Cornflakes whiskey

[Odin]

First gen maybe two weeks. Second gen with backset maybe a week.

Regards, Odin.

[reckless kelly]

Howdy all,
I have been offline for awhile but thought I would share my findings on this here receipt.

I have tried the original , and numerous variations and here is what I know.

10lbs sugar,
1 box of walmart cornflakes
1/2 cup distillers yeast

I never did get the SG you guys got until I bumped the sugar up to 8-10 lbs of sugar so that's why the difference.
It makes a difference if I grind the CF to a fine powder or leave em whole.
It clears faster and finishes faster if I grind em up.

I cool it using my beer cooler and the results are exponential , The wash clears better and the crap left behind is like a wax that does not mess up when I siphon off the wash.
Its like a cake left on the bottom and makes racking a breeze.

I use my refract still and run it slow about 1- 4 refract and what I get is better than a double still at pot mode.
Its corny enough but not to much and when taken to 80 proof is smooth without aging and even better when oaked for a day then set to age.
I get great color from this but not too much oak and have had many compliments.

You guys do what you want and figure it out but that's what I get consistently.
glad to see it made tried and true.
Be safe and have fun.
Reckless Kelly

[reckless kelly]

Oh and a few more items.

I let the ground flakes set with about double the water before a I cook it.
Amazing as how much the CF soak up the water , but after about 30 minutes its like batter.
I dilute it by 25 % and then cook it for and hour.
I tried cooking with and without sugar and no real difference noted other than a big mess when done if cooking the sugar.
Also I wait until the whole mess gets to 95 F before pitching the yeast. Any higher and I get lower SG before sealing it up.

I have tried aerating and not and not seen a difference, but I still stir the crap outta it before letting it cool.

Odin should be noted for this cause its my favorite and all I use for the last 6-8 months.
You want some tips on this I can give you some but

"There Great"
RK

[Cyclops]

Mine is down to 1000 now so will be crash cooling it very soon, might even put some gelatine in to try and drop as much out as I can

[Prairiepiss]

I wouldn't waste the gelatin. It should clear fine on its own. After fermentation is done. Just because its at 1.000 doesn't mean its done. And once its done it will start clearing on its own. Just saying let it finish.

[mrdripman]

I've had some interesting fermentation results with my 2 separate 2nd fermentations using the backset. I've been running two fermentations in parallel, nominally 2 weeks apart.

For the first one, which I distilled on 9/7, there was hardly any residual cornflake matter in the bottom of the fermentation bucket. Was almost clean (1 - 2 little cornflake globs) with a very thin layer of creamy "goop" in the bottom. Results are fine - better than the first distillation.

The alternate 2nd fermentation was started on the evening of August 31, and as of yesterday, it was still fermenting slowly - maybe 10 seconds between burps. That's 11 days. I have not checked it today to see if it is finished. The first one did similarly on its 2nd ferment, but I don't have the dates handy. Will be interesting to see what is left in the bottom of this bucket.

I have thought of just "combining" these to get an "8 gal" run instead of 2 x 4 gal. I'd like to start a sweetfeed mash too.

RK has some interesting observations on sugar amount. I may try upping from 8 lbs and see how that goes.

RK -- I do have a question. How big (the weight) is that Walmart box of CF since you just used one? I've been using two 18 oz boxes for the 2.2 lbs (1 Kg).

Drip

[reckless kelly]

PP is absolutely right, let it finish.
If it don't bubble in 24 hours I say its done.
I usually get down lower than 1.00 sometimes down to .990

I swear by chilling it to let it clear, if you have the space.

Mr dripman,
Just a 1lb box of generic Wal-Mart CF.
I think you could cut back on that, cause really you just want enough for nutrients for yeasties and some flavor.

My SG was always lower than anyones for this CF mash and for plain old sugar wash.
So I just started adding sugar to my 7 gallon wash until the SG got as high as recommended with out going over what my yeast could survive.

going to run 6 gallons next weekend after it clears and have some for my offshore trip in October.
Adds a whole new meaning to "Wahoo" !

