uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[paramedic68whiskey]

3 gal out of wash becuz 7 lbs of corn is like a gallon or better volume ..then when i rack it off i go down to the corn in bottom

Yeah your about right. The corn takes up a lot of space and I roll mine out in quart jars so we are almost the same in volume to ABV. I tell you what I love this recipe and gets so much better over time. I am working on a sweet feed sourmash now. Will post the results.

[tonyj]

last week i finished my first UJSSM ,it was my second successful attempt at distillen (first was a sugar rum ) and im astounded by just how good it is ! started another 40 liters straight away because this batch won,t have time to age
ps i made a simple carbon filter and passed it through it and it and it improved the taste quite a lot ( sorry not good at cuts yet ! )
a big thanks to uncle jesse

[PJD]

Well I just ran my 4th generation UJSM. I threw out the first pint then saved everything down to 140 proof, got 12 pints then ran the rest into a jug down to 10%. I let it air out for 24 hours , tasted each and kept it all! Mixed together it is 150 proof with a lot of flavor! I added american oak chips and will monitor it for the next several months untill it gets some color and oak flavor.
I have been using 100% of the backset and adjusting the ph with Calcium Carbonate. It made a great difference in the product over the 25% I had previously used. At the end of the run while everything is still hot, I add my sugar and cracked corn to replace the spent stuff I skimmed out of the fermenter. When it has cooled off 12 to 16 hours later, I pour it into the fermenter. I noticed the corn is almost gelatinized using this method.
This is sure great fun! Thanks Uncle Jesse!

[baron4406]

Just did my fourth run too and I've been noticing something, after each generation the tails seem to come in later and later. 2nd run tails come in heavy at 50%abv, 3rd run they came in at 45% abv. This run? Just took a little sip at 30% abv and tails are there, but not real heavy. I stopping keeping hearts at 40% because that's borderline drinking strength and I'm oaking this run. Even when my output slowed and I cranked up the heat there was no real heavy tails. Amazing! I'm gonna collect down to 20% and shut her down. Is anyone else seeing this? My heads are exactly the same at every run. This is why you make cuts by taste NOT abv.

[jmesle]

I ran my second generation of the UJSSM. I have thrown out my first half pint on each run and started checkin the proof every half pint there after. my first keeper pint was about 120 proof and I keep it down to about 70 proof. The only way I would be able to get 140 proof is if I kept the foreshot (not going to) but how are they gettin the proof so high? am I doing something wrong. Both of my runs were pretty much the same. I figured I was good go. I just need to do some rerading on blending. I have been saving my cuts in jars and will blend sometime when I understand how to do it.

[PJD]

I ran my second generation of the UJSSM. I have thrown out my first half pint on each run and started checkin the proof every half pint there after. my first keeper pint was about 120 proof and I keep it down to about 70 proof. The only way I would be able to get 140 proof is if I kept the foreshot (not going to) but how are they gettin the proof so high? am I doing something wrong. Both of my runs were pretty much the same. I figured I was good go. I just need to do some rerading on blending. I have been saving my cuts in jars and will blend sometime when I understand how to do it.

It is probably the difference in the still. I use a packed column still but do not use the condenser on the still head just the condenseron the discharge. I throw away the first full pint so I know all of the foreshots are gone. I start collecting at about 85% or 170 proof and save down to 65 to 70%. When all blended average is 75% or 150 proof.
You could never do that with a pot still but you probably have alot more flavor with yours.

[baron4406]

PJD is right keep in mind if your running a pot still with 1.5 runs (adding your feints from the previous run) your not gonna get high ABV's unless you run stripped charges. Pot stills are meant for maximum flavors NOT high ABV's. My still even with tight cuts I'm just barely able to get oaking strength. This past run my "keeper jar" tested out at 55% abv so I'm either gonna wait for the next run to oak so I can add in some higher ABV hearts to get me up to 60%, or i might just start oaking this run at 55% and see what happens. I don't know why the tails are disappearing with UJSSM, but I'm not complaining. I actually kept some of my 40% abv run last night for sipping (I didn't wanna drag down my hearts jar to a lower ABV) and let me tell you, it was a pretty good drink. Had the tiniest bit of tails flavor but on a lark I dropped in a handful of watermelon cubes, after about 20 minutes all the off flavors disappeared and while the drink didn't taste like watermelon-it was darn smooth. Plus those watermelon chunks were some fine snacking!

[jmesle]

yea you are right im running a pot still. I gess I should have picked up on that. I'm a lil new to this. What strength is recomended for oaking. I noticed you said that but didn't realize it had to be above any certain proof. Thanks for the feedback!

[NcHooch]

oaking 101 viewtopic.php?f=46&t=28615

[markbec]

Like the oaking 101, right timing for me as I just recieved my 5L barrel from barrels online.

[chopper35nj]

I have a gen3 ferment of UJSSM going and have found that a 6gal ferment is just not enough to keep me occupied and lacking a larger fermenter, I was thinking that when I do my next distillation run, while the fermenter is empty that I would take half of the corn and yeast left behind and put it in another 6 gal.fermenter, add 3 1/2 lbs fresh cracked corn to each, 2 gal. backset to each and of course the apropriate amount of sugar and water. As this recipe improves with each generation would this be preferable to starting a "new" batch? Should I atempt this at all? If so, should I pitch additional yeast? Any input would be most welcome.

Cheers
Chopper

[Odin]

You will be fine. Just some airing the new washes is needed. No additional yeast.