steamed made corn likker

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Tater
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steamed made corn likker

Post by Tater »

Was talking to a 78 year old timer who made corn likker when he was young Got him to go over way he made it as a boy with his dad and other kin Heres what he said..We made a boiler and steamed cooked white corn meal adding water as needed to get a thick porridge like goop.We let this cool.Then took a paddle stirring/breaking up any clots adding water and heating up with steam again until they has a thinner soup/thin gravy like mixture that would let the paddle fall over if stood up in middle kinda between slow and fast.Heating til it was hot enough to add malt(could stick finger in it 3 times but not 4)Stop heating it and then added malted white corn ground up (.he said with old hand grinder) Stirring it in letting this cool before adding yeast.He also said long as the dogwoods were blooming they didn't add any yeast. He said when fermented out the beer didn't have a lot of grain meal left in it but also that it was dipped with bucket to fill the still .When still was filled wash was also used in first run with thumper.They would fire boiler off and steam the likker off . Saving tails(tails he called backins and were apparently not kept till bad tasting.Because he also said some times if they had lot flavor they would be used to temper with) otherwise were to use back in thumper .After first run all the slops were dumped back in ferminter with corn meal to start another ferment using half the slops each run after that.Also said that if first run was poor all of it would be used in thumper .
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
Fourway
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by Fourway »

Interesting,
was he clear about how long they waited after adding malted corn before pitching yeast?
were they keeping the temp up for a while once malt was in or just letting it cool from there?
did he remember the corn to malt ratio they used?
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by goose eye »

ole boys pa an doc messed with backins an workin em in but ole boys had to put the ketle back on blocks
a couple times for stretchin a nickle an gave up early on .
sounds like he runed it til it quit burnin to.

tater ask him did he try takein down brandy with backins.
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by Tater »

goose eye wrote:ole boys pa an doc messed with backins an workin em in but ole boys had to put the ketle back on blocks
a couple times for stretchin a nickle an gave up early on .
sounds like he runed it til it quit burnin to.

tater ask him did he try takein down brandy with backins.
Saw the old timer agin today and asked some more questions.Also should say this fella is hard of hearing so will have to bear with me on this. .Asked him your question goose and his reply was that the backins were used to temper with or added back to thumper only if they had really good tastes.Otherwise mash or water was used in thumper Was selling likker he said he was making also..He also called a thumper a condenser.Had him draw out the outfit for me and he used a boiler a still a condenser /thumper and a puke barrel.then worm in barrel.Said that with outfit set up like that ya could run as hard as ya wanted to long as ya didnt collapse the boiler.Also the mash wasnt as hot as I thought he was talking about when they added the malt .Said the cooked cornmeal was hot as stated in first post .He used 25 or so gallons boiling hot water to start with to cook corn meal let this cool and added more hot water to thin with when this was let to cool enough to add malt ya could hold hand in it and yeast was stirred in/when used but malt wasnt it was put on top of mash about 2 to 3 in thick .He said this was done to hold in the heat and that when ferment started it would mix itself up. . There was also sugar added in this recipe that he didnt say anything about first time.Came out when I asked Fourways question about amounts.His recipe was this Take a 4x4 box add 200 lbs of corn 100 lbs sugar meal cook as described in first post. When ready for yeast and malt the mash box would be full to within 10 inch or so from top after adding yeast Then adding a few inches of green corn malt on top.( asked how much that would be ad he said enough to do that)Said when it was working off it would rise almost to top of box and when cap /head fell was ready to run.Would take 30 gallons and add to still and around 5 gallons in thumper .Said this recipe would make around 18 to 20 gallons likker. His recipe for sugar head was simmiler cook 200lbs of hog chop in preheated water .Add 200 lbs sugar and enough hot water to fill box 10 to 14 inches from top stir in yeast and add enough whole rye to cover mash a few inched and let it work off .Rye will mix in on its own and form the head/cap and when falls its ready to run.
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
goose eye
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by goose eye »

take 3 pices of ply wood cut in half it makes 4 ft box an lid. you gota put 2x4 pinwheeled for bracein on outside at boton 1/2 way an bout 3/4 up an visqueen on inside of box. that one charge in a 6 barel outfit an beer for doublein keg.
ask him if he run on the wanein moon

so im tole
junkyard dawg
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by junkyard dawg »

good stuff tater. Thanks.

the old timers techniques have some similarities to holys smop. I love the idea of making a layer of malt on top of the mash.
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by Tater »

goose eye wrote:take 3 pices of ply wood cut in half it makes 4 ft box an lid. you gota put 2x4 pinwheeled for bracein on outside at boton 1/2 way an bout 3/4 up an visqueen on inside of box. that one charge in a 6 barel outfit an beer for doublein keg.
ask him if he run on the wanein moon

so im tole
His box were made of oak boards he said built filled with water to soak and any large leaks chinked with cloth . said chop or corn meal would fill in rest of leaks. Ill ask about moon next time i see him.
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
junkyard dawg
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by junkyard dawg »

Hey Goose, what is running on the waning moon about?
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violentblue
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by violentblue »

junkyard dawg wrote:Hey Goose, what is running on the waning moon about?
you run on the waning moon so its not so bright out, then the revenoors need to use lanterns or flashlights, you'd see them coming that way.
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by Bradster68 »

I know this is an old thread but this is some of the coolest shit iv ever read.id love to have an opportunity to sit with some old fella and chat
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by Tater »

The old timer I was talking about in this post passes few years back .Only a few left now that I know .Sure there's several still at it I don't.
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: steamed made corn likker

Post by LWTCS »

This is real McCoy culture to be sure.

Goose deleted an adventure or two. Too bad for me and you fellers.
Bet he's got some dandies that only "ole boys" know about.
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