Flaked wheat for whiskey- what am I doing wrong?

[gusteckbr]

Hello everyone,

I am a new home distiller, just recently I decided to buy a pot still (50liters / 13.2 gallons wash) and start to produce whiskey. I have read some books, and in one I found a recipe I decided to try, but that hasn't turn out quite as I expected. Here is the recipe I tried, in order to produce 40l (10.5 gallons) of wash:

- 50l (12.2gallons) water
- 9kg (19.8lb) flaked wheat
- 2kg (4.4lb) malted barley

Water PH read = 6.4

Mash: heated water to 72C (161F), and added flaked wheat. Temperature went down to 69C (156F), rested until the temperature reached 66C (151F). Then I added the crushed malted barley and let rest for 90 minutes. After I filtered in a false bottom pot I use for homebrewing, squeezed and much as I could, collected 35l (9.2gallons) and cooled to 28C (82F).

According to the book, it supposed to read OG of 1.065 / 1.070, but instead, my OG was 1.040. After fermentation, it gave me FG 1.008, which is around 4.1% alcohol.

Questions: What did I do wrong? Shall I distill it anyway?

Sorry about the measurement units, in my place we use the metric system so I had to convert
If anyone can help me, I'd really appreciate!

Cheers

[Odin]

PH could be a bit lower. Iron in the water does not help the yeast. Calcium does. What malt did you use? Is the DP enough to convert the other grains? Next time, bring the water to a boil, then add the flakes and let the temp drop until you can add the malt. Don't force cool, but let the wash cool down slowly for better and more complex conversion. Did you stir the grains in every now & then?

Just some thougths,

Odin.

[Prairiepiss]

Did you do an iodine starch test?

[just-a-sip]

ill have to agree with odin a bit i have a go to recipe that took me forever to get the og anf FG to be correct. 1st was i had a hard time getting the ph low enough
fixed that and still had problems on the next one. i would use 3/4 of my water to boil grains then use the last 1/4 to drop the temp to mashing temp. result still to low so i stopped that adn let it cool on its own. still to low so i let it boil longer. i also used to do the boil adn steep for 90 min . now i boil steep boil steep boil steep for 90 min. i make sure the water is at boiling before i transfer it to the cooler for resting.

so for me it was. boil harder longer, adjust the ph, and allow to cool to mashing temp on its own... ive been hitting 8.5% ABV from then on.

[Odin]

A first AG is difficult though. I remember my first was like 4% as well. Next one was maybe 5.5% if I recollect well. After that it has been like 7.5 to 8% steady on. I don't correct for PH no more in AG. Just use like 20% backset ...

Odin.

[gusteckbr]

Thanks a lot for your help Odin and Just-a-sip

My water is really soft, free of irons as well as free of calcium. If it makes a big difference, I’ll try to add some calcium as you said and boiling the flakes before steeping the malt. I used 2 row pilsner malt, maybe I’ll change that for diastatic malt, maybe it will help

How much calcium should I use?

Also I’m still in doubt if I can distill it. I placed the fermented mash in a temp controled freezer I have at -1C (30F)

Gus

[just-a-sip]

Also I’m still in doubt if I can distill it. I placed the fermented mash in a temp controled freezer I have at -1C (30F)

Gus

two forms of thinking here. if it is done working and you cant get any better then 1.008 (which you may not) then you can run it. your not going to get the highest yield out of it but it can be run.

the other option is to add a bit of sugar and let it start working again. I know you were going for an all grain mash, but i would write this up as a learning experience. if you still have 9.2 gal of fermented mash go ahead and add about 5lbs of sugar give or take a 1/2 lb. this should add you about 3-4 more points and get you to that 7-8% your looking for.

then next time try some of the advice given and do another all grain.

besides for me i do an all grain about once every 8 runs. i take my grain and do a UJSM for about 8 generations then save the backset and start another all grain. gives me plenty of drinking stock while my AGs age just a bit.