Crank up the proof?!

[cool9527]

Hey all—

Working with a 8 lb corn/ 2 lb rye/ 2 lb sugar recipe for a 5 gallon wash. I am using Red Star Distiller’s yeast, but really only getting about 5% ABV when my SG hits 1.0. This is giving me maybe 200 mL (after the foreshots) of 140 - 120 proof, then getting lower pretty quickly. By my fifth 200 mL jar, I’m down in the 80’s.

I’d like to see some higher proof in the hearts. Any recommendations or am I just asking too much?

Thanks,

cool

[still_stirrin]

...Any recommendations or am I just asking too much?

Are you actually “mashing” the corn? It seems like you’re leaving a lot of the “potential sugars” unconverted. 10 lb. of grain in a 5 gallon ferment should get you to at least a 1.052 O.G., and that should get you to about 6.7% ABV potential.

If you’re just stirring it all together in the fermenter, you won’t get more potential. You’ve got to mash the grains. And I suggest reading a while on how to do that. There’s plenty of info here, or you could actually search some of the many homebrewing websites.

There’s a valuable saying around here, “if you want more alcohol from your fermenter, get a bigger fermenter”.

And if you need a higher %ABV from your still, then you should be doing double distillations, ie - strip run followed by a spirit run with the low wines. But, you’ll need 3 boiler charges of stripping runs to get one boiler charge of low wines for the spirit run.
ss

[Durhommer]

+1 to ss comment

[cool9527]

Thanks SS—I did a little hunting and it looks like I thought I was “mashing” in, but need to get my water a little hotter with some more stirring on my grains. I really was only taking it to 150 or so, letting the grains “steep” (I suppose?) and not really “cook.”

Appreciate the response...I’m going to dig a little deeper to see if there are some other tricks to it...

[Saltbush Bill]

Unless your using malted grains as part of the gain bill you wont get any conversion now matter how much you cook it.

[shadylane]

Thanks SS—I did a little hunting and it looks like I thought I was “mashing” in, but need to get my water a little hotter with some more stirring on my grains. I really was only taking it to 150 or so, letting the grains “steep” (I suppose?) and not really “cook.”

Appreciate the response...I’m going to dig a little deeper to see if there are some other tricks to it...

If you can't afford the shipping for malted grains.
Order a couple ounces of alpha and gluco amylase

[rubberduck71]

Thanks SS—I did a little hunting and it looks like I thought I was “mashing” in, but need to get my water a little hotter with some more stirring on my grains. I really was only taking it to 150 or so, letting the grains “steep” (I suppose?) and not really “cook.”

Appreciate the response...I’m going to dig a little deeper to see if there are some other tricks to it...

If you can't afford the shipping for malted grains.
Order a couple ounces of alpha and gluco amylase

And check out the No Mash No Sugar thread in this same sub-forum. That Angel Yeast yellow label stuff is indeed [black] magic...

[Demy]

I agree with all previous comments. To transform the starch of your cereals into fermentable sugar you have to go through the conversion process. There are various ways to perform it: insert a good percentage of malted grains, use "synthetic" enzymes and for some time (truth many years) it is possible to use a "mix of yeasts" that will convert your starch and will fermenting simultaneously . Personally my first choice is the first.
This concerning the yield of your cereals. To get better cuts you can use stripping (look for the details on the forum) which is in practice a double distillation, but there are many variables based on the equipment available.

[cool9527]

Thanks for all the advice everyone—

I am using a reflux still, so hoping that is helping my yield, but will go into double distillation mode if I’m still not seeing great results. I also did purchase some amylase for my next batch.

One follow up - will malted grains change my flavor at all? Right now I’m using flaked rye and cracked corn.

[StillerBoy]

One follow up - will malted grains change my flavor at all? Right now I’m using flaked rye and cracked corn.

Malted malt will not change the flavor all that much if only a small amount is used and done/used at the right temperature..

As to using cracked corn and expecting to improve your conversion, it will not happen.. the corn needs to be milled down to almost a flour, or very fine grain..

And for assurance that conversion does take place, use some liquid enzymes,especially for cooking the corn, as it's a hard grain to cook..

You need to redefine your process and method for your AG..

Mars

[still_stirrin]

One follow up - will malted grains change my flavor at all? Right now I’m using flaked rye and cracked corn.

Yes. But, it will change it for the better.

Cracked corn needs to be gelatinized to convert the starches. The flaked rye doesn’t, so it can be added at the saccarification temperature with the malted barley. Corn, you need to process differently. So, first gelatinize the corn and then lower the temperature to 150-152*F and stir in the flakes and the crushed barley malt. Oh, and milling the cracked corn to a “cornmeal” consistency before gelatinizing will help improve your extraction as well. Mash until your iodine test shows no starches remaining.
ss