Date Brandy

Tomer1

So a client has asked me to aid him with making a date brandy. I'm thinking of doing a 1 to 1 ratio of fruit to water to get something workable as the water content is so low, its like honey attached to a pulp.

Possibly use some pectic enzymes to liquefy the fruit mash (need to figure out the kosher regulation of this stuff) and add some sugar to get the levels back to 18-19brix and gain some some more yield. Followed by cool fermentation (14-15c) with EC1118 and going straight into the still once the wine is dry. (about 7-8 days) without pressing the fruit as they don't have a press.

His using a 100L gas fired Portuguese copper pot still so im a bit concerned about scorching. Any advice?

*will be doing two runs. collect low wine into a vari top SS and than do a full straight run.

Thanks.

grim

Fresh or dry dates?

punkin

Wouldn't be surprized if @Sadi has some tips for you.

Sadi

Thanks @punkin I will try :)

I have done some fruits @Tomer1 and experience led me to treat them as grains in ujssm style which eliminates the need of using a press and also helps by using less fruits. I found that we don't lose much taste and flavour.

I would not try to liquidfy, adding water should be satisfactory.

I would not do cool fermentation either. I would let the nature guide me, meaning as the climate where dates grow is not cool the temperature of the ferment may produce better results if we try to match that. Normal room temperature should do.

Simpy rack the fermented date wine to the pot. You may use a filter at the tip of the hose that goes into the wine if you want to be more careful and avoid date particals. I think there is no need to worry about scorching then.

So I would try it like this:

For 100L ferment,

wash and get the stones out of the dates and put 10-15 Kg in the fermentor.

add more than half the water,

add enough sugar to get not more than 10% alcohol to let yeast work in a comfortable environmet. I don't invert or melt sugar first. Simply pour it into the fermentor. Stir some, no need to dissolve all the sugar either.

add rest of the water, stir and add yeast.

The second time, after racking the wine from the fermentor, simply put some more dates on the left over yeast and date bed, stir, add some water, add sugar, add rest of the water, stir and that is it.

No need for more yeast or anything else, given that dates provide enough food, (you may use some dap for nitrogen) and there is enough oxygen for the yeast at the initial stages.

The third and consecutive ferments are as the second time and it goes on and on and on. :)

Also no need for adding back some wash from the pot after distillation for souring. I usually try to keep the PH around 3.5-4

This worked for apples, reisins, grapes, water melons and figs and also millet, barley and corn for me.

Currently I am trying the idea of fermenting the grains or fruits for some time like we do in preparing a dough as in bread making before putting it into the fermentor. I won't be sure about it till I distill. But it looks promising so far.

I hope this helps.

Cheers.