uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[JamesH]

I have never left it on oak longer than a year. I can't stop sampling it once it starts to get good. 5 liters doesn't last long enough. LOL
Depending on which chart you look at, a year in a 5 liter oak barrel is equivalent to about 3 1/2 years in a full sized barrel.

Do you happen to have a link to a chart on aging? Thanks

[still_stirrin]

I have never left it on oak longer than a year. I can't stop sampling it once it starts to get good. 5 liters doesn't last long enough. LOL
Depending on which chart you look at, a year in a 5 liter oak barrel is equivalent to about 3 1/2 years in a full sized barrel.

Do you happen to have a link to a chart on aging? Thanks

For starters:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=67596
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=68297
https://www.oakbarrelsltd.com/Articles.asp?ID=266
https://redheadoakbarrels.com/why-do-sm ... or-faster/

And finally, start here:
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.ph ... rface_Area
ss

[DetroitDIY]

Well, I did some blending and side by side sampling: Glass of White, Glass of 2/3 White & 1/3 Brown, Glass of 1/3 White & 2/3 Brown, Glass of Brown. The three of us trying it (including me) all preferred the 18 month aged brown. It's possible I could have taken tighter cuts on the new white, but I think I'll keep the aging process. Go figure.

That said, I like your solution (pun not intended) NZChris. Make my barrel into a pseudo-solara and just keep pulling out of the barrel to make room for the new make.

[NZChris]

Another trick I've seen, is making a long wooden bung to add some new oak once the barrel has had a lot of product through it. You can experiment with different woods too.

I usually make two cuts from a UJSSM spirit run. Wide for oaking and narrow for White Dog. My White Dog disappears faster than the oaked, so I've been leaving more white every time I do a run. It's been over two years since I made any, but I see I have enough white 2015 & 2017 to keep me going for a wee while. God knows what's on oak in the cellar. We're in CV-19 lock down here and I'm spending a bit of time tidying up the shed, so I might find something interesting.

[Saltbush Bill]

Make my barrel into a pseudo-solara and just keep pulling out of the barrel to make room for the new make.

That's the way to do it

[Uncle Jesse]

First of all my hats off to uncle Jesse. I am a 3rd gen Stiller and this recipe is almost to the letter of my family recipe . We have been making it in the Appalachian mountains for hundreds of years . Personally I run it with a 30 gallon all copper pot with a dubler and it's a beautiful drink when done proper . This method is spot on to the the history makers of old . If you truly know your still you cant get a better drink... thank you uncle Jesse.

Excellent! Love to read stuff like this. Glad you are continuing the tradition out where it started, and it has made its way to Northern California where we try to do respect those who have gone before us by doing it right.

[GreenEnvy22]

About 5-6 weeks ago I did a run of Nchooch's bourbon, I kept the backset, about 4 gallons, in the fridge in a carboy under airlock.
Any concerns about using this to start my OJSSM ?

[Saltbush Bill]

I dont see a problem using it to begin with.

[IMALOSERSCUMBAG]

I have been turning my 2 gallon mash every 3-5 days now. Last night I ran my 4th generation putting 25% of the backset into the next mash. This is working fine since I'm currently using a Mr. Distiller. With my new still nearly complete I'm looking to pump my numbers up. Likely going to move to a 8 gallon mash for increased output. I'm getting some tasty drink and want to keep this thing going.

The plan is to run every 3-4 days. What happens if I let things sit for 7+ days? Does the mash go bad or will I be fine if I am not able to get to run things every 3-4 days?

[Windswept]

I can only really run my still on the weekends right now, so I've been letting them sit from sunday to saturday with no ill effects. Even longer than that in a couple cases. You might lose some of the flavour, but I'm still finding it quite tasty.

[HomerD]

It should be fine as long as you keep it closed. It will build up a layer of gass on top that will preserve it.

[Saltbush Bill]

Try to keep it airtight or keep an airlocked lid on it and you can keep it for months.

[DetroitDIY]

Yep, I've gone months after fermenting a large batch before distilling it with success, just use an airlock as other suggest. And I've used backset that was stored on old corn for 18 months. It worked, though I suspect a healthy sustained sour mash is better...

