uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[Odin]

Ehm ... what I do is a teaspoon per 3 gallons. Not kidding you.

[KY1792]

edit: deleted post, as i didn't even know what i meant,

[Wavfact]

I use 100% of my backset, 10lb sugar and some yeast nutrient.. I usually have to add about a gallon or so of tap water but other than that, I don't worry about the PH level.. Everything just works..

[Titus-a-fishus]

Occum's Razor : the simplest explaination is usually correct unless evidence proves otherwise.

Went back to page one and reread the instructions of the recipe.
Simple recipe .......
Even simpler May not have had enough corn in the mix.
Noticed that UJ has 3.2kg corn to every 3.2kg sugar and 19ltrs water.
Well I was using less corn in some of my experiments and getting a nice neutral.

Could this be the reason I don't have flavour?

Yesterday afternoon I cracked/ground 8kg of corn a mate had brought down from the Atherton Tablelands.
New source of corn.

Then heated up 20 litres of water inverted the 8kg sugar and added the 8kg of corn as well as 30 litres of water.
When it was cooler, pitched the yeast.

This morning it is going like a house on fire. Creating its own heat and fizzing like a bottle of soft drink.

Let's hope this time I get real flavour.


Still drinking the results of past distilling and loving it.
Just want to get some corn likker this time

Cheers
TAF

[Odin]

TAF,

I hope you will finally get there: tasty UJSSM!

Odin.

[waylyn]

Does anyone know if the calcium carbonate is the same as these on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Limestone-Flo ... 4159b4d3d1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220838087210? ... 1438.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

at the moment i'm paying £1.20 for 50g of this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Youngs-50g-pr ... 3cc065cbcd" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

and they don't always have it in stock so I need to look for a bigger amount, I have been told you can use garden lime but I don't know if this is right or wrong

[frozenthunderbolt]

I have been told you can use garden lime but I don't know if this is right or wrong

Yep - thats what i use - just make sure it is calcium carbonate - lime, not gypsum or dolomite

[waylyn]

I thought it may be, but wasn't sure, cheers

[Mashy]

Ehm ... what I do is a teaspoon per 3 gallons. Not kidding you.

Nice. I can probably go 1 1/2 teaspoons per 5.6 - 6 gallons and be good to go. Thanks for the advice Odin.

[Wavfact]

I've been running the UJSSM in my pot still for awhile now with great results, I'm very pleased with it.. Now that my KS 4 flute rig is on its way, anyone here run this recipe in something like that? I'm not all that knowledgeable on flutes... yet.. Just wondering if its better suited for neutrals or will I still get the great flavor running UJSSM in it?

[Fastill]

I've been running the UJSSM in my pot still for awhile now with great results, I'm very pleased with it.. Now that my KS 4 flute rig is on its way, anyone here run this recipe in something like that? I'm not all that knowledgeable on flutes... yet.. Just wondering if its better suited for neutrals or will I still get the great flavor running UJSSM in it?

The flutes bring on the flavor with the ABV. Most I have read on them here says they make a great whisky.
Might have to start scavenging parts for my own build....

[Mashy]

Yep. You'll have great tasting whiskey with around 90-92 abv after heads with the flute. You'll love it.

[Wavfact]

Great! I'll post my thoughts on a comparison between pot still and flute when I run my first batch.. I have a 6 gal fermentor that is on 5 gen.. I may combine it and 5 gal of backset to start my first 30 gal wash.. Or should I just start from scratch?

[Mashy]

I wouldn't start over but it doesn't sound like you'll have enough backset to kickoff 30 gallons. I would put all your backset from your 5th gen run into your 30 gallon ferment and rerun your first batch of feints off the 30 gal ferment with the 2nd gen of the 30 gal as you'll have enough backset to get some good flavors rolling by then. Don't throw out your backset either way though. You can always freeze it and use it to kick start another batch down the line.

[waylyn]

Did a run on Tuesday, no probs same as usual added 40% backset to my sugar and dap etc as I have done for the past 5 batches replaced two inches off the top of the corn with new as usual, but this time I have had no reaction at all? It normally kicks off very quickly and just keeps going for a couple of days gradually slowing until the third or fourth day when it finishes, all my temperatures are the same 28c as they always are?

Forgot to add there are two 25ltr batches exactly the same, and smelling different to usual really sour.

[waylyn]

Well don't understand why but it's started to bubble it took a lot longer than but it's going now.

[Odin]

The only time my UJSSM slowed down a bit was when PH dropped a bit low due to 50%+ backset ...

