Cornflakes whiskey

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6 Row Joe
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by 6 Row Joe »

Irishgnome wrote:I use SafSpirit M-1, I'm sure the majority here use bakers.

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Odin
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Odin »

I use baker's yeast in this recipe.

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by seemorebutts »

just bottled my first attempt at this. turned out not bad at all. i added a little maple syrup to one small bottle, which is a nice addition. immediately made another batch and it doing its thing.
Thanks Odin for this recipe.
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6 Row Joe
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by 6 Row Joe »

Odin wrote:I use baker's yeast in this recipe.

Odin.
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DSmith78
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by DSmith78 »

I also use bakers yeast. On one of the generations - either 2 or 3, I don't remember - I used EC-1118. This left it tasting quite hot and it masked some of the sweetness that I love about this recipe. It also took a long time to ferment. I won't use it for this again!
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Rairch »

As mentioned before I do get a big hit of actual cornflake cereal. The 1L aged on bourbon chips for a couple weeks on the windowsill looks and tastes really good. The white has got a huge hit of cereal. Bottled at 40%, will leave alone for a few months. (Could well be just added too much tails to the blend. Just so much flavour in the tails)

Got gen 2 ready to strip. Chucked in 4L of backset from gen 1. Completely changed the smell of the wash, the cereal seems to have been toned down? Be intersting to see the difference that the backset adds.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by DSmith78 »

This recipe REALLY improves from generation to generation. Well worth using the backset each time.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Rairch »

Yeah seeing this already.
Stripping gen 2 now. Very different. Chucked some backset from #2 straight into gen 3 FV....thats bubbling away now.

How many generations can you keep this going for?
Does it hit a peak then plateau? Or just keep getting better? (interested about taking it past 10+ gens)

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by kiwi Bruce »

It starts to level off at generation 5 or 6...so by the time you get to #7+ it will still taste like a #6
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6 Row Joe
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by 6 Row Joe »

I forgot to ask, do you guys double distill? Pot or column?
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Rairch »

Thanks Kiwi. Great info that.

Last strip run for gen 2 on now.

Will get the spirit run done tomorrow. Can already taste the difference having a quick taste off the still.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Irishgnome »

6Row,
I currently run this at one and a half, at least I believe that’s what it’s referred to. I double distilled this for the first two generations and felt like it stripped too much flavor out. I saved some hearts from the stripping runs to compare, seemed like the single run sang more to me.
Since then I run one strip, then added low wines to the left over ferment and run this as the spirit run. Seems to give me more flavor and a higher ABV, which is better for aging. I should also note that I always add backset from the previous run, as well as adding some backset from other runs. On my last run, I added some backset from an oatmeal rye bread rye run. The taste so far is really impressive light oat and rye flavor, but it’s just enough to notice.
I should mention that I cycle my runs three times in an US before I bottle, or put on wood.
How’s your first run tasting/smelling so far? Have you put any on wood?
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Rairch »

I really like the idea of adding other runs backset into this. Going to get a partial mash Rye on soon and never thought to add the backset from that into the CFW wash.

I might wait until gen 7 for that. See the improvements of the CFW backset before I change anything.

Great idea. Thanks.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Odin »

Irishgnome wrote:6Row,
I currently run this at one and a half, at least I believe that’s what it’s referred to. I double distilled this for the first two generations and felt like it stripped too much flavor out. I saved some hearts from the stripping runs to compare, seemed like the single run sang more to me.
Since then I run one strip, then added low wines to the left over ferment and run this as the spirit run. Seems to give me more flavor and a higher ABV, which is better for aging. I should also note that I always add backset from the previous run, as well as adding some backset from other runs. On my last run, I added some backset from an oatmeal rye bread rye run. The taste so far is really impressive light oat and rye flavor, but it’s just enough to notice.
I should mention that I cycle my runs three times in an US before I bottle, or put on wood.
How’s your first run tasting/smelling so far? Have you put any on wood?
Cheers,
Irish
Distilling 1.5 is a method that helps improve most taste rich drinks, in my opinion. Good addition.

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by kiwi Bruce »

6 Row Joe wrote:I forgot to ask, do you guys double distill? Pot or column?
I used to always DD my AG's however I went to LME and could taste the drop in flavor, so now I 1.5 ...getting peat smoke was a challenge with an LMG
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Irishgnome »

Forgot to add that I run this in my pot still.

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Mikey-moo »

6 Row Joe wrote: I jumped the gun a bit. After a day of airing out it is better. The medicine smell and taste is almost gone. I didn't have any backset so it was all new. I might have to try it again with some backset. What yeast do you guys use ?
Yeah just regular bread yeast. I find it helps to use a good quality cornflake. Some of the own-brands don't taste as good.
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6 Row Joe
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by 6 Row Joe »

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll have to try another batch sometime soon.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

I was keen to get started today and being Sunday I couldn't get cracked corn for a UJ but I remembered reading this thread ages ago and I had never tried it. So off to the big shop for some Corny's and sugar. I apologize if this has already been asked and answered but 30 pages is a lot to read through.

