Using Corn Meal

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:25 pm

Hey folks, good info here.. Been reading quite a bit... I don't think I saw this anywhere but do pardon me if it is mentioned somewhere.

I was thinkin of using Corn Meal but was just wondering if there was anything special about it I should look for when I buy? or will any ol' meal work?

BTW, built the top for my still today. Design inspired by CoopsOz's

CoopsOz wrote:

Post by **shadylane** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:39 am

Corn meal works ok, but sometimes I have trouble with the mash foaming up and boiling over when I distill it. Seems to help if I cook it before dumping it in the fermenter. Maybe part of the problem is it's ground too fine.

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:09 am

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:25 am

Hrmm Cornmeal may not be the way to go...

I stopped by the tractor supply store today and they had 50# sacks of cracked corn for about $7 I might get some of that to use.

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:37 am

SloppyJoe wrote:Hrmm Cornmeal may not be the way to go...

I stopped by the tractor supply store today and they had 50# sacks of cracked corn for about $7 I might get some of that to use.

that's the ticket

Post by **bronzdragon** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:50 am

http://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Uncle_Jes ... ash_Method

~r~

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:04 pm

Yea I've read the UJSM recipe several times... I was just wary of doing the whole backset and all that but I've read some more and I think it shouldn't be a problem.

Let me ask this... What's the smell like off the fermenters with bubblers on them? I ferment beer and I don't get any smell from them but Just wondering if this stuff is going to stink. If so I'm gonna have to figure something out to satisfy the lady of the house. I read about putting listerine in the bubbler.. might try that.

belialNZ · Post by **belialNZ** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:12 pm

Havn't noticed any nasty smells with my second batch of UJSM, not compared to the pure glucose sugar wash which is making a lot of smell... perhaps thats just covering up the UJSM...

Post by **Husker** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:27 pm

I think UJSM has a fine smell. Kind of like fermenting beer. Kind of like rising bread. Pleasant and not overpowering. And yes, as has been pointed out above, a simple sugar wash smells much worse than UJSM.

H.

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:12 pm

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:06 pm

dont let the ujsm intimidate you. many people have done variations to the recipe. you will learn that you can approach most recipes as guidelines. i like mine with minimal backset. some with much more. you will learn to adjust it to your taste. the still head looks good. watch out for stressing the verticle column. when the condenser is full of water it may need a little support. other than that you are well on your way to some good liker.

BW Redneck · Post by **BW Redneck** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:31 pm

I did all of my ferments in the bedroom next to the heating vent, and it smelled pretty nice, kinda like a bready version of fermenting wine. Let me tell ya, the smell made that room a nice place to sleep at night.

Ricky wrote: the still head looks good. watch out for stressing the verticle column. when the condenser is full of water it may need a little support.

I agree with ya there. There's going to be quite a bit of strain on that elbow and your boiler union when that liebig gets full. You can be fancy and build a wall bracket or a bracket off your boiler, but a stack of books or a piece of furniture will do. Hell, I support mine with a broken dehumidifier.

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:14 pm

Please note, the picture I Posted is not my handiwork. I wish mine looked that good... ACtually it looks similar but my condensor is just a fuzz shorter and mine isn't quite a 30 degree angle, probably more like 35. I couldn't find any fittings to make a 30 degree angle so I had to bend a 90 degree one a bit. Also my solder joints aren't that nice. This was the first time I'd ever done any silver soldering... But all in all I am pleased and hope that I get some fine spirits out of mine. Maybe after I get used to this one I will put some real $ into it and build a reflux column.

defcon4 · Post by **defcon4** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:32 pm

Put some activated carbon in your airlock along with the water to get rid of or reduce the fermentation smell. Like others have said though, it doesn't smell that much. In my house, I always get complements on how good all my fermenting washes and beer smell.

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:29 pm

I have one more question. My prime suspect for a boiler right now is a 4gallon stainless steel stock pot. Is that workable? can I do 2 boils of 2.5 gal?

I figured I could do two 2.5 gal stripping runs then combine the results and do one spirit run. Would that work? I would like to get a bigger boiler but I'm just not sure that is in the works right now.

Skymeat · Post by **Skymeat** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:34 am

I live in a town where the local PD estimates that 2% of households are growing dope. Fermentation smell is the least of my worries.
It does smell pleasant. I'm just worried about the roar of a high pressure propane burner in the carport for 12 or so hours at a go.

tracker0945 · Post by **tracker0945** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:50 am

SloppyJoe wrote:I have one more question. My prime suspect for a boiler right now is a 4gallon stainless steel stock pot. Is that workable? can I do 2 boils of 2.5 gal?

I figured I could do two 2.5 gal stripping runs then combine the results and do one spirit run. Would that work? I would like to get a bigger boiler but I'm just not sure that is in the works right now.

Nothing wrong with that, just means it will take you a bit longer.
Cheers

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:24 am

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:42 am

Well the thing is I could get a keg.. they seem pretty cheap but I can't use any propane or anything liek that cause I have to work inside. I live right in the middle of town and have a super paranoid neighbor who would rat me out in a second. I don't think a keg seems like a proper vessel for stovetop work. So it seems that the only thing that would work well would be a large stockpot..and those cost $$$

Any other ideas for a stovetop brew kettle would be appreciated...

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:12 am

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:21 am

But is a 5gal pot big enough for 5gals of wash? Shouldn't I leave some headroom in it? isn't it advised to only fill them up 3/4s of the way?

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:27 am

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:00 pm

Hrmm....

well I plan on doing more than just UJSM... I'd like to do some other whiskies, rums, and brandies.. I'm not sure how much they'd foam up.. Maybe if I could find a 6gallon for cheap... I suppose I can't get too big else it'll be too large for my cooktop..

mrotch · Post by **mrotch** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:49 pm

Why not use a 1/4 barrel - all stainless steel and 7.5 gallons, plenty of space for a 5 gal wash and it will fit on most stoves.

If you use an adapter and a tri-clover you can instantly upscale your column onto a bigger keg later.

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:02 pm

Hrmm I hadn't thought of using a pony...

I'll look into it... what about a lid/sealing it... what's that process like? I think I've seen a site somewhere about how to convert a keg for such uses.. I'll look that up.

Skymeat · Post by **Skymeat** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:14 pm

Putting the column on the keg is truly simple once you have the parts. All you need is:
1) a copper to female (C X F) connector on the column
2) a NPT to Tri-clamp fitting
3) a tri-clamp
4) and an o-ring.

The last three can be found at Brewhaus.

Skymeat

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:17 pm

Awesome I'm searching for an empty 1/4 barrel now. that looks perfect.

Butch50 · Post by **Butch50** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:08 pm

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:08 pm

Yea my search isn't going very well... Called all the places around where you can get a keg (to my knowledge) and they said no..

Dunno where else to look.. I'd say shipping on one would be pretty hefty.

showrguy · Post by **showrguy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:33 pm

ask your friends if they got one sitting around...
ask the owner of the bar where you might frequent, the deposits on the kegs are only 10-20 bucks..
if all else fails, got get a 1/4 or 1/2 have a few friends over to help drink the beer and just keep the keg...
make SURE all pressure is out of it before you start monkeying around with removing the fill valve/tube..

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Using Corn Meal

Using Corn Meal

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