Big Smoke (Islay Style Heavily Peated)

1. Using 3 litres of water for every kilo of grain, prepare your mash water by heating to 65°C in your mash vessel, fitting your grain bag (if using) tightly around the rim.
2. Add milled grain to the mash water and stir in well for a couple minutes to break up any clumps.
3. Leave to mash for 45 to 60 minutes while maintaining your mash temperature.
4. BIAB: Raise grain bag and tightly squeeze to drain and collect as much wash as possible. Pour water over the grain bag until you’ve collected 25L of wash.
   Grainfather: Raise malt pipe and sparge with 77 °C water until you’ve collected 25L of wash.
5. Optional: Test the pH of your wash. The target pH is 5.4; use LACTIC ACID to adjust it down, or CALCIUM HYDROXIDE to adjust it up.
6. Optional: Bring wash to a boil in your boil kettle for up to 15 minutes to sterilise
7. Cool wash down to fermentation temperature using a chiller or our no-chill method. READ MORE
8. Pitch yeast and leave to ferment between 20-32°C, using your hydrometer to determine whether your wash has finished fermenting. Ferment on the cooler end of this temperature range for a smoother, subtler spirit; ferment at the warmer end for an estery, highly aromatic spirit.
9. Once fermentation has finished, clear the wash following the TURBO CLEAR package instructions (if using) or cold crash your wash in a fermentation fridge.
10. Transfer the wash into your boiler for distillation. Ensure the wash is as clear as possible- you may need to siphon or pour off and discard a small portion of wash initially until it runs clear.
11. Heat the wash to 55°C and add Fermcap over the top of the wash.
12. Safely fit your distillation lid, connect your cooling water, and proceed with distilling your spirit.

New to craft distilling?

Here’s a list of some basic equipment you’ll need before you get started: