Long post – I apologize.
Additionally I have included a similar discussion of a Wellers Wheated Bourbon clone.
My prior attempts at rye mash were fraught with issues – one failed completely probably because of too little yeast, the other overflowed the fermentation container prior to yeast addition. Research indicated that rye is a [commercial] distillers’ problem as well with overflow of the mash container being the most common complaint. Lots of complicated notions of raising the temp of the wort and having a rest followed by more temperature increase and adding enzymes.
Based on my prior success with YLAY, I decided to try it.
There are some pictures to show my setup.
Rye Recipe & Equipment:
20 gallon HDPE container on a rolling dolly for convenience
15 gallon or water
35# (~95%) malted rye. Un-malted rye will work but unavailable at this time of the year.
2 # (~5%) corn. Corn intended to add some sweetness to the end product.
2 each Vitamin B complex tablets (probably not necessary but part of my process)
4 tbls gypsum
90 grams YLAY – equivalent to aprox 11 tbls
Well water from tap. I do not know what you do with ‘city’ water from a municipal source with its associated chemicals.
800 micron BIAB mesh bag inside fermenter.
Water introduced at 97℉
Grain ground to almost flour consistency
Hydrate yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Introduced grain while stirring with a spoon to ensure no lumps and saturation.
Water and grain were at about 18.7 gallon level
Loose fitting lid
Two each 85 watt heat belts hooked to a temperature controller.
Temperature controller probe insulated and tapped to side to measure temperature.
Temperature controller set to 90℉ per YLAY guidance
Old jacket wrapped around fermenter for insulation – see picture.
Temperature at pitch was 91℉
12 hours after pitch temperature was 105℉. Clearly the initial fermentation caused heat build-up
There was no mash overflow – came close but stayed inside the fermentation vessel.
Stir fermenter contents twice daily per YLAY instructions
Weller Wheated Bourbon Clone Recipe & Equipment:
20 gallon HDPE container on a rolling dolly for convenience
15 gallon or water
28# Corn 70%
6.3# Wheat 16%
5.5# Barley - 6 row 14%
2 each Vitamin B complex tablets (probably not necessary but part of my process)
4 tbls gypsum
90 grams YLAY – equivalent to aprox 11 tbls
Well water from tap. As mentioned I do not know what you do with ‘city’ water from a municipal source with its associated chemicals.
800 micron BIAB mesh bag inside fermenter.
Water introduced at 97℉
Grain ground to almost flour consistency
Hydrate yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Introduced grain while stirring with a spoon to ensure no lumps and saturation.
Water and grain were at about 18.7 gallon level
Loose fitting lid
Two each 85 watt heat belts hooked to a temperature controller.
Temperature controller probe insulated and tapped to side to measure temperature.
Temperature controller set to 90℉ per YLAY guidance
Old jacket wrapped around fermenter for insulation – see picture.
Common characteristics….
Temperature at pitch was 91℉
12 hours after pitch temperature was 105℉. Clearly the initial fermentation caused heat build-up
There was no mash overflow – came close but stayed inside the fermentation vessel.
Stir fermenter contents twice daily per YLAY instructions
Transferred to settling carboys after 7 days of fermentation – SG was not moving. Temp was not corrected for the SG reading since the SG difference was considered de minimus for the temperature correction and only taken to determine if fermentation had completed.
Lifted BIAB and let drain. Mixture was vicious enough that no extensive squeezing required; just let it drain – see associated pictures. Note that belt induced squeezing might not have been required if I was patient and waited a couple of hours.
Beer transferred was 13.25 gallons into two each 7 gallon fermenters.
Settling period started
Let settle for 5 days
Stripping run stopped at 10% ABV. Yield was 2.75 gallon.
My tentative observations and conclusions are…
The Alcohol Textbook 4th Edition (2004) alluded to good research and advances in starch conversion. Unfortunately, the more recent version is in the $400 range so I do not have it to reference.
Based on EU data, the YLAY folks are making commercial converts at a rapid rate. They may have discovered a proprietary method of enzyme/yeast interaction to reduce energy use and promote difficult starch conversion techniques. They have not published extensively but the marketplace success is very interesting and a fairly strong endorsement.
The ease of use is almost astounding. No complicated mashing process and no squeezing. Let me repeat NO SQUEEZEING!!
The flavor profile of the finished white dog and associated early samples is positive.
Yield is improved for stripping and thus for the spirit run.
My process tries to disturb the beer as little as possible. To accomplish that, transfers occur with a small aquarium pump. PM me for details.
Cleanup is a breeze with the exception of the 800 micron brew bag. It is rinsed off outside with a garden hose and then washed in our front load washer with two rinses.
