uncle jesse's simple sour mash method

[Deplorable]

So I have just fermented my first batch of UJSSM. Not looking forward to the first few gens, but wanting to get to gen 3/4/5....etc.

I there any benefit to taking the first few stripping runs of the first gens, and then adding them back into the stripping runs of later gens instead of drinking them?

Why not just reflux the first few gens?

[dunluce]

Why not just reflux the first few gens?

To pull of a couple of completely neutral runs? I could....my wife says I am obsessive with new hobbies (I like to say "hyper-focused").

There's a bit of neutral liquor kicking around here already, was hoping to fold it into the UJSSM family.

[Deplorable]

You sound like me. I fermented my first wash in July of last year, and haven't slowed down. I cant stop makin hooch, and as my aging stock is starting to get drinkable, it just makes me want to make more.

[dunluce]

You sound like me. I fermented my first wash in July of last year, and haven't slowed down. I cant stop makin hooch, and as my aging stock is starting to get drinkable, it just makes me want to make more.

14 carboys, 2 demijohns, 4 5g buckets.
I think they're breeding when I am not looking.

[Saltbush Bill]

Not looking forward to the first few gens, but wanting to get to gen 3/4/5....etc.

There is no bad UJ, keep the early gens and drink them white or oaked, appreciate them for what they are, set a bottle or two aside to compare to later generations. Generations 3,4 and 5 are still only scratching the surface, you can continue endlessly if you want.

[dunluce]

There is no bad UJ, keep the early gens and drink them white or oaked, appreciate them for what they are, set a bottle or two aside to compare to later generations. Generations 3,4 and 5 are still only scratching the surface, you can continue endlessly if you want.

Ok, I was just wondering if they would be worth keeping, as I have quite a bit of neutral right now, or if they would better serve to toss in to a later gen spirit run to improve the yield.

[Bushman]

If it is truly a neutral I save them for making gin or liqueurs. Lots of good recipes on the forum.

[inaZone 230]

I have been running UJSSM for a while now and have been very pleased with the results. I am working on my 8th batch now, using around 30% backset. My first ferments finished in around 4 days. but it seems like each batch takes a little longer to finish. Im up to around 2 weeks now for my wash to finish fermenting. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to speed things up a little bit? It really isnt a big deal, i was just wondering.

[Saltbush Bill]

Yes use less backset each time.

[subbrew]

As you go your backset is probably getting more acidic. Using 30% I suspect your ph is down around 3.5 to 4 which is going to slow down the ferment. Are you using oyster shell for ph control? In any case you might try cutting the backset to 15 or 20%

[still_stirrin]

We should probably make a “sticky” out of this post...especially for the newbs!

Yes use less backset each time.

Great post SBB. Thx.

For all those who don’t have the experience with “souring your mash”...please take Salty’s advice. It can be repeated over and over but still the question returns.
ss

[n_plains_drifter]

As I've moved along the UJSSM continuum (9 gens, ~750 l of wash), I've made a few observations which might be total hogwash. YMMV

1) Early generations don't really ferment the corn. - I didn't get any of the 'grey' layer for a couple gens.

2) Early gens are pretty marginal in terms of flavor. My first ever run was an 85% corn AG mash, and compared to that UJ doesn't have 'corn'. After 4-5 gens, flavors begin to pick up and you get something beyond a sugar wash. See #1 above

3) UJ ROCKS for quick production of volume. Once you get in the groove, rock it and rock it frequently. You'll be happy you did.

4) The quick turns and the opportunity to run essentially the same thing over and over will really get you tuned into your process if you are new to the craft. Keep detailed logs and pretty soon you'll have a really good understanding of where you are in the process, and what you are collecting.

5) Later gens settle down into a nice flavor profile. It isn't AG, but you're making a drinkable drop for sure.

Best, Drifter

Not looking forward to the first few gens, but wanting to get to gen 3/4/5....etc.

There is no bad UJ, keep the early gens and drink them white or oaked, appreciate them for what they are, set a bottle or two aside to compare to later generations. Generations 3,4 and 5 are still only scratching the surface, you can continue endlessly if you want.

[Tom Kat]

I think the first gen tasted good. Hoping for better as I have #2 under way

[subbrew]

I think the first gen tasted good. Hoping for better as I have #2 under way

I agree. I found my first gen was more straight up field corn flavor, perhaps a bit of cob in there. Later gens had more complexity but less of the straight corn flavor. For drinking white that heart of hearts bottle I saved from gen 1 is my favorite. To me the flavor is corn harvest, filling bins with 1000s of bushels of grain, warm fall days with crisp mornings.