RK

[brick]

Made a few batches of corn flakes whiskey, and I am a believer.
I just want to tell everyone how it all went, so I hope I am not violating any posting etiquette. Sorry in advance if I am.

Thanks, Odin!

This worked for me:

3 teaspoons diammonium phosphate
2 teaspoons WYEAST yeast nutrient
1 teaspoon Epsom salts
1 teaspoon gypsum
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 quarter teaspoon ascorbic acid
2 crushed multivitamin/ multimineral supplement

2- 30 ounce bags Malt-O-Meal Frosted Flakes cereal, crushed
14 pounds white sugar

1/2 cup Red Star baker's yeast, proofed in two cups of warm water

Place crushed cereal in sanitized 10 gallon fermenter. Add 1 1/2 gallons boiling water. Stir vigorously.
After 5 minutes, add 14 pounds white sugar and stir to dissolve.
Add nutrient mix and stir to dissolve.
Added 10 gallons water of cold aerated water to achieve approximately 80 degree Fahrenheit final temperature. Aerate vigorously.
Pitch proofed yeast and stir vigorously.
Cover and allow to ferment at room temperature.
Lots of activity after only 2 hours

Distillation
~10 gal mash @ ~8% alcohol distilled as before
Add boiling chips to boiler, begin heating
1st drop after ~2h
Collected 400 ml foreshots at low heat (dropwise)
Collect pint fractions, increase heat to produce slow broken stream of distillate; could hear boiling chips rattling
Collected 14 pints; "oil" or film on top of jar 14; product rate slowed noticably

Fraction % alcohol Taste
1 58 Acetone, ethyl acetate
2 58 Acetone, ethyl acetate
3 54 1+, heads taste barely detectable
4 53 2+
5 49 2+
6 47 3+
7 45 4+
8 43 5+
9 41 4+
10 39 3+
11 36 2+
12 34 Off taste detectable
13 31 Off taste detectable, 1+ unpleasant solvent smell
14 30 Off taste detectable, 2+ unpleasant solvent smell

Transferred fractions 1-3 and 12-14 to corn feints jug to recycle

Pooled fractions 4-11 (~8 pints) to age on oak
Added to 1 gallon glass jug containing previously used JD oak chips
Added ~ 1 cup additional fresh JD oak chips
Yield ~ 3/4 gallon 90 proof

After 12 days on oak chips, filtered whiskey off oak chips through 2 layers of coffee filters
Yielded ~3.2 L of 90 proof

[Skyraider2012]

ok I am def doing something not just right.... or plain out wrong... I made up 2 6 gallon batches per the initial recipe to the letter.. fermented out in about a week siphoned off the first batch into the pot ( I have a 15 gal keg boiler run on propane with a nixon stone off set (makes great neutral) opened take off valve completely closed reflux valve brought up to temp first drop about 174 degrees f closed off take off valve opened reflux valve refluxed for 15 min to concentrate the fores (works well typically) (dropped fire as well to maintain the proper temp to keep it going) after 15 minutes opened the take off valve to a single drop ish per second collected ~400 ml to discard. opened take off valve completely and closed off the reflux valve. collected in half pint jars down to about 80 proof... never smelled any tails at all but didnt want to go any further... jar 1 & 2 nice corn smell and little after taste corn and was bout 160 proof.. the rest almost un drinkable (to me anyway...) has a really harsh "hot" taste and is just bad... let everything air out over night before proofing and making cuts... I just do not know where I went wrong.. the second batch I used about 2 gal back set everything the same as before smells great.. but that "hot" taste/feeling I can not get over.. any ideas?

edit... forgot to put was using normal bakers yeast...

[Harley Wolf]

How about taking what you did not like and mixing with water to 40-45% and running in pot still mode really slow for a second run, and see if that cleans it up some?

[Skyraider2012]

Thanks.. yeah I think I might actually do that... going to do another batch soon and see...

[lonestarrenegade]

This is a great recipe, tastes great before I even age it, simple and good.

[Cyclops]

got a 2nd batch of this on with 20% backset, used less cornflakes this time as the 1st batch way too sweet for a whiskey but still very enjoyable.

