First timer...will this work?

[82Winger]

I cooked 15lbs of cracked corn with 14lbs. sugar and 15gal. of water on 4-27. I combined everything in a 33 gal. plastic trash can and let it cool overnight. The next day I added 2 packets of Fleishmans bread yeast. It began working after a few hours and it has bubbled since then and I have stirred it several times. My question is this.. My hydrometer floats completely from day 1 till now. Is this mash going to be ok? Many thanks

[still_stirrin]

My question is this.. My hydrometer floats completely from day 1 till now. Is this mash going to be ok?

What is the gravity reading? And the obvious question...is it a brewer’s hydrometer or an alcohol measurement (Proof & Traille) hydrometer?
ss

[still_stirrin]

82Winger,

Here’s a “required reading” post: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=57187#p7337357

And this one too: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=57227&p=7337880#p7337880

Hope this helps answer your questions preemptively.
ss

[82Winger]

I purchased a Proof & Tralle. I guess that explains my stupid self. Do you think my mash will still be alright? Thank you Still-Stir

[pfshine]

The sugar wash sounds fine, a bit low on the abv as the corn will only add flavor because there is no starch conversion. Try to keep your mitts out of it unless you want an infection.

[jon1163]

I started like you until I found the HD website. If I were giving advice to my old self I would say try a few tried-and-true recipes and you'll eventually kind of get the hang of what you need to be doing. I've been a member here for a long time and I read every day I still don't know Jack. Making booze is kind of like anything that is an art form. It's pretty easy to do it's extremely hard to do well

[StillerBoy]

I cooked 15lbs of cracked corn with 14lbs. sugar and 15gal. of water on 4-27. I combined everything in a 33 gal. plastic trash can

The wash should be ok, but on the light for the abv.. at 14 lbs sugar for 15 gal of water is less than a pound per gallon which should give you about 5 - 6 % abv.. normally a 1.5 lbs per gal will give you about 8 - 9%, and 2 lbs per gal will give about 10 - 11%.. no need to cook the corn if no enzymes are used, as the corn in your wash right now will only provide flavor and no sugar..

Mars

[still_stirrin]

...Do you think my mash will still be alright?

Well technically, it is a grain-flavored sugarhead. As others have noted, the corn won't contribute much, if any, fermentable material to the sugar...unless you mash it.

If you want to learn how to mash grains, search the internet for home-brew sites with discussions of mashing procedures. Words like, "diastatic power", "saccharification rest", "attenuation" will pop up for your attention. You probably need to familiarize yourself with the processes.
ss

[82Winger]

I checked my mash with the correct hydrometer. I am showing below 1.000 on the SG. It is still slowly bubbling but I don't believe I will have any alc. in the mash. Can I still save it or should I count it as a loss and move on?

[pfshine]

It's probably around 5%, I would run it as is.

[zapata]

Run it, stripping run style. Start a new uncle Jessie ferment from tried n true, maybe do UJ twice. Combine all the low wines for a spirit run. It'll be good.

[82Winger]

Thanks to all who have replied here. One other thing I should have corrected in my first post is the amount of water was 10 gal not 15. My wash is very thin. With it being in a 33 gal Rubbermaid trash can, all I have covering it is cheesecloth. Still OK?

[still_stirrin]

...Still OK?

OK.....still.