uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[Dutch41]

I'm very happy to report that I've got my first batch of UJSSM in four #6 gallon buckets ready to start working. I've got the sweetfeed recipe under my belt already so I figured I would start this classic. I always have a small brew bag of crushed oyster shells hanging in the bucket and it always keeps my ph on cruise control. I'm using Red Star DADY. Keep on Stillin...

[Dutch41]

I just tried something neat with some UJSSM, I filled up a 2L barrel with some red vermouth and let it sit for about a month, then dumped it, rinsed it and filled it with UJSSM (generations 5 and 6). I'm pretty excited to see what it makes!

Windswept, I thought of something similar. I have a small oak barrel, maybe 1-1.5 liters, I thought about filling it with a port wine for a while, then take the barrel apart and use the staves in one gallon glass jugs as a finishing idea. I had two of these barrels and I've been using the staves from the first one in one gallon glass jugs as my oaking vessel.

[Windswept]

I forgot about this. The barrel went badly moldy, so didn't get to try any of it

[Expat]

I forgot about this. The barrel went badly moldy, so didn't get to try any of it

Moldy with barrel strength UJ inside? doesn't make sense.

Where was it stored?

[Windswept]

It was stored in a cold room, went hairy moldy on the outside. the room got really humid this summer

[Saltbush Bill]

Because the outside was moldy you threw it all out? Booze , barrel and all?

[Corsaire]

Awwww man, lots of aging warehouses are moldy. Nothing to worry about.

[Windswept]

Because the outside was moldy you threw it all out? Booze , barrel and all?

Sure did, kind of wish I hadn’t now, but I was worried it would spread to the carboys of stuff that was aging.

If it makes anyone feel better, it was a 2l barrel

[skinny_chef]

Started my first batch of UJSSM with the backset from very first run of a gumballhead yesterday. Can't wait to see what it will be like

[Jixxerbill]

I was gonna start my first batch tonight. Bought my cracked corn and looked the bag over before I bought it. It didn’t say anything about preservatives on bag. Got it home and decided to make sure looking it up online. As my bad luck would have it, it has propionic acid in it. Where you guys finding cracked corn with no preservatives in it ?
Thanks.

[FLOB]

I was gonna start my first batch tonight. Bought my cracked corn and looked the bag over before I bought it. It didn’t say anything about preservatives on bag. Got it home and decided to make sure looking it up online. As my bad luck would have it, it has propionic acid in it. Where you guys finding cracked corn with no preservatives in it ?
Thanks.

I'm a newb so my advice is worth what you are paying for it...

You can do a search and propionic acid has been discussed. I used tractor supply corn that had propionic acid for my first try at this recipe and everything fermented well. I've been aging it for almost 6 months now and it is getting pretty good. Here's a link to a previous discussion:

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=64106&p=7443953&hi ... d#p7443955

[ng71xy]

Had a look and reckon this is the best place to ask this.

So I’m up to gen 12ish now I reckon (lost count a while a go haha) I’ve done a lot of reading, but still trying to figure out what is the best thing to do with feints. I’ve been saving my heads and tails separately.

My first ‘all feints run’ I combined the heads and tails, which produced an alright end product, but not as good as a regular generational run.

Done a bit more research, and seen that a lot of people run heads through a reflux, and use only tails in a feints run.

So this week I did an all tails run, and it was a massive bust!! Very spicy peppery taste!! (So chucking it all through the reflux)

So I reckon from now on I reckon from now on everything will be going through the reflux for a neutral.

Anyone else experienced anything like this, or able to get a good product out of feints??

(Wow, what a long post haha)

[Yonder]

I was gonna start my first batch tonight. Bought my cracked corn and looked the bag over before I bought it. It didn’t say anything about preservatives on bag. Got it home and decided to make sure looking it up online. As my bad luck would have it, it has propionic acid in it. Where you guys finding cracked corn with no preservatives in it ?
Thanks.

I'm a newb so my advice is worth what you are paying for it...

You can do a search and propionic acid has been discussed. I used tractor supply corn that had propionic acid for my first try at this recipe and everything fermented well. I've been aging it for almost 6 months now and it is getting pretty good. Here's a link to a previous discussion:

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=64106&p=7443953&hi ... d#p7443955

Not a thing to worry about. Thats found in bread, cheese, even in the fatty cysts on a teens face. Tractor supply molasses also has it as a preservative and plenty of us use that,too.

[skinny_chef]

Ran my first batch of UJSSM today.
It had back set from a different batch to start it off.
Got the second version going and airing out my cuts to try tomorrow and see what I will keep and everything else will go into the next run.
Only thing was I didn't notice much corn flavor off the still but it was fairly clean.

