Home Distiller

I don’t post much on here, but haven’t seen a crazy amount of information on the different flavor profiles of millet, so figured I’d post this to track my trials and get feedback from others who have gone down this same path.

My interest came from the annual planting of Japanese Millet that our wildlife department does on a local lake. This is to draw waterfowl onto the lake later that winter for public hunting.

My plan is to do 4 separate mashes that would compare both the raw grain flavor profiles of Japanese Millet and White Proso Millet, as well as the malted grain profiles of Japanese Millet and White Proso Millet.

MASH #1 - Raw Japanese Millet
MASH #2 - Raw White Proso Millet
MASH #3 - Malted Japanese Millet
MASH #4 - Malted White Proso Millet

Last week, a 50 pound sack of Japanese Millet and 50 pound sack of White Proso Millet randomly showed up on my porch (what I told my wife). After calling the farm that sold the seed, I verified the seeds were untreated and contained no pesticides or herbicides. These is grain is meant to seed, so the hulls were still intact.

Below is what the grain looked like out of the sack. The Japanese Millet is the darker colored grain.
I started by grinding 25 pounds of each grain to a powder with my AMA grain mill. See pic below.
After grinding the raw grain, I started working on MASH #1 and MASH #2.

MASH #1
• 12.5 Gallons Water
• 25 lbs Raw Japanese Millet (milled)
• 1 tsp Citric Acid (pH correction)
• 8 tsp High-Temp Alpha Amylase
• 4 tsp Gluco-Amylase
• Handful of Oyster Shells
• 2 oz Bakers Yeast

MASH #2
• 12.5 Gallons Water
• 25 lbs Raw White Proso Millet (milled)
• 1 tsp Citric Acid (pH correction)
• 8 tsp High-Temp Alpha Amylase
• 4 tsp Gluco-Amylase
• Handful of Oyster Shells
• 2 oz Bakers Yeast

In both Mashes, I did the following:

1) Mixed citric acid into water and brought to a boil

2) Added milled raw grain to boiling water and let cook for 2 hours

3) Brought temp down to 175°F and mixed in 8 tsp High-Temp Alpha Amylase. Let rest for 2 more hours.

4) Brought temp down to 110°F and added 4 tap Gluco-Amylase. Let sit un-insulated for an hour.

5) Brought temp down to 85°F. Added oyster shells in a tied cloth and pitched yeast.

Starting SG’s for both are below:
MASH #1 - Raw Japanese Millet - 1.051
MASH #2 - Raw White Proso Millet - 1.057

Both took about 5 days to ferment dry.
Final SG’s for both are below:
MASH #1 - Raw Japanese Millet - 1.000
MASH #2 - Raw White Proso Millet - 0.998

Using paint strainer bags, I squeezed both ferments into separate buckets for clearing. The White Proso was an easy strain. The Japanese, however, was an absolute pain and will likely take a while to clear. Will let sit for a bit to clear, then post results of stripping runs.

While MASH #1 and MASH #2 were fermenting, I decided to start my malting process for MASH #3 and MASH #4

I weighed out 25 pounds of Japanese Millet and 25 pounds of White Proso Millet. The Japanese millet is less dense than the White Proso, thus took up more physical space.

The following was my process. This was my first time malting millet, and there was plenty of room for future improvement.

1) Placed the grain inside of paint strainer bags in 5 gallon buckets. Filled buckets with 77°F water, drained, rinsed, and repeated.

2) Once grain was rinsed, I filled the buckets with 77°F water and let soak for 8 hours.
3) After the 8 hour soak, I pulled the bags, and let them rest on my malting table for 2 hours
3) After the 2 hour rest, I started another 8 hour soak using 77°F water.

4) After the 2nd 8 hour soak, I pulled the bags for another 2 hour rest.

5) Following the 2nd 2 hour rest, I soaked a final time for 4 hours.

6) After the 4 hour soak, I weight both grains to calculate approximate moisture content. The only info I could find online regarding moisture content referenced a target content of 35%. Below is where I ended up.
Japanese Millet - 40.5%
White Proso - 37.1%

7) With small chits emerging, I spread the grain evenly onto my malting table and covered with a cheesecloth. The grain bed was 2-3 inches thick. From here on, I rotated, flipped, spread, sprayed, and covered the grain every 12 hours.
8.) After the first 12 hours, the chits had got slightly larger.
Continuing Below….

9) After 60 hours of germination, the acrospire on the Japanese Millet was about 1 1/2 times the length of the grain and 1 times the length of the grain for the White Proso. I had read a few articles on gluten free malting that referenced shooting for an acrospire length between 1 1/2 and 2 times the length of the grain for millet.
10) After a total of 84 hours, the Japanese Millet had an average acrospire length of 2 times the grain and the White Proso about 1 1/4. At this point, I continued to germinate the White Proso in different trays, and started the drying process of the Japanese Millet
11) The Japanese Millet took 24 hours in my homemade dryer to dry out completely.