I liked it enough that as I have shut down over summer, too much other stuff to do, I did not save any backset from my last generation. I will start fresh in the fall, just so I can get another bottle of the gen 1 heart of hearts. Then I will have to decide is I go for a 36 gal gen 2 or do 12 gal generations so I can do more generations. Guess I will see what this springs production tastes like in late fall after 9 or so month on oak.

[Tom Kat]

I may be a little odd. I like the corn flavor. But I have to say the true hearts is the best. I am going to cut my heads hard next time.

[rolling]

I agree, and then let it sit with a bit of ventilation for as long as possible. Seemed to make a big difference with my product.

[OklahomaShiner]

Anyone put the corn in a mesh (BIAB) bag? When I first did this recipe i always had to strain the wash. I figure if I put the corn in a bag it’ll make things way cleaner and easier. I’ll be able to just rack it and go.

[Saltbush Bill]

Ive never bothered and not heard of anyone else who does.
Should be no real reason......the grain all settles to the bottom and the wash clears enough once fermentation is complete. Give it a few days to settle.

[Jstroke]

Anyone put the corn in a mesh (BIAB) bag?

I never bothered with a bag. For sugar washes with grain, I simply rack off the clear top, dig out and strain with a fine sieve, let it settle, then rack it off and run it.

[rubberduck71]

I use a hop filter in my fermenter buckets for AG ferments. Lately been fermenting on grain with Angel Yellow Label yeast & then a sugarhead.

image.png (13.66 KiB) Viewed 2886 times

[StillCity]

Hey Yinz,

I have read the first 30 pages of this post, and will get through it in the coming weeks. But I want answers before then lol.
I started UJSSM a week ago, and the fermented wash smelled and tasted a little like vomit, but not in a super bad way. (my first ever wash, birdwatchers, tasted quite pleasant, though I probably wouldn't drink it by the cup. this stuff was hard to drink a mouthful.) But I am a newbie, so I don't know if this is just how it is with a corn/sugar wash.
Anyway, I decided to strip run it, and the low wines had the same smell and taste. again, idk if this is just how it's supposed to be, and the spirit run would be good.
Then I got cold feet, did a quick forum search and discovered I probably had a butyric infection. ( I had been skimming off spent corn and checking SG every day of the week-long ferment). So I didn't want to start my hopefully many-generational UJSSM on a bad foot, so I tossed the corn/yeast and backset, and started from scratch.
If this batch turns out a lot better, I'll know I had had an infection (I heavily sanitized everything, and boiled the corn and sugar before pitching. plus I am not opening the fermenter at all until ebulation has ended). So this will be my control group, and hopefully the great-great ... grandfather of some tasty corn likker. If, however, this next batch is the same, I will know that this is just how UJSSM is, and will add my low wines to the next batch.

Anyone had a similar experience? or any advice on on this for a new distiller? am I taking the right approach?

Thanks in advance

[NZChris]

Hey Yinz,

I have read the first 30 pages of this post, and will get through it in the coming weeks. But I want answers before then lol.
I started UJSSM a week ago, and the fermented wash smelled and tasted a little like vomit, but not in a super bad way. (my first ever wash, birdwatchers, tasted quite pleasant, though I probably wouldn't drink it by the cup. this stuff was hard to drink a mouthful.) But I am a newbie, so I don't know if this is just how it is with a corn/sugar wash.
Anyway, I decided to strip run it, and the low wines had the same smell and taste. again, idk if this is just how it's supposed to be, and the spirit run would be good.
Then I got cold feet, did a quick forum search and discovered I probably had a butyric infection. ( I had been skimming off spent corn and checking SG every day of the week-long ferment). So I didn't want to start my hopefully many-generational UJSSM on a bad foot, so I tossed the corn/yeast and backset, and started from scratch.
If this batch turns out a lot better, I'll know I had had an infection (I heavily sanitized everything, and boiled the corn and sugar before pitching. plus I am not opening the fermenter at all until ebulation has ended). So this will be my control group, and hopefully the great-great ... grandfather of some tasty corn likker. If, however, this next batch is the same, I will know that this is just how UJSSM is, and will add my low wines to the next batch.

Anyone had a similar experience? or any advice on on this for a new distiller? am I taking the right approach?

Thanks in advance

Learn how to use the Google search. A search for vomit, should have found you the info you needed to know before you made the mistake of running it.

[Saltbush Bill]

Your over thinking it , you've just thrown away some perfectly good grains and yeast bed as I see it. Dont expect everything that you ferment to taste wonderful, the finished product taste is often nothing at all like the ferments taste.......as an example Molasses wash tastes nothing like aged rum, wine does not taste like brandy.

[S-Cackalacky]

Also, no need to read this entire thread for info about the recipe. There's a condensed version here - https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 96&t=50167 . It's only 3 pages. It has all the repetitive post and good job type posts edited out. Best just to read that thread for a good overview of the recipe.

[StillCity]

thanks S-C

[The Baker]

Or in Jimbo parlance: Gumball anejo.

tp

haha, I like it

gumballanejosm.JPG

It seems anejo is Spanish for aged.

I see no evidence of aging in that picture.

Geoff

[StillCity]

Hey Yinz,

I have read the first 30 pages of this post, and will get through it in the coming weeks. But I want answers before then lol.
I started UJSSM a week ago, and the fermented wash smelled and tasted a little like vomit, but not in a super bad way. (my first ever wash, birdwatchers, tasted quite pleasant, though I probably wouldn't drink it by the cup. this stuff was hard to drink a mouthful.) But I am a newbie, so I don't know if this is just how it is with a corn/sugar wash.
Anyway, I decided to strip run it, and the low wines had the same smell and taste. again, idk if this is just how it's supposed to be, and the spirit run would be good.
Then I got cold feet, did a quick forum search and discovered I probably had a butyric infection. ( I had been skimming off spent corn and checking SG every day of the week-long ferment). So I didn't want to start my hopefully many-generational UJSSM on a bad foot, so I tossed the corn/yeast and backset, and started from scratch.
If this batch turns out a lot better, I'll know I had had an infection (I heavily sanitized everything, and boiled the corn and sugar before pitching. plus I am not opening the fermenter at all until ebulation has ended). So this will be my control group, and hopefully the great-great ... grandfather of some tasty corn likker. If, however, this next batch is the same, I will know that this is just how UJSSM is, and will add my low wines to the next batch.

Anyone had a similar experience? or any advice on on this for a new distiller? am I taking the right approach?

Thanks in advance

Ok, so after a bit of resting in bottles, it seems the vomit smell and flavor is gone!

It still tastes a little off, but not nearly as bad as before, and I guess that is to be expected on a stripping run. I think I will add these low wines to my first spirit run. If it turns out undrinkable, I could always heavily oak it and keep around for blending in small quantities.

In the meantime, my gen1 try 2 is almost done fermenting, and smells really good.

[FogHorn LegHorn89]

Read the whole thread, almost 150 pages, didn't know there was a condensed version till the last page. I'm very well educated on the recipe because of it tho, so definitely not a bad mistake to make. I also have ran this recipe several times with great success. Before last week it had been awhile (4years or so) since I've ran any but gen 2 in a 55 gal drums is just about dry, be nice to have a day off to run a couple strips before October, lots of thanks to UJ for a very solid recipe!! It has been very good to me.

[The Baker]

I have just distilled my third generation of UJSSM in my pot still, and this is the first one I will keep.
First and second spirit runs have been recycled as feints.

From now I will recycle heads and tails as feints in the next spirit run.

And I will add wash instead of water to reduce the alcohol percentage
in the strippate before the spirit run.

Not sure whether to reduce the alcohol to forty percent
(the maximum for safety) or even thirty percent
(which would mean more wash being used to reduce the alcohol and could mean more flavour?)

I will strip very fast and do the spirit run very slow.
I ran an 'apple' spirit wash at what I thought seemed a reasonable speed and it was awful,
sort of like heads but the whole way through?
Too fast for the distilling process, and smeared, I guess.

I am using an 80 litre fermenter
(because that is what I have, with a drain tap and an aquarium heater and it works fine).
The wash is fully fermented at one week or a day or two less,
but to run that once a week will mean I will soon have far more product than I can use.
So I plan to turn off the heat after a week, and leave the ferment for another week before I distil it.
If as I expect that works fine I will try leaving it two weeks after it is fully fermented.
Hopefully that will extract more flavour from the grain too.

Any comments, please?

Geoff

[NZChris]

I run my UJSSM strips to about 27% ABV for the total collection. At that ABV the low wines produce a pot stilled spirit that can be cut for 'ready to drink' white dog, or a spirit useful for ageing, or cuts for both, your choice.

I don't recycle my stinking feints into my next wash, saving them, on oak, for an All Feints run when I have built up enough volume.