Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

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kyolic
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Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by kyolic »

Ok pictures first:


Image

Basket Closed

Image

Basket Open

Image

Basket in the Boiler (open) 1

Image

Basket in the Boiler (open) 2


Total amount of fresh (frozen) corn in the basket is 900 grams. I distilled (spirit run) about 1.5 liters of neutral feints diluted to 30 ABV (that was all I had ready).

The amount of corn in the basket was actually overkill for such a little amount of alcohol in the boiler. The pictures of corn you see is after distillation and you can see they haven't even taken a beating. I tasted them after the distillation and they had toooooons of aroma left inside.

Yet, have they already infused enough aroma to the distillate? TOTALLY! More than enough actually. So I assume that with 2 kilograms of fresh (frozen) corn, I will be able to vapor infuse at least 12 liters of low wines at %30 ABV.

Now the real question, how does it tase? It tastes AWESOME! Tons of corn smell in the nose and corn taste in the tongue (actually more than needed). I just nuke aged it twice and it has just been an hour since the production.

Right now the corn taste is a bit raw which is totally normal. In a week, corn aroma and alcohol will blend perfectly and this will become something even better.

From now on, all I distill will be neutral which is vapor infused with corn and stuff (fruit, herbs, etc.)

Vapor infusion works guys, it works BIG TIME! Go ahead and try it, you won't regret. The basket and legs thereof you see in the pictures are made of stainless steel. Even the nuts holding the legs, so they are totally safe. And how much did this cost me? Let me tell you, 17 USD in total!

I tell you again, try this. You won't regret. 8)


Image

Yup, that's the one!


Cheers! 8)
Last edited by kyolic on Fri Oct 23, 2020 11:46 am, edited 3 times in total.
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HomerD
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by HomerD »

What kind of basket is that? It sounds like a great trial run.

Homer
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kyolic
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by kyolic »

HomerD wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 11:05 am What kind of basket is that? It sounds like a great trial run.

Homer

This one:

Image

Code: Select all

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LNDDP-Stainless-Steaming-Vegetable-Multi-tool/dp/B0816R2FB2
I just paid 3 USD for mine, which is high quality stainless steel. So look around and you will find it for much less.
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HomerD
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by HomerD »

Thank you! I think I found something that may work for me.
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Alcophile
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by Alcophile »

Did you crush the corn to maximise vapour exposure to it?
kyolic
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by kyolic »

Alcophile wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 1:16 pm Did you crush the corn to maximise vapour exposure to it?
Nope. It is fresh corn as you can see in the pics (something you eat directly out of the package). How can one crack fresh corn?
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by Alcophile »

Rolling pin
kyolic
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by kyolic »

Actually you can turn it into pulp and that could maximize vapor exposure. I may try it that way next time. Yet, the flavor was more than enough even this way.
RockinRockies
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by RockinRockies »

kyolic wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 1:29 pm Actually you can turn it into pulp and that could maximize vapor exposure. I may try it that way next time. Yet, the flavor was more than enough even this way.
How do you think this would work with gelled cracked corn?
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NZChris
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by NZChris »

RockinRockies wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:31 pm How do you think this would work with gelled cracked corn?
I think it worked because enough of the starch and sugar stayed in the basket for the run to finish without a burn on.

I expect your gelled cracked corn would burn on to something unless you took added precautions. Let us know how it goes for you.
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NZChris
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by NZChris »

I've just cobbled together a method using UJSSM and a mini gin still with a Carter Head. Going by what Kyolic said, it might make a handy corn essence to use when blending.
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by Sonofliberty75 »

kyolic wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 10:52 am Ok pictures first:


Image

Basket Closed

Image

Basket Open

Image

Basket in the Boiler (open) 1

Image

Basket in the Boiler (open) 2


Total amount of fresh (frozen) corn in the basket is 900 grams. I distilled (spirit run) about 1.5 liters of neutral feints diluted to 30 ABV (that was all I had ready).

The amount of corn in the basket was actually overkill for such a little amount of alcohol in the boiler. The pictures of corn you see is after distillation and you can see they haven't even taken a beating. I tasted them after the distillation and they had toooooons of aroma left inside.

