First mash

[Snickers902]

Ok, I know to some this will simply sound as just another wanabe, but gotta start somewhere right. Well here goes. After countless U-Tube videos, reading from about every site there is, including stuff from sites are no longer active, I decided to try my hand at a simple cornmeal/sugar mash. Found an intersting super simple recipe to try from Americanhomedistillers. Recipe : 20l mash, 4lbs cornmeal, 2lbs sugar, & amylase. Everything worked out just like the U-Tube video. Heated 3 gal water to boil, added cornmeal, cooked until gelitanized, cooled to 150F, added amylase and held at 150F for an hr. Removed from heat and transferred to fermenter. Heated 1 gal water and dissolved sugar, added to fermenter and topped of water to reach 5 gal. Covered mash and let cool to 80F [overnight]. Checked SG - 1.078. Prepared prestart yeast [1 1/2 tsp. Red Star DADY], after doubled in size added to fermenter, covered and sealed lid with airlock. Visited and aeriated mash daily. On day 3 added yeast nutrient [DAP]. Day 8 airlock activity stopped. Checked SG - 1.000. Checked SG day 9 and 10 no change. My only concern is faint off odor and sharp sour taste. Is this normal? Or should I even run it?

[TDick]

Welcome Snickers,
Congratulations. Now constructive criticism.
Since you are new, BEST practices is to
Forget 90% of what you learn on youtube.
No shortcut- read through Basic Orientation here
especially A Little Spoon Feeding For New & Novice Distillers

That's a start.

It is very BAD form to bring a recipe from "outside" and ask for recommendations.
The simple reason is there is no shortage of Tried And True recipes here and a very good reason to run THESE recipes.

Based on what little of yours I read, it appears to be closest to Uncle Jesse's Simple Sour Mash

Whether you go through all the steps for using backset for sour mash or not, if you want to use sugar & corn, you need to read through it.
All.

Read Til You Bleed.gif (24.78 KiB) Viewed 790 times

Notice that it's been around here for almost 16 years, over 750,000 views and 4300 questions and answers.
That's a lot. It's one of, if not THE most run recipes.

Point is there will be NOTHING you will encounter that won't be in that thread.
No question you can ask that hasn't already been answered.

And the reason for using a Tried & True, if you DO have a question or problem, you ask in the thread and get a RELIABLE answer from someone who has SUCCESSFULLY run it.

And as you study the process you will understand EXACTLY what your next step will be and what you may, or may not, encounter.

That's the SHORT answer to your question and again, best of luck.

[Corsaire]

Run it. It's the only way to find out if it's any good.

Sourness is quite normal. If you can still taste sweetness there's unfermented sugar. You don't have that, so sounds good to run. Your gravity readings confirm this.

I don't know what you call an off smell, so can't help you there.
Have you done your cleaning runs?

[SassyFrass]

Run it. It's the only way to find out if it's any good.

Sourness is quite normal. If you can still taste sweetness there's unfermented sugar. You don't have that, so sounds good to run. Your gravity readings confirm this.

I don't know what you call an off smell, so can't help you there.
Have you done your cleaning runs?

+1
Gotta do the cleaning runs.

[ratdog01]

hi
i did a barley mash that smelled a bit funky
but ran it and its fine
stick to this site they help the new boys some more than others but on the whole realy good people
read all the stuff they have for us beginners its worth the effort and most of all enjoy what you are doing
everyone makes mistakes its part of learning ,
the guy on you tube still it is pretty good then come here and double check

enjoy
RD01

[Snickers902]

First let me begin here by thanking all tjat have given me input at this point. It helps to have encouragement.

It is very BAD form to bring a recipe from "outside" and ask for recommendations. Thanks Tdick, although I think it acceptable to point out that since this site has been established members, whether newbie or oldhead, have been bringing recipes from all over the world looking for recommendations and learning. Afterall, that's the purpose of this site. Sharing, learning, making mistakes, and improvements. Not butt hurt though, and yes I've read through these strings for over 5 years before choosing to join the org. That being said:

Yes I've made my cleaning runs, but haven't done my sacrificial yet. Waiting on a small sugar eash for that sincr it seems to be cheapest.

As for my original post re cornmeal wash, I decided to treat it as a possible stalled ferment first. Grabbed a clean ferm tub and poured the wash back and forth a couple times, added a little more DAP and recovered. Fermentation continues. Airlock slowed down today again ( day 13), pulled the lid off and amazed to see clearly halfway to the bottom of wash tub. SG now at .994. I think I'll give it more time. And smell is going away, only rises if I stir, so must be simply unformentable corn. Looking forward to running my sacrificial run tommorrow being that sugar batch is ready. Updates to follow.

[Tummydoc]

Sour taste is normal if you're fermented fully. If it tastes sweet it hasn't finished fermenting. Run it, you'll be fine.

[Corsaire]

Sounds good to me, happy stilling!