Distilling on the grain: a question

[Odin]

Hi guys,

I am "wrestling" with the following question: how would distilling on the grain be? I can imagine there being a higher risk of burning the low wines you are creating in the process. But - if you get around that by heating carefully - are there adavantages like in more/better/deeper/different taste of the grains used in the final spirit?

Odin.

[Dnderhead]

sour mash?

[Odin]

Wild Rover,

Thanx! Yeah, immersed electrical element should be avoided. I came to that conclusion as well.

Donderhead,

I think in a sour mash, the problem could be like "which part of the yeast bed / grains settled down do you want to use. My feeling sais "neither", but that is off course not speaking from any experience. In a sour mash, I can imagine racking some extra corn/rye/wheat not previously used in the fermentation ... Just my idea, but hopeing for some more feedback!

Thank you for the answers so far!

Odin.

[Dnderhead]

withe real sour mash, all but the yeast is put into the still,its distilled off, then part is added in the fermenter on top of new
grain.the the yeast is added back after it cools.this was done with corn/maze.this cooked the grain while you distilled making it more efficient
than not cooking at all.but not as efficient as a real cooking as done to day.

[Odin]

Thank you Donderhead, that gives food for thought! Do you have any experiences with doing it the way you describe? I am curious if you can add to what Wildrover heared about a more earthier taste and so ...

Odin.

[Dnderhead]

yes we used to do it that way. that was one of my jobs,you whould start a fire under the boiler, lay a board on top to stand on.
then stand on top and stir until your arms fell off or it came to a boil. then slap the cap on,past it up..then you'd git down and tend the fire.
i dont remember as it tasted different.thats just the way it was done.reading about since I figer its a step up from a no cook.

[rubber duck]

If your set up to distill on grain that's the way to do it. It does give a better/ fuller flavor and it's easier then having to separate the grain. The disadvantage is that it takes up room in your boiler.

There are a few way's to do it.

1. Stir the mash until it gets boiling, the motion of the boil will keep the mash from sticking to the pot and burning. Don't try this method unless you have kids.

2. Steam injection. Go take a close look at Tater's avatar. This is the strait up easy way to do it.

3. Running a jacketed still, this method is going to be expensive.

[Odin]

RD,

I have got 4 kids. Now, that makes for an easy choice!

Odin.