Blue Corn adventure

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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zapata
Distiller
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by zapata »

Its not that unusual. Not all strains are killer strains that will fight, 1118 being a famous fighter. Several scotch makers, lots of brewers, some rum makers, and all wild fermentations use multiple yeast strains to good effect.

I am curious about the dady + bakers combo though. Idont think I've ever used dady myself. What do you expect one to offer over the other?
japsinok
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by japsinok »

Until recently, I've been using only DADY in my AG's. I now have several lbs of bakers and want to see what happens. But whichever dominates, I don't expect anything bad since both of these are used routinely for making good whiskey. I don't use turbos or added nutrients and at OG 1.065/8% potential, and fermenting at 75F, I don't think the yeast will be too stressed. Let'em fight it out. I'll drink whatever they give me. If it turns out bad, I'll learn what not to do. As they say, there is no better teacher than experience.
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japsinok
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by japsinok »

zapata wrote: What do you expect one to offer over the other?
That's a good question, for which I have no good answer except that until now I have used ONLY DADY in my all grain ferments. I'm just experimenting to see the results.
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japsinok
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by japsinok »

I thought I would wait until the next ferment is going to see if my observations are consistent on using 50:50 DADY and baker's. It started off with a "breadier" aroma than when I been using only DADY, which I would attribute to the baker's (obviously), and that is there again in the ferment that I have just set up. By the second day of fermenting that pleasant bready smell was gone from the room, so I expect the same this time too. But it suggests to me that perhaps I should expect some different flavors in the spirit compared to using only DADY.

I stripped about 2 gals this weekend from the first malted blue corn mash, and though I did not taste the stripping run, there is a nice aroma to the low wines. Won't be able to pass judgment until the spirit run in a few weeks.

Mashed another 10# cooked blue corn with 10# of malted corn in ~9 gallons total volume (OG 1.070). Although the malting does take some work up front, I realized there is an added benefit in that gelatinizing 10# in a volume of 6 gallons, adding 2 gallons water to cool to 150F, and then adding the 10# of malted corn is far easier than gelatinizing 20# in 6 gallons of water and backset. Though I suppose a wort chiller would solve that problem too, since I could just mash in the total final volume of water!! 1st world problems!

plus, got another 10# malting for the next mash. Life is good!
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japsinok
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by japsinok »

Finally was able to do a spirit run this weekend on the malted blue corn whiskey low wines. Munched on ham and turkey leftovers, collecting spirit run fractions, while sanding on a project from Santa's workshop. Pretty good way to spend Black Friday!! Aired the jars out 24 hr and made my cuts Saturday night. Making the cuts was interesting, as I keep learning that part of this hobby. At the heads end I could definitely tell a break point in smell and taste after airing 24 hr (from solvent to neutral/odorless) even though the jars were all in the 80% abv range. On the tails end, I did not go as deep into tails as I went on the first blue corn spirit run from earlier in the fall. I ended up cutting off at 59% abv. I know there is more goodness left in the feints that I'll save for an all feints run later. Filled a 10l barrel this afternoon. This barrel has seen several uses already so it will take a while to mature, and may pick up some character from its former occupants (a peach brandy in 2016 and then carolina bourbon from spring-summer 2017). I'm looking forward to the results. It definitely has a very different nose and stronger corn flavor compared to the AGs I have made to date (HBB and Carolina Bourbon).

It may be time for a Booner's All Corn using TSC yellow corn to compare with the blue.
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zapata
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by zapata »

japsinok wrote: It may be time for a Booner's All Corn using TSC yellow corn to compare with the blue.
That would be a fascinating comparison. Really be able to sit back and suss out the differences.
japsinok
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Re: Blue Corn adventure

Post by japsinok »

zapata wrote:That would be a fascinating comparison. Really be able to sit back and suss out the differences.
I haven't decided what to try next, but a Booner's/all Blue would certainly make a nice comparison
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