How to make the best corn-mash for moonshine Part-3

[TheLittlelaurel]

The only difference is that you need a source of moving water for a worm condenser vs you can pump water through a doublewall condenser. You do not need a thump keg, you can just do a run with just shine in it, you can get a parrot and separate the hearts from the heads and tails with a alcometer. You can use you own homemade malt in place of yeast. The reason we don't do all that now days is because they have good yeast. Get best liquor you can, drink it and let me know about the hangover part.

[hpjunky70]

@TheLittlelaurel Thanks. You are very helpful:)

[TheLittlelaurel]

@hpjunky70 check out the yeast at milehighdistilling.

[hpjunky70]

@TheLittlelaurel Will do. Thanks all of the info. It's helped me alot.

[TheLittlelaurel]

Just ask.

[hpjunky70]

I guess i need to do more research on the flavor. I just want the best shine i can make. I know it's going to take some practice but i'll get there. Thanks and anymore info is much appretiated.

[TheLittlelaurel]

old timers used corn only, not even sugar. If you want to Waite for a couple of weeks try it. You need to sprout some corn for a week or so then grind it up after it dries for a week or so then you have malt that you can add instead of the yeast and add that and Waite for another few weeks for it to kick and then get a small yield after all that work. Old timers did not have yeast like we do now.

[hpjunky70]

@TheLittlelaurel Thanks for the info:))

[hpjunky70]

@TheLittlelaurel I saw a vid of an old timer doing this and he said you won't get a hangover if you do it this way. I can't find a recipe to make mash with out yeast. I want the best not to worried about the work. Do you think a pot still with a condenser is just as good as one using a worm? How importent is a thump keg for quality? I want to make the best still and i like the idea of the condenser syle because they don't look like a traditional still. I want my still low key.

[hpjunky70]

I heard the best mash is done without adding yeast. Do you know how to do that?

[TheLittlelaurel]

Corn is cooked in boiling water.



[agdthatguy]

if you arent cooking the corn before you add the yeast all your making is sugar alcohol lol

[hpjunky70]

@agdthatguy How long do you cook the mash before you add the yeast and you never boil it. Right? If you use more corn and less sugar will it taist better after you cut it? Trying to get this down without waisting money. Also i was told the product isn't good until the 3-4th run and to throw it out and build up the backings for the 4th. How do you mix the backing's with the mash? I don't see anyone doing this. Also, why doesn't anyone use a thump keg in these vids.

[penztoy]

@hpjunky70 The best thing is to do what they call a "stripping run" which runs the alcohol thru pretty fast. It's not high proof but you get a lot in a short time. Save up as much as 1/2 your boiler capacity then cut with spring water to about 40% ABV. Run this thru your still nice and slow. This will yield the purest, high proof ethanol and from there you can cut it back with spring water, add to flavors, etc.

[hpjunky70]

@penztoy So instead of taking the time to make malt just make stripping runs to purifiy the ethanol? If you use a refux still will this do the same thing? I'm thinking about building a valved reflux still because it takes up less room. If you take the time to sprout the corn and still make multiple runs will the booze be even better? I want quality not quantity. It's just for me.

[penztoy]

@hpjunky70 A stripping run is just a fast distillation to get the alky out of the mash. After accumulating the say 160-170 proof quantity then diluting to 40% ABV you can distill it even higher to the infamous 190 proof level or close to it. Of course you will loose the flavors in a reflux unit. A pot still will capture the flavors and the proof will still be up around 140-150 max. Plenty to still cut back and taste great. You could use the hi-proof in a pot still to finish it off.

[hpjunky70]

@penztoy So you run it, then temper the batch and then run it again (stripping run) and then cut it to 100 proof? Is it ready to drink now? If i understand that correctly you will be separating the methonal and ends and the redistilling it to higher proof. Do you get any methonal after the stripping run (2nd run)? Do you need to seporate the begining's and the end's again? Thank's for all the help by the way. I never though people would be so cool to help me figure thing's out.

[penztoy]

@hpjunky70 After you distill it the second time, slowly, it should be in the high 180's and you then can cut it back with spring water to 100 or 80 or whatever proof you feel comfortable drinking. Just because you can make 170+ proof alcohol doesn't mean it's drinkable, alcohol is a poison in high concentrations! That's the main reason you find most if not all 'store bought' liquor below 80 proof. You should NOT get any further heads from the 2nd run but taste test it as it starts.

[hpjunky70]

@penztoy Is the stripping run the second step? I want to learn how to make the shine not taist like rubbing alcohal. I had some from a friend that he got for christmas and it was incredible stuff. It was mixed with fruit and a little sugar and we drank a shit load of it and i didn't even get a hang over. It came from way down south and ican't get any info from where it came from so here i am. If i want it i'm going to have to make it myself and that's fine with me.

[penztoy]

@hpjunky70 Stripping is the first run of a new mash. You usually strip several buckets worth. Mix up 20 gals in (4) - 5 gal buckets and strip them. You would end up with say 3-4 gallons of alcohol. Add this 3-4 gallons to 4 gallons of spring water (should be clear) and re-distill. Instead of using corn or just sugar, ferment apple, peaches, any fruit and use a pot still to get the alky. It'll have good flavors. Reflux stills will not produce flavor as well.

[hpjunky70]

@penztoy Do you have to make new mash for every stripping run or do you just add water (or ends) and run it again?

[penztoy]

@hpjunky70 See my comment above on running 20 gallons in 5 gal buckets. Once a mash has been heated after fermentation to distill it, all the yeast is dead and you'll need to add sugar, and more yeast after it's cooled below 100F. There will still be starches and sugars present so you will be able to start up a new batch, and now you can use the turbo yeasts that already have nutrients as part of their 'make up'. This helps to get the ferment done quicker and more reliably.

[hpjunky70]

@penztoy Will do thanks

[TheLittlelaurel]

Western North Carolina!

[c7thcavalry]

Your "laurel" handle makes me wonder if if you're Blue Ridge? Where "Mason hierarchy" means jar master.

[TheLittlelaurel]

Don't forget to stir the yeast after 1/2 hour or so when you first put it in.

[TheLittlelaurel]

45-gal of water=45-lbs of sugar with 60-lbs of corn used.

[TheLittlelaurel]

If you are using turbo yeast in a large batch you will need to keep in a cool place so the heat generated by the high-temp yeast will keep working.