christmas gifts....I picked up a couple bottles of Liquor Quick for her to make her own liqours...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I missed this question earlier. These are added to enough alcohol to make about a 750 ml bottle on average- some a little more, some a little less. They actually tste quite good, but that depends on the base alcohol you use. I have used corn syrup instead of glycerin before and it tastes just as good. It sweetens it and gives it a little more mouthfeel than the alcohol alone. I found by the time you were done, it wasn't much cheaper than going out and buying pre-made stuff that was to your taste. They do make fun novelty gifts though. Worth trying


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## joeswine (Nov 28, 2007)

what is a miyyvac??


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## Wade E (Nov 28, 2007)

A mityvac is a brake bleeder designed to bleed brake lines and master cylinder of all air by yourself instead of having one person under the car releasing the zirk fitting and the other pumping the brake peddle. You use it to create a vacuum in the carboy and degass your wine much better than with the mix stir and your drill but together they will do an excellent job of degassing your wine and the mityvac costs anywhere between $25-$65 at a auto parts store but cheaper through Hrborfreight.com and get the metal 1 as its stronger and rebuildable. I have the plastic 1 and its cheaper and is fine but will probably break way before the metal 1 would.


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## joeswine (Nov 29, 2007)

thank you for the info on the mime pump


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 29, 2007)

I hate whenmy honeybleeds the brakes on the grain truck...I pump and hold down....Till my legs are sore.....Maybe he needs a Mighty-Vac for Christmas.


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## Dean (Nov 30, 2007)

jobe05 said:


> I'm also impressed with Deans knowledge on these kits, he has been 100% correct every step of the way.



aw shucks....



Just trying to help! I have to admit, that I'm a bit of a tech head when it comes to making alcohol. My family has a long history with wine, and the art of distillation. While not entirely legal in Canada as well, we distill for farm fuel





But seriously, thanks for compliment.


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## Dean (Nov 30, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> I hate when my honey bleeds the brakes on the grain truck...I pump and hold down....Till my legs are sore.....Maybe he needs a Mighty-Vac for Christmas.



I race motorcycles, and after each race, the brakes get so hot that we actually boil the fluid in the calipers, so we bleed out the burned fluid for fresh. You can get the mityvac to make the job VERY much easier, and you can also pick up one way caliper bleed valves that allow you to pump the brakes with no air that gets back in too. I've used both, and I like the MityVac better.


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## jobe05 (Nov 30, 2007)

OK........ Mine is complete!

Racked, added the last 2 packets of whatever it was and waited for it to dissolve...... with some persuasion from my drill and mixer/stirrer......

Added the Hazelnut and low an behold....................... Not impressed.....

Oh well.... maybe with some age it will get better. Kinda flat with a little hazelnut flavor. A lot of hazelnut on the nose, smells wonderful, but taste is a little weak. Color is a little on the light side as well. Not brown or light brown......... Maybe straw color....

*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Dean (Dec 1, 2007)

light straw color, is the color of Frangelico, a hazlenut based liquor from Italy. Maybe try a small sample of it, and see how it compares to yours. I know that Frangelico with cofee and good cream is wonderful in the winter months! I'm such a huge fan of anything hazlenut!


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## Wade E (Dec 1, 2007)

Maybe you can add a Hazelnut liquor extract to spruce up the flavor more.


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## jobe05 (Dec 1, 2007)

Thats what I was thinking of doing, but first I'll let it sit for a wile to see if once it ages it may blend better.

Today, crushing 35 more pounds of Scuppernongs to add to the 3+ carboys of scuppernong I already have. This will probably be a 3 gallon batch.

Friends are coming over to bottle the other 6 gallons of Blackberry port. I tried a glass while down there and it was awesome. I tried the black pepper trick that NW suggested, but just took the pepper shaker and added about 1/4 teaspoon to the 6 gallons and it's perfect. Can't wait for these to age.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 1, 2007)

Mine has cleared now...I think I might leave it alone for a few more days before I rack it off the fining's and then add the goodies...








This stuff is kind of scaring me...I have learned from experience...Tequilla...Mescal...Vodka..etc.....if you can see through it...Leave it alone.