12) After a total of 106 hours, the White Proso had an average acrospire length of 1 1/2 times the grain. I then started the drying process for the White Proso.
13) The White Proso Millet took 24 hours in the dryer to dry out completely.

14) After all grain was dried out, I put them in pillowcases, tied them up, and tossed them with no heat in the dryer to detach the roots and shoots from the grain.

15) Once detached, I needed to separate the roots and shoots from the grain. I poured the grain from one bucket to another with a fan blowing across the path of the falling grain. This blew the dry rootless away and let the grain fall into the bucket below.

16) I kilned the grain in the oven at 205°F for 2 hours.
17) Finally, I ground all of the grain to a flour and put them in sealed buckets to store.

I am currently working on mashing both the Malted Japanese Millet and Malted White Proso and will posts the results once completed.

-Fletching

Fletching wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 1:45 pm

1) Placed the grain inside of paint strainer bags in 5 gallon buckets. Filled buckets with 77°F water, drained, rinsed, and repeated.

Looking good.
Instead of using warm water, use cold water to hydrate the grain.
This way all the grain gets uniformly hydrated before it begins grow because it's waiting for warmth.
It makes the malt germinate at a more consistent rate.

Fletching wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 1:49 pm
14) After all grain was dried out, I put them in pillowcases, tied them up, and tossed them with no heat in the dryer to detach the roots and shoots from the grain.

15) Once detached, I needed to separate the roots and shoots from the grain. I poured the grain from one bucket to another with a fan blowing across the path of the falling grain. This blew the dry rootless away and let the grain fall into the bucket below.

14) you must have a forgiving wife or don't mind getting into trouble.
Last time I did that the damn clothes dryer took a crap weeks later and I got blamed.

Just finished mashing in the malted grain for both the Japanese Millet and White Proso Millet.

MASH #3
• 18.3 lbs Malted Japanese Millet
• 9.15 Gallons Water
• 3/4 tsp Citric Acid
• Handful of Oyster Shells
• 2 oz Bakers Yeast

MASH #4
• 21.5 lbs Malted White Proso Millet
• 10.75 Gallons Water
• 1 tsp Citric Acid
• Handful of Oyster Shells
• 2 Oz Bakers Yeast

For both malted mashes, I did the following:

1) Added citric acid to water and brought up to 158°F (strike temp)

2) Added malted grain to water and gave a good stir. This dropped temp to 150°F

3) Covered with blankets and let rest for 2 hours.

4) After 2 hours, the temp of both mashes had dropped to 147°F. Did starch test on both.

5) Used cooling coil to drop temp to 85°F and took SG readings.

6) Pitched yeast, tossed in oyster shell bag, and covered up fermenters.

MASH #3 - Malted Japanese Millet
Starting SG of 1.044

MASH #4 - Malted White Proso Millet
Starting SG of 1.041

Both mashes passed the starch test, so I’m assuming the low starting gravities have something to do with a less-than-desirable germination rate and there being unavailable starches still residing in the grain that never germinated (is this a thing?)

Either way, at least both ferments are on their way, and the millet malting experiment wasn’t a total bust yet.

Based on some of Shady’s comments in my malting table post, I would say my germination could definitely be improved upon.

It does seem based on the taste prior to fermenting, the Malted Japanese Millet has a much more nutty and complex flavor than the White Proso Millet.

shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:03 pm

Fletching wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 1:49 pm
14) After all grain was dried out, I put them in pillowcases, tied them up, and tossed them with no heat in the dryer to detach the roots and shoots from the grain.

15) Once detached, I needed to separate the roots and shoots from the grain. I poured the grain from one bucket to another with a fan blowing across the path of the falling grain. This blew the dry rootless away and let the grain fall into the bucket below.

14) you must have a forgiving wife or don't mind getting into trouble.
Last time I did that the damn clothes dryer took a crap weeks later and I got blamed.

Thanks for the advice on the water temp.

And my wife has definitely not been thrilled that my hobby has migrated from the garage into the house…

I guess if my dryer craps out in the next few weeks, I will be in the same boat you found yourself in!

Fletching wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:44 pm
Thanks for the advice on the water temp.

Keeping the grain temp cold during hydration definitely helps.
Then raise the temp to get all the grain germinating at the same time.
Once the grain has started to chit and is sprouting it's alive and can drown.
That's when the 8 hour tide of soaking and draining becomes important.

Nowhere I have been and nowhere I see going any time soon , but man I love your work . Very inspiring

Update on MASH #1 and MASH #2

I did stripping runs today on both MASH #1 (Raw Japanese Millet) and MASH #2 (Raw White Proso Millet). Both grains have acted, smelled, and tasted differently thus far. Notes on both below, following the stripping runs.

