Cornflakes whiskey

[elektrosport]

Yes, I'm a great fan of akvavit but haven't even considered making one. I'm not sure I can do it with my potstill, I did read your recipe though.. maybe if I get me some neutral?

Anyway, once I'm done with my rye experiments (which is only 1. generation) it will give way for some bourbon/corn whiskey, it should prove fun. Maybe in a months time I'll start something up?


Cheers,
El Sporto

[Odin]

Sporto,

Just make a neutral recipe (there are some in the tried & true department) and pot distill three times. Then follow my recipe (or another).

It is good.

But just adding kummel to a base drink and some sugar after that will get you an interesting drink already.

Odin.

[bcboyz86]

Kinda an odd question I can't seem to get an answer for...if corn is the main ingredient in whiskey, and you need sugar to make the yeast work, why not substitute corn syrups for both? Or does the syrup not impart enough flavor for the whiskey and just get used up to make alcoho?

[elektrosport]

You only need sugar because it's a sugarhead-recipe I suppose. True corn whiskey is made from malted grains which convert the starch in the grains to sugars thus making them fermentable.

Not knowing what corn syrup tastes like I assume it's like you say, it may not carry much flavour over and only act as alcohol fuel.


Cheers,
El Sporto

[bcboyz86]

So if corn flakes are used at a flavor, would that go for all kinds of cereal? I've seen people use Gerber cereal because of the nutrients it also has in it to help the yeast, but how does one figure out how much of what to use? Is there a formula like weight vs flavor vs volume(because I would assume corn flakes would have a lot more volume per/lbs than say oatmeal or something like that wich has less flavor and is more dense) or is it just a "go with what looks good" kinda deal? And see where it goes?

[Odin]

Look into the allbran recipe and you will learn your assumption is correct: other cereals can be used as well!

Odin.

[1bottler]

hi Odin, followed your C-F receipe, 500gm cornflakes, simmered in 20 ltrs water for 30 minutes, stirred in 3.5 kg sugar, pitched yeast at 28*c. temp maintained at 25*c. -nothing, not a bubble after 24 hours, in short please help! initial reading was 1.040.

[Odin]

Sorry to hear that! Was the yeast viable? Did you add some nutrients? Did you stir in enough oxygen? Did you close the cover so a layer of CO2 forms on top of the fermentation, denying the yeasties O2? Temperature gauge okay, so you didn't put in the yeast while the wash was still too hot?

Just some thoughts.

This recipe should pretty much take off like a rocket.

Odin.

[1bottler]

Hi Odin. the yeast was nottingham ale, revived and working when I pitched. have since aerated and added 75gm tomato paste concentrate and left top open. Might just toss it and try again.
here's hoping
regards c

[Odin]

Go get them! I currently tweaked the recipe by introducing a few slices of rye bread next to the cornflakes. Makes for a very interesting drink!

Odin.

[elektrosport]

I'm liking the sound of this, rye bread in whiskey..

BTW, I got an answer from Brewferm and their flaked maize is standard animal feedgrade corn.


Cheers,
El Sporto

[Odin]

That won't get you over too much taste, I am afraid.

I started a new drink and a new thread. Pure rye bread whiskey. I personally love rye, that's why.

And that even rhymes!

If you venture into Akvavit, a pure rye base or rye/malted barley combo might even be better. This recipe just asks for some kummel!

What recipe?

This recipe: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 11&t=35893

You have some great rye bread over in Denmark. I know. I have been there. And have friends that come over from Denmark to Holland every now and than. A treat? Danish rye bread with Danish herring on top. And Danish Akvavit to accompagny it. Never had food & drink that blend in so well together.

A bit of topic, but I have to ask. The Danish rye bread is pretty close to what we call Frisian rye bread, I think. Would make sense since some eastern-Frisians still live in Schleswig-Holstein and maybe even on some coastal islands to the left/south of Denmark, right? But what do you do to the herring to make it so tasty? In Holland we eat herring raw. Is the Danish herring smoked or maybe put in some ... vinigair/oil combination to lengthen its shelve life? Curious to learn, because it is darn good.

Odin.

[elektrosport]

It's really funny that we made almost the exact same recipe simultaneously. I originally thought of mine as a rye whiskey, but figured since it was made from Danish rye bread it could be flavoured like an akvavit for fun. But I'll keep it whiskey-style. I've been sipping my jars ever since I ran it, and I'm a great fan already.
My 2nd generation fermented out in 36 hours, no nutrients added, hopefully I'll have time to do the spirit run this weekend. The bread I used contained both preservatives and salt, but for the 35L it apparently didn't matter.

