Recipe seems a tad odd to me?

[Badlands86]

Checked out "how to make whiskey" by bryan davis , head distiller at lost spirits, to try a few of the recipes in it. Seems a little odd to me

Recipe calls for 1 gal water
2 lb corn
1/2 lb malted barley
1/4 lb rye berries cracked
1/4 lb wheat flakes


Stir in everything at 160 and hold around 152-155 for one to two hours.

I multiplied everything on the bill times 5 and been holding temp for an hour or so. Mashing as we speak. Just seems really thick. Need more water? Recipe didn't call for amylase but it sure seems like it could use some.......if my home brew store wasn't out it also suggest ferment and distill with everything I might add. Scared to run this through my keg pot still without an agitator and on propane. What do y'all think?

[MitchyBourbon]

3 lbs of grain per gallon of water is a little more than usual, but not terribly so. The odd part of this recipe is the process and potential lack of malt. I think you will have difficulty extracting starches from the corn with out a boil, or at least raising the temp some beyond 160. If the corn is flaked that is not an issue. The other issue is holding the temp at 152 to 155 you will end up with a lot of unfermentable sugars. This might be a fine beer making process. It seems to me you have a bourbon grain bill and a beer making process.

If the malted barely is malted 6 row there would be just enough enzymes.

I would make sure to use flaked corn, malted 6 row and mashed at 145 to 148. Actually, I would use cracked corn, boil the corn by itself for 90 min, insulate and let slowly cool to 152, add the malted 6 row and other grains and hold at 148 till I got full conversion.

[Badlands86]

Yea I used 6 row specifically for that reason. Recipe called for corn meal but I subbed cracked because it's what I had available and my brew shop can't mill corn. I can see it making a little difference but not a ton. Going to finish up the way the recipe calls for just to see but I'm still concerned about the starch conversion like you mentioned. Thanks for your input!

[aquavita]

Yeah - I'm thinking that cornmeal was the key...

Generating starch, much less converting it will be an issue.

But I'll be interested in hearing how it goes.

[woodshed]

As usual Mitchy's advice is sound. Does the recipe state what OG you are shooting for. With that protocol I would think you would come in low and miss a lot of what's in the corn. With the meal maybe not but with your average cracked you will be leaving a lot behind.

[Badlands86]

Nothing stating og. Hard even getting an accurate reading with this stuff being closer to oatmeal than water. Thinking I'll probably end up chalking this one up to experience but I'll let you know how the ferment goes. That is if it actually does. Crossed fingers and thanks for the help. Updates soon.

[Badlands86]

Update.

Gravity came in at 1.060 which put my yield efficiency at 62.5%. Certainly not the best numbers ever but could have been worse.

Activity within an hour of pitching yeast and has been bubbling about once every 3 seconds since last night.

Also, called hillbilly stills for recommended temp and cook time on their cracked corn. They suggested 180 F for 1 hr.

[Badlands86]

Next run ideas.

Target gravity 1.8
5 gallons water/13.5lb grain

60% cracked corn 8 lbs
20% 2 row barley 2.75 lbs
15% cracked rye berries 2.25 lbs
5% wheat flake .5 lbs
Amylase enzyme.

Cook corn at 180 for 1 hr as suggested by hillbilly stills.
Temp drop to 152.
Add barley/wheat/rye/amylase
Hold for an additional hour.
Pitch yeast at 90.
Pray.

[Badlands86]

Update on bryan davis bourbon recipe.

Did not ferment. SG 1.6 FG 1.48 Thick mash made it virtually impossible to test gravity reads during fermentation without opening and straining. I think you guys are right in that the starches did not convert. Corn needs higher temps and corn meal might be beneficial as well. Chalking this one up to experience.

[DuckofDeath]

Maybe you added your barley in too hot and denatured he enzymes. My mash usually thins right out after I stir in the ground malt. I Dough in at 180 and let gel for 2 hours then wait till 148 degrees before I add malt.

[Badlands86]

Yea possibly. I think there were multiple factors involved