uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[markbec]

Yeah I've probably explained myself incorrectly. Always referring to the end product once distilled and aged. I read that people say it sours slightly but mine never changes from even the first one. It has plenty of flavour but always smells and tastes a little sweet. My local homebrew shop has a sour with corn and I can tell the difference straight away. For reference my sg was 1.050 and FG 990 on all. Was thinking that maybe I'm not stripping deep enough, only going to about 30-35%. I've read that the backset will sour due to low alc. Have been doing a stripping run and then pouring into next spirit run, as i find this easier than doing 3 stripping runs and 1 spirit.

[mash rookie]

Knock Knock. Uncle Jesse are you hanging around?

Has anyone ever aged their backset like rum Dunder? If so how did it affect the flavor of the finished product?

I have been taking a little time off. Although I have some refrigerated backset, I used five gallons that was kept covered and stored warm for a couple of months. This was 20+ generation backset. When I opened it there was a little mold and slime on top. It had a different kind of richer smell. Smelled more of beer than when stored. I strained off the top and boiled it before using. I knocked up my new wash with fresh cracked corn and bakers yeast. As usual it is working like crazy.

Most of you that have been around awhile know that I love my UJSSM. I have felt like I pretty much have it mastered. This is a whole new twist if it affects flavor.

Oh yeah, Hi Guys! I will try to check in more often.
MR

[Odin]

Welcome back, my friend! Good to hear from you.

Yep, I tried aging UJSSM backset and didn't notice any taste difference. Now I understand in rum making it is essential, and since UJSSM is actually a rum (made of sugar right?), it should (in theory) work. Not for me. At least: not to the extend that I felt it changed my likker or its taste profile.

Odin.

[JollyMon]

After my initial belief that I screwed up my first run, I think I turned that stuff around and made something decent. I only kept the hearts from the first batch, everything else went into the feints jar. I aired that stuff out for 1-2 days and it still had an off taste.So I decided to oak it. I know a lot of people have questionable experiences with the JD oak chips, but I decided to throw some into my jar and try it. After a week, I tasted some and surprisingly much better, So I strained it off into a jar and it was a nice sipping drink.

With my second run done already (and the third bubbling away), I think I am going to do the same thing since it tastes pretty dang good.

[ipee7ABV]

well i read this whole dam thing. i started with a corn meal version about 6 weeks ago. then i followed the directions and made another batch 5 weeks ago. then i read about inverting the sugar so i started one of those about 4 weeks ago. then i read about roasting the corn made one. and finally i made one with rye and barley with corn. i think i am in over my head........invest in c&h

[Odin]

Ipee,

How did they turn out? And why change every week? Taste comes over after generation 3 to 4, so you need to stick with what you started for some time before you can judge the results ...

Odin.

[ipee7ABV]

Ipee,

How did they turn out? And why change every week? Taste comes over after generation 3 to 4, so you need to stick with what you started for some time before you can judge the results ...

Odin.

my ambinet temp is 66f i havent changed every week i just started diffrent washes. i takes about 3 weekes at that temp to ferment dry. right now i have 5 diffrent washes going. i just hit gen3 on the recomended wash. verry yummy. cant wait to try(drink) your suggestions with the the rye/barley(on gen1). btw your grennevere/gin is next on the list

[Gamblor]

An all-grain failure story turned into a UJSSM success story here.

My first serious attempt with all-grain is a failure. No problem cooking the corn in one boiler inside another (no scorching), then adding the malted barley and rye at the right temperature - but there was only about 1/5th conversion (estimate). Probably as the malted barley was only just cracked open by the brew store mill, not ground properly.

I had to add sugar just to get the ferment going, it was a nightmare straining the starch heavy wash and what small amount of distillate I got was lacklustre.

After that though, I only tossed half the left over grains and started a UJSSM with the rest of the grains and backset from the all-grain distill. Fermenation took off and was done in four days. Distilled it over the weekend, and damned if it is not by far the best white from my still yet. The barley and rye flavors really add depth and complexity. I can only imagine cooking all the grains (if you can do it without scorching) yields a great improvement over dumping uncooked grains in the fermenter. Would probably wash the grains next time after the cook though, to remove all the dissolved starch getting in the wash.

[ipee7ABV]

how about this i have 3 washes on gen one. what if i only used half the sugar on gen 2 and 3. i have read on here that after gen3 is when the flavor is the best. any thoughts?

[Odin]

Or just stay with the recipe and use the first gens to compare your later gens to. Or fractionate your first gens into a vodka?

