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Stillhouse Creek wrote:

Prairiepiss wrote:2 qts from a 8 qt run. There probably ain't no alcohol left in the still. Are you not making cuts? Your just keeping it all?

I don't understand what you mean.....sorry....

You should read this thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=11640 .

And basically read everything in this section for us beginners http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=15 .

Best for us noobs to research as much as we can before asking for help, and repeating questions that have been asked and answered so many times.

Hell I have learned so much in the last week from this site it's crazy(and I haven't even ran my first mash yet it has a few days left). Wonderful group of people and a ton of great info it seems.

much of this can be avoided if you take one step at a time..

Stillhouse Creek wrote:How much alcohol should 1 quart of cooked mash yield????

What I am getting in my first quart is very high, and that is after throwing out the methanol...

Depends on what the wash ABV is? And what ABV you take it off at? This thread found in the must read new distiller reading lounge should help explain.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=30266

And you should really learn about cuts. I think a really good thread on cuts has been pointed out to you. That can be found in the must read new distiller reading lounge.
But here is another link to it.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=13261

Very goo read...thanks. I haven't made liquor since 1980 when I was helping my Great Grandad make it in Kentucky, so I don't remember a lot. I do remember he only kept the first gallon and then re-distilled everything that came after that...

Stillhouse Creek wrote:Very goo read...thanks. I haven't made liquor since 1980 when I was helping my Great Grandad make it in Kentucky, so I don't remember a lot. I do remember he only kept the first gallon and then re-distilled everything that came after that...

Lots of old timers didn't make cuts with their booze. My uncle would take everything that would burn and use that for drinking. I asked him about cuts and he had no clue, and had been making for many years..
We are at a great advantage with the access to all this information that most never had. Pretty easy to make a good drop with all the collective knowlege this place has to offer.

Tonight, I took the remaining 6 quarts of my wash, added all the heads and tails from the previous distills and ran them all together. The result was one full quart of crystal clear, very high proof alcohol with a surprisingly mellow flavour.

This run yielded a second quart jar, 1/2 full, of a weaker, slightly cloudy alcohol...

I read in the either the UJSSM or the Sweetfeed thread about somebody taking the first generation distilled product and saving it all (80% - 60%). They are creating the Gen2 mash with the Gen1 backset and then when they distill Gen2, they throw the distilled Gen1 that they saved into the still for processing along with the Gen2 wash.

Is this a good idea and will it improve the taste?? Thanks.

charliewaffles wrote:I read in the either the UJSSM or the Sweetfeed thread about somebody taking the first generation distilled product and saving it all (80% - 60%). They are creating the Gen2 mash with the Gen1 backset and then when they distill Gen2, they throw the distilled Gen1 that they saved into the still for processing along with the Gen2 wash.

Is this a good idea and will it improve the taste?? Thanks.

I think u.might be talking about me??


This last first fermintation I did I just open today I ran 2/3 of it but this.time I used my tales and heads from another run last week in my pot along with.some.backets.and fresh mash.

I say 200 ml of heads and tales 20% backset and the rest of.my one.gal pot of fresh mash ujssm

Ok so I ran my first run last night and held out fores.
And save everything else. I dumped out all backseat except for about 30% then putthe first run in with and ran a second. The fores of the second smelled more like likker than first run. Then the rest just smelled like corn water and tased like corn water with no burn. But still good flavor. I numberd the and they are coverd and restin, the first are the strongest smell then weaker as the go to end of tails. I bumed that it wasn't stronger. What did I do wrong

Thanks Zach

zcarnes wrote:Ok so I ran my first run last night and held out fores.
And save everything else. I dumped out all backseat except for about 30% then putthe first run in with and ran a second. The fores of the second smelled more like likker than first run. Then the rest just smelled like corn water and tased like corn water with no burn. But still good flavor. I numberd the and they are coverd and restin, the first are the strongest smell then weaker as the go to end of tails. I bumed that it wasn't stronger. What did I do wrong

Thanks Zach

When I do mine like u have saving backset and reusing I usually do
30% backset
Roughly 60% wash
And rest ethier heads,and tales or I pour some of my distilled likker back to the,pot and run it again.
I usually get 120 proof

I just made another run last night .3 courts out of 5 gallons it's a little sweet with the tail and heads in it but taste real good and I get good compliments on it from other shiners. I also next couple jars with apple pie shine recipe. so far as a success

Ran my second run on my UJSSM this was the second ferment added the feints from the first run. Makes a pretty decent amount of good stuff ... I'm impressed. Have my third ferment bubbling up again. Letting this run air off an will start oaking tomorrow!

Has anyone added malted rye to this with out cooking the rye?

I'm attempting to use this recipe for my first run and I have a few questions. I will apologize ahead if any of them are stupid.

1.) Do I have to keep the fermentor at 75 degrees with this recipe?
2.) On the wiki, it says to add all the ingredients and close the fermentor. Do I use an airlock or do I actually seal the fermentor since the mash isn't being cooked?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue the process.
Thanks in advance!

Ribrob wrote:I'm attempting to use this recipe for my first run and I have a few questions. I will apologize ahead if any of them are stupid.

1.) Do I have to keep the fermentor at 75 degrees with this recipe?
2.) On the wiki, it says to add all the ingredients and close the fermentor. Do I use an airlock or do I actually seal the fermentor since the mash isn't being cooked?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue the process.
Thanks in advance!

