I made my first batch of corn whiskey earlier this week.

**Ole** · May 31st, 2007, 09:45 PM

While I must say, it's different, it's definately a more rewarding liquor to make than vodka.

I used:

7lbs Cracked Corn
7lbs Sugar
1pkg EC 1118 brewers yeast
5 gallons water

Takes about 3-4 days to finish the ferment.

Then once you're done running the wash, save what's left and put about 1.5 gallons of it in your next ferment. (same ingredients + 1.5 gallons less water with the backset from your previous run). Reuse the corn, and just add new sugar.

(That's what makes it "sour mash")

The first batch wasn't even suppose to be anything approaching drinkable quality, but I tasted it for the heck of it and it's smoother than any whiskey i've ever bought in the store, and it was 130 proof.

It's worth doing if you've ever been curious about making your own corn whiskey.

Just thought i'd share guys.

Take it easy,

Matt

**Blaydeman** · May 31st, 2007, 09:47 PM

**Nick** · May 31st, 2007, 10:10 PM

**Jack Daniels** · June 1st, 2007, 05:25 AM

Watch out for them reveneuers.

**Joey** · June 1st, 2007, 08:02 AM

**rsyb** · June 1st, 2007, 04:27 PM

I hear banjos!!!!

**Ole** · June 1st, 2007, 10:49 PM

Batch #2 got done in the fermenter this afternoon so I cooked it.

No oak aging whatsoever and 2 shots of 130 proof stuff I made this afternoon mixes real tasty with a can of diet pepsi in a tall glass.

**6speedZ** · June 1st, 2007, 10:52 PM

**Joey** · June 1st, 2007, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ole

Batch #2 got done in the fermenter this afternoon so I cooked it.

No oak aging whatsoever and 2 shots of 130 proof stuff I made this afternoon mixes real tasty with a can of diet pepsi in a tall glass.

Feel like taking any pics of your setup?

**Ole** · June 1st, 2007, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyZeppelin

Feel like taking any pics of your setup?

What part you wanna see?

The still? The boiler? The fermenter? The stash of booze.

I'll gladly snap a few pics if you wanna try it out.

**Ole** · June 2nd, 2007, 02:50 PM

Here's a few pics of my hobby:

The boilier

boiler.jpg

The short column for pot distilling- Rum, whiskey, anything you want to keep flavors (55-70% ABV)

potcolumn.jpg

The tall column for reflux distilling- Neutral spirits (95% ABV) The tall column has 4-5 stainless steel pot scrubbers inside. The alcohol vapors "linger" in the column and that's what strips the flavor and makes the hootch stronger.

refluxcolumn.jpg

Comparison of the columns:

refluxandpotcolumn.jpg

The still head where the condensation takes place:

head.jpg

The heat exchanger that's inside the condenser:

condenser.jpg

Here's where the thermometer goes:

headclosup.jpg

If anyone has any questions about what you see in these photos, i'll do my best to explain it.

**Joey** · June 2nd, 2007, 06:34 PM

Ole. Thanks for the pics man.

I have had plans for a still for some time now, but I really have no place to hide the damn thing. I've looked at several sources concerning home distillation, but it looks like you have a pretty good handle on it. My biggest concern is how to distinguish the methanol vs. the ethanol.

**Ole** · June 2nd, 2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyZeppelin

My biggest concern is how to distinguish the methanol vs. the ethanol.

From everything i've read, methanol production is really low. The methanol always boils out first. It depends on what you're making, of course, but the trick to keeping methanol out of your hootch is tossing the first 50-100ml of your run.

**6speedZ** · June 2nd, 2007, 06:58 PM

Nice setup.

**Joey** · June 2nd, 2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ole

but the trick to keeping methanol out of your hootch is tossing the first 50-100ml of your run.

I've read something along those lines too, that the methanol condenses faster than the ethanol. Do you notice a gap of time of any sort between that first amount of liquid that has condensed(presumably the meth) and the second?

**Ole** · June 2nd, 2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyZeppelin

I've read something along those lines too, that the methanol condenses faster than the ethanol. Do you notice a gap of time of any sort between that first amount of liquid that has condensed(presumably the meth) and the second?

Not really.

Typically it will take around 45 minutes or so to heat up the boiler to the point where the boil starts. (I usually preheat the wash to around 120 to lessen this time and the propane consumption) As the wash heats up, the temp will slowly creep up about 10-15 degrees, then it will suddenly start going up quickly (when the boil starts really going). Once it goes past 140, I turn on the condenser and the reflux side if i'm refluxing.

The product starts coming out in the mid 160F area.

If you're running the reflux, it stops around 171 or 172, and pretty much stays there until the production slows way down or stops.

When you're just running the short column, the vapor temp goes up pretty quickly to 188-190 (depending on how much alcohol your wash has in it) and slowly climbs up as the run progresses.

I'll usually stop collecting for consumption around 200F and shut the still off around 205F. (saving the last 5 degrees of product to toss in a later run)

**Joey** · June 2nd, 2007, 07:31 PM

I know ill have some questions for you if I ever get my own operation running

**Ole** · July 26th, 2007, 09:17 PM

Got an 8 Liter charred oak barrel from Brewhaus.com this afternoon.

After rinsing it out, I filled it with 100 proof homemade whiskey. I can't wait till this s*** is done (6 to 9 months, maybe more/we'll see). The unaged "leftovers" tasted fine to me.

I'll keep everyone updated.

Matt

**Merp** · August 19th, 2007, 08:27 PM

**Merp** · August 20th, 2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ole

Got an 8 Liter charred oak barrel from Brewhaus.com this afternoon.

After rinsing it out, I filled it with 100 proof homemade whiskey. I can't wait till this s*** is done (6 to 9 months, maybe more/we'll see). The unaged "leftovers" tasted fine to me.

I'll keep everyone updated.

Matt

Those barrels are expensive.

**Ole** · August 20th, 2007, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merp

Those barrels are expensive.

I drained the first on this evening and after tasting what came out, the first thing I did was order two more. These things produce amazing aging and are on sale right now (25% off)

Home Distillation Supplies from Brewhaus America

The stuff I sent you was "aged" in glass jars with oak strips in with the hootch (half assed).