[silverbean]

So this week I did an all tails run, and it was a massive bust!! Very spicy peppery taste!! (So chucking it all through the reflux)

I have done 2 all tails runs from UJSSM tails and both tuned out ok, getting better with age. When I did the original stripping runs I collected down to about 30% output or when the low wines averaged 40%, then collected tails down to 10% from the spout or when I got impatient. These tails I added to the tails from the spirit runs (also collected down to 10% or whatever). Tails from the spirit runs started at about 60% so the ABV of the feints was about 25 - 30% so I could just run them as a spirit run. The 2nd tails run also had tails from the previous tails run, I don't know if its 2nd gen or 3rd.
The taste is a bit different to the original UJSSM, my son thought at first it was more like a scotch but then a bit like rum, all i could taste was the wood. Be interesting in 6 months time.

[ismbardbrunel123]

Yesterday, i had my first tester drink from a six week old bottled ujssm, and i can't tell the difference from what my local sells...i am amazed that i can produce something like this... i also had a drink from my second bottle, forgetting i had left it at 75% proof, only 3 weeks old, fantastic, i love this forum, thanks guys...now have more on the boil....2x25 litres, 1x40 litres and just dragged my 120 barrel in for more punishment....cheers..

[skinny_chef]

Ran my second batch today. Was a stripping run. Pulled 200ml from the middle of the run to try and it's much better than the first one. I'm going to run the 3rd batch with the low wines from the stripping run and the faints from the first run.

After I have it aging on some oak I'm going to go all grain

[SGB]

My SG readings are all over the place. Sometimes starting OG will be 1.050 and sometimes 1.030
I'm wondering if perhaps it's due to volume of trub and maybe sometimes I might be drawing more wash than others? Should I add sugar to bring it up? I'm doing almost exactly the recipe @18litres x3kilo sugar. Instead of 19litres x3.2 kilo sugar.
I'm still getting the same amount give or take a couple cups. Maybe the OG just isn't that accurate. I'm just curious is there a set OG I should shoot for by manipulating sugar amount? Or just forget it and keep going as has been

[skinny_chef]

Chance's your hydrometer it either sitting on the grain or the sugar wasn't fully dissolved.

But either was if you always add the same amount of sugar and water it will always be the same

[GNBrews]

Should any generation develop a pellicle on top, or has the biology gone too far into souring yeasts at that point to make a good beverage?

[Saltbush Bill]

Fish it out.....throw the wash in the boiler and run it.....use backset and carry on as normal.

[GNBrews]

Fish it out.....throw the wash in the boiler and run it.....use backset and carry on as normal.

Typically the corn and yeast culture would be reused for the next generation. Now that there's a shift in the microorganisms toward lacto/pedio/brett/etc., can further generations be made?

[Saltbush Bill]

Ive done that and had no problems... infact the infection seemed to clear over the next few generations .
No idea why, but it did.
Pretty sure others have continued with further generations after infections set in also.

[GNBrews]

Thank you, sir! I've attached a photo of what the pellicle looks like. It doesn't smell bad; just fruity. The black cord goes down to the aquarium heater. It's a bit chilly in the cellar, so I use the heater to keep things moving along.

[Virandell]

Hi I bought some bird feed corn but I can't find any information about it if it's got preservatives what do you guys think is it suitable ? It's saying not intended for human consumption

[still_stirrin]

Hi I bought some bird feed corn but I can't find any information about it if it's got preservatives what do you guys think is it suitable ? It's saying not intended for human consumption.

You’re gonna’ mash it, ferrment it, and distill it TWICE! Quit worrying so much and get busy.
ss

[6 Row Joe]

I was gonna start my first batch tonight. Bought my cracked corn and looked the bag over before I bought it. It didn’t say anything about preservatives on bag. Got it home and decided to make sure looking it up online. As my bad luck would have it, it has propionic acid in it. Where you guys finding cracked corn with no preservatives in it ?
Thanks.

I am lucky enough to get a garbage can of fresh field corn from a friend. The squirrels love it and I grind my own. I have used the cracked corn from the Farm Fleet store previously with good results.

[Virandell]

You’re gonna’ mash it, ferrment it, and distill it TWICE! Quit worrying so much and get busy.
ss

That's what I wanted to hear, thanks

[Rrmuf]

Hi I bought some bird feed corn but I can't find any information about it if it's got preservatives what do you guys think is it suitable ? It's saying not intended for human consumption IMG_20201119_164928.jpg
IMG_20201119_164812.jpg
IMG_20201119_170213.jpg

I love the "Not intended for human consumption" and "May contain nuts!" warnings side-by-side!!!

[Virandell]

Hi guys after hook rum I am preparing for first UJSSM run what yeast would you reccomend for it ale or lager and what kind you found interesting ? also another silly question can I keep low wines in plastic fermentation bucket ? In my glass 5gallon demijohn I have wine currently