uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

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MartinCash
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by MartinCash »

I've been distilling on and off for 8 or so years, and I still enjoy UJSSM. It's pretty much the ideal beginner recipe.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Agree Martin....its an almost fool proof recipe for newbs to cut their teeth on ....different grains can be added to suit personal taste. I still make enough to keep my 50L barrel topped up 9-10 years from when I stated my first generation. In that time its never been heated in winter , had PH checked or any other molly coddling ....Its still running on the same bakers yeast I pitched all that time ago.
Its a great recipe.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by kyolic »

I have a question about volume.

This is from the OP:
So, for 40 liters of wash. Recipe goes like this.

7kg cracked feed corn,
7kg raw or white sugar (I like raw)
Dissolve sugar in hot water, then add enough cold water to make 40 l total.

Do I just use 40 liters of water in total ? Or the overall volume becomes 40 liters including sugar and corn, which means using 26 liters of water. Yes I know it is more than 26 liters since the sugar will dissolve. But definitely much less than 40 liters.

I am asking this because when I rack the wash from the fermentor, I want to have approximately 40 liters of wash to go in my still.

I appreciate if someone clears this out for me, thanks in advance.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by silverbean »

kyolic wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 12:37 am I have a question about volume.

This is from the OP:
So, for 40 liters of wash. Recipe goes like this.

7kg cracked feed corn,
7kg raw or white sugar (I like raw)
Dissolve sugar in hot water, then add enough cold water to make 40 l total.

Do I just use 40 liters of water in total ? Or the overall volume becomes 40 liters including sugar and corn, which means using 26 liters of water. Yes I know it is more than 26 liters since the sugar will dissolve. But definitely much less than 40 liters.

I am asking this because when I rack the wash from the fermentor, I want to have approximately 40 liters of wash to go in my still.

I appreciate if someone clears this out for me, thanks in advance.
For the 1st generation you will need 42 - 45 liters to give you 40 liters to run as the corn will soak up some. The recipe doesn't have to be exact quantities, the more sugar the higher ABV, the more corn the more flavour. I think the OP meant total water = 40 liters including water used to dissolve sugar. More important is your starting gravity, hold back a liter of water so you can add more sugar if OG is low.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by kyolic »

Thanks silverbean. :thumbup:

Guys I have one more question. When we make a new generation (after the first one is over), do we stir everything after adding water (with melted sugar) and backset or do we leave it that way, just close the cover and put the airlock?

I did read all pages but I am still not sure about this.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by MartinCash »

I stir it in to get good mixing. Make sure the liquid going in is not so hot it might kill the yeast. It should be close to normal fermentation temp.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by NZChris »

I dissolve the sugar with the not backset in a separate vessel, then add water to get to the volume, OG and temperature I want while aerating it. When everything is how I want it, it gets dumped onto the trub and new grain and gets a good stirring.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by tjans »

Man, I started 4 gallons of UJSSM low wines plus one gallon of leftover wash from tht last strip at 8am this morning.

Running pretty slow, I'm on pint 13 at 3:45pm and tht proof has gone from 172 to about 170 over this span. It seems like it's never going to drop. I know, I k ow, great problem to have.

I can't dedicate much more to this today. Is it cool to stop and run the rest again a different day?

Family is looking at me funny.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by still_stirrin »

tjans wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 1:44 pmI can't dedicate much more to this today. Is it cool to stop and run the rest again a different day?

Family is looking at me funny.
Hmmmm....you must be a “funny looking guy”! Try looking into a mirror and see if you agree with them. :lol:

You must be running a reflux still if you’re at 170 proof all day long. And, depending on how it’s modulated, you could be near the end, or still have a ways to go.

Did you calculate the potential alcohol in the boiler at the start? How does that compare with the volumes collected so far? That’s a better way to tell how far along you are rather than trying to judge by the clock.

—> know what you’ve got will help you know what to expect. Then, you may still (or may not) get “funny looks” from your family. YMMV
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by tjans »

I'm not. I'm running a completely unpacked mighty mini dual.

I took an alcoholometer reading at the start and it was around 40%.

I just bumped up tht heat and now it's coming off at 160, two jars worth so far of that.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

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Ps. To their credit, I am funny looking.

