›

Advise on mashing and fermenting rye

2»

Comments

  • zizther

    I did, but I don't use any of the products you mentioned, I had looked into SebFlo. So may look to get that to trial.

    It was all good up to the 152F 90min rest, after that it went thicker.

    I understand what you are saying, would you say that it is better to ferment and even distill on-grain?

  • grim
    edited July 2018

    Add the Sebflo-TL, we don't mash rye without beta-glucanase, it would be brutal.

    If you need to lauter to distill, do it after fermentation, it will be significantly thinner.

    A second dose of Sebflo-TL at yeast pitch will work to break down any remaining glucans in the wash, ensuring it's as thin as possible after fermentation.

    Thickening at gelatinization temperature leads me to believe you might benefit from increasing your dose of alpha amylase.

  • zizther

    Awesome, will give that a go. Thanks

  • grim
    edited July 2018

    Welcome to 100% Rye.

    The simplest mash bill is the most difficult mash bill.

    At it's best, you will have an extremely viscous, cloudy, slimy wash - almost impossible to get a gravity on, the hydrometer will stay where you put it, top or bottom. When it splashes on you when it's hot, it's like napalm. If you are swearing while working with it, you are probably on the right track.

    After doing 100% rye, an all-grain 100% Malt Barley mash is joke it's so easy.

  • zizther

    Ha ha. I am keen to see what sorts of results I can get from it. I feel adding malted barley would feel a little like a cheat.

    I presume if I did add 20% malted barley, it would also help a lot?

    If it is too slimy to get a gravity reading from, which is part of the issue I had after my attempts. I presume there is no way to take a reading?

    After fermentation, based on what you said, it would be thinner. Would this allow it to be distilled in a boiler with an element in it?

  • CothermanDistilling

    You will burn to the elements , I can almost guarantee it, I even tried going down to 4500W 240V elements and have smokey-ashtray rye low wines to prove it... it sucks...

    I do 55% malted rye and 45% malted barley, with a lauter, sparge, and boil at the neighboring brewery, and use all three enzymes, visco-buster, optimash, and ultra-ferm... at the appropriate point in the process

    you might get away with 4500W 240V elements on 208V.... or an agitator....

  • zizther

    Thanks @CothermanDistilling I did try to reach out to local breweries, even to use their equipment, but due to the local demand over the last year they have all maxed out, so no room to get them to do anything.

    Thanks for your input, compared to 100% ryes you have tried, how would you say yours compares with the rye grain?

  • CothermanDistilling
    edited July 2018

    If the brewery nearby has full fermenters, they have an idle brewing system... that is 90+% of the breweries I see... they do want first dibs on used barrels, right? that is how they get that!

    Here is a guy reviewing my first attempt that was a special 5-gallon barrel batch using 2 4bbl mashes from neighbor for a group of members of the local whiskey society that paid for 24 bottles up front and were there during the spirit run and cuts selection:

    And we are back. And we have the new bespoke... - Whiskey Obsession

  • grim
    edited July 2018

    @CothermanDistilling said: If the brewery nearby has full fermenters, they have an idle brewing system... that is 90+% of the breweries I see... they do want first dibs on used barrels, right? that is how they get that!

    What he said. You do not want them to ferment for you, because now you are talking about transfers. If they make a wort for you, unfermented, there is no paperwork, pitch on the way home.

  • zizther

    Agreed. Will still keep reaching out and see what deals or favours I can trade.

    Good point about the paperwork re: the ferment vs wort.

    @CothermanDistilling that is a good review. Would definitely be keen to try. As well as @grim oat bourbon.

    I definitely be up for sampling.

    On a semi related note, when using rye in other recipes, say bourbon. Do you have to treat rye the same way, or could you add it after the corn once the temp has stepped down or add it in with the corn and add the enzymes for the rye and corn?

  • grim
    edited July 2018

    We treat unmalted rye like corn, goes in at the same time.

    However, if you are using malt, and it's a big chunk of your total diastatic power, add the malt with the other malt, after you've gelatinized the corn.

  • jbierlingjbierling

    I think the hydrator works great — assuming you get the balance of input, grinding, augering, and hydrating worked out.

    I tried uploading a video from my iPhone but the forum said .mov wasn’t allowed.

Sign In or Register to comment.