[waylyn]

don't really know why it's happend but they have both started bubbling away but it's a lot less volatile than normal, I shall wait and see what happens

[astronomical]

Does it matter how much of the corn converts on subsequent runs?

I get a lot of spent corn on Gen1, but, after that its always just 1/4" or so. It seems as if others get a lot more. I only end up replacing about 1/2# per run.I never disturb the corn/bed when I'm doing a cycle. Perhaps I have spent corn buried. I'm just trying to make sure I'm doing things correctly.

The addition of 2T DAP, 2T CalCar, and a pinch epsom, has had my ferments flying. Im using Crosby Baker DADY @ 85F in 7G fermenters. I always finish in about 4-5 days. This cycle is on gen4 now.

Thanks,
Astro

[Odin]

I only disturb the bed when I put in new backset with melted sugar an new grain. I usually replace like 15 to 20% of the corn with each gen.

[astronomical]

I only disturb the bed when I put in new backset with melted sugar an new grain. I usually replace like 15 to 20% of the corn with each gen.

Do you stir it up completely or are we just talking about the dumping of the backset causing some disturbance? I'll stir one up in my run tomorrow and see if there is ineed a lot of wastage buried. Thanks Odin.

[Odin]

I will put in the backset with melted sugar and freshly swolen (?) grain and stir things up right after. Then I close, put waterlock back and see the bubbles appear in half an hour.

[KY1792]

Do you stir it up completely or are we just talking about the dumping of the backset causing some disturbance? I'll stir one up in my run tomorrow and see if there is ineed a lot of wastage buried. Thanks Odin.

I can only tell you what works for me, others may have differing opinions.

In the last year I have made about 24 - five gallon batches or 4 ferments to the sixth generation, on the first generations I did not disturb the corn bed as I was unsure about the instructions in the thread but on the later ones I stirred the bejesus out of it and had no problems and never looked back. I see no reason not to stir when adding premixed backset / sugar once cool enough.

Last week I started my 2nd generation in my two new 15 gallon inductor tanks and whipped that corn-bed like a red headed stepchild and they finished dry in a week. Of course I scooped the gray top corn layer off first.

[Odin]

"Like a red headed stepchild"... I like that image!

[KY1792]

"Like a red headed stepchild"... I like that image!

It is a nice visual, and apologize to any of the redheads on the site.
Odin, I don't know about your area but around these parts it's a common saying - first heard it in the 60's and most likely predates that.

[Odin]

No, in the Netherlands we don't say that. Doesn't mean we don't do that.

Odin.

[likkerluvver]

Do you stir it up completely or are we just talking about the dumping of the backset causing some disturbance? I'll stir one up in my run tomorrow and see if there is ineed a lot of wastage buried.

I am on generation 20+. I now stir all the grain thoroughly before adding the cooled backset and make-up water (I use ALL my backset - wash pH corrected to 4.0+ with calcium carbonate). After 4 fermentations I throw out all the used grain and replace, adding fresh yeast. I also throw in 1/2t GA at each fermentation. Works well for me.

[Odin]

What's that GA you are putting in, LL?

And you replace the grain & yeast bed every 4th generation. But keep the backset going on, right? So no scooping of any corn between generations?

Odin.

[likkerluvver]

What's that GA you are putting in, LL?

http://www.milehidistilling.com/product ... pound.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.brewhaus.com/Gluco-Amylase-E ... 98C91.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

It seems to help keep the yeasties happy/working slowly on the grain-bed as the wash starts to clear.

And you replace the grain & yeast bed every 4th generation. But keep the backset going on, right? So no scooping of any corn between generations?

Odin.

Correct. No scooping of spent grains - just a thorough stirring.
On a 23L (6usg) batch I get ~8L of strip (down to 10%abv) which leaves ~15L of backset, ALL of which I use.
It amounts to about 60% of the total volume of liquid added for each fermentation, requiring ~2T of Calcium Carbonate to keep the pH above 4.0.
I add 60ml (1/4C) bakers yeast when I replace the grain.
I add 5ml (1t) of GA at the beginning of each fermentation.
I freeze my backset when I pause production. (Gonna try some aged/infected?!? backset next summer.)

[Odin]

I understand what you are saying. Thanks. I usually go for like 40% backset, but sometimes went up to 60% (like you: using 100% backset). My abv's and collection (for me: 7 liters low wines on around 20/21 liters) are similar. I use CC to up PH. Still, most of the time, I do not use all the backset, since it did not give me more taste than - say - 40%. And like this, I keep some fluids in the boiler, covering my internal heating element. Saves me some work!

Odin.

PS: Great to see how UJSSM keeps coming back, knocking at my door, asking me: "please make some more of me?" Or is it the other way around?