Welcome Ribrob!

In is not necessary to keep the fermenting temp at 75*, assuming you are using baker's yeast. Just keep in mind that the lower you go the slower it will ferment. Higher than 70* it will ferment faster but sill soon start producing off flavors as the yeast get stressed.

Keep the fermenter closed and an airlock is necessary! No oxygen should get in but CO2 must escape.

Good luck!

Ribrob wrote:I'm attempting to use this recipe for my first run and I have a few questions. I will apologize ahead if any of them are stupid.

1.) Do I have to keep the fermentor at 75 degrees with this recipe?
2.) On the wiki, it says to add all the ingredients and close the fermentor. Do I use an airlock or do I actually seal the fermentor since the mash isn't being cooked?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue the process.
Thanks in advance!

Yes air lock for sure. Use a circle saw to.cut the hole and put the stopper with air lock in it. U need co2 to exscape wo.oxygen getting in. I always check and make sure my stopper is working by pouring water around the stopper snd to see if it bubbles.

This recipe works great I use it for my cran grape cran raseberry and apple pie. If using a small.pot I collect my heads and tales and pour them back.into my pot to.redistil with backset and fresh mash

yankeeclear wrote:

Ribrob wrote:I'm attempting to use this recipe for my first run and I have a few questions. I will apologize ahead if any of them are stupid.

1.) Do I have to keep the fermentor at 75 degrees with this recipe?
2.) On the wiki, it says to add all the ingredients and close the fermentor. Do I use an airlock or do I actually seal the fermentor since the mash isn't being cooked?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue the process.
Thanks in advance!

Welcome Ribrob!

In is not necessary to keep the fermenting temp at 75*, assuming you are using baker's yeast. Just keep in mind that the lower you go the slower it will ferment. Higher than 70* it will ferment faster but sill soon start producing off flavors as the yeast get stressed.

Keep the fermenter closed and an airlock is necessary! No oxygen should get in but CO2 must escape.

Good luck!

Should I be shaking the fermenter every once in a while? I've read it in other recipes but it doesn't say to do it on this one...

Ribrob wrote: Should I be shaking the fermenter every once in a while? I've read it in other recipes but it doesn't say to do it on this one...

Nah, no need. Just keep oxygen out, let CO2 escape, keep temperature stable and limit light exposure and the yeast should do the rest on their own.

Ive noticed mine has been slightly cloudy. How can I get rid of it filter it with a white cloth or coffee filter perhaps??

Sounds like you have tails in it.

gobucks85 wrote:Ive noticed mine has been slightly cloudy. How can I get rid of it filter it with a white cloth or coffee filter perhaps??

Tails, as they say, but I have also noticed that high concentrations of water will make it cloudy too...FWIW

gobucks85 wrote:Ive noticed mine has been slightly cloudy. How can I get rid of it filter it with a white cloth or coffee filter perhaps??

Finished product or wash?

Finished as I understood him....

I should be running mine any day now. My first batch I used corn meal it was made last wed. Then used cracked corn on a batch made Friday. Still see bubbles in the first one.

on1wheel01 wrote:I should be running mine any day now. My first batch I used corn meal it was made last wed. Then used cracked corn on a batch made Friday. Still see bubbles in the first one.

In general, I leave my mash alone, except that I skim off all the husk and cob every few days. When you walk in and the sediment has settled and the mash liquid has turned from yellowish to a more clear transparency, that is when I cook it...FWIW

Here is a pic of the mashes. I'm at a loss on when I should run them.

This is the corn meal one still bubbling pretty good. As you can see in the pic. It was made last wed. Tasted the liquid not much of a sweet taste I don't think.

And how the liquid looks like a watered down milk


And the one with cracked corn, it has a lot of bubbles still it was made last fri.



Both have a smell that would knock you down when you sniff the contents closely.

Just got to wait. I ran one to early it was cloudy and not high in proof.
I did my second one and waited will my air lock.bubble every thirty sec

on1wheel01 wrote:Here is a pic of the mashes. I'm at a loss on when I should run them.

This is the corn meal one still bubbling pretty good. As you can see in the pic. It was made last wed. Tasted the liquid not much of a sweet taste I don't think.

And how the liquid looks like a watered down milk


And the one with cracked corn, it has a lot of bubbles still it was made last fri.



Both have a smell that would knock you down when you sniff the contents closely.

@ On1Wheel01,

I am no expert, but I scoop off all the floating pieces every couple of days. The mash in the bottom photo looks like it is getting close....

I found that cracked corn taste way better then the corn meal

No need to take any of the floaties off this wash - the more you open your fermentor and put something in it the more you have a chance of getting a infection in the wash. They will either fall once its done or float around the top - aint hurting a thing either way.

Ghost wrote:No need to take any of the floaties off this wash - the more you open your fermentor and put something in it the more you have a chance of getting a infection in the wash. They will either fall once its done or float around the top - aint hurting a thing either way.

Perhaps, but I have had no such experience as you describe. I make my mashes the way my Granpappy showed me back in Kentucky.

I leave my vats open, I do not seal them up and I have them in an enclosed room where they are secure from pets, rodents, etc. I also believe that a cooked mash has far less chance of infection than a cold or uncooked wash.

The reason I remove the 'trash' is to pull out the wood, husk, cobb and other non-corn particles is because these tend to produce undesireable wood alcohol...FWIW