StillSmart

Just put this on and it's bubbling like a beast.
7lb flaked barley from the feed shop
7lb white sugar
5tbs alinsons yeast (yellow can)
26l water
Hoping some barley flavour will come through the smartstill
Will be double distilling of course.
How does this sound? Am I on the right lines for anything tasty?

You won't get any alcohol from the barley, but you should get some taste.

Chuck

That's what I was thinking re the barley.
Does the amount of sugar sound ok?
Tried to get some cracked corn from the feed shop this morning
But the girl behind the counter was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard!
The barley is what we use to feed our ducks.

7lb sugar made up to 26 ltr should have a start sg of 1.047 and produce a wash of 7.2 abv if thats enough for you thats fine.if you want about 11% abv add another 4lbs sugar.
check here
http://homedistiller.org/calcs/rad14701

Thank you for that. I shall adjust the sugar content on the next batch.
This was purely an experiment and depending on how it turns out it could become my wash of choice as it already smells lovely fermenting away

Corps012588 wrote:Tried to get some cracked corn from the feed shop this morning.

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Next time you are there ask about "Flaked Maize" which is very nearly the same. Don't know if ducks like it.

Flaked maize! She mentioned that!
£7.20 for 25kg
Luckily the shop is only 8 miles away
Thank you

Beware Flaked Maize....that's all I'm going to say

AM

aidanmac wrote:Beware Flaked Maize....that's all I'm going to say

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I think Aidanmac is referring to the ability of Flaked Maize, when mixed with very hot water, to instantly change into something that is halfway between a thick porridge and the contents of a plasterers bucket just before it completely sets.

This phenomenon is often encountered by the Gods of All Grain Brewering who are trying to extract all of the sugar from the corn.

Lesser mortals, who buy sugar and are satisfied with part of the flavour of the corn, avoid this unwelcome development by using water that is not hot enough to create a 4 gallon gelatinous glob of wallpaper paste.

Flaked maize has already been cooked (steamed I believe).

Before you mix a bucket full of hot water with the grain, test a small sample in a glass, if you can stand a spoon up in the glass then wait until the water gets colder and test again.

I added the hot water to dissolve the sugar, then added cold water to get the quantity I wanted then added the corn, seemed to work for me.

Toodlepip

That's what I've done with dissolving the sugar and then adding the barley.
Seems to have slowed ever so slightly this morning but still going really well.

Still bubbling.
Ever so hypnotic watching each bubble!!!!!!

Next time you are in the feed store pick up 5 litres of Molasses, it should be around 7.50 and will make you lots of lovely rum.

I love rum. Dark rum that is.
Is it easy to work with recipe wise?
I did a sugar wash with unrefined sugar a couple of months ago and aged it on Jd chips.
Tried it last night and it was flipping lovely. I could really taste the difference and that was even after double distilling.
Thanks for all your help guys

The barley sugarhead turned out great.
Picked up some micronised flaked maize(corn) today
So will be starting off a wash tomorrow.
I have an idea I'd like to run past you guys though.
When I did my barley wash I just added the barley dry and then hot water and sugar then made up to 25l
When it finished I lost quite a bit of fluid due to the grains absorbing it.
My idea is to soak the maize in warm water for a few hours and then make up the wash with the water and presoaked maize.
Does this sound ok?

It sounds good to me.
Maybe someone else will come back with something,I see nothing wrong with getting the wash volume to where you want it.
I have no experience,but look forward to you trying it and posting results.
Robert.