How I Make Cornflakes Whiskey - Pt.1 The Wash

This is part one of a two part series in making Corn Flakes Whiskey.
After editing and rendering the Video I realized that it might have been better only using 1.5kg of corn flakes (2 x 750g boxes). I believe that there may be an abundance of Corn Starch left over when the yeast reaches it's maximum capability of 15% A.B.V. resulting in unconverted starch at the end.
The aim is to document my Brewing journey as I learn this very interesting hobby.
If you have found any way to improve on this please comment.
RECIPE
2.250KG Corn Flakes
2 x 4g Still Spirits Amylase Enzyme
2 x Still Spirits Whiskey Distillers Yeast
20 liters Distilled water (and some extra just in case)
Part Two Link, Distilling & Taste Test... • How I Make Cornflakes ...
Background Music - I Need to Start Writing Things Down by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Source: chriszabriskie....
Artist: chriszabriskie....
Disclosure - Be aware that in some Countries there may be restrictions prohibiting the General Public from Distilling Alcohol for private consumption.
Happy Brewing........

[@StillIt]

Interesting i have seen this around but not seen it in a video. I think I may need to give it a go at some stage :). Thanks man!

[@dfbess]

Did you ever try it? I have been binge watching your videos..

[@elektrobear2027]

Same question as Dustin 😀

[@devinralkey4976]

Same question as Dustin and elektro bear🙌

[@BillMcGirr]

I’m really enjoying the pleasant banter of your videos. Combined with the piano music in the background... it makes for a relaxing and pleasant watch. Good stuff.👍🥃

[@pauljacobs5390]

Thanks Bill, When I first started off in this hobby I did like everyone else and attacked KZbin for info. There was some good stuff out there, but an awful lot of "Not so good stuff". I decided to add my 2 cents worth. Pleased you are enjoying the vids Bill...... Paul

[@kevinacres1699]

I would love to see more videos from this channel. Very good production.

[@reggiek76]

Love your videos. Very calm, relaxed, and informative.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Thanks for the comments Reggie, glad you are enjoying them.

[@pauljacobs5390]

After recording, editing and uploading this video, I am firmly of the opinion that I used too much Corn Flakes in this recipe. Starting with a A.B.V. of 10% before adding the yeast, I really think that the remaining starch will bottom out at the Yeast's maximum capability of 15% A.B.V. If you want to try this recipe I firmly recommend using only 2 x 750g packs of Corn Flakes. Look for Part Two, The Distillation to see if my expectations are right...

[@PierreFromCanada]

The Suspense is killing me.... Have you had a chance to make Vid #2..?

[@pauljacobs5390]

Ha Ha Ha.... Have just bottled and placed in Barrel Chips to color and age the Whiskey. Want to do the first taste test at the end of the follow up vid. Work is taking me interstate for a while but shouldn't be much longer

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hmmm! - I have one bottle that has been aging for 4 days and the rest not even 24 hours. I think it might be OK to taste this weekend so I will do the Part 2 video then.

[@user-xg7ed9fy9f]

I really applaud your effort, wish more people would get in and just 'have a go'. You may find tho that you'll need to add more fermentable to your mash. Corn on its own isn't a high output grain (1.5kg of corn is only slightly more than a cup of white sugar) and the quantity you used, allowing for fore-shots and heads, will probably yield 2 bottles at under 45%. There's no shame in adding sugar if you don't have massive fermenting vessels. Or purchase 25kg bag of dextrose from your local brew shop if adding white sugar sticks in your craw. Been there myself. Many long nights scrubbing pots with burnt corn mash on the bottom and a grumpy wife pacing in the background. Alternately, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Maybe you'll stumble onto a brilliant solution no one else has figured out yet. Keep it up. Great work!

[@edywolfe4625]

So run sour mash you can use grain like six times

[@codyb4016]

Will probably give this a try. Perhaps name it Breakfast Whiskey? Thanks for all the videos. Great content.

[@HerrWayne45]

The production quality on your videos is quite high and i really like the way you format your videos, you seem to have an almost natural talent for talking to the camera, also your accent is nice.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Cheers HerWayne45..... Happy Brewing

[@PierreFromCanada]

Hello from Canada.!!(Gatineau, Quebec) . Its still winter over here, although we have had unusually high temps hovering around 3c during the days... Just wanted to say that I truly enjoy your distilling videos. I just wish you would maintain a Blog where we could go and print out recipes (such as this one) and any observations you may have... Notwithstanding, you make great educational videos.. Keep up the good work.. !!

