ujssm in 5 gallon buckets

[smokeskrene4207]

I'm about to start up ujssm in 3 five gallon buckets. Would 4 gallons of water 5.6 lbs sugar and 5.6 lbs of cracked corn be to much for the bucket? I don't want a mess but I'd like to run 3 gallons at a time. I know making fruit wines and meads I can fill to 4.5 gallons but I have to punch the cap down. I'm following a basic ujssm recipe of 1.4 lbs of sugar and cracked corn per gallon so I'd assume 4 gallons water and the 5.6 lbs a piece of sugar and cracked corn would be about 4.5 gallons. I'm sure I'd have to keep on eye on the cap. Also how many generations can a 50lb sack of corn do this way? I've bought enough sugar for 3 generations already.

[GrassHopper]

UJSSM doesn't get much of a cap, but I think you would be closer to the top of your bucket than you wanna be. Besides, what a PITA dealing with 3 buckets. I would think you would be much happier just getting a 25 gal food grade garbage can and doing one larger ferment. Way less hassle. I put mine up off the ground a ways so I can siphon off. When ferment is done rack off the clear stuff down to your grain and then tip your vessel over on it's side just enough and let the rest drain off the grains into another container naturally. Done. Now your ready to get the next generation started and strip your wash.

You can re-use your cracked corn over and over, but take a little stuff off the top out and replace with some fresh each time (I take off about 1/2 to 1" ). I replace all of my grain after 7 or 8 generations anyway. 50# will last you quite a while for the small ferments you are doing. It'll prolly get bugs in it before you get rid of in anyway. Lil' bastards somehow find a way to get in there even if I think I got a good lid on my bucket. I do a couple 25 gal washes at a time. Corn is cheap. Sugar is not.

I know that's not all the answers you wanted. Maybe somebody can figure out the math for ya.
Good luck.

[smokeskrene4207]

At that rate I might as well use my 55 gallon blue food grade barrel I have and just cut the lid off since its not screw off. That means I can run the keg still to. Any advice on a barrel of ujssm?

[GrassHopper]

Heck yeah! That would be a great fermenter. Wish I had one. I use 33 gal barrels and I had the same issue with no screw on top. I laid the barrel on it's side and used a 6" super thin cut-off grinding wheel in my skil saw to cut off the top. It melts it a bit, but still does a fairly nice cut. I then turned the lid upside down and it fit over the barrel nicely. (May not work that way on yours). I put a 1/2" thick foam rubber door seal weather strip on the inner edge to give a good seal. I don't get any fruit flys so I must have a good seal. No air lock.
Yeah, I would run your keg still. Do 12 gal runs and your way ahead. And I would strip your washes and then do a spirit run of 12 gal low wines for a nice UJSSM white and then age on oak. I have progressed to that stage because of trying to ferment little 5 gal buckets and running a 5 gal still and trying to do cuts on small amounts (that's hard). Not only that, but I was pulling hearts off a single pot still run. It is so much easier on a larger run. I have two 20 liter oak barrels aging right now and 1 one year old barrel which I just bottled. Life is good.

[rgreen2002]

Nice vid on how to cut the top off and use it as the lid.

[smokeskrene4207]

I got antsy and used 3 5 gallon buckets. If anyone's interested 5lbs sugar 5lbs cracked corn and 3.5 gallons water is 4 gallons. I used stream water that's cool and clear. I boiled it and added to sugar corn mix. When temp drops I'll pitch yeast from a starter I made up.