(Off topic herring talk)
The traditional herring in Denmark is salted whole (innards and all) for a minimum of 8 weeks, then cleaned, watered out for 12-24 hours and put in a brine/marinade for at least 24 hours. This is a sugar/vinegar marinade. I will look up the exact recipe if you want.
Another traditional is fried herring. A double fillet of herring is covered/dusted with rye flour, salt and pepper and fried in plenty butter. The fish is then put in a.. wait for it.. sugar/vinegar brine/marinade, topped with sliced raw onions.
The Bornholm Herring is brine salted for 12 hours hung to dry for a bit and smoked, served with a raw egg yolk on sourdough rye.


Cheers,
El Sporto

[Theo]

Just lost my appetite!

[bcboyz86]

That makes my bacon wrapped mini-weenies look pretty low key

[1bottler]

Hi Odin, tossed my first attempt, does the sugar need to be boiled or can it just be disolved in hot water and added to the boiled mush?

[Odin]

Just toss it in and let it dissolve. The yeasties will take care of it!

Odin.

[1bottler]

Eureka....got the new batch going, had to add 140gm tomato paste & 1/2 juice of a lemon. sg @ 1.078, temp 26*c.
thanks for the help Odin

[Ronero]

I tried this recipe, is very good. I used some rye bread in it.

[Odin]

Glad you like it!

Odin.

[bcboyz86]

I have a question for some people... I have a propane burner for now because it was free and handy, but want to switch to electric and am caught between a cast iron hotplate, or an induction with transfer plate so it works with my boiler. I will only be able to use it with my 23L pot boiler and not with a keg because of how its configured. But what do most people use? I'm kinda worried about the weight on the hotplate because it will probably be close to 60lbs sitting right on top of it unless I build a support stand somehow. And if someone uses an electric hotplate and likes it, which one do you use? Thanks!

[Odin]

Hot plates cycle. On and off. Not ideal, unless you also throw a power manager into the equasion. Not sure how this works with induction.

Friend of mine, who is a sort of nutty professor wanted to help me with my distilling equipment. He wanted to put a 2.000 watt pancake baker hotplate under my boiler. I say: "that ain't gonna hold the 50 liters that sits on top of it!" He says: "we will put legt on your boiler and glue the hotplate to the bottom of the boiler."

Thinking out of the box.

Not sure where the Cornflakes are thrown in, though.

Odin.

[reckless kelly]

Just pitched my yeast on this receipt.
Did not see how much to use , so I tossed in 1/2 cup distillers yeast.
Just before took a SG reading of 1.055 which seems to be the same SG as I get with WPOSW.
Will run it next weekend and let ya know.

[Odin]

Keep us posted!

Odin.

[Od1tspyd3r]

Just started a cornflakes myself, smell and taste =2thumbup. SG 1.072.excited to see how this turns out after running a bran flakes.

Side note, not sure how many monitor wash by bubbles but I downloaded an app that counts bpm ( beats per minute, for music) works like a champ.

[reckless kelly]

J

Side note, not sure how many monitor wash by bubbles but I downloaded an app that counts bpm ( beats per minute, for music) works like a champ.

Would never have thunk it!
I just peek at my airlock once a day to make sure its still going.
When it slows down I peek longer.

Why are my washes running so low SG? , they always finish dry.

[reckless kelly]

Odin,
So 25% backset plus wash for each generation. Will try this out.
I read back through the posts and still didnt see amount of yeast you guys are using.
I think a 1/2 cup might be okay.
Do you pot still or reflux? Will try both.

Thanks .
Oh and off topic: We use herring for bait , but to each his own.

[reckless kelly]

My 1st wash finished in 5 days from 1.055 to .955 .
I heated the sugar withe the flakes , dont know if it helped or hurt , but starting the second wash now.
Will strip them both and use backset in the next batch.
Looking good!
Thaks Odin

[Odin]

Pot distilling will give you a whiskey, fractionating will give you a vodka.

I guess half a cup is okay. I never really measure yeast. Goes by intuition. Maybe 40 to 60 grams?

Odin.

[reckless kelly]

1half cup seems to be working fine ,
One more question?
How long do you let it clear ?
RK