[IMALOSERSCUMBAG]

Thanks guys. I do keep wit lids and air locks. I hate to throw anything out as I can taste a difference. Im a numbers guy so I want to verify everything sith data but also make my decisions based on taste. Iove the taste of what I'm getting now.

[SGB]

I was wondering about cracked corn size, at the feed shop I noticed they have 3 kinds regular large cracked corn, then a medium size and finally a small cracked corn almost like corn meal .
So far I've been using the regular first one as it was what I started with and it seemed OK except not really much ever floated to the top. Also I washed the cracked corn and soaked it in hot water before mixing. So far everything has been good but being I'm totally new at this I don't really have had time to gauge it against. Just want to make sure I'm doing this right so I can keep doing it right. Here are pics of the available cracked corn feed, in your opinion, which size do you prefer?

Thanks again for all the help and advice. I cannot express enough just how helpful it has all been!
Regular

Medium

Fine

[NZChris]

The method does not say to soak it in hot water before mixing.

[Saltbush Bill]

I grind mine to the size of the smallest you have in the photos or smaller.

[DetroitDIY]

Yes, don't pre-cook the corn for UJSM. I used a grind like your regular, but haven't tried finer grinds with this recipe. For all grain mashing recipes, I grind the corn to finer than your fine (different functions for the corn in different recipes).

It'll all work out, follow the recipe and you'll be alright.

DetroitDIY

[SGB]

OK ,thank you for your input. No pre soak in warm water. You guys wash or rinse the corn or just chuck it all in dry? Because I noticed that when you rinse and wash the corn a lot of starch water is washed away (same as when you wash rice before cooking)

[DetroitDIY]

Just chuck it all in.

[Tlcopeland]

And you don't want the starch washed away because that is what you are trying to convert to sugar so you can ferment the sugar into alcohol.

[Tummydoc]

And you don't want the starch washed away because that is what you are trying to convert to sugar so you can ferment the sugar into alcohol.

You arent converting starch if you dont add malted grain or enzymes. There's no mashing, this is a wash recipe. The corn is for flavor. But you dump it all in because it's easy and no benefit of prewashing.

[rolling]

What's the best way to drink UJSSM white?
I drink it straight up on ice; if you're a straight alcohol drinker it's great! For those who don't drink it straight, what's the best recipe you've found? My wife, son, daughter, friends, etc. all want to mix. I've never been one for mixed drinks, so am at a loss where to start. If this has been discussed somewhere in these 140 pages, forgive me, I tried looking but came up short.

[Kegster]

What a privilege having access to Tried and True information! Rarer than hens teeth. When you seen one of those lately?
Hats off gentlemen...

[rolling]

Well, I kept digging and I found this:
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59016
Anyone have anything?

[DetroitDIY]

Hey Rolling, I don't drink it white, but I'll do unaged rum with coke and lime, and I'll do aged UJSM with coke and lime, and either one his the spot for me. Fresh lime (not from a bottle), and I like a whole juicy lime squeezed in... lot's of juice.

Recently made a new run of UJSM. I lined up 4 glasses: fresh white, 18 months aged, and two blends in between. The consensus was for aged in my household. Just make a bunch and you'll get some aged stocked up in no time.

[SGB]

And you don't want the starch washed away because that is what you are trying to convert to sugar so you can ferment the sugar into alcohol.

You arent converting starch if you dont add malted grain or enzymes. There's no mashing, this is a wash recipe. The corn is for flavor. But you dump it all in because it's easy and no benefit of prewashing.

Thank you for the info everyone.
But on a side note... Over here.. I'd recommend you prewash everything ...I dare not just dump it, with all the rat shit and bat shit and god knows what else is crawling around in those sacks of feed.

[NZChris]

The alcohol will kill any bugs in it. Just chuck it in the can and get fermenting.

[SGB]

The alcohol will kill any bugs in it. Just chuck it in the can and get fermenting.

[Saltbush Bill]

I dare not just dump it, with all the rat shit and bat shit

Some good yeast nutrients right there