Yet, have they already infused enough aroma to the distillate? TOTALLY! More than enough actually. So I assume that with 2 kilograms of fresh (frozen) corn, I will be able to vapor infuse at least 12 liters of low wines at %30 ABV.

Now the real question, how does it tase? It tastes AWESOME! Tons of corn smell in the nose and corn taste in the tongue (actually more than needed). I just nuke aged it twice and it has just been an hour since the production.

Right now the corn taste is a bit raw which is totally normal. In a week, corn aroma and alcohol will blend perfectly and this will become something even better.

From now on, all I distill will be neutral which is vapor infused with corn and stuff (fruit, herbs, etc.)

Vapor infusion works guys, it works BIG TIME! Go ahead and try it, you won't regret. The basket and legs thereof you see in the pictures are made of stainless steel. Even the nuts holding the legs, so they are totally safe. And how much did this cost me? Let me tell you, 17 USD in total!

I tell you again, try this. You won't regret. 8)


Image

Yup, that's the one!


Cheers! 8)
That's awesome! I've been trying to think of a way to vapor infuse like that but with a bag hanging in the pot, but I think your way would be better!
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by RockinRockies »

Ok. I took a half gallon of our underwhelming ultralight sweetfeed run at 91%. It was a combo of the last dregs at the bottom of the fermenter, all the recycled heads and tails, run through 4 plates and scrubbers.

I macerated a half gallon jar with one 8oz can whole kernel green giant sweet corn, liquid and all, for 12 hours. I then diluted and filled my air still with 1.75L at 40%, with half the corn suspended in a stainless steel colander. Then I put copper scrubbers on the bottom, filled up the still, and ran it.

It was very corn pungent on the first 100ml that was heads heavy because I went a bit too wide on my cuts of that SF batch. I took 800ml and and recycled with remaining macerated liquor to get 1.8L at 73%.
The final charge consisted of 3.2L of 40% with another fresh can of canned corn both in still on top of copper mesh and filled the colander.

I calculated 1750ml of product to be collected based on Odin's recipe calculations. At 1500ml collected, after the first 150ml head shots, I'll collect in 50ml and sample.

So far it's subtle, earthy corn for sure. I'm not impressed with either flavor or aroma, but I'm only halfway through the run. I'll report back after 48 hours of airing and sampling.

Edit: I just sampled the hearts jar, proofed down. It's drier and earthy, corn-y but not substantial. Reminds me of opening a bag of cracked corn feed and smelling. Still subtle, but promising. I'm excited to see what this turns into.
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NZChris
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by NZChris »

Mine smelled like corn on the cob for the entire distillation. It was making me hungry, maybe I should have added butter :D

I don't know what I'll do with it yet. I'm thinking about fat washing some with butter for an experiment.

The corn didn't look much different after the run and was still sweet, I've put it out for the birds just as they are settling down for the evening. The backset tasted sweet and wasn't nasty.
RockinRockies
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by RockinRockies »

I'm pretty impressed with how this tastes and smells. Next time I'll macerate longer, but it gives the neutral a nice light corn whiskey profile
RockinRockies
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by RockinRockies »

Yep, this is a great process and I may incorporate it into my normal corn mash runs
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by LWTCS »

Moon breath sent me some samples of his vapor infusions a couple few whiles ago.
Did a smoked corn and a fresh corn.
I like it.
Down at an establishment in Punta Gorda they do a cornbread cocktail by macerating cornbread in the whiskey.

I like the corn notes.
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Bushman
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by Bushman »

Same thought for a botanical basket that I used on my essential oil still. I believe I explain in my thread how to extend the legs to the length you need using stainless steel tubes that fit over the short legs then I used a stainless set=screw to hold them.
viewtopic.php?t=63987
n_plains_drifter
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Re: Vapor infusion attempt with corn, great success!

Post by n_plains_drifter »

Great technique Kyolic, thanks for sharing. I happen to have one of those steamer baskets in house. Of course SwMBO might get excited if it 'disappeared'.

What did you use for legs?
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