Grain and Cracked corn Sour Mash

[TxBrewing]

A few years ago, when I first started out, I ran the UJSSM and loved it.
I have been a home beer brewer for about 15 years, but at the time I was learning my still I didn't combine the 2 art forms.
I am a BIAB brewer now, and run a 15 gallon electric set-up

This spring I am dusting my still off and want to use my experience at all grain mashing ro create the sugar for the UJSSM.
I still want to throw the cracked corn in the bucket, but instead of tossing in a bag of sugar, I want to mash distiller's malt to create the bulk of my sugars, use corn sugar to get the rest of the needed gravity.

This will allow me to also mash in with some corn in the malt base.
For this, to keep it simple, my thought was to take a few pounds of the cracked corn, grind it down and add it to the malt, or just use some flaked corn, even with it's higher cost.

The process would be to get the water up to 200 degrees ( where it boils at my elevation) toss the corn in for a while (not sure how long) then let the temp drop and mash in the malt at 145-150 degrees, have to look up the right temp for the proper sugar conversion.

Once all that is done, drop the hot wort on the bucket of corn, and continue with the Sour Mash process we all know and love.

I run a 15 gal keg, electric pot still with copper arm, and will be adding a 5 gallon copper pipe in a SS keg thumper.

That is the plan,
Pretty sure my time away from the still has me missing and mis-understanding things, so please correct me where needed

Thank you all in advance

TxB

[Copperhead road]

By the sounds of it I would not bother with the sour mash as you are doing an all grain by the sounds of it.
Put down an uncle Jessie’s sour mash in a different fermenter and do the standard generations. In saying that I have cooked crack corn for flavour in a sour mash along with adding caramalt goo in the tin. Turns out very nice but I still add sugar.
Just my opinion on keeping your all grain separate.

[TxBrewing]

By the sounds of it I would not bother with the sour mash as you are doing an all grain by the sounds of it.
Put down an uncle Jessie’s sour mash in a different fermenter and do the standard generations. In saying that I have cooked crack corn for flavour in a sour mash along with adding caramalt goo in the tin. Turns out very nice but I still add sugar.
Just my opinion on keeping your all grain separate.

To be clear, the only thing in the Fermentor wold be the normal cracked corn for the sour mash, the "water" would be the clear wort from the AG mash bill. I would not ferment on the malt, that would be too much to separate, the corn is bad enuff.

or

Have I missed your point completely

[Steve Broady]

If I understand you correctly, you intend to make an all grain beer using corn and malted barley, which you lauter off and then ferment on top of cracked corn. Is that correct?

If so, it feels like a fairly wasteful way to go around your elbow to get to your backside. Just skip the lautering and ferment directly on the corn and barley. You’ll get even more flavor, and save yourself a bit of work and expense.

[TxBrewing]

If I understand you correctly, you intend to make an all grain beer using corn and malted barley, which you lauter off and then ferment on top of cracked corn. Is that correct?

If so, it feels like a fairly wasteful way to go around your elbow to get to your backside. Just skip the lautering and ferment directly on the corn and barley. You’ll get even more flavor, and save yourself a bit of work and expense.

very fair point!

The idea is to not have to fight both the grain and corn when i transfer to the still, while gaining sugar and flavor from the AG mash (with some corn in it for good fun) and fermenting on the corn for added flavor.

A lot of this is because I am scared to BIAB mash corn....if I am honest

[Steve Broady]

A lot of this is because I am scared to BIAB mash corn....if I am honest

Conquer your fear, rather than letting it conquer you.

Lots of us ferment on grain all the time. I’ve done it in a bucket and in a cooler with great success, and almost every one of my mashed have included corn as a significant portion of the bill. I don’t usually ferment in a BIAB bag, but I do use one to strain afterwards.

If you let the ferment settle, there’s usually a lot of clear beer on top that is easy to siphon off. The muck in the bottom drains itself nicely through a BIAB bag over the course of several hours. I usually let it sit overnight, at least. I’ve also tried squeezing it manually and through a fruit press lined with fiberglass window screen. Both worked, but were more effort and mess for no more success than just applying patience.

[MooseMan]

If I understand you correctly, you intend to make an all grain beer using corn and malted barley, which you lauter off and then ferment on top of cracked corn. Is that correct?

If so, it feels like a fairly wasteful way to go around your elbow to get to your backside. Just skip the lautering and ferment directly on the corn and barley. You’ll get even more flavor, and save yourself a bit of work and expense.

very fair point!

The idea is to not have to fight both the grain and corn when i transfer to the still, while gaining sugar and flavor from the AG mash (with some corn in it for good fun) and fermenting on the corn for added flavor.

A lot of this is because I am scared to BIAB mash corn....if I am honest

As Steve Broady has said, don't fear it.

I use the YLAY process and ferment on grain, all kinds of grain.
I let it settle to clear after the ferment, rack off the clear beer and pour what's left into a bag and hang it from a pulley while I strip the first lot.

What's collected from that I usually let settle to clear again, or if it's small enough volume I cold crash it in a fridge.

Sometimes press the grain to get the last couple of litres, but usually give to a friend for sugar heads or do one on it myself for a neutral.

[Stump Lake]

I agree with Steve and MooseMan. Don't fear the bag. This is a Honey Bear Bourbon with 95 lbs of corn and grains mashed, and fermented in a BIAB.