What is your preferred mash gravity for a Bourbon or Rye?

[PalCabral]

Good Easter Sunday, distillers!

I am curious where the members on the forum try to land gravity when mashing all grain Bourbons and Ryes. I was asked by a fellow member why I was aiming so high and I had no better response than that it fits my process. I realize I don't actually know.

Me: when mashing for Bourbon I've been aiming for a starting gravity at 1.070-1.075, which would land me a fermented wash at about 9-9.5% abv. The higher the better, kind of, but within limits obviously. But I realize this is just me hitting a spot that I fancy, not based on any data or advice. Looking at the true and tested stuff, rarely do we share or advice on gravity. Neither do the youtubers out there. We're mostly interested in the kilos of raw material and in the distilling, not much about what's between mashing and distilling. So there's not much to go on either as for guidelines.

So I am putting the question out there: What is your target Bourbon or Rye mash gravity? Single malt?

Is the foaming characteristics of Rye something that alters your recipe?

[greggn]

I've been aiming for a final gravity (FG) at 1.070-1.075,

That would be your starting gravity (SG).

[Bolverk]

I target SG 1.065 FG 1.010

Edit to add: i only use malted grain. If I were using extra enzymes I'd expect lower than 1.010

[PalCabral]

That would be your starting gravity (SG).

Yes, I do get your point. Will fix for clarity! Thanks!

[shadylane]

I try for a starting gravity of 1.060 - 1.065.
The FG depends on how efficient the mash was.
With malt only, I'm happy if it drops to 1.010 ish.
With enzymes it often drops to slightly below 1.000

[Pure Old Possum Piss]

I try for a starting gravity of 1.060 - 1.065.
The FG depends on how efficient the mash was.
With malt only, I'm happy if it drops to 1.010 ish.
With enzymes it often drops to slightly below 1.000

This^

[Ridgeback816]

I try for a starting gravity of 1.060 - 1.065.
The FG depends on how efficient the mash was.
With malt only, I'm happy if it drops to 1.010 ish.
With enzymes it often drops to slightly below 1.000

[Homebrewer11777]

Interested in responses. Believe it was my comment you mentioned. I've been hitting 1.060-1.070 and thinking I might already be a bit higher than is ideal.

[bilgriss]

Pretty much the same. 1.060-1.065.
Below that range, alcohol percentage is lower and opportunistic bacteria can more easily take over. Yield suffers. But you can get a good, clean, useable ferment much lower.
Above that range, it starts getting more difficult to get a clean ferment where yeast isn't stressed that will also finish out at 1.00 or lower. But if you take care, have the right nutrients and the right quantity of the right yeast, you can get good ferments at higher gravity as well, but it gets easier to stall a ferment and leave residual sugar.

Numerous people probably find success at higher or lower gravity, so there's no one right answer, but there's a reason many of us have settled near this range.

[jonnys_spirit]

Approximately 2lbs grain per gallon is in the preferred gravity zone for me. Give or take.

Cheers,
j

[subbrew]

I have been using 2.25lb of grain per gallon of water (90# in 40 gallons of water) 70 to 80% feed corn (cracked or flaked milled to course meal) and the rest malted barley, specialty barley, wheat, rolled oats or rolled rye in various proportions. This gives a consistent 1.062 to 1.067 SG. I use enzymes and get 1.000 or few points below for FG. That gives distillers beer of 8.5% give or take a tenth. Happy with the results so don't intend to experiment going higher or lower. Only have enough years left to experiment with different grain bills at the same target gravities.

[PalCabral]

Interested in responses. Believe it was my comment you mentioned. I've been hitting 1.060-1.070 and thinking I might already be a bit higher than is ideal.

Yes, your comment got me questioning my thinking. The best thing about discussions are how they can make you see something you thought was crystal clear in another light. Thanks!

I didn't want to "out" you, but yes, you poked me in the right place

[PalCabral]

Approximately 2lbs grain per gallon is in the preferred gravity zone for me. Give or take.

Cheers,
j

When I put these number into Brewer's Friend I get a surprisingly low SG, Jonny, 1.053 with an 75% efficiency, which would equate to 6.8% abv beer after fermentation, given you ferment out. If your mashing efficiency is 100%, you'd be around 1.072. My guess is that your mashing efficiency is more close to 100% than 75%?

[Homebrewer11777]

90% efficiency is probably realistic if you are fermenting on grain. Brewers Friend would be thinking about efficiency in terms of conversion efficiency + lautering efficiency. If you ferment on the grain I think you lautering efficiency would be 100%.

[Tammuz]

Rye that I've tasted and enjoyed I was told it went in at 1.055