Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

All styles of whiskey. This is for all-grain mashes.

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8Ball
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Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

Here is my two pot method for making bourbon using malts and high temp enzymes for conversion.

1. Fill both pots with water and let sit overnight to de-chlorinate. • 4 ½ g. & 2 ½ g = 7 g’s total & 2.1# grain per gal
2. To each pot, add the following: o 2 tsp. gypsum & ½ magnesium supplement tab o ¼ tsp Epsom salts & calcium carbonate o ½ ea: crushed multi-vitamin & B-complex o ½ tsp citric acid or pinch of Vitamin C o 1 tsp Fermax & alpha amylase powder o ¼ cup yeast trub.
3. Start bringing heat up in each pot: Step mash malts in one pot while cooking the corn and steam rolled barley in another.
4. Bring 4 ½ g water up to 150F, start power stir, and add Corn & SRB (steam rolled barley).
5. Bring up to 160F. Set pH @ 5.8 optimal & add 2.0 ml HTL-A & 1 tablespoon alpha amylase to thin the mash.
6. Bring up to 205F x 60 mins to gelatinize corn & SRB. All HTL-A is denatured at this point.
7. Cool down to 180F. Verify pH @ 5.8 optimum and adjust if required using 10% backset (-) or calcium carbonate (+2 tablespoons). Add 3.24 ml HTL-A (0.36 ml per pound X 9.0 pounds). Hold at 180F x 90 mins.
8. Add step mashed malts to pot with corn and SRB. . Verify pH 5.8. Bring up to 180F x 30 mins.
9. Cool down to 149F. Adjust ph to 5.3 optimum. Add 5.31 ml AmyGl-B (insurance as malt is already converted) for 14.75 pounds of grains.
10. Hold at 145F x 240 mins. (GL-B is optimal 86-149F)
11. Check conversion at 142F using iodine. If not clear, bring heat back up to 145F x 30 mins and re-check.
12. Cool down overnight x 12 hours to pitch temp, 80-95F.
13. Record OG and potential ABV. Calculate amount of yeast required and start yeast bomb using wort sample for OG.
14. Transfer to sanitized, pre-chilled 10 g. fermenter (drink cooler).
15. Stir in 4 tsp Fermax and ¼ cup of crushed oyster shells.
16. Verify/adjust optimal pH of 5.8.
17. Pitch yeast starter at 85-95F. Top off if needed to 7 gallon mark.
18. Sprinkle an additional ¼ cup of crushed oyster shells on top of grain bed.
19. Ferment 7 -12 days or until grain cap falls. Record final gravity (FG). Calculate ABV actual.
20. Strip run, pot still, no thumper, shortly after cap falls to 10% ABV or 208F vapor temp. ¾ boiler capacity max. Discard 1.0 oz foreshots per gal of each run. Pack column with one scrubber at bottom. Some early tails are okay. Stop when it goes from ‘beer to bitter.’
21. Slow spirit run at ~33% ABV should yield 48 oz @ 75% ABV

Filled 5G Gibbs cask for second use with 62.5% BPB. Aged two years. Yield was 5.15G @ 44%. 26 bottles of 750 ml.
Angel share was 33%.

Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

GRAIN BILL % LBS
Cracked corn 51 7.50
Steam rolled barley 10 1.50
Barley, 6-row, malted 10 1.50
Red Wheat, malted 17 2.50
Red Wheat, plain 7 1.00
Rye, malted 5 0.75
100% Mash 14.75

Yeast Starter (Last two digits of OG * Total gals * 0.05 grams yeast = amount of dry yeast)

E.g.: SG 1.064 & 7 gals water = 64.0 * 7.0 * 0.05
= 448.0 * 0.05
= 22.4 g dry yeast * 1.5
= 33.6 grams yeast (22.4g RS-DADY & 11.2 g Fleischman’s)
+ 16 oz water @ 95F
+ ¼ tsp Fermax
+ 8 oz wort sample from OG reading,
Rehydrate yeast in warm water only x 15 mins. Stir in Fermax and wort sample. Let sit in warm place x 2 hours minimum, covered. Pitch at 85F 95F and pH 5.8 mash values.


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🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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fizzix
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by fizzix »

Dig the name, and like the rye in there.
Thanks for that recipe, 🎱.
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8Ball
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

fizzix wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:06 pm Dig the name, and like the rye in there.
Thanks for that recipe, 🎱.
Thanks, Fiz
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by Twisted Brick »

That there is a great roadmap for anyone looking for a legit process. Nicely done.

