Any feedback on this dried fruit brandy wash recipe

Belatu

I found some dried fruit in the pantry, so thought I'd give it a go at making a fruit brandy from them. going to be a very basic recipe.
2kg Dried Pears
2kg Raisins
5kg Brown Sugar
The plan is to boil the Pears and Raisins to rehydrate, add to a fermenter and dissolve 5kg of sugar into the boiled fruit soup, then top the fermenter up to about 45 - 50 liters, I should get a SG of about 1.060 - 1.070 from this, maybe a bit more if the yeast can coax the sugars out of the bits of fruit.
I'll probably use Angel Yellow Label yeast, or Sweet Daddy.
Any thoughts on this or tips?

DAD300

I'd, Heat your soup to 160F and add some amylase. Let it cool to 100F, top it up to 50 ltrs and add yeast.
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NZChris

I thought Angel Yellow and amylase were for converting starch?  I don't see a lot of starch in the recipe.

Steve-Broady

It sounds tasty! DAD300, what’s the reason for the amylase? Is there enough starch in fruit to make it worth doing? I can see maybe a pectic enzyme, but you’ve stumped me on the amylase.Steve, you’re way behind time. This is not 38, but it’s old 97. You must put her into Spencer on time.

cranky

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My Apple Brandy Recipe

DAD300

amylase, I use AMFLO200 (kosher) liquid, it is dirt cheap and in my brandy I get  about 1-2% more abv than no amylase straight apple juice with peals. Seriously, it costs about fifty cents for 150 gallon ferment for 1-2%.
I imagine it helps break down the solids, skin, seeds, ...
"Fruit generally contains significant amounts of complex carbohydrates, or starch, only when it's young. Nearly all of this starch changes to sugar as fruit matures, which is why fruit becomes sweeter as it ripens."
I think this is why peoples banana ferments fail. There is as much starch in a banana as sugar.CCVM http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... d#p7104768" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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still_stirrin

So, to make a “banana brandy”, you suggest enzymes to further reduce the residual starch in the fermenter?  What enzyme would you suggest … the AMFLO200 you use in your brandy?  
I ask, because this intrigues me.  I would like to try a banana ferment (for exploration), but have heard the flavors are elusive in the brandy.  Increasing available sugars might help exploit the banana esters in the spirit, especially if properly distilled.
To the OP, I apologize if this is a derail.  But, DAD300 opened up an interesting diversion.
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Belatu

Honestly I have a lot of yellow label available, not sure if the amylase will do anything, but don't see any harm in it being present.

Belatu

Nope, it's all preservative free, the raisins do contain a small amount of sunflower oil according to the label...

Belatu

So, to make a “banana brandy”, you suggest enzymes to further reduce the residual starch in the fermenter?  What enzyme would you suggest … the AMFLO200 you use in your brandy?  
I ask, because this intrigues me.  I would like to try a banana ferment (for exploration), but have heard the flavors are elusive in the brandy.  Increasing available sugars might help exploit the banana esters in the spirit, especially if properly distilled.
To the OP, I apologize if this is a derail.  But, DAD300 opened up an interesting diversion.
ssNot derailing at all, I have some overripe bananas in the pantry that I might just throw in as well...

NZChris

Unless you really do understand what you are doing and how their enzymes work, bananas can cause trouble.  Doing the research first is better than asking for help after you've thrown them in.
I've just reviewed my notes and I've never extracted any worthwhile amount of banana flavor, or alcohol, from any of my experiments.  I haven't given up trying yet.

hdsv3fyj2ck.gif

I have burned a banana experiment onto the pot when I didn't expect that would happen.

Demy

Based on the level of ripeness bananas have starches so in that case enzymes are fine... if you only use pears and raisins there will perhaps be a small presence of starch in the pears but if they are ripe it is negligible, I see no need for enzymes . Let's talk about the sugar…too much sugar, the brandy will have little flavour. I would use a wine yeast tolerant of all that sugar (bayanus)

Belatu

Thanks, I'll reduce the sugar down, and opt for a wine yeast to keep the fruit flavours as much as possible.

Belatu

Ok, Skipping the bananas, going to keep it simple, with just the pears and raisins, and not too much sugar.

JAMAWG

What about the use of pectic enzyme for this? It is recommended with regular fruit mash? Is it a mash if the fruit is left in and not just juice? Or is it still a must?
Anyways I am very interested in how this turns out. I want to make cherry brandy and liqueur. I found a source for dried cherries and was wondering about doing something similar.
My plan was to rehydrate them, pulp them with an immersion blender. Add pectic enzyme, and make a sugar head with it.Mossback moonshiner in Cascadia.

Belatu

The Mash/Must has been fermenting away since last night, final recipe was.
2kg Dried Pears
2kg Raisins
2kg Brown Sugar
I boiled the Pears and Raisins into a soup and used a stick blender to break it all down, then dissolved the brown sugar into the hot soup, added it all to a fermenter and topped up to 40 liters. Even though the dried fruit is very ripe and broken down during the boil I still added some pectic enzymes to give it a small boost, and then pitched a healthy dose of DistilaMax LS I had in the fridge.
Will give it a week or so to ferment out, and then let you know how it came out.

DAD300

I HAVE LIED ABOUT THE NAME OF THE PRODUCT.

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sorry


I caught on to this because they use it to reduce grape starch to sugar in wineries.
It also works to break rice as it is basically Asperillus Niger.
CAUTION....ASPERILLUS NIGER IS THE FUNGI THAT DRY CAN CAUSE LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE!
DON'T GROW IT IN YOUR VENTILATION PIPES!
DON'T SNORT IT!
I get the AMYLO 300 from Brewers Supply Group, and it makes a difference. I see a big dif commercially in the amount of product and maybe flavor. Seems more apple smell when fresh.The apple cider I use for brandy is pretty raw from the orchard.
I overdose at 20ml in 250gallons of cider.
A quart of AMYLO cost $28 plus shipping but you only use tiny amounts. A quart should last a hobbyist a life time.

kk2hx1cadfm.png

Amylo ™ 300
Amylo 300 is a food grade fungal amyloglucosidases used to convert non-fermentable
sugars into fermentable sugars and widely applied in breweries and wineries.
This exoenzyme produces glucose units from starch, dextrins and maltose.
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Belatu

Quick update, it' a few days in, ferment is going well and so far it's turning into a very nice Perry, good enough to drink as is...