Still Smarter

Last year (Jan 2020) I made a small batch of Cornflake whiskey. I wasn't overly impressed by how it turned out. So I added some JD wood chips, put it in a cool dark place and promptly forgot about it. A couple of days ago, I noticed it and dragged it out. It was a nice dark brown, and smelled ok. But a glass later and its probably the best thing I have made to date. Its smooth and really nice.

I think its time to run off another batch to hide under the stairs for next year.
At least something went well for a change!

Ele.

Sounds good, were the cornflakes just to flavour?

Note what you did and repeat.
Drink ,make more, repeat.
If you don't make notes you will
forget how to make it.
I just have to remember which
book and look it up!!

Thats a co-incidence, I distilled a batch today, 12 litres @ 65% into a cornie keg. I just need to clean, chop up and char some barrel staves I bought, then put it away until Christmas. The last batch I made all got used up into making a load of Baileys clone for Christmas!

popalop wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:14 pm Sounds good, were the cornflakes just to flavour?

Yes but I cook mine/boil then simmer for15 mins to get the flavour stronger.
There are many recipes for this I just use 500gor 100g per 5 ltrs.
Crush then cook.

Oh yes!
Write it all down,
On paper, or digitally, backed up, doesn't matter.
Repeatatability does.
I have paper copies going back over 10 years
I don't consider there to be a wasted pen-stroke in there.

Robert.

Yeah, I have a little black brewing book that I scrawl in.
I'm waiting for my current batch of cornflake mash to finish in a few days. I put backset in my thumper for cornflake wash. I was thinking of throwing a couple of handfuls of sweetcorn in on the spirit run for a change, but then thought why not save a bit of wash with some of the gloop thats left in the bottom of the fermenters. I usually put all the gloop in my titchy little press and wring all the flavour out of it but I'll save a bit for sperimentification purposes this time

Two reads, and you have lost/confused me bob.
I'm sure that if you were speaking sober English. or I was reading sober English, we may not be at this point of chat.
Nope, forget that, 3 reads more, and it makes more sense.
Guess who will be failing the 'breathalometer' in the morning?

OK,I wrote the above 4 hours ago and then fell asleep at the lap-top.
Time to go and push the cat to one side,and get into bed.
And it is snowing again.
Marvelous.

Robert.

buffalobob wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:48 am ..... but then thought why not save a bit of wash with some of the gloop thats left in the bottom of the fermenters. I usually put all the gloop in my titchy little press and wring all the flavour out of it but I'll save a bit for sperimentification purposes this time

I get the idea of pressing the yeast lees. What are you going to add it to?

I would add some dunder and sugar top up with water add yeast
and go for a second generation. If you want you could cook up
another 100g or so of Cornflakes and add to the party.

I only tried this recipe once - as per recipe - fermented - disappointed.

Listen to Gaza, its not a basic 'lob it' in recipe IMO.

You read me like a book Robert , I'd had a couple of nightcaps and was sort of thinking out loud as I typed. I get plenty of flavour coming over so I won't be adding anything to my thumper apart from backset.
Gaza I really like your suggestion. What I'm now thinking of doing is racking off as normal and instead of putting the remaining gloop in my press I'll put some rye crisp bread in with the gloop and go for a second fermentation. Thanks for sowing the seed there mate. What could possibly go wrong
Mash what did you find was disappointing? I know a lot of people find dealing with the gloop apita, me included.

buffalobob wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:03 pm ..Mash what did you find was disappointing? ..

It was bland.

I think you need to treat it more like a UJSSM or a good Rum
and talk in generations.

Like gaza said, successive generations get better. Did you use Kellogg's? And bring to the boil then simmer for 15mins. I use a 720g box per 25L fermenters and always had good flavour. The first one I made was good enough to spur me on to make another generation. I used 25% backset to simmer my cornflakes in after that.

I am loving the way that some of youse, re-use by-products.
I habitually re-use beer yeast for half a dozen more beer brews before doubting it's purity.
It does give me a great volume of yeast, which acts quickly, expediating the wash time.
Not yet done it with spirits.

Robert.

Racked my cornflake wash and ran it. Left the gloop in the fv and added 500g of lidl rye crisp bread. Put a little over 3.5kg sugar in with 30g of allinsons and topped up with H2o. Immediate bubblification was observed. It smells and tastes really good. Can't wait to run it. Lidl rye crisp bread is full of flavour and has no preservatives added, perfect

Are you gonna add a little more sugar?
To me, it sounds a little weak other wise.
But, no less strong than my all grain whisky.
So, just asking, are you happy with the finished product?

Robert.

Yes I agree ED sugar to 5kg BB add another batch of sugar.

4kg is the most sugar I put in a 25l wash. So far I've been very happy with the results. I might put a little bit more in but not much.

Before I made this wash I read Odins i-blog about rye bread whiskey. In this recipe he recommends 3.5kg of sugar so.... he also mentioned that he used 1kg of rye crisp bread which had an intense flavour, too intense for some and recommends blending in that case. As I had cornflakes already in the fermenters I halved the crisp bread to 500g per fv.
Odin said he used backset for successive generations so I used 5l of cornflake backset for the first generation. We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out

Good plan and fare enough with the sugar BB.

As previously stated, my whisky washes are equivalent to around 4Kg of sugar.
I go higher on neutrals, as I then filter after a double distillation.

Robert.

Odin knows his stuff. No doubt about it.
I am with the guys here though, more sugar is going to give you a better yield.

.. And adding sugar late is a good thing it seems!

Two ways on every road.

Ok I'll put a bit more in then