Which corn would you grow?

[newbietoo]

I am looking into a cast iron sheller.

That's exactly what I got and it works great. I can shell a 50# bag of corn in about 10 minutes now.

I will take it that it is motorized. I found some on fleabay new for about 60 dollars (no motor) that are modeled after the antique ones

[newbietoo]

I am looking into a cast iron sheller.

That's exactly what I got and it works great. I can shell a 50# bag of corn in about 10 minutes now.

I do have a question about yours, does it separate the corn and husk/cob. Or does everything go into the same container and you have to separate it?

[MichiganCornhusker]

I will take it that it is motorized. I found some on fleabay new for about 60 dollars (no motor) that are modeled after the antique ones

Not motorized, just reach in the cob bag with one hand, crank with the other.
I needed to build a bin to attach it to, then the kernels fall out and the cobs chuck out the end of the sheller.

[newbietoo]

I will buy one after work picks up, thanks for all of your help

[imeasystreet]

I found this oldish thread looking for info on all corn recipes. Hickory King was mentioned. Hickory King, I prefer Yellow as opposed to White, can be used to make hominy and better yet, corn nuts! Soak, nixmatalize, rinse, and deep fat fry. You can just soak and deep fry but nixing gets better flavor and color. And put a lid on the deep fryer unless you want it on the floor for the cats to play with.

Malted, dried, ground, corn mashed for an hour at 145-155F
You can add as much as equal weight un-malted cooked 200F
Ferment on grain?

[wetneck]

I really don't think the corn will know if its making fuel or moonshine... are they both not ethanol?

FS

Taste, smoothness etc. of the final product?

[imeasystreet]

taste
even with ujssm

[Stonecutter]

I’d grow Jimmy Red if I could get my hands on some genuine seed. It’s the history of it that attracts me. I hear it made a fine drop.

[contrahead]

There is a little farm town in a Western Colorado valley named Olathe. Olathe sweet corn is revered, uniformly within a 400-500 mile radius; as being the best tasting corn on the cob to eat. According to may people in the Southwest, that claim to know what they are talking about. It seems likely, perhaps probable, that the best tasting edible corn would also make the best tasting corn whisky.

Not only that, but the alcohol yield per bushel from the sweet corn should produce a higher volume of liquor than regular dent corn used for livestock feed. That's assuming though that no yeast and preferably no sugars is used, and that the fermenting enzymes and natural yeast come from sprouted / malted corn and atmosphere alone (no synthetic amylase or turbo yeast to be delivered by Amazon and USPS). It's logical that the simpler sugars for fermentation, would be more accessible in the sweet corn, than in the plain corn. (You can obviously taste the difference, without consulting a refractometer).

Quoting paragraph 2, on page # 336 of The Foxfire Book (vol AO-36), it states:
“2. Choose the corn. Do not use a hybrid or yellow corn. Use a good, fresh, pure white corn like Holcomb Prolific which will produce about three quarts of whiskey per bushel. Inferior brands will only produce about two and a half quarts per bushel.”

Several pages later in the book, under a title named; “HOW GOOD WHISKEY IS BEING RUINED”, the old timers and writer list 14 reasons.
Negative reason #2 was: “The beer is often run too early before it has a chance to sour properly”.
Negative reason #10 was: “Instead of pure corn malt, some use yeast".

And there you have it. The old timers being interviewed in this book were in their 70's or 80's when the book was published 50 years ago in 1972. They knew how to use yellow corn, and how to increase product volume by adding sugar and yeast to make moonshine to sell. But for their own consumption they preferred white sweet corn, no sugar and no added yeast.

I've had some remarkably smooth, clear corn whiskey on a couple occasions. Frankly, I doubt that it was aged at all.

[subbrew]

Quoting paragraph 2, on page # 336 of The Foxfire Book (vol AO-36), it states:
“2. Choose the corn. Do not use a hybrid or yellow corn. Use a good, fresh, pure white corn like Holcomb Prolific which will produce about three quarts of whiskey per bushel. Inferior brands will only produce about two and a half quarts per bushel.”

And there you have it. The old timers being interviewed in this book were in their 70's or 80's when the book was published 50 years ago in 1972. They knew how to use yellow corn, and how to increase product volume by adding sugar and yeast to make moonshine to sell. But for their own consumption they preferred white sweet corn, no sugar and no added yeast.

I've had some remarkably smooth, clear corn whiskey on a couple occasions. Frankly, I doubt that it was aged at all.

Holcomb Prolific is a white dent corn, not a sweet corn. By malting it they were generating their own enzymes and relying on natural yeast and probably a few bacteria as well.

My grandfather didn't make whiskey but he did make a lot of hominy. He always raised a little white corn for that. It had larger kernels and he claimed the taste was better. Since he never made any from yellow corn by the time I was around I never had a chance to compare but I do know his made from white corn was a totally different product from what you get in a can. Damn, I think I just added something else to the todo list.

[subbrew]

Just in case anyone wants to try various corn varieties https://www.sandhillpreservation.com/corn I see at least 20 years of experiments there.

[contrahead]

I see at least 20 years of experiments there.

Now see, that is just too much selection. A guy like me that doesn't know much about corn, will never be able to find a favorite for distilling – when there is over 173 varieties of heirloom seeds to pick from.

Quoting the sandhillpreservation.com/corn page:
“We are hopeful that everyone will try to grow at least one non GMO variety this year to counteract the sad state of affairs our world has come to with the near total reliance on GMO corn.”

I think I'll plant some heirloom corn this year, and attempt to malt all the grain.

Never understoof "tasseling" either, untill now.
What is Corn Detasseling?

[subbrew]

Never understoof "tasseling" either, untill now.
What is Corn Detasseling?

Have machines now, but 45 years ago, it was the most god awful job in the world. 90+ degree day in July, field just irrigated so muddy and the humidity was 100% down in the corn, no wind or breeze in the corn and you are walking through leaves that make tiny cuts to your skin, pulling out the tassels on two rows of corn. Good money for a 12 year old though.

[contrahead]

I don't know. Baling hay in July, 55 years ago, seemed to be a pretty god awful job at the time. What with the temperature being 90+, the humidity about 80%, no shirt, sweating like a pig and being pricked and scratched by each 75 lb. bale you hefted and stacked on the back of the truck. Had to flip the bales over first, sometimes finding dead rabbits or half dead shakes bound up in the bale. Real good money though for a 12 year old that got 3 cents for each bale stacked in the barn.

[subbrew]

I did both, and I will take bales any day, getting off topic though. But I am restoring and old W55 baler so I will have the chance to experience bales again.

[jonnys_spirit]

2oz packs? 4oz packs? I need a couple 50# sacks! lol...

-j

[Getsmokin]

Growing some Jimmy Red, Ohio Blue and Amanda Palmer this year. Grew Bloody Butcher and Tnn Red cob last year.

[The Baker]

I did both, and I will take bales any day, getting off topic though. But I am restoring an old W55 baler so I will have the chance to experience bales again.

Around 1946, my uncle and father had just come back from the war.
Uncle had a baler. On steel wheels to tow around, probably with the Clydesdale horses.
I think he contracted some baling with the neighbours.
The straw was brought to it; cut with a horse drawn mower, and when dry pitchforked into the hopper.
There was a piece of wood you put in to separate the bales and I think they tied them with wire.
It was fascinating to watch the "magpie" dive into the hopper to compress the straw, and rise up so more could be pitched in.
Old times.

Geoff

[subbrew]

Growing some Jimmy Red, Ohio Blue and Amanda Palmer this year. Grew Bloody Butcher and Tnn Red cob last year.

Planning on making whiskey from each of those? Or for other purposes?

[Truckinbutch]

Ya don't want to get me started on from a horse powered farm and steam threshing machines and coal oil lights to today .

[Getsmokin]

Growing some Jimmy Red, Ohio Blue and Amanda Palmer this year. Grew Bloody Butcher and Tnn Red cob last year.

Planning on making whiskey from each of those? Or for other purposes?

I am. Used some of the butcher from last year already, it's surprisingly fruity.

[Tater]

This post needs to get back on topic .

[Pesty]

I moved to Montana on 27 acres last year. I’ve got 250 seeds of Montana Cudu Corn that was bred by Ed Shultz for the short growing season going in the garden this year. Its mostly a cornmeal type breed so should grind up nice in the fall.

[ezlle71]

Last summer dad and i planted some 105 day pioneer white corn, Its Round up ready and Bt compatible IIRC. Made just over 100 bu per acre with no fertilizer! We binned in on the farm and it makes a damn Fine drop of whiskey. Grinding feed for the chickens and calves it looks like snow! very pretty

[shadylane]

Which corn would you grow?

Probably not sweet corn.
The dried kernels are small and shriveled up compared to field corn (dent corn).

[metalsmith]

My approach would be plant it, pick it, shell it, mash it, ferment. If I got free seed, I’ll use it.