My question concerns the topping up of corn from generation to generation. With UJ the spent corn (grey and floating) is scooped out and additional new cracked corn is added as required to keep the flavour profile going. I found that I really didn't need to remove or add much and had UJ at many generations. Keeping the PH balanced was the biggest issue with the repeated addition of backset.

How often and how is additional Cornflakes added, if at all?


Edit:
I've sort of answered my own question (I think). I had some time this morning and read all posts with the word "generation" in this thread which cuts it down to 2 pages from 30. As I would have expected the question has come up before. It seems that some have run the same flakes for gen 2 or even 3 and some have topped up the flakes but the OP, Odin appears to say that new flakes are used each time and it is only the backset that carries over from generation to generation. These recommendations / instructions by Odin is the way I'll proceed.
Odin wrote:You'd need new cereals, but I'd certainly use some 20% backset to start up generation II!

Odin.
Odin wrote:Throw out the leese. Use 25% backset in a new generation.

Odin.

I'll get a ferment of UJ going tomorrow so it will be interesting to do a side by side.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

This recipe is giving me some grief. The fermentation is just so slow. Hardly anything happening at all. I started this a full 24 hours before a UJ and the UJ is bubbling the lock a couple of times a minute where the Cornflakes is barely pushing the bubbler off level. It's quite cool in the shed so I put a heater on it yesterday and added a bit of extra yeast but it just doesn't want to go. The UJ is working cold. I'll drop a little circulation pump in it to see if agitation / aeration helps but she just doesn't want to go. It almost seems that the yeasties just don't like cornflakes.

Interesting that the SG rose from 1060 to 1070 over the first 24 hours. I guess it's possible that the sugar wasn't fully dissolved but the UJ didn't do the same. I'll measure it again to see if there has been any change at all.

Edit: All good. It is going, slowly. Back down to 1060 now. I had a dodgy grommet in the lid of the fermenter.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Never trust an airlock.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

Yep. I haven't used my buckets for quite a while and the lid that was on top had a dodgy grommet. Luckily I had some spares that were still good. Anyway, both buckets seem to be dropping about 10 points a day so it'll be a week to ferment out, or thereabouts. I never used to worry about airlock / closed system for UJ. I did heaps of it in a loose lid drum that I used to open up and stir, take samples for testing etc, and not once had any issue with contamination. Unlike making lager, it is quite forgiving.

I'll probably rack it off and let it sit for a few days to clear up before running it. I have a few things to get sorted in the mean time. I have to rig up a return to pipe my cooling water back to the tank, get some jars and bottles cleaned up and clear some space for storage.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

This recipe ferments out much slower than UJ. Running side by side the cornflakes had 24 hours head start and was warmed from day 2 whereas the UJ went several days cold before I put a heater on it. The UJ is nearly finished, down to 1000 from 1060 and the flakes is still working and only down at 1030. I have a feeling that the flakes may have some extra sugars available though which could explain it. The SG went up for the first stages instead of going down. The yield when I run the 2 will tell if that's the case because I put the same amount of sugar in both.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

Dead in the water. Stalled again at 1028. I've now got 2 other UJ ferments that have overtaken this with a 7 and 8 day head start. The first UJ with a handicap of 24 hours is done and run. I'll test the Ph tomorrow but it may be that there is something in the Cornflakes that is deading the yeasties. Not to worry, but I won't be doing this one again. I guess I'll have to eat the second box.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Have you tasted It or are you relying on a hydrometer reading?
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

Still sweet. Not dry and no action. Stalled again.
Last edited by CuWhistle on Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Odin »

Look at your pH.

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

First job for today.

Ph way too low I think. Start water from the tank was around 6.8 according to the Pool Test kit. My Ph meter was reading that as 7.2 and the Cornflakes was down at 3.2 but I need to calibrate so not exactly sure. I've dropped some shell grit in and it fizzed up so I'll see if it kicks on. The SG has dropped a little overnight so it isn't completely stalled but very close.
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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by Odin »

Too low will stall the ferment and create tails oriented, back-end flavors. Means your drink will take longer to age out as well.

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Re: Cornflakes whiskey

Post by CuWhistle »

It's all good Odin. It came back to life this afternoon. I have a few small UJ's running staggered as well, although I'm not a fan of micro. It will all go into the mix anyway. I learnt last time around that increased volume equals decrease in problems and much easier cuts. More work but it does make for a better product (easier to achieve anyway) and I stay within the confines of hobby. The best drinking stuff I had last time around was all blended from many different concoctions and age matters. Mainly UJ but I also did a few with Malt Extracts and other bits and pieces. The individual products were good and interesting but for good drinks, the blends just did it for me. The mother in law really liked the pure malt extract whereas I preferred the corn content. Do some corn. Do some malt. Do some sugar. Do some grain. Age on toasted, charred, old barrel chips. Add some vanilla or honey of maple syrup. Even pour in bottle of bought whiskey as well. The flavour goes a long way. Mix it up. The trick then comes down to blending.

I've got the larger fermenter all cleaned up and ready to go but I'm going to make a workbench on caster wheels with heights for siphoning, lifting and drainage this time around. Something I never did last time because it wasn't my own property and it was never a permanent thing. Back home now.
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