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I just got a 55gal drum to mash in for the first time. I'm having a hard time figuring out how much yeast to put in. I wanted to try Whit Lab's Bourbon yeast.
My bill out is:
85% corn
8% rye
7% malted barley.
With having the drum to mash in, and make my percentages easy. I'm thinking about 100 pounds of ingredients. Is this correct when mashing 55gal?

Don't forget adding enzymes, because you 7% malt is not enough for a good conversion.
100 pounds and 55gal is ok.

How much barely would I need to not use any enzymes?

Depends on malt and mashing procedure.
It is really hard to mash with about 15% without adding enzymes and get a good fermentability (FG 1.000 or lower). The tried and true recipes here take about 30% 6-row. The most, perhaps all distilleries in the USA add enzymes.

It is your first AG, so I see two good options:
-tried and true recipe without adding enzymes, NCHoochs Carolina Bourbon for example.
-adding enzymes. Then you can use any grain bill you want. Follow the tried and true, Booner's All Corn recipe for example.

Because of your questions, I think, that you should read a bit more about AG before. But you find everything here. The most here fail with the first all grain. Not enough malt, bad mashing procedure (too high temps, too short rests, heating up while enzymes are working, too short and low temp gelatinization, pH...)

To be on safe side, I figure 20% of grain bill as malts.
You should aim for 30 DP for each pound of grain, including the malt.

Liquid enzymes are cheap and easy, give you flexibility with recipes, and great back up for conversion.
That said, I like to do batches with only malts for conversion as well.

100# of grain with 50 gallons of water won't fit in a 55 gal fermenter, btdt.

Yea that 20% malted at least,learn without enzymes then start adding enzymes and you will be surprised why they are being used! I still use the malted grain but more for taste then conversion and what conversion you do get is a plus.

As MCH states that will not fit,I get about 70 lbs of grain and 35 gals of water and it is almost full with saftey space to avoid a mess and it does make a big mess when over flows,yep been there dun that!

Thank you all for all the great advice.

What about the yeast? Is the White Lab brand of bourbon yeast a good selection? How much would I use for this big batch.

I've been looking for bourbon mash recipes, but having a hard time finding one. Any links would be appreciated.

TBT wrote:I've been looking for bourbon mash recipes, but having a hard time finding one.

TBT, go to T&T.
Lots of info on bourbon style recipes on here. In Tried & True recipes, look at Jimbo's and NCHooch's for a start.
Essentially, it's just a bunch of corn, over 50%, 20% barley malt, then make up the remainder with wheat or rye.
I like 60% corn, 20% barley malt, 20% rye malt.

I've used baker's yeast, California V, US-05, and wild yeast to make whiskeys, and they all work well.
With a big batch, it's good to work up a big healthy starter for the yeast though.

YOU NEED ALPHA AMYLASE and PECTOLASE ( fruit enzyme) - It will help You a lot.

To determinate how much yeast You should use, hydrometer ( saccharimeter ) - will be very helpfull

Radek wrote:YOU NEED ALPHA AMYLASE and PECTOLASE ( fruit enzyme) - It will help You a lot.

The pectolase won't be needed for a bourbon recipe like this, and should get the amylase from the proper portion of malted barley.

But TBT, the corn must be gelatinized before you can extract all of the sugars from it. Read up on the process for success.
ss