UJSSM advise needed.

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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Hoosier Shine9
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UJSSM advise needed.

Post by Hoosier Shine9 »

the original post I saw from Uncle Jesse said 25-50% backset.
I tried to up the sour & corn flavor last generation (gen8), I used 50% back set. :oops: note to self...DON'T DO THAT AGAIN
I had a thick pudding like glop in the top of my corn.
only collected about 5 pints INCLUDING fores/heads. from a 12 gallon boiler charge. normally get 10-12 pints
only had 1 pint that I would have used as late heads or early tails for blending.....everything except the fores will go in next run.

I restarted the next generation after taking off the pudding & spent corn with only 1 gallon of backset 11 gallons of water and 12 lbs sugar.
could not get it to go.
about 2 weeks ago I pulled all the wash into another fermenter, put it on 20# of fresh corn, added another 8 # sugar and enough water to get back to about 12.5 gallons of "useable" wash. had a "sg" of 1.070 to 1.080
the next day I added more yeast, threw in some oyster shells and added Pickling lime trying to get PH back inline. Finally got a ph @ 4.8-5
Now I still have a sg of1.050. it seems to ferment (bubble) for about 12 hours after I give it a stir then airlock goes silent with nary a bubble.

any suggestions?....
I did save 1 gallon of backset from the disastrous run. should I use that in the new start?
Dump it all and restart from scratch with NO backset?
I am confounded.

thanks in advance
HS9
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HDNB
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by HDNB »

after beating my own head against this particular wall, i would suggest starting again, no backset gen 1 and then move ahead with the recipe as described using no more than 10% backset.

definitely do not use the one that stalled for backset.
I finally quit drinking for good.

now i drink for evil.
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Bushman
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by Bushman »

I don't worry about what is spent and what isn't. I take several cups of grain out and add a bit more of new grain. I also remove the "spent grain" before adding the backset. I just add enough water back in to cover the grain while the backset is cooling with the added sugar then top it off with warm water to the proper amount before pitching yeast. I agree with HDNB, I think you are adding too much backset.
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dieselduo
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by dieselduo »

+2 on the backset. That much would probably cause a PH crash
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Hoosier Shine9
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by Hoosier Shine9 »

Other that the increase in backset in this ferment I have no idea what happened.
Followed the UJSSM protocol per Uncle Jesse's post generations 1-7.
Siphoned wash into boiler,
scooped off spent corn, (cracked)
added new corn (cracked)
for 12 gallons
added water(68-70 F) into fermenter (6 gallon US) to keep yeast happy & hydrated during run,
added sugar(16-20#) to hot backset (about 2.5 gallon US) aerated the hell out of the backset & sugar.
added water(68-70F) to backset & sugar to make 6 gallons US.
poured backset & sugar into fermenter and aerated the hell out of it.
put lid & airlock on. within 2 hours bubbling away.

Like I said wanted more flavor so added more backset (from 20-25% up to 40-45%)....stupid me what was I thinking....

I will DUMP the wash down the drain as well as the "saved backset", scoop corn into trash bag & throw into trashcan next to the cat litterbox bag.
Wash out the fermenter & lid real well and spray with Star-San, wait for the Star-San to dry. And start with new Corn, Sugar, Water, Oyster Shell & Yeast. Run the first Generation, get some backset & follow the prescribed protocol per Uncle Jesse's original post.
for Gen 2 I will add all Heads, Hearts & Tails from Gen 1 into the boiler prior to running. Should end up with about 2.2 gal US 90% on Gen 2 run.
jb-texshine
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by jb-texshine »

When using more than 20%backset I tend to add calcium carbonate to it(the backset) slowly to help out the Ph. Don't hurt the flavor any.
Remember not to blow yourself up,you only get to forget once!


Deo Vendice

Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!
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Hoosier Shine9
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by Hoosier Shine9 »

thanks for the responses.

any idea what the "pudding" was?
In all the other generations had never seen anything like this, just "grey" corn.
my thoughts were: dead yeast that was getting pushed up through the corn, or corn that had gotten "broken down to mush" due to the low ph or something. then it would sit on the top of the corn, Kind of like what I was raised calling "monkey mud" in a lake or pond. I ended up taking about 4-5 quarts of the gunk off of the corn bed.

like I said when I stirred it up would get active fermentation for about 8-12 hours then stop.
when I would put the stirrer in I could feel the "pudding".

I am going to dump all of this and start from beginning, generation 1, iteration 2.
jb-texshine
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by jb-texshine »

No idea.starting over is the right thing to do. I hardly ever take any corn out of my uj any more. I just go four generations and dump it and restart.
Remember not to blow yourself up,you only get to forget once!


Deo Vendice

Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!
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NZChris
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Re: UJSSM advise needed.

Post by NZChris »

If it behaves like snot when you try to pick up a handful there is a bacterial explanation for it. If so, a good sanitise of your gear is needed.
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