Major cock up! Tiredness kills! Your mash!!!!

[Bru_Dog]

I made my first bourbon today. I thought I'd worked everything out correctly and got stuck in.

I decided on a mash bill of 80 cracked corn, 10 malted barley and 10 malted rye. At a grain to water ratio of 1:3 - 10kg grains to 30 litres of water. Done it two batches of half the above.

I held back 3 litres of water from boiling the corn as I thought I could use it to help cool the mash in order to add the malt. This resulted in a stupid thick corn mash that i stirred constantly for a whole 90 mins at 82-86°c with no scorching. I added the extra water to drop the temp to 66 and added the malts. This was still a bit thick so I decided to up the ratio to 1:3.5 and added the extra water.

I kept the temp between 63 and 66 for another half hour stirring all the time and turned the power off.

I then waited an hour and tipped the contents into a fermentation bucket. There was a bit of black char on the bottom of my boiler but no smell in the mash.

I waited for 6 bloody hours for the mash to cool below 35C in a freezing cold conservatory! It was just gone 12 by the time I could pitch the yeast. I don't sleep very well and was extremely tired by this stage.

And here the big problem arises! I decided to do a hydrometer reading before pitching the yeast.

The hydrometer couldn't have sat any higher!!! The top of the bulb was out of the mash - not due to solids - it was floating freely!.

I googled this and the answer seemed to be, water down the mash, which i did. The bloody hydrometer didn't sink after 5 litres of water were added! I dumped 5 litres down the sink and added another 5 litres of water! The bastard hydrometer still sat up high mocking me!

At this point, I realised I was using my distilling hydrometer not my gravity hydrometer!!!

What a t@#T!

Anyway, now I have a mash with a starting gravity of 1.032 which if I can ferment down to 0.986 only gives 7%abv.

In the morning I'll be duplicating this mash. Hopefully there'll be no mistakes and I'll get a decent starting gravity.

Is it best to let both batches ferment to dry, rack into buckets (I'm fermenting on the grain) and then blend the two worts OR blend them together tomorrow?

The yeast I'm using has gluco amylase in it, so will this get more sugars from the corn in the first wash and perhaps increase the abv?

[Fury_tea]

If it were me i would be tempted to add a kilo or 2 of inverted sugar, but you may not want to go that route.

If not i would say leave it, mix them together when fermented out. Will lower your overall alcohol content but shouldn't be too bad.

[Mash]

Me too. I wouldn't even invert it. White granulated. Boom

[Mash]

You could even add it after fermentation has started.

[Copperhead road]

Bru Dog have you used that yeast before? Just wondering if you got good conversion without using Enzymes apart from the gluco amylase in the yeast you used.

[Bru_Dog]

Bru Dog have you used that yeast before? Just wondering if you got good conversion without using Enzymes apart from the gluco amylase in the yeast you used.

I haven't mate. The mash is fermenting away today and I tried a hydrometer reading again - it's actually showing a higher sugar reading today than last night. I can only assume that's because the glucoamylase has pulled out more starch/sugar?!?!

The reading today suggests that if I get down to 0.990 I'll be about 7.5% abv. After diluting so much last night, I can assume that I got a really good starch conversion in the first place otherwise, there would be very little sugar left.

I'm currently running the second batch and will take a hydrometer reading - with the CORRECT hydrometer - when it's down to below 35c.

I've decided to ferment both out, strain them and add what's left together, clear and distill.

[Mash]

Just a thought, but hydrometes are usually calibrated for 20c. Google or brewers friend, can calc the temp difference for you.

[Bru_Dog]

Bru Dog have you used that yeast before? Just wondering if you got good conversion without using Enzymes apart from the gluco amylase in the yeast you used.

I've just taken the OG from the second mash. I didn't boil the grains today as I was frightened of scorching! It wasn't anywhere near as sticky as yesrerdays batch! I did end up with a reading of 1.054 (after temp correction) which is good for 8.4 abv plus. So that's not too bad. The glucoamylase may do its job and extract some more sugars during fermentation as well.

It's looking like, if I ferment both batches down to below 0.990 and mix then I'll end up with a wort at 8% or more. Running that through my pot and thumper i should get a decent abv that I don't have to water down too much - in guessing too much tempering will dilute the flavour too!?!?

[Bru_Dog]

Just a thought, but hydrometes are usually calibrated for 20c. Google or brewers friend, can calc the temp difference for you.

Thanks

I do always correct the reading for temp. I usually wait until 35c as that's when I'll be adding the yeast.

[TDick]

If it were me i would be tempted to add a kilo or 2 of inverted sugar, but you may not want to go that route.
If not i would say leave it, mix them together when fermented out. Will lower your overall alcohol content but shouldn't be too bad.

That would be my first thought. FWIW I usually invert, it's not that difficult if I remember NOT to do it in SWMBO's kitchen.
Ever Again!

I can mention this without fear of public flogging.
ChatGP says

Practical options to salvage or improve:

Ferment as is — acceptable if you want a light/clean spirit; expect lower yield.

Raise gravity before fermentation by adding malt extract or more mashed grain (or sugar) if you want more ABV and fuller flavour.
Note: adding plain sugar raises ABV but dilutes malt character; more grain/specialty malts will add body/flavour.

Concentrate the wort by boiling (evaporate water) to raise SG — works but changes some character.

If distilling, accept lower yield but make careful cuts — lower-congener wash can make very clean hearts.

AS ALWAYS WITH AI, take any suggestions with a grain of salt.

[Mash]

We better have a vote on public flogging

[Peter_stanaway]

To this tread I want to add that you can ferment to around 8% as anything higher can inhibit bacteria which contribute to flavor and mouth feel.

If your using a lot of corn in a mash and want to cook them to release starch you can add some enzymes or malt and that prevents the mash from becoming thick the the first place, these get boiled so aren't any use for the mash so more must be added