Mashing Corn, First Time Distilling

[irish69]

Hi-
I've just joined today after reading up about distilling for a few weeks. A friend of mine and I are getting ready to try our hand at making whiskey. I have already purchased the cornmeal and 5lbs of 6 row malt is on its way from Brewhaus. The recipe I'm planning on using calls for 10lbs of grain for every 5 gallons of water. I would like to use a ratio of grains similar to the bill that Jack Daniels uses. I was thinking 8lbs corn, 1lb malt, and if I can find rye, 1lb of that. If no rye is to be found I will probably up the corn poundage. So now down to the questions!From what I have read it is necessary to cook the grains prior to pitching the yeast.
1. From my knowledge of biology I know that if enzymes are heated past a certain temperature they will denature and not work. Is the 70 degrees Celsius that it says to cook the mash at cool enough for the enzymes in the malt? If not, how do the enzymes catalyze the starch? Do I add the malt after it is cooked? I have also read that Beano contains the same enzyme that the malt does. Should I cook the grains and then add Beano when I pitch the yeast?
2. After my mash is cooked should I strain the grains from the wash?
3. If I should, how do I do this? Won't 10lbs of grain in 5 gals water make a big mess of thick porridge?
4. If I shouldn't separate the grains, won't they burn on the bottom of my still?
5. Should I add yeast nutrient to my mash when I pitch the yeast?
Finally...
6. I am still in the process of making my still. So far I have the condenser finished, and I am almost done with my thump keg. For the boiler I plan on using a 15.5 gallon Guinness keg. Seeing as its whiskey I'm after, I want to build a pot still. All the instructions, plans and pictures that I have been able to find are for reflux stills. Does anyone have suggestions for how I could turn my keg into a pot still? Is a gallon jar large enough to use as a thumper or should it be larger?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

[Dnderhead]

Put the corn in a BOP with a little malt. cook until gelatinized (about 45 min),,then when cooled to 165f add crushed malted grain. rap in blanket until cooled to 80f
or less (over night is good) add yeast (that is fermenting on grain) or drain off and add yeast (fermenting off the grain) you need between 10-20%
malt. the more the faster it will convert. doing on grain you will git more yield with out some tricks.

good luck

[irish69]

Thanks for your reply Dnderhead. What does BOP stand for? I've seen this used several times on different sites.

[Dnderhead]

big old pot. the bigger the better. big enough to hold the hole mash is best but can be done in smaller batches.

[pHneutral]

Now that's industrious. Going for a mash as your first attempt

Good luck, and let us know how things turn out!