MASH #1 (Raw Japanese Millet)
• Wash was difficult to clear. Tons of very tiny suspended solids.
• Quite a bit of foaming during stripping run, even with my usual spray of cooking oil.
• Collected down to 15% ABV (A little over 1 gallon of low wines total)
• Smell is light, but nutty, grassy, and reminded me of the smell of some of the wheat-heavy bourbon low wines I’ve collected.
• Taste is somewhat light, but followed the smells through.

MASH #2 (Raw White Proso Millet)
• Wash cleared pretty well.
• Experienced some foaming during stripping run.
• Collected down to 15% ABV (About 1.25 gallons of low wines total)
• Smell is very light, but sweet. Like the sweet smell early on in an all-corn run.
• Taste is extremely light, but the sweetness and slight nuttiness is there. I feel like this one will lack some flavor as a whiskey. Would probably make a good vodka though.

Plan on doing spirit runs of both later this week and will update when I do.

MASH #3 and MASH #4 of the malted millet are still fermenting great.

Since my last update, I finished the stripping and spirit runs on all 4 millet mashes. Below are notes regarding each mash and final white product.

MASH #1 (Raw Japanese Millet)

Fermentation:
• Starting SG - 1.051
• Final SG - 1.000
• Smelled like a wheat ferment with a little more grassiness
• Difficult to clear. Tons of suspended solids.

Stripping Run:
• Excessive Foaming
• Low wines smelled and tasted fantastic. Like wheated bourbon low wines, but light in flavor and a touch of nuttiness.

Spirit Run:
• Kept a little over 1 quart of hearts at 140 proof
• Diluted to 115 proof
• Tasted pretty light. A little bit of the nuttiness came through with a good amount of grassy grain. Still pretty light in flavor overall.


MASH #2 (Raw White Proso Millet)

Fermentation:
• Starting SG - 1.057
• Final SG - 0.998
• Smelled very light and sweet, like canned sweet corn
• Pretty easy to clear

Stripping Run:
• Slight Foaming
• Low wines smelled and tasted extremely light, but slightly sweet and nutty.

Spirit Run:
• Kept about 1.25 quarts of hearts at 147 proof
• Diluted to 115 proof
• Tasted very light. The sweetness was still there, but the spirit run picked up a new buttery note. I feel like this makes for a pretty good flavored vodka.


MASH #3 (Malted Japanese Millet)

Fermentation:
• Starting SG - 1.044
• Final SG - 1.003
• Smelled was extremely fragrant! Smelled very smoky, almost like a heavy peat smell. This smell was not present with the raw Japanese millet. Was hoping this would carry over into final product.
• Difficult to clear. Tons of suspended solids.

Stripping Run:
• Steam stripped to keep from having to mess with squeezing and clearing.
• Low wines smelled and tasted fantastic. Light smoky, grainy, and nutty flavors came through.

Spirit Run:
• Kept a little over 1 quart of hearts at 141 proof
• Diluted to 115 proof
• Cuts were very interesting. The peat smoke flavor came through, but only in the late heads. The hearts were very grassy. The tails became sweet and buttery. Because of this, I made slightly wider cuts, trying to keep some of the different flavor components.
• The final blend tasted like a slightly smoky and sweet grass. Not the best flavor I’ve had white, but definitely flavorful. I feel like this will age well on oak for sure.


MASH #4 Malted White Proso)

Fermentation:
• Starting SG - 1.041
• Final SG - 0.999
• Smelled straight up like Bud Light. Like a puddle of light beer that has sat on the counter overnight.
• Easy to clear.

Stripping Run:
• Steam Stripped
• Low wines smelled and tasted like sweet and sour at the same time. The sourness was pretty funky on the nose.

Spirit Run:
• Kept a little over 1 quart of hearts at 144 proof
• Diluted to 115 proof
• Tasted very light. The funkiness in the low wines disappeared in the final spirit, but overall lacked any major flavor components. Slight corn sweetness came through, but that’s about it.

RANKINGS WHILE WHITE (As a future whiskey):
1) MASH #3 (Malted Japanese Millet) is the most complex and seems that it will make a good whiskey.
2) MASH #1 (Raw Japanese Millet) has a light flavor, but the flavor it does have will probably make a somewhat decent whiskey.
3) MASH # 2 (Raw White Proso Millet) has a light sweetness and butteriness. Hoping the buttery notes help give the oak something to work with. Once again, this would make a great vodka though.
3) MASH # 4 (Malted White Proso Millet) has a very light sweetness. Although this would probably make a decent vodka, it will definitely lack complexity to make a typical whiskey.

Going to take 800ml of each and put on toasted/charred oak fingers and leave alone for a while. Leaving what’s left over white, as to compare it to its aged counterpart down the road.

Will update this when I have worthwhile aging updates.

-Fletching

Nice write up Fletching
Oaking some and leaving some white is a great move, you can learn a lot from doing that.
Different oaks with different toast and char profiles can also be game changers.

Nice thread Fletching. Thanks for taking the time to share the details and results of your work.