I am going to blend them together and redistill it all

[Odin]

C,

How much CF did you use in the first ferment?

Odin.

[Cyclops]

4Kg to 70 litres for the 1st time, used 2kg to 80l this time

[Odin]

Does not sound like enough ...

Odin.

[Cyclops]

I have used too little this time on purpose Odin, I am going to blend them both together so it should work out about right

[droo1966]

I found with a straight Cornflake Whisky, as well as a UJ, that by fractioning the output through a Bok and removing some of the neutral that comes out as hearts, I was able to increase the flavour (selected parts of the tails) to a satisfactory level. The same technique works for all my spirit runs, Rum, Whisky or whatever.

[aussie_redneck]

Made a batch of this last night my recipe was as follows
- 500g cornflakea boiiled for 25 mins
- 3.5Kg white sugar
- 1/2 Cup lowens bakers yeast
- 20 lts spring water
Basically boil cornflakes for 25 mins in about 10lts of water, put in fermenter add sugar till all disolved. Top off with cold water to 30 deg c then stir in yeast for two minutes cover.with lid and air lock keep heat at 27. Mine had started working within 45 mins

[Odin]

If you up the CF a bit, you get over more taste!

Odin.

[Henriksen]

Lol, cornflakes? Why not:) Its Greeeeeeaaat!!

[greenthumb]

Started my 1st CFW last night and pitched yeast starter this morning , smells lovely already

I used
750g corn flakes
5kgs sugar
60g yeast
20ltrs water

boiled crushed cornflakes as per instructions, added cold water, left to cool over night and pitched yeast starter,
s.g of 1.080

gen 1 is on the go!

odin I noticed a few posts back you mentioned you used enzymes to convert the starch into sugars,
is this why you only use 3.5kgs sugar in this recipe?

[Odin]

Not really. It is just to get the corn sugars into play as well. Makes the recipe more difficult but will slightly increase taste & yield.

Next time, please use 1 kilo instead of 750 grams for even more taste. And lower the sugar content. Five kilo's will make abv too high and make your sugarhead taste hotter than needed.

Good luck!

Odin.

[greenthumb]

Too late on the sugar, but would it benefit if I added the extra 250g crushed cf straight into the fermentor or not worry this time round?

[Odin]

Sure. And if you have some extra head space in your fermenter ... add some water too.

Regards, Odin.

[greenthumb]

Not sure that was the best idea lol, think that was a nutrient bomb, glad it was near the sink and managed to get it there in time have added 4 litres of water once it calmed down, sg of 1.070 now

[greenthumb]

I stripped it slowly, making a small fores/heads cut. Collected down to 10 abv. Got me 6liters of 30 abv. Added some backset, then did the spirit run. Collected hearts at 63 abv. Diluted to 50%.am sipping it as we speak. Darn good!

Odin

Am I right in what your saying is you did a slow stripping run as above, then re ran that 6 ltrs with some backset then ran it slowly for spirit run?

If that's the case then how much backset did you use?
how many ltrs did you charge your boiler with, And how much hearts did you finally collect for sipping?
Or did you add your stripped run and backset to another boiler charge?
Total newb on pot stills here

[Odin]

If you feel the abv of your strip run is a bit high, add some backset to lower abv prior to the spirit run. That way, you don't have to dilute the final drink so much and preserve more taste.

Odin.

[haydenb]

If you feel the abv of your strip run is a bit high, add some backset to lower abv prior to the spirit run. That way, you don't have to dilute the final drink so much and preserve more taste.

Odin.

Odin thats good advice. I started doing that about 3 generations ago on my strip run output and the flavour carry over is nicely improved. Mind you I have modified the orignal recipe after many succesful washes to now include Weetbix, Pumperknickel Ryebread (the 500gm blocks you could build a house out of), and malted Barley.
Just set 60 litres of gen 4 wash of this going today, Heaven!!!
Thank you for the recipe so much.
Just waiting for a delivery of some botanicals to start Gin production as well.

[Odin]

Glad you like it!

Odin.