Home Distiller

Grits, polenta, corn meal and corn flour are all the same thing just with different grinds.
Note that all have had the hull and germ removed unless they are "stoneground" or "whole grain". I can taste the difference in food, but haven't done a head to head for spirits. And plenty of people seem to use cornmeal around here so grits would be comparable just not as finely ground. But neither the hull nor the germ contains much starch, so pound for pound cornmeal or grits might have more potential yield. Grinding your own whole or cracked corn leaves the germ and it's corny oils in, and is the same as stone ground. It's what I do based on an unproven assumption that the flavor is better.
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Well, I had successful if somewhat interesting stripping run. Pulled fores and then my first heads read 0ABV. As did the next two. Checked for leaks and scratched my head. Finally realized I was using the wrong hydrometer. I almost pitched it all before I figured out what was going on.

I ended up with 2.5 l from 50% down to 18% ABV. The malt aroma and taste is terrific. I'll start another batch this week.

I took some backseat and sugar and started a sugar head on top of the left over grains.

Okay grits it is then since I can get large quantities for nothing. Grits is the same as cornmeal I will use it on my maiden voyage in all grain honey bear bourbon. Getting excited about this and still have 2½ months to go. Gives me time to set up all additional equipment. Last question I think. When I order crushed malt grain from beer supply store will crushed be good enough or do I need to grind it down more?

Thank you for all your valuable knowledge.

One pass through the mill has worked fine for me. No special grind.

So I started my first batch of HBB yesterday and I ended up with a SG of 1.041. I see most are at a 1.065 or thereabouts. Followed the original recipe with oats.
1) Hard boil for 5 mins and continued to boil as I drained it into my Tun with corn.
2) Wrapped in blankets and took 5 hours to drop to 150. Stirred 3 times during the 5 hours.
3) At 150 added the 3 Lbs of Malt and wrapped back up in blankets. All the malt was crushed.
4) 11 hours later still at 132.
5) unwrapped waiting to cool to pitch yeast.

I'm going to run it as is after fermentation and save the low wines for a spirit run when I have enough saved up.
Just looking to learn from this failure. I noticed others that used cracked corn also had low SG. So that leads me to believe the low SG is due to lack of starch and not the lack of enzymes to convert it to sugar. Attached is a photo of the corn I used. Would you agree that the corn should be milled finer to pull out more starch? or do I need to precook the corn and then proceed as normal? or do you think this could be an enzyme issue?

my98xc600 wrote: Would you agree that the corn should be milled finer to pull out more starch?

Yes, I would. Otis

Yeah. I've been very successful using cornmeal. Using cracked or kernel corn, you should grind it.

Count me in for the corn meal/flour.
I run good ol' cheap cracked corn from the farmers' co-op through a blender, a pound at a time, until I fill a 5-gallon hardware store plastic bucket with a lid.
Bust up the clumps in your boiling water to expose all of it.

I've only used cornmeal and get 1.062-1.065 like clockwork.
Maybe a longer cook on the cracked corn is in order, it will still taste fine, just a lower yield is all.

If you have a blender just sit around one afternoon and grind it all up to meal or flour for a better conversion.

Don't stop now the hole is getting deep

SCD. You got me again. I pitched last night and have another batch of HBB is fermenting away, with a few twists on normal recipe/process to enhance ester creation. Love your recipe and I especially love the process you developed for HBB. Thanks again.

I’m trying a Belgium beer yeast this time vs my typical bakers yeast. I am hoping to loose the dominant buttery flavors my hot bakers yeast ferment always give me. I’m going for a lot of ester action and for this I have 4 gallons of infected HBB backset saved from last year, as well as a mix of feints/fresh backset from that same batch. Infected backset in the ferment, backset/feints mix in the spirit run charge. Should be yummy!

Otis

Well, I finally got up the courage to try this again as my first two batches were a disaster due to my stupidity.
4.4 lbs of cornmeal (in Canada it comes in 2kg bags)
1 lb of cracked corn trying to keep it lose.
1/2 lb honey malt
1/2 lb oats
added to 6-gallon bucket (I finally got a second one as my other has UJSSM in it)
added 4 gallons of water
Insulated and waited for the temp to drop to 153
added
13oz of white wheat malt
13oz of pale ale malt
13oz of red wheat malt
Had a good conversion by the looks of it and pitched the 2 tbsp of DADY yeast and 2 tbsp of shell when cool.

Its been bubbling away since Sunday I'm hoping it will be dry buy this weekend for a stripping run.

I've been shopping for a barrel here in Canada but the only ones I can find are either $400.00 for a 5 gallon (it should be full for that price) or $160.00 from a guy who sells them from his house and that kinda scares me. Does anyone have a recommendation of a supplier in Canada that is reputable and reasonable?

