I hope you threw away the first 1/2 cup! That’s poison. Did you use an enzyme to convert the corn or did you use barley? I have had bad results with corn and just might do single malts here on.
The fore shots are merely 1/4 of 1% of the total alcohol, so throwing out the first bit isn't a big deal. I only produced about 1/2 gallon total at 90 proof. I mashed in with corn chops from my local feed store. Lots of sugar, and about a teaspoon of yeast for a 3 gallon mash bucket. 7 days later I had a pleasant alcohol smell and a sour tasting mash. I read a book or two and watched many videos on the subject first, but nothing can prepare you for the real process. My next attempt will be with some barley, and and rye. Until then, corn whiskey, is good whiskey.
Look up Uncle Jesse’s Simple Sour Moonshine recipe. It’s very easy and sounds like what you are doing. I bought some flaked corn and added barley and rye, but it’s really hard to do if you’ve never brewed before. The corn needs an enzyme to convert the starch to sugar. Some people use liquid enzyme and some use barley or rye as their enzymes. I’d like to use liquid enzymes instead because the other way is a huge mess.
As with other ancient practices, (I have brain tanned leather, soap tanned leather, made soap, made gun powder, etc.) Folks back in the day did not have those enzymes. They would have had to use an alternative, or they would just manage with what they had. I did not use an enzyme, but rather chopped grain along with 3 X the sugar. It worked. My recipe was (per gallon) 1 lb corn , 3 lb sugar, 1/3 teaspoon of yeast. (when I added the yeast, I looked up the proper amount, and was shocked by how small of an amount was needed). Like I said, I got 1/2 gallon of 90 proof liquor as measured with a hydrometer. Try cooking the corn just a bit before adding the yeast. Cooking will break it down. I believe the mashing in is the sensitive part. It has to be done correctly or a failure to produce will occur. ( I even thought I had botched it at first).
I did some more reading, plus I have an idea. The way to substitute out yeast is to "malt" the grain. This process may also create the enzymes to break the grain down to sugars as well. We normally malt the barley, to substitute for yeast. The malting process opens the grain, creates new material in the form of roots and leaf.
My idea. Malt corn, make 2 batches. One, batch with malted corn, yeast, and sugar. The other, the same sans the sugar. I'll experiment with the yeast later.
I drank that part. It made me what I am today!
That part usually only makes you blind.
I hate it when that happens.
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