Rough beer in whisky distilling process

[Celera]

Just come back from another wonderful distillery tour (or 5, good weekend :-P) and it's the first time I've been round one as a home brewer. I was really interested in the rough beer stage of the process.

They were getting a beer of between 8-9% in most cases, unhopped obviously, in a matter of 3-6 days and it made me wonder a) whether this was normal for 'normal' brewing and b) if not, what was different.

The one thing I did note was that the grain is milled down to almost a flour before being added, which will obviously make it easier for the yeast, but that's just me trying to add two and two.

Does anyone know the answers to my two questions above?

Cheers

 

[abeyptfc]

as far as I'm aware its the same process, mashing, sparging, fermenting. I dunno if they add sugar to the wort to get it to 9% , thats what the moonshiners do!

 

[Moley]

Absolutely no sugar, but they will use very specific yeasts.

So Celera, which distilleries?

I have toured a few in the past but none since I became an AG brewer.

 

[Celera]

Definitely no sugar!

We did Cragganmore, Glenfarclas, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Macallan. A truly splendid few days :-)

 

[Moley]

Glenfiddich doesn't count.

I've toured Glenfarclas and was fairly horrified by all the stainless steel and computers.

I have very fond (if rather hazy) memories of The Glenlivet distillery, which I visited one February when it was closed to the general public. After being shown around by one of the workers I was invited to "a dram" by the manager in his office. He pulled a bottle from a filing cabinet and two-thirds filled a half pint glass. I then had to try to thumb a lift back to my B&B, sitting in deep snow, laughing my head off and trying to write a sign for Carrbridge. I did get a lift from an Aviemore ski group.

 

[Celera]

Fiddich was actually ok, even if I'm not a huge fan of their wares.

As for Glenfarclas, we 'may' have skipped the tour and just did the tasting. We may have done that with Cragganmore as well :-)

The Isles in next on the list, as I love the peat, but boy is it a long way away!