Try searching here through the topics. There’s a ton of information from guys that did it.
Hey guys,
I am very new to fermenting and distilling. I have been doing quite a bit of research on fermenting whey into palatable ethanol, I have my yeast for fermentation but I am looking for some pointers on adding sugar to increase the ABV, currently I have gotten it to 2.5%-3% ABV which is well under what I am looking for.
Any pointers would really help!
Both use SD kit & make fantastic products. Well done guys.
88 down and 800 to go. Emptied 3 barrels of rum after 13 months on used bourbon casks. Also making gin, and stripping whey for neutral. Busy day.
Hi all :-)
I have been reading posts here about fermenting Whey and have found some articles which are interesting. I have almost unlimited access to sweet Whey from a local cheese maker and they are now hoping to use the Whey in Ethanol production, rather than throwing it away. I know that some people successfully have fermented Sheep Whey and Goat Whey and have distilled it into Vodka, Gin and so on. The big problem is how to get it fermented. I have read that Kluyveromyces marxianus or Candida Kefyr, can ferment lactose directly. As I think that they can ferment both Galactose and Glucose ? which are sugars in Whey?
If anyone in this forum have any information on fermenting Whey, I would be ever so grateful if they will shear some information on the subject. Of course I understand that recipes are not shared, I am only interested in the general process.
Kind Regards
Roar
Location: Norway
I've been making whey based vodka and gin for 8 months. Its delicious and it will soon be in liquor stores. It does have a low yield, but its enough to make it worth it.
Please let me know when you find the study re mixed culture ferments on whey. I would be interested in reading. Our current product (neutral?) finishes sweet and has great nose and taste. We are soon to submit to TTB for label approval. I should also note, I have had to add some yeast nutrient, and our ferment is quite slow.
Trying to find it now, but there was a study that looked at mixed-culture fermentation of whey which looked promising.
Kluy. Marx. is going to have a different flavor profile, but I wonder if you can stay close by using a mix of yeasts, you don't need to use single strains.
Especially since you are using DADY, which from a yeast perspective, isn't all that interesting or distinctive.
Our whey, however, has a cost associated with it, including shipping. The dairy removes the proteins, concentrates the lactose and re-pasturizes. The re pasturization prevents the whey from fermenting (from lactic acid bacteria) prior to it reaching my destination. Our experiments with the University will soon include testing the kluyveromyces and its strains in order to increase production and retain the flovour profile we seek. We are also adding additional dry lactose sugar to increase production, however, at a significant increase in cost.
Your approach is good if your whey is a free byproduct of manufacture and you have a fairly low cost of energy.
Otherwise, folks have been looking at how to use Kluyveromyces marxianus or Candida Kefyr, which can ferment lactose directly (it has the necessary enzymes to break it, and ferment both sugar types). Thus, higher yield, potentially lower cost since external enzyme isn't necessary. Or, doesn't require attempts at concentration (evaporation/boiling).
Working a whey based spirit as we speak. Have teamed up with the University Wisconsin in the US to assist in being able to be able to use all available sugars. Currently I am fractionating the lactose sugar with an enzyme and using Red Star DADY yeast. Copper Crow Distillery, Bayfield WI
Or you can use our super secret tag search, since I notoriously tag all discussions accordingly, by using the following link:
This first link is most entertaining... click it:
Direct Links to the previous discussions and the actual yeast is Kluyveromyces marxianus:
Anyone else on here besides Ryno doing any experimenting with whey?
Any yeast recommendations? Asking for a friend.
if that global thing ever gets in the direction of @smaug or I in Florida, USA, I would be happy to pay or trade a bottle of my finest whiskey for that whey gin...
@crozdog said: Ryan's Sheeps whey vodka was recently named the world's best vodka at the 2018 Vodka Awards!! Congrats Ryno
Yes mate @Ryno has been a fantastic customer since he was starting out on his 50 L StillDragon system. I still have a bottle of his sheep's whey vodka here that's number (in hand writing) 3 from 8.
He's now got two beautiful units, one at 500l and the other spirit still is 200l from memory.
He's not the only one, we have so many loyal customers who have started the same way. We are so grateful for their support over the years and feel like we win every time they succeed.
Ryan's Sheeps whey vodka was recently named the world's best vodka at the 2018 Vodka Awards!! Congrats @Ryno
@CothermanDistilling said: on the mozzarella, I know that to make Ricotta (re-cooked) cheese, they raise the temp of the whey 10C above the normal cheese temp and add fresh milk and it solidifies out the cheese enough to be strained... could you do this and get a side product?
This is my friend Pete stirring the sheep's whey before the addition... From when he took me to his hometown in Italy in 2005, his brother in law Beradino has made cheese from his 1000 sheep for 40 years without a day off... mind boggling....
Im going to try this. May seem like a stupid question, but do you think I would lose any sugar if I did that?
Jeebers that place is sexy!
I had no idea that you can pull a solid from whey. That’s crazy!
Have you thought about converting the smaller unit into a continuous stripper and running that way?
on the mozzarella, I know that to make Ricotta (re-cooked) cheese, they raise the temp of the whey 10C above the normal cheese temp and add fresh milk and it solidifies out the cheese enough to be strained... could you do this and get a side product?
This is my friend Pete stirring the sheep's whey before the addition... From when he took me to his hometown in Italy in 2005, his brother in law Beradino has made cheese from his 1000 sheep for 40 years without a day off... mind boggling....