[ipee7ABV]

Or just stay with the recipe and use the first gens to compare your later gens to. Or fractionate your first gens into a vodka?

this is the current plan but i would rather have good corn likker than a nuetral. i think i will do half sugar on one of the 3 and see what happens.

[Uncle Jesse]

I tried this recipe out about a month ago just out of curiosity - the idea of putting in another few dollars to get a whole new run piqued my interest - and I had the single best results I've ever gotten. My whiskey making really turned a corner with this recipe. The sweet run was as good as other batches I've made, but the sour mash run was outstanding. It tasted like butterscotch. I can't wait until my next batch its ready.

Sounds to me as if you are definitely right on track here. The butterscotch taste is definitely something I get when I've done it right.

[Uncle Jesse]

A few thoughts, reading the last few months of posts.

1. I can't stress it enough, don't try to force a high ABV in your wash! There are no shortcuts to a good product. It's tempting to go for the highest proof, hoping to squeeze a bit more product out of your run, but you will only sacrifice quality doing this. Don't let the "frat boy" mentality take over. You shouldn't be doing this just to get drunk - buying cheap vodka is a much easier way to get drunk. Quality first, quantity dead last. Sure you can force your ABV up high, but you will sacrifice flavors.

I rarely take ABV readings, and do it mostly by the seat of my pants, using experience as my guide. Your nose and taste buds will let you know what's right practically every time. An accomplished distiller can do it all by taste/smell/sight, from the first stages of mashing to the final cuts and blending/mixing. Use your hydrometer and such to get you started until you learn the craft, and then rely on your own intuition.

2. Learn the difference between a pot still and a columnar still! If you are going to do a traditional pot still run, then you will need to do a stripping run first and then a spirit run. Only a very experienced distiller can do a single run in a true pot still.

I can do a single run in my columnar still and produce a drinkable product, but as I have tried to point out, this recipe doesn't really get good until the third or fourth generation. Taking all that drinkable product from your first "sweet" run and putting in into your still for the second run (i.e. first sour mash run) will provide you with a larger quantity of a high quality product. Can you drink it all after the first run? Yes! Should you? I say no! Read this thread, plenty of people will confirm that it gets better and better after the first couple of runs. Once you are on your third or fourth generation you'll be happy you put that first "sweet" run into a subsequent sour mash run.

As always, I am glad to see so many people having good luck with this recipe, and even MORE glad to see folks learning to make whiskey the right way!

[Andy Capp]

Thanx for the recipe Uncle Jesse. I cut my teeth with this and continue to use it as a base for other recipes i use.

[paramedic68whiskey]

I have this recipe fementing now. Looking forward to it and hope it tastes better than the last batch I ran. The sour mash seems like it would taste pretty good.
My last bastch was 7 lbs corn suger, 1 can of malt, and turbo yeast fermented and ran.

[Uncle Jesse]

I have this recipe fementing now. Looking forward to it and hope it tastes better than the last batch I ran. The sour mash seems like it would taste pretty good.
My last bastch was 7 lbs corn suger, 1 can of malt, and turbo yeast fermented and ran.

Never had good luck with turbo yeast. Again, you just don't need something that aggressive. It has really serious problems with off-flavors if your temps aren't just right.

I just use a packet of good old fashioned baker's yeast. Never had an issue.

Dave

[paramedic68whiskey]

I have this recipe fementing now. Looking forward to it and hope it tastes better than the last batch I ran. The sour mash seems like it would taste pretty good.
My last bastch was 7 lbs corn suger, 1 can of malt, and turbo yeast fermented and ran.

Never had good luck with turbo yeast. Again, you just don't need something that aggressive. It has really serious problems with off-flavors if your temps aren't just right.

I just use a packet of good old fashioned baker's yeast. Never had an issue.

Dave

Yup, just learned that the hard way. With your mash I am following the directions exact! Thanks

[Uncle Jesse]

Yup, just learned that the hard way. With your mash I am following the directions exact! Thanks

Keep us posted on your progress!

[baron4406]

My first ever wash is basically finished, all the cap has fallen and there are very few bubbles. Gonna leave it sit until Saturday tho, don't have time to run it until then. It actually smells kinda good, three days ago there was a winey/vinegary smell. Now it smells like flat beer, I actually think it smells good. Might be the Nottingham ale yeast I used I dunno. Plan is to run it thru my pot still, saving everything (besides foreshots), starting the second batch with 25% backset. When I make my second run I'll add everything I collected on the first run. Was gonna do 4 or 5 stripping runs like some recommend on there, but I don't have a carboy that big yet. So I'm gonna run 3 or 4 generations like this and see how it goes. Hopefully will be able to keep it running all summer. Thanks Uncle Jesse!

