Traditional Appalachian Sweet Mash Corn Whiskey Discussion

[MtnMoonshiner]

There's plenty of sugar in the fresh corn being added. And when you fill up the fermenter with hot water, it cooks the corn and other grain enough to allow it to begin conversion. Although, I suppose if you wanted, you could gelatinize the fresh grain prior to putting it in with the old. You could also add sugar if you really wanted.

[emptyglass]

What about some more malt the second time around?

[MtnMoonshiner]

EG, I reckon you could add more malt if you wanted, but you don't need to at all. All that malty goodness from the last batch is leftover in the old grain!

[emptyglass]

I might get another 5kg of malt as well as the corn. 2.5 kg for each fermenter. I'll do it as I lost a lot of malt the first time round.

[MtnMoonshiner]

Ah, I'd forgotten that you spilled some of the malt. Adding some would probably be a good idea, but if you make another mash after, you won't need to add any more.

[emptyglass]

Yes, it was uncerimonously ejected from the fermenter.

How many cycles or generations do you usualy do Mtn? Do you ditch the grain after the sour mash is done and start over, or just keep pushing more out of it?

[Tim]

Yeah, I laughed too Jay.

Then I started to clean it. Not laughing anymore. Fuckin sticky shit.

EG it's probably a stupid question, but I was always taught that a stupid question was one that was never asked lol ... Why don't we sit our fermenters in a baby type bath tub, so that if they do overflow when we aren't around, the overflow would be collected ... No more floor cleaning ... I only ask this as I can't afford to have any overflow for any reason in my office due to extremely expensive stored materials ?
You could fashion a vessel that is slightly larger than your fermenter, or buy the next size up, cut the top off ... You could then have your fermenters raised, have an overflow pipe from the cut of larger barrels, and pipe them down into a overflow catchment drum... No more mess!!
This is what I will be doing so that it does not happen to us!

[emptyglass]

When they go, they go mate. Some of macs volcano ferments are pretty ledgendary. I was lucky, the screw on lid left loose sent most of it downward.
Check out crows plum brandy thread, I think thats the one with macs juicer in a clam shell (from all good department stores and toy shops).

If the risk of mess was all that was stopping you giving this a go, you can get overflow trays, or bunded catchments from those saftey and workwear joints, or materials handling places, they are designed to take the contents of whats held in the drums in them.
Thats not the extent of the mess, the dust from the grains can be messy, splashing while mixing, etc. Best if you put it down outside and wheeled it in on a bag trolley.

This was the last product run through your still. And its yumm, but it is messy and a bit of hard work, but nothing good comes cheap I guess.

[Tim]

I will look into that EG, we have a tiled floor in the shed, so the only issue would be overflow, at night while we were sleeping ... Is it wrong that when I'm in the office I sniff the last run you put through our new baby and Mmmmmm ... My eyes glaze over a little lol XD

[Sam.]

Ferment it outside under a tree with camoflauge :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Dont matter if it blows shit everywhere then :handgestures-thumbupleft:

hope this is the proper way to do it Mtn. :D

[MtnMoonshiner]

EG, you could probably reuse the grain at least 7 or 8 times. I've never used it more than 3 or 4 in a row though. For several reasons that aren't the mash quit producing. Mostly it's cause my old Ball & Chain, while understanding, like to do what she wants once in a while...so I dump the mash and oblige haha.

As far as under a tree with camo. It's less worry outside, less mess etc... But, good liquor is made in your mash box/mash tun/ fermenter...whatever you want to call it. If you take shortcuts, and don't put the care and time into your mash first, then no amount of cooking or heating will save it. If its easier for you to do that inside, make it so you can do it inside. If outside is more preferable for legal reasons(as it is for some here) make it so you can do it outside an put the care into it.

[tickle]

got mine on right now! next time i'll print the instructions, as i messed it up a bit; forgot to grind the rye, forgot to mix the barley seperate. but, despite my attempts at mucking it up, its it bubbling away! :handgestures-thumbupleft: smells great, tastes lovely.high hopes! will be trying my hand at malting shortly as well. feel like ive stepped into the big leagues!

[MtnMoonshiner]

The rye might not fully convert, and the only reason I mix the other grains separate is because they're sticky and don't mix well...it's just easier that way I find. Regardless, you should have a good, drinkable product this time around.

[tickle]

Yea, I was concerned about the rye. Shame on me for forgetting. But regardless, it is off to a great start. I feel pretty good it will work out. And it takes nothing away from the fact it is a great write up that inspired several of us to get off our asses and try to step up our games :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Fatherjack]

the fact it is a great write up that inspired several of us to get off our asses and try to step up our games :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Me included :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Put my 1st TASMCWhiskey wash down tonight, AG cherry popped for ME

Is it still AG if I added the sugar? 8-}

[Linny]

not really , but same process

[crow]

well just had a taste of this recipe from EG and I got to say pretty damned impressed i reckon some barrel aging will make this an excellent drink , Deserves its tried and proven status :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[tickle]

Nother big endorsement; way to go mountain!

Mine is isill bubbling away, its still getting rather cold here at night. Cant wait.

Got the kids to help mashing, they think its the world's'biggest boWl of cereal.

[emptyglass]

Got the kids to help mashing, they think its the world's'biggest boWl of cereal.

way to go mate. I reckon thats what mtn moonshines old man did to him.
Thats why he's so muscular, and can carry 4 full fermenters unasissted.
One between his legs, one under each arm and one balanced on his head (a little time spent on mental immagary and you will see what I do).

you need kids or a motor to do this mash, but its so simple to understand , its a good leap pad to go fancy pants all grain.
(just dont add sugar and you got bragging rights :laughing-rolling: )

[MtnMoonshiner]

Crow, thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it. I've been aging about a gallon of it in a charred oak cask for around 6 months now. Another 3 months to go and I'll probably crack into it

EG...that you're visualizing me in that much detail is slightly disturbing! :)) But you're right....I am capable of those and other such superhuman feats! :))