Funny was the wrong word, more like "dude, are you done yet?"
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by tjans »

Head temp held strong at 179 all day too, though I don't use that for more than a simple trend on how stable I'm keeping my still running.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Its ok to turn it off .....I wouldn't turn it off for a week, but over night will be ok.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

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tjans wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 1:44 pm I can't dedicate much more to this today. Is it cool to stop and run the rest again a different day?
If there are any solids in the charge, stirring them back into suspension before you turn the heat on should prevent them burning onto elements/whatever.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by tjans »

It's anvil foundry, low density burner, not terribly worried about scorching, plus it's mostly low wines. Thanks!
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by tjans »

I'm takin her down to 140 proof and quitting.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Graw »

Made my first batch of this. Followed recipe and instructions completely. Using EC-1118. First run went good, out of 5 gallons got about 3/4 gallon low wines stopped at 30%abv outa spout. Less than I thought I’d get.
Let backset cool after sugar added and put back into bucket. Again following directions completely. Threw a handful of crushed oyster shells in a bag into bucket too. Now 15 hrs later I check on it. No bubbles in airlock no signs of fermentation. Gave it another stir. Nothing. So pitched another packet of yeast in there hoping that’ll start it up. Must have low ph? Didn’t expect to have issues with this! Anybody have this issue?
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Graw wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:14 am No bubbles in airlock no signs of fermentation.
What other signs of fermentation did you look for?
Is the grain at the top of the fermenter or on the bottom?
Can you hear or see it fizzing with the lid off.
EC1118 wouldnt have been my first choice for a UJSSM wash......most use plain ol bakers yeast.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Graw »

Grains at bottom, it fizzed/tiny bubbles when I stirred it.
Humm ok. After I run this batch should I start with new corn and bakers yeast with backseat?
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by MartinCash »

How much backset did you add?
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Graw »

1.5 gallons
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Magic »

would it be OK to use flake corn for this recipe. and i guess turbo yeast would be out of the question.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Magic »

my brew store only sells flaked grains but theres a feed store that sells cracked corn for chickens would that be suitable i wonder
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by MartinCash »

Has it started yet?

I only use 1 gallon in 10 gallons of wash, and often reduce it after a couple of generations so that the yeast doesn't slow down.

I definitely would not recommend turbo yeast. Flaked corn would work fine but costs (in my part of the world) five times as much as cracked corn, and gives no benefit (I use cracked corn).

Hint: you can edit your post until someone replies to it. This stops you spamming the topic with many consecutive posts.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by Magic »

MartinCash wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:43 pm
Hint: you can edit your post until someone replies to it. This stops you spamming the topic with many consecutive posts.
thanks great to know

have not started yet but do have the flaked corn and turbo yeast i guess i could wait and get bread yeast to start and save the turbo for a sugar wash later
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by MartinCash »

There are a few threads on how to get better results from Turbo yeasts around. Make sure to have a read: if you use it as per its instructions, you're likely to end up with something that needs a lot of polishing before being drinkable. Definitely recommend bread yeast or ale yeast for UJ (most people use bread yeast). If you keep it going enough generations, it will develop its own flora.

A good start if you want to use that turbo somewhere would be this thread: https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 15&t=10541
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by pickednick »

This is how I use heads and tails in strip/spirit run also I have two questions:
I make two batch of modified ujssm in plastic bucket, total wash 8 + 8 = 16L (4.2 gal)
My still is worm still and its pot takes 7L (1.8 gal) of liquid.
I add my heads to strip run and tails to spirit run. Low wines are 50-55 abv (100 - 110 proof) from strip run. And using wash to dilute low wines below 40 abv ( 80 proof ) (Trying to make 1.5 run)
I use total 25 small jars in spirit run cuts. (1/10 L each) ( 0,4 - 0,5L per hour collecting rate)

My question: is using 25 jars overkill and collecting speed too low?

Also one of my bucket got white webs on top of it after finishing fermentation, it smells not bad, if it is lacto should I wait them to develop more or distill it as soon as possible? Thanks.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by RC Al »

Sounds pretty similar numbers to my little 6l still, you can turn the power up a bit once your sure your into hearts, but the .5/h is apropiate for heads

I think your boiler is too small to be trying to stack heads, maybe add late heads back in with the tails for the spirit run. Your not gaining anything by putting the heads in the strip run.

Strip to a lower abv, going down to 10 or so will get your low wines to 40 or under, the sweetwater at the end is much nicer than wash or water to dilute with if you need to with the added feints
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by rolling »

I've have been in the middle of a move over the last year, and lost my still house in the process. Because of this I have lots of 1/2 gallon jars of UJ white stored away with ptfe lid liners and pin holes. Most of this is about a year old now and I've got to say it's improved. I've only aged on wood, but aging this way white seems to be very good. I've had it out in the unheated garage and some up in the garage attic. Hopefully I can get things running again in my new digs soon. I really do like UJSSM.
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Re: uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

Post by n_plains_drifter »

Are you making your own PTFE lid liners? Are the jars canning type jars? Love to hear more about your storage/ aging process.

Thanks, Drifter.
rolling wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 4:51 pm I've have been in the middle of a move over the last year, and lost my still house in the process. Because of this I have lots of 1/2 gallon jars of UJ white stored away with ptfe lid liners and pin holes. Most of this is about a year old now and I've got to say it's improved. I've only aged on wood, but aging this way white seems to be very good. I've had it out in the unheated garage and some up in the garage attic. Hopefully I can get things running again in my new digs soon. I really do like UJSSM.
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