I like Dean's idea of putting it in coffee with whipped cream...or something like that....Maybe a Silver Cloud with the Ameretto...?


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## jobe05 (Dec 1, 2007)

If it taste like mine, you won't have to worry about it...................

The people that received a bottle as a gift will though................


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## joeswine (Dec 1, 2007)

If its a little flat now chances are it will only get flatter



go to the wine stoe and by a bottle or extract ,put that in it,should pick up the flavor,don't give up


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## grapeman (Dec 1, 2007)

I like Wade's idea of adding the Hazelnut Liquor Extract bottle. These are gallon batches so you could add two at least and still not be overpowering. The flavors take a bottle per 750 to 1 liter per little 20 ml bottle.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 10, 2007)

This stuff is really clear now...Hope the gas is all gone out of it...don't want my little bottles to blow up....








Going to maybe work with it tomorrow PM.


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## grapeman (Dec 10, 2007)

So where are the bottles of your unflavored brandies? All I see are a couple windows!


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## Wade E (Dec 10, 2007)

Wow are those clear, i thought they were empty until reading your post!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 10, 2007)

They are clear, but the floaty stuff on the bottom is easily aroused.....Will set them up on the counter top where they will get siphoned tonight...and, let them settle out.


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## Joanie (Dec 11, 2007)

This stuff is just too weird looking for words!!!


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 11, 2007)

Is that the finished product, or will there be some hint of color to them?


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 11, 2007)

Got to add the flavorings, Carmel and some other stuff..an interesting project.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 11, 2007)

Had my eyes tested today...so everything was strobing...like the snow was blue like arc-welder blue. WalMart was twinkling...I was the mystery shopper wearing shades.......So, when I got home I pulled the window shades for awhile and worked on my Liqueurs. 


Got both batches siphoned, added the glycerin, carmel coloring, flavoring and sugar...then bottled...








TheHazelnut [thanksJobe] Brandy was a straw color as Jobe had mentioned...so I added a teensy bit of the Amaretto carmel coloring to it. It actually doesn't taste too bad...smells really nice.








The Amaretto smells great...so good I put some in coffee...That was really nice.








It was a long/messy job...when I first started today I was wondering if it was worth it.....Now that it's done and I've wiped up all the sticky spots off of everything and look at my stash...Yes...it was worth the trouble...But,my kits were free/gifts...so they will be given as gifts...but will keep some for in coffee...etc.



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05 (Dec 11, 2007)

Looks great NW. I loved the smell of the "Hazelnut" (you called it Almond) Brandy but felt the flavor was a little lacking as compared to the smell. I haven't bottled mine yet, I'm thinking of getting a small bottle of flavoring and adding it. I too would like to add mine to coffee so the more the flavor the better.
How did the Amaretto compare with the Hazelnut? I like the color. You said something about adding sugar, was that just to the Amaretto? I don't remember the Hazelnut asking for that................ or did I miss a step.....?








*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 11, 2007)

Thanks Jobe...It was Hazelnut Brandy and it smelled wonderful...didn't taste as strong as the smell. [I corrected my Post above]


Glad you pointed that out before I made up the labels....when I smelled the bottle of flavoring I thought of Almond extract that I use in desserts.


Both of my boxes said to add 4 cups [2# 4oz] of sugar and stir till desolved....right before bottling....It sure made it sweet and sticky.


The Amaretto might have more flavor...They don't seem strong in alcohol tho...or....??? Is that why I called it Almond???


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## jobe05 (Dec 11, 2007)

OOOooooooops....................

I need to recheck mine then, I didn't add any sugar at the finish. 2# 4oz would seem like a lot of sugar for 1 gallon wouldn't ya think? Or is that why mine taste funny?


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## grapeman (Dec 11, 2007)

That amount of sugar sounds right. It does use a lot of sugar and makes it pretty syrupy. The glycerin I substitute Karo syrup and it adds lots of viscosity. They all are great in coffee and hot chocolate.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 11, 2007)

On the rocks will be nice...Maybe in the blender with ice cream...


YesJobe...they did call for 4 cups sugar...I thought it was a lot too...It made them sweet and sticky....Good thing you didn't bottle yet. Add the sugar and re-taste...think you'll like it better.


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