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hey Pierre, glad you enjoy them. I originally started recording my journey with the incredible lack of useful information I was able to find on the Internet. I thought my recording might make it easier for others to start in this great hobby. I tend to only record new adventures and this might explain why there may be time gaps between uploads. Wherever possible I put the Recipe's in the comments section below the vid. Incidentally, it is 3 days after making this vid and already the SG shows absolutely no sugar, and the Iodine test shows no Iodine. Looks like part two is coming up soon.....

[@PierreFromCanada]

Still Stuff ; looking forward to part two. (and thanks for replying!)

[@trevor4370]

Been awhile - when are you doing more videos? You helped me heaps when starting out.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hey Rev Saints, I am not chasing advertising revenue like a lot of other KZbinrs so I do not commit to pushing out a new vid each week. I make vids to share what I have learned in new projects I try. As of late I have mainly been making Vodka and Cornflake Whiskey and I already have vids on those. I did record making a Potato Vodka vid but it failed majestically. I am planning making a new Potato Vodka vid and include the fail footage. Gees, I am flabbergasted with the subscribers I have, and will be making a thank you vid as I reach 2000 subs. I originally started this channel to help my brother start who lives just past Gympie. Now that I have close on 2000 Distilling Brothers I might commit to making a few more than I have been doing..... Cheers

[@dariusweezer2]

I don't know if you have frozen corn where you're from but frozen corn you can throw right in the blender grind it up dump it right into the fermenter when corn is edible it is sugar when it dries it becomes starches frozen corn Works awesome

[@RedBarron14]

Yup I've agree frozen corn in my ujssm popcorn whiskey had a 50/50 mix of both germinated popcorn and frozen corn which I just chucked in. It hit the butterscotch notes nicely in gen #2 Im onto generation #3 which has genuine soured backwash added along with rye malt, oats and raisins. Overall considering a hybrid mix up in gen #4 or #5....been very surprised and happy with the results and flavours this is giving. Must get onto this recipe at some point in time.

[@cosmiccharlie8294]

Drill type paint mixer. Your plan seems a good one using two types of enzyme. Also that you thought about the water. Still watching but I bet you are successful.

[@Alphatechguru]

Very well done👍

[@pauljacobs5390]

Thanks Mike, I try to make it as natural as possible. I try to imagine someone in front of me and I am having an "Un-Rehearsed" chat. Only problem with doing it without a script is I tend to talk too much.

[@Alphatechguru]

@@pauljacobs5390 you're a good hearted man and a treat to watch.

[@Agia-Free-hotdogs]

sir can you please write down the Recipe so we can print it out .

[@chrislarosa3327]

You should read the directions on your iodine test. I also thought a few times with my own that the starches weren’t being converted after reading the bottle. Once again, the test read perfectly correct when Jack Black the starches have been converted, I know I have also seen other videos and other tests on the iodine, and they all dissipated and changed to another color or disappeared, but my specific directions say when it turns completely black, all starches have been converted

[@DanielJAudette]

Can you get pop corn there?

[@journeyfortwo5211]

I want to make beer with this, along with barley malt

[@bernarddeham4787]

are you sure your second type of yeast isn't a Chinese yeast with a kind of mould in there?

[@mattcolley3844]

Has anyone told you that you sound like Hugo Weaving? "Mr. Anderson...today we are going to be making whiskey from corn flakessss."

[@thomasmcsweeney9871]

First, I enjoy your videos and look forward to more. Sad you did not show how you added your powdered corn flakes to your boiling water. I did see you had a clumping problem. As a retired chemist (who mostly worked doing medical research), I wonder if you just dumped your powder into the water. I would think that perhaps if that is what you did, we may get better results if you slowly sprinkle the powder into the boiling water with much stirring. This is where a stirring hot plate would be very handy. This is a common chemistry tool that is the combination of a hot plate (the kind that has a large solid flat metal heating surface) and a small motor that spins an electromagnet. You then place a Teflon coated 1 -2 inch magnet into your pot and you can adjust the speed of the Teflon coated magnet's spin by controlling the speed of the electromagnet that is under the heating element. They can spin very fast (or quite slow) and you can save your arm and shoulder a lot of strain. Sure wish I would have brought one of them with me when I came overseas. Very much looking forward to part 2.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Good idea about the stirring tool and worth trying. I