Wheat or rye?

[Jolly John]

I will start my all grain "bourbon" style whiskey next week, initially was going with 65% flaked maize, 20% malted wheat and 15% malted barley. Having read a lot of stuff on here, and on our American cousins forum, it is rye that is a slightly more popular addition to the grain bill, which would you go for?

Managed to find unadulterated flaked maize at Countrywide, £12.99 a 25 kilo sack, not too bad. I know a lot of you have had problems with flaked maize, but I really want to give it a go. It may be easier for me to do it using may brewing mash tun (picnic box with copper strainer), and sparge as usual. Anyway, if it doesn't work out, I haven't lost too much. Aidanmac posted a link on mashing flaked maize, I'll give that a go.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[chill]

Rye adds a sharp, biting note (try some pure Rye Whiskey) to see what I mean. Wheat is more of a round, mellow taste. It really depends on what you like. Personally, I make both kinds.

Corn/maize is a lot stodgier than barley, regardless of what form it is in. I made my first batch of all barley (aiming at a Scottish style) on the weekend and was SHOCKED at how easy it was to stir. I over-dose the enzymes to give myself a change at stirring it. I am using a 16L pot with 5Kg of grain. More water to grain would make it easier.

Chuck

[Jolly John]

I have made single malt whiskey in the past, 'cos when I was brewing a lot, I had plenty of malted barley, Maris otter. I simply made a beer mash, but without the long boil, and obviously no hops, was a nice "scotch" and very easy, but I prefer bourbon style whiskeys these days. I won't be going for a high mash ABV, somewhere around 7% will be fine.