[paramedic68whiskey]

Well ran my first wash last night. Came out with about 2 quarts of low wines using a 4 gallon pot still. Followed the directions, rebooted and fermenting now. I am planning on keeping this batch going until I have collected at least 4 gallons. Then put it all together and run it again. I learned a valuable lesson about rushing things and taking shortcuts by coming out with something I didn't want to drink. I just got so dang excited!! On this wash so far so good, not a bad tasting product, and think once I start making cuts it will be much better. I will keep you informed...and thank you!!!

[jmesle]

im doing my first mash this weekend. Im planning on using this recipe. This may be dumb question but in your simple sour mash recipe it says just put the put in in the fermenter in the order listed. Does the sugar need to disolve in the water at all or doesnt it matter. seems like it would be better if it did but I guess that volume of water would not hold all that sugar any way. Just follow the instructions... I know. sorry ive been reading a lot in this fourm and it tends to get a little overwelming at times. i just wanna make sure i fully understand is all

[Odin]

J,

Do dissolve the sugar! Otherwise you get a thick layer of it on the bottom, instead of a spread out solution for the yeasties to get to.

Odin.

[Uncle Jesse]

I've done it without dissolving the sugar and it seemed to work OK, but giving it a good stir won't hurt a thing. In fact, it might aerate things a bit which will help with fermentation.

[mash rookie]

An update on my last batch.

After doing my cuts and blending I found it to have a very heavy corn flavor with more of a tails bite than usual. I had used 50% aged backset. This was at least 20 generations old as well. I think I found the point of too much backset for me. It will be good when it comes off oak but not as good as I have made in the past.

Having knocked up the next batch with the same protocol of 50% backset and a 10-12% target I was concerned that it would also have too much backset flavor. I split the batch in half last week. I added water and sugar for a 10% wash. There was enough cracked corn for both.

It is almost finished to dry already. Because of double volume when I run it I will strip two batches with my flute before combining and running as usual.
I will continue to back off the amount of backset until I find the sweet spot again.

[Bushman]

An update on my last batch.

After doing my cuts and blending I found it to have a very heavy corn flavor with more of a tails bite than usual. I had used 50% aged backset. This was at least 20 generations old as well. I think I found the point of too much backset for me. It will be good when it comes off oak but not as good as I have made in the past.

Having knocked up the next batch with the same protocol of 50% backset and a 10-12% target I was concerned that it would also have too much backset flavor. I split the batch in half last week. I added water and sugar for a 10% wash. There was enough cracked corn for both.

It is almost finished to dry already. Because of double volume when I run it I will strip two batches with my flute before combining and running as usual.
I will continue to back off the amount of backset until I find the sweet spot again.

I meant to comment on it when I was down last week and saw the two looked like about 12 gallon batches going!

[baron4406]

Made my first run of UJSSM this morning. Post is in the "my first" section. Let me tell you even this first stuff you aren't supposed to drink according to Uncle Jessie is pretty darn smooth. Its gonna be fun watching this mature thru subsequent runs, might even experiment with different grains. Very impressed so far. It might get to the point real soon store bought hootch is EEECH.

[paramedic68whiskey]

Yeah it is pretty smooth. I am running my second wash today using 30% backset. I will be doing 4 more until I have enough to run again and do cuts. I also did a sweetfeed run which was awesome too. Great recipes.

[Uncle Jesse]

Made my first run of UJSSM this morning. Post is in the "my first" section. Let me tell you even this first stuff you aren't supposed to drink according to Uncle Jessie is pretty darn smooth. Its gonna be fun watching this mature thru subsequent runs, might even experiment with different grains. Very impressed so far. It might get to the point real soon store bought hootch is EEECH.

Yes, it's smooth, and very drinkable, but it's not a sour mash. Basically it won't be any smoother, but it will be more flavorful and a better product once it's a sour mash.

You'll see.

[paramedic68whiskey]

UJ!!!! I am jumping through the roof right now....on my 4th generation of your recipe and you are so so right. The flavor the smoothness, cannot be beat. WOW!!! I am not gonna lie I was a little skepticle at first, with loving the sweetfeed recipes, but once yours runs through a few times it amazing! Thanks so much for slowing me down a bit...

[Uncle Jesse]

UJ!!!! I am jumping through the roof right now....on my 4th generation of your recipe and you are so so right. The flavor the smoothness, cannot be beat. WOW!!! I am not gonna lie I was a little skepticle at first, with loving the sweetfeed recipes, but once yours runs through a few times it amazing! Thanks so much for slowing me down a bit...

As they say in my country, "Now you're shittin' in the tall cotton!"