[Richard Coleman, Jr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5vzWR62IQc

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

exactly- just use some sort of “mesh” bag that will hold the grains-

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

7.5 malted barley

you need to use a mash bag- you can use cheesecloth, paint strainer bags..pantyhose. etc.. something to strain the grain from the water.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Simple Mash In A Bag Single Malt Whiskey Recipe (3 Gallon Recipe)

4.5 gallons of water

7.5 Pounds Of Crushed US 2 Row (Pale Malt)

Dry Yeast ( Bread Yeast, Safale US-05 Ale Yeast, or any yeast you prefer)

Heat the water in the mash tun to 158F (this is called the strike water)

Once the strike water is at 158F add the mash bag and the crushed grains

Stir the grains with the mash paddle so there are no clumps or “dough balls”
Check the brewing thermometer and make sure the mash temperature is around 150

If the temperature is low, add heat or boiling water and stir. If the temperature is too hot, add ice and stir

Once the mash temperature is close to 150 add the lid and let mash for an hour. Add heat as needed while stirring to keep the temperature around 150

After 60 minutes carefully pull out the mash bag and let the liquid drip back into the pot

Once the wort is done dripping from the mash bag, insert the immersion chiller and chill the mash to yeast pitching temperature — normally 70 degrees, but refer to your yeast packet. If you don’t have an immersion chiller you can cool the mash with an ice bath

Take a hydrometer reading and write down the starting gravity

Once the mash has been chilled to yeast pitching temperature, transfer the mash with an auto-siphon to the fermentation vessel

Add the yeast to fermenter and then add the airlock

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

I use two bread packs for a 5 gallon-
1- 1.5 packs would be good for a 3 gallon batch

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

depending on my recipes- my OG ranges from 1.055 to 1.075

Checkout this article on hydromters that Kyle wrote- it should answer most of your questions
http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12044309-how-to-use-a-hydrometer

checkout this article on distilling temps-
http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12243869-making-moonshine-still-temperature

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Did you run this batch?

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Jim,
Sorry I did not see this post!

My father does not live in Rozel Kansas.- that would have been cool though

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Josh,
If your tap water tastes good for drinking- it is most likely fine for mashing.
If you are first starting out- I would focus more on hitting mash temps, keeping everything sterile, and fermenting at a proper temperature for the yeast- then you can spend more time reading about water chemistry.

If you want to start reading up- this is a great nerdy book if you are into that type of thing- http://www.amazon.com/Water-Comprehensive-Brewers-Brewing-Elements/dp/0937381993

If you are worried about the chlorine you can boil it off, charcoal filtered out, or you can simply leave 5 gallons of water uncovered overnight and it is good to go. If you have chloramine you can use Campden tablets that contain potassium metabisulphite to remove it.

Good water is key to making good whiskey- but I have been using city tap water for a long time with good results. (I live in a town with really good tap water though- so that does help)

Hope that helps

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

The best way to start distilling-
get the smallest mason jars you can get
dump the foreshots.
start collecting the moonshine one small jar at time
label the first jar 1, the 2nd jar 2 and so on.
At the end of the run taste each jar- the low numbers are going to be heads, the middle hearts, the end tails.
This makes it easy to taste the difference between the run.
As you get better at making cuts continue to use small jars and number them- but when you make a cut start collecting in a new jar- number it and label it heads, hearts, or tails

Q)So how any ml of heads is there b4 hearts start
A) It depends on the starting ABV of the wash- how large the run is etc… there is not a set number.

Q) what temps do heads start and finish and tails start and finish
A) This will also depend on the starting ABV of the wash, the speed at which the still is running, what type of still etc.. Practice and tasting are the best ways to learn.

Q) And what yeast
A) I use bread yeast for a lot of my mashes- you can use any yeast- brewing yeast works well

Q) When u say flake maize do u mean the stuff u get from a animal feedstore ??
A) Flaked Maize is brewing corn which is different than feed corn. Flaked maize can easily be mashed (it is more expensive)
click this link to see flaked maize-

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Practice is the only way to improve your cuts.

kyle wrote a good article- that should help
http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12206385-making-moonshine-the-dummies-guide

here is a quick and dirty on cuts

Throw out the first 150 ml on a 5 gallon run- these are the foreshots

the heads come off the still first
the heads will turn into the hearts – this happens when it starts tasting good. Once it starts tasting good get a new jar and start collection the hearts.
Set the heads aside
Start collecting hearts. Keep collecting hearts until it starts to taste not as good… At that point you’ve made it to the tails. Stop collecting hearts – get a new jar and start collecting tails.
Keep collecting until you are at 10-20% ABV coming out of the still.

Save the tails and add those to the next run.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Rob,
I make a cherry shine but I have never used canned pie filling canned cherries.

Here is the recipe I use

Good Moonshine
32 ounce mason jar
I fill the mason jar with 8-10 ounces of seedless cherries with the syrup
Top off the mason jar with the good shine

I buy the cherries at my local grocery store – this is an example of the type of cherries I use- (cheaper at my local store)

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Q) what is the wort chiller for?
A) A wort chiller is used to cool the mash down to yeast pitching temperature. you don’t need one- you can just let the mash sit overnight until it is cool enough to add yeast or put the bucket into an ice bath until it is cool enough to pitch yeast. I like to cool my mash to about 70 before I pitch yeast. (follow the recommended temperature on the yeast packet)

Q) Can’t you just put the mash from the pail to the still and fire up the grill?
A) After you make the mash you add the yeast and let it ferment- once it is done fermenting you can transfer the wash into the still and fire up the grill.

Step one- make a mash
step two- cool the mash to yeast pitching temperatures (either use a wort chiller or let it sit overnight until pitching temp)
step three- ferment the mash
step four- let the yeast settle to the bottom of the fermenter
step five- use an auto-siphon to transfer the liquid to the still leaving behind the yeast. (you can dump the wash into the still but you will be transferring yeast and other stuff you don’t want in the still)
step six- fire up the grill

Wort Chiller (for cooling mash before introduction of yeast)

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

How big and what type is the still?

you were able to collect 4 750ml jars at 150 proof?

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Rwithers,
It should be very similar-
Polenta is coarse ground corn.
Cornmeal is dried corn that has been ground. It is coarser than flour.

I would think it should work the same- I have never used Polenta before though-

Are you planning on making a mash with it?

[Author]

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