And, kudos for makin' all them batches to fill a fiver.

I got everything for a few batches of that, 'cept the SRB.
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8Ball
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

Twisted Brick wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:03 pm That there is a great roadmap for anyone looking for a legit process. Nicely done.

And, kudos for makin' all them batches to fill a fiver.

I got everything for a few batches of that, 'cept the SRB.
Thanks, Twisted. Just trying to give back. I gleaned most of the details from here on HD. The bourbon really does turn out nice if you give it time.

🎱
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
MtRainier
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by MtRainier »

Nice process post!

If you want to keep the alpha going up during your corn gel temp you could get some of this stuff:

https://en.angelyeast.com/products/enzy ... a-400.html

Sold in US in reasonable quantities by Ferm-Solutions:

https://ferm-solutions.net/product/aha-400-enzyme/
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MichiganCornhusker
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Nice write-up!

Interesting grain bill, really like the mix of malted and raw grains. I like the corn/barley/wheat ratios, and that bit of rye. I’ll bet that put a lot of character into the bottle.

Based on bourbon style whiskeys I’ve made in the past, I think you really nailed a recipe that I’d like to try. Thanks for posting.
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8Ball
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

MichiganCornhusker wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:13 am Nice write-up!

Interesting grain bill, really like the mix of malted and raw grains. I like the corn/barley/wheat ratios, and that bit of rye. I’ll bet that put a lot of character into the bottle.

Based on bourbon style whiskeys I’ve made in the past, I think you really nailed a recipe that I’d like to try. Thanks for posting.
MCH, thanks for that. What came out of the cask after two years is nothing like what went in. At 43-44%, it is a good sipping bourbon, neat. I’m not good at describing what it smells and tastes like, but it is a little sweet up front, then all kinds of nice bourbon things happen, then it just slowly fades. I think the unmalted grains have a lot to do with it.

Edited to add: I also think the second use cask helps as well.

🎱
Last edited by 8Ball on Thu Jan 23, 2020 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

MtRainier wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:54 am Nice process post!

If you want to keep the alpha going up during your corn gel temp you could get some of this stuff:

https://en.angelyeast.com/products/enzy ... a-400.html

Sold in US in reasonable quantities by Ferm-Solutions:

https://ferm-solutions.net/product/aha-400-enzyme/
MtR, Well then. Right up to boiling. I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks for the kind response.

🎱
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

35CCEFF8-8164-490D-B187-B55B93E49233.jpeg
Here’s what my label looks like.

🎱
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by carlson20 »

If I wanted to try this recipe as my first run, are there be any modifications if I wanted to use a 10 gallon mash tun with a false bottom, a pump, and an external heating element? The heating element would obviously allow me to increase the temperature, but I fear that the corn may be too thick and get stuck in the false bottom and thus not allow the mash to flow through the pump and heating element.

Would the alpha amylase and HTL-A convert the starches and thus thin the mash enough to flow? Or is it hopeless to try this setup involving a false bottom, pump, and external heating element? What does HTL-A stand for? I can't seem to find it anywhere.....

Also, I'm a little confused as to the "ands" and "ors" regarding the additives in step 2. Does the sympsum & magnesium tablet cover it in terms of lowering pH, or are the other items listed needed as well?
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Re: Banjo Pickin’ Bourbon

Post by 8Ball »

carlson20 wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:16 pm If I wanted to try this recipe as my first run, are there be any modifications if I wanted to use a 10 gallon mash tun with a false bottom, a pump, and an external heating element? The heating element would obviously allow me to increase the temperature, but I fear that the corn may be too thick and get stuck in the false bottom and thus not allow the mash to flow through the pump and heating element. I cook the mash using two 10 gallon pots, then combine and transfer to a 10 gallon water cooler to ferment on grain. Don’t know about your set up.

Would the alpha amylase and HTL-A convert the starches and thus thin the mash enough to flow? Or is it hopeless to try this setup involving a false bottom, pump, and external heating element? What does HTL-A stand for? [pre] SEBstar HTL® Heat-Stable Liquid Bacterial Alpha-Amylase
[/pre]
I can't seem to find it anywhere.....

Also, I'm a little confused as to the "ands" and "ors" regarding the additives in step 2. the only “and/or” refers to citric acid or Vitamin C. Does the sympsum & magnesium tablet cover it in terms of lowering pH, or are the other items listed needed yes as well?
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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