Found this place which is located near Toronto.
I know nothing of them other than being a search on the internet, but their prices seem more in line with reality.

fizzix wrote:Found this place which is located near Toronto.
I know nothing of them other than being a search on the internet, but their prices seem more in line with reality.

do some more shopping. that's expensive. barrel mill or gibbs bros., black swan has better prices. even after freight here.

i'd be leery of Canadian...that it is actually "Canadian" they say that our oak is better because it grows slower, but there is precious few real coopers here.
that site really looked like a reseller for some reason...those could be Mexican barrels or whatever. but i don't know either.

You first...tell us what happens!

that is the guy selling out of his house. I will try the others.

Canuckwoods wrote:that is the guy selling out of his house. I will try the others.

D'oH!

I just racked the wash, what should it smell like? mine is bread like is that right?

Oh yeaaaaah

Whew, after all the trouble I have had I just expected the worst

So I made a stupid mistake I went to the store and bought the grains then when he asked if I want him to mill it I said yes. As I was driving home I realized I had the entire grain bill now mixed together except the corn. What are my options?

Thanks

Just add all the Malt when it hits 155 degrees. I haven't been adding the honey malt with the corn anymore and I've had no problems with it. It's just a little thicker but not unmanageable. It'll turn out fine.

Agree. I have done the same thing, and just threw all the malt in the barrel when it hit 152. Now that use enzymes as well, I don't even separate the honey malt anymore. I just originally did it that way too somewhat help with the corn block, and, why not? But if you mash it all in at the same time, well hell, that's just making beer in corn water

Thanks, I ended up doing exactly what you said. I put the cornmeal and some enzymes in first the added the rest of the grain bill at 155. I have 12 gallons going. We will see how this turns out, it will be my first time running the still other than the cleaning washes.

Thanks!

made my first batch of HBB, i think i used my 3:1 Corn to Malt basic recipe. For the malt i used 40% wheat, 40% 2 row and 20% was 4:1 honey to dark crystal malt. I use cracked yellow corn, its all we really available here other than expensive flaked maize. i started by using the no boil method on the corn, and added some enzymes to thin the porridge. For the malt i just made a really high gravity wort which i sparged and poured hot into the corn. Used Imperial Joystick for some flavor, week fermentation and got a pretty clean ferment, smelled good and tasted ok. Well now after being run through my pot still i have a great sweet tasty corn liquor. Thanks for this recipe, i will be trying it again but with some carahell and honey malt.

Sounds Awesome!!

Stripped my 6th batch on the weekend and added it to the carboy I now have enough to do a spirit run. Started my 7th and everything went well but was called away while waiting for the wort to cool enough to add the yeast. it sat overnight and when I went to finally add the yeast there was a white mold on the surface. Not wanting to waste the batch I scooped it off and added extra yeast. It is bubbling away nicely right now but how will the taste be? should I just toss it?

Canuckwoods wrote:Stripped my 6th batch on the weekend and added it to the carboy I now have enough to do a spirit run. Started my 7th and everything went well but was called away while waiting for the wort to cool enough to add the yeast. it sat overnight and when I went to finally add the yeast there was a white mold on the surface. Not wanting to waste the batch I scooped it off and added extra yeast. It is bubbling away nicely right now but how will the taste be? should I just toss it?

Absolutely not!
I had one batch that sat longer than expected and it got a lacto infection (from picture research).
Sometimes this will enhance flavor. Mine was merely scooped off, ran, and had neither ill or beneficial effect.
Don't fear infections like the beer brewers do. They are certainly not the dead end they look to be.

Good to hear thanks

I ran two 6 gallon buckets of HBB on Friday. I was the first time I have ever run other than vinegar and sugar wash cleaning runs. I decided that it made more sense to go big so I rigged up the 55 gallon food grade drum. I put it it the living room and my awesome wife helped me get it set up!I have 30 gallons in it now waiting to hit 155

Here is what I did for 30 gallons:

I mixed the honey malt and corn meal in a 6 gallon bucket each time then dumped it in the barrel.

3 lb honey malt
30lb corn meal
6 lb white wheat malt
6 lb red wheat malt
6 lb pale malt



Thanks for this great recipe

Go big, dcpac.
I took some young Honey Bear to my grain shop (their license allows them to dispense free) and the owner tells me the brewers and distillers can't get enough of it.

Well, I ventured out of the wadin' pool and into the deep end with my first batch of all grain HBB. Boosted the recipe to 8 gal and split the honey malt in two; half ground and started with the finely ground corn and half with the rest of the grains. Finally checked in as converted with a SG of 1.075. Pitchin' tomorrow AM with an ale yeast. Man, I can not wait.
SOCD, thanks for the fantastic recipe and all you have done here in the forums.