55 gallon drum fermenters

[Black Eye]

Is there a significant difference in taste running and all malted Corn Ferment opposed to a sugar head on corn?

Jim, you have some good bench marks there considering you're using a sugar head on top of an all grain to produce two seperate batches of esentially the same thing. I've read malted corns DP is only around 40 L seems like a lot of work for the return if there's not a big difference in flavor. I have a lot of corn I'd like to get rid of before something happens to it, like mice or mold. After all the reading about malting corn in a recent thread I was thinking about trying, but now I'm second guessing.

[Jimbo]

There's definitely a difference, but they're both good in their own right. The bourbon is hard to beat after aging. The sugarhead brings over a lot of grain flavor from spending a week fermenting on 25 lbs of bourbon grains, and from the bourbon feints added Im sure too. I dont have a sugarhead aged properly yet to compare to an aged bourbon. But there's plenty folk around here swear by em, so Im expecting good things. The last batch I did I made very tight cuts, hearts only, 4 quarts keep at 78% from the spirit run, 7 1/2 quarts feints (72% avg). And is drinkable without any aging and very tasty.

Edit: Sorry, that run and qty's was from a double batch, 63 total pounds grain (added IPA grains too after making beer), and 32 lbs sugar.

Edit2: Yield math. haha sorry, I like to do yield calculations. Last batch of Gumballhead cost me 0.98 per fifth. This one $1.71 since I cut so much tighter. But when considering Ill recover prolly half of that 2 gallons of feints next go round, its back under a buck a fifth

[Black Eye]

Damn,

I was really hoping I'd hear results of a strictly IPA sugar head run. The thought of distilling unhopped beer into a whiskey is very interesting to me. I really want to try this with an Oatmeal Stout.

Maybe I'll bite the bullet since this is the season to malt, and try a batch of malted corn.

[Prairiepiss]

The thought of distilling unhopped beer into a whiskey is very interesting to me.

Well isn't that what a whiskey ferment is already? And unhopped beer?

[Black Eye]

when I said beer I meant more of a traditional Beer Grain bill instead of your typical 6 row with corn and rye.... I knew that question was going to come up. there's such a drastic difference from the taste of Pale Ale to Oatmeal stout to a White ale.... you're whiskey made this way must be quiet a bit different, just not sure how much different and if its worth the moeny in the grain bill.

Although I was slightly interested in hopped whiskey too, but I'd like to try it commercial first before making that kind of effort.

[Jimbo]

Ive been considering doing that too. Lots of roasted barley, dark roasts etc. Belgian Biscuit malt is pretty tasty, honey malt, shit there's lots of em. The idea of making a 'Stout Whiskey' or a 'Hefeweizen' whiskey is very interesting. both those are low hop beers so the unhopped version profile should be similar. Hefe has a crazy yeast profile, clove, banana etc. I wonder if that would come across?

[Rclark12]

I was thinking about adding 6 row actually, I might actually start a different thread so I dont clog this one up because I have lot of ideas about mashing in a large container or using a steel one

[Jimbo]

I was thinking about adding 6 row actually, I might actually start a different thread so I dont clog this one up because I have lot of ideas about mashing in a large container or using a steel one

haha ya, been waiting for the thread hijack police to jump in. Yes fire away another thread, Id love to chime in. Mashing discussions are my favorite.

[Rclark12]

Some advice for people searching craigslist: Try a bunch of different wording when your looking for these like food grade barrel food grade bucket plastic drums 55 gallon barrel and you might even have some luk looking for 33 or 35 gallon barrels. I found that I was getting different results then when I would originally look for 55 gallon barrels or drums. I found some blue plastic open top 33 and 35 gallon barrels listed as food safe drums, they have black lids and it will be real nice having a completely opening barrel. Just some food for the thought sometimes craigslist aint all that great at having everything your looking for relate to what you type into the search box.

[Jimbo]

Yes those clamp on black lidded barrels are the bomb. I have 2.

[Rclark12]

^ Yupp just came home with two today, 8 bucks a pop and they are real nice this is way better then 5 gallon buckets Glad to hear some one else is using those ones too. I've read online that you should keep the barrels out of the sun? Any deffinite truth to if it effects the food quality property of blue barrels?

[Black Eye]

I'm kicking myself now.... My ex has three of those I got a long time ago, that are now being used as rain buckets. She's also got 3 kegs sitting in the shed that I used for making wine.

I wish I had ripped that door off the shed and taken them.

I did however find this link, might help someone out if they want to order.... lots of buckets and barrels here. buckets online lotta plastic and some pretty stainless products

[ThrownOlive]

You should definitely write the judge who handled your divorce decree and ask them to update it because you want more boilers for your still

[RonH3154]

^ Yupp just came home with two today, 8 bucks a pop and they are real nice this is way better then 5 gallon buckets Glad to hear some one else is using those ones too. I've read online that you should keep the barrels out of the sun? Any deffinite truth to if it effects the food quality property of blue barrels?

Plastics are sensitive to UV light and deteroiate over time unless a special additive has been added to the compound the barrel is made from. Since it will break down the plastic compound it could have an effect on stuff leaching into the food being stored. Unless a plastic item says it is UV stabalized it should not be left our in the sunlight.

[Rclark12]

Thanks boss, Ill definitely be hiding these from the sun

[madmace]

I had pickle buckets ,and the use of some good old lemon juice worked wonders. put a half gallon or so in the bucket and shake it up,keep doing this throughout the day and rinse good after a day or two it will not have any odor. happy fermenting