Newbie From Atlantic Canada

[Whenwood]

Hello All,

I've been a home brewer for many years, and recently I've become interested in distilling. After some research, I visited the Canadian website North Stills and picked up a 3-inch stainless steel reflux tower paired with a 50-litre stainless steel boiler. I also added a 3-inch sight glass to keep an eye on things during the process.

With the help of a friend (the electrician), we built a controller box to power the 6500W heating element. For supplies, I purchased 25kg of white wheat, 25kg of oats, 75kg of sugar, and 75kg of cracked corn. I also have a block of Yellow Label yeast ready to go.

After watching a YouTube review by The Shine Shack about the Vevor grain mill, I decided to get one for myself. This week, I also managed to pick up a brand-new 200L blue barrel.

I personally enjoy bourbon, but the process seems a bit more advanced. That’s why I purchased the Yellow Label yeast to simplify things and skip the mashing/boiling process. I’d like to create a wheated bourbon. I also got all the sugar to try a sugar wash, but it seems less desirable on its own, so I picked up oats—I’ve heard they can improve the flavor profile.

Where I’m finding it tricky is calculating the amounts. To make a bourbon, I know it needs to be at least 51% corn, with the rest wheat (for my wheated bourbon). I also want to make enough for three stripping runs to ensure I have a full boiler (about 40-ish liters) for a spirit run. The water-to-grain ratios are where I’m a bit lost.

I’m excited to get started! Any tips or advice for a beginner in distilling—especially around recipe calculations—would be greatly appreciated.

[JustinNZ]

Welcome! That was a very thorough intro. Those grain to water ratios you should find in the Tried and True section. North Carolina Bourbon is a good intro. The google search function here should send you to helpful threads on the YLAY thing. You’ll need a potstill head to make tasty bourbons though, rather than the reflux column, based on what I’ve read here. Anyway, good luck out there,

[SW_Shiner]

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you might want to look at Jimbo's 1/2 Barrel Wheated Bourbon and Gumballhead in the tried and true section. There's a wealth of knowledge in that thread, as well as many others.

What kind of reflux column did you get? I agree with JustinNZ, a reflux is the wrong still for flavoured product. Depending on the parts you got, you may be able to piece together a pot still head that will do much better for carrying over flavour and making stripping runs much easier/faster.

[Whenwood]

Thanks for the reply!

I could remove the column pipe and place the dephlegmator directly onto the boiler and put some copper mesh in there. The condenser is welded to the dephlegmator.

[SW_Shiner]

If it is a convenient height, id leave it as is and run with no cooling water to the deflegmator. providing of course that the liebig can knock down all the vapour produced.

[Bradster68]

Welcome to the club . I also bought from North stills. I was in a hurry and didn't realize how easy it was to make your own. I will be making a neutral Tower one day. Take your time, visit the tried and true, and learn about corn, that'll be the hardest part making a bourbon. If you're using malted grains, they're a breeze compared to corn. Be patient. Follow a good recipe and you'll have success. Stay safe. See you down the rabbit hole

[NorthWoodsAb]

Welcome to HD from a displaced Maritimer in Ab.
Depending on what part of the east coast you are from there are probably "Home Distilllers" with generations of experience near you.
Cheers

[quadra]

Welcome! Sounds like you have a good start. While you are reading up on the tried and true recipes you can do a quick sugar wash as a sacrificial run to make sure the still is ready for the good stuff! Where did you buy your yellow label?

[Maddogbrewing]

Hey bud I’m from the same area, Still it on YouTube have a “safety net series” that used sugar and grain might have a recipe you could try.