Hey everybody, I'm new to distilling and have a few questions. First, I have tried to use a basic corn mash. On my first attempt, I tried to use 32oz sprouted deer corn, 5lb regular cane sugar, and 5gal well water(130 degrees). This recipe bubbled very slowly, maybe one bubble every 3 seconds. It created a thin "head", and after 15 days it fell but left bits and pieces still floating. I ran it through my still and it tasted like the mash, but had almost no alcohol present. Next, I changed the recipe to 1 mason jar cracked deer corn, 2 mason jars cane sugar, 1/4 oz packet red star yeast and 5 gallon well water. Mixed corn,sugar and 140 degree water. I let it cool to 90 degrees then added the yeast. I kept the temp between 72 and 76 deg. This started bubbling within a few hours and bubbled well (constant action) for about 7 days. It formed a much better head this time and when it fell it all fell to the bottom. I distilled it and it had a lot more abv than the first batch, but it would not light. I re ran my hearts and tails and this time it would light and burn blue, but I had to hold the flame on it for a long time before it would light. My question is do I really have to run this stuff multiple times to get the abv up, or should I try a better recipe. If its my recipe, what did I do wrong? Also, it tasted really bad, not like any good shine I've tasted before. I have heard that using sprouted corn instead of yeast, doesn't give you a headache the next day. If that is true, that is what I would like to do. What did I do wrong with the first batch? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks P.S. my still is a 20qt SS stock pot with a copper lid tapped with a brass compression fitting for the 19 foot 3/8" copper worm ran through a 5 gallon bucket for condensing. There is no "Thumper" in this system. I have the copper lid tapped for a 220 deg. kitchen thermometer.

I would agree - at least two packets. Also, DD is correct - You need to know your SG and FG to forecast what percentage yer wash will end up at. Another low-tech point is to taste the wash - if it is sweet to the taste - there's still sugars that haven't been converted... From what I've read and observed from my sf washes, it ought to taste like a flat beer...Not sweet..

Next Q I have is did you mash that sprouted corn or put it in whole hull? Even thou it's sprouted, it needs to be mashed.

I also agree with DD - go try a tried recipe to get yer bearings down...You should be getting more than 50 proof.

Also - EtOH in concentrations less than 50% will not light easily when you spoon test it. Also, you may not always see a flame - Don't assume she ain' a burning 'cause there's no flame - feel waay above the spoon (or whatever you are testing with) for heat.

There's a vid on Youtube using gunpowder to test EtOH content like they did back in the old days... Less than 50 proof will not ignite the powder when touched by a flame source - the water present in the distillate prevents it...

"Highcountry, listen to these guys. they know what they are saying. They helped me considerably. Consistancy in the same wash helped me when running the machine in determining output for flavor, smell and feel associated to temp. Once i saw that a couple times, didnt need to know temp anymore to know where i was at. then i got that oohhh yeahhhh moment when things start clicking. The more runs under your belt the better for everything coming together. Good luck, keep the machinery running and asking questions of these guys.
whiskykid"

There are lots of really helpful stuff under tried and true recipes here. I had exceptionally good luck with ones I picked up here. The sprout of the corn kernel is the way we get nature to convert starches contained in the kernel to sugars, which it does to get the sprout to grow.. Once that is done, they all need to be mashed up before ya mix it into the ferment.. But, that's jes one part of the process, like quotin' step 5 when you are on 3... Your recipe will work just fine once you get the process aligned and yer ferment completes it's work of converting sugars to EtOH There are also charts that show how much yeast is needed based upon the grain bill/sugar too. But, you cannot overdo with two packets in a 5gal wash.

You'll typically spend at least twice the time researchin' stuff at first than you do runnin'...Them's just murphy's rules about the craft, and we all had to do the same at first. I saw Whiskykids's post and It wasn't that long ago I was just learning too. It's just part of the science. And I still read more about it than I do it..

Enjoy!