Juicing Corn

[Fester]

The results were pretty good (for me) using no sugar, no malt, all corn and a juicer. Went like this, more or less...

Ground 100 pounds of corn (steamed flaked animal feed. looks like whole grains but flattened out a little) into a 60 gallon plastic barrel. Added 4 gallons of boiling backset and enough boiling water until the grains are covered by 2 or 3 inches. Stir like hell. Cover and let sit overnight. Ran it all through a $20 Jack LaLane juicer I picked up at a garage sale into a 55 gallon fermenter (took less than one hour) and added enzymes and yeast. Topped up with water to about the 40 gallon mark. Let it sit about a week (to clear it out). Racked off as much clear liquid as I could into another fermenter and let both containers rest a few more days to get the most clear liquid. Racked about 34 gallons I guess into my boiler 12 gallons at a time. Discard the remaining crap in the bottom of the fermenters (or start another batch with it). Yielded over 2.5 gallons of 40% sipping whiskey (a theoretical potential of 5 to 6 gallons of proof whiskey, I guess, after cuts but I set my sights much lower). The cost of enzymes is less than a dollar per batch. No malt needed. I used bakers yeast - lots of it because its cheap, a generous handfull sprinkled on top dry and then stirred in. I had to buy corn so total material costs for a 100 pound batch was less than $20. I read where others get much more drinking product out of their corn but I am overjoyed to finally get this much out of 2 sacks of corn.

Pot still stripping run and then a pot still spirit run. I got as much heads and tails as I got "keepers". Almost 3 gallons of heads and tails at about 38%. I stopped collecting at +/-18%. I guess that is where the other "theoretical potential" went? I never did a OG or FG so don't ask. My vinometer, which I DO NOT TRUST says the beer was about 6+ %. My vinometer is a known liar.

The enzymes came from http://www.beutilityfree.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow about a year or so ago called "Stargen 001 liquid no cook enzyme". Dosage is supposed to be 1 gram per pound of corn. I know I used a little too much of it with a dose of 2 tablespoons. I paid 14.99 + 8 bucks for shipping for 559 grams (one pint). They charge a few dollars more for it now. That black liquid actually seems to work! Gotta keep it in the frig. I think there is better stuff by reading the forum but it is just what I have on hand. I tried to "no cook" the corn with this enzyme before and got almost NO alcohol - but boiling water over the grains and a sit overnight seems to work OK. For me, the juicer seems to be the trick. It pulls a thick soup out of the soaked grains and leaves the dry hulls and fiber stuff seperate. I like it. Always before getting the "beer" off of - and out of - the grains has been the most difficult part of the entire operation for me.

After one day in the fermenter with the enzymes, the corn soup became a very nice light liquid happily bubbling away.

This was the easiest all corn whiskey I've ever made and the yield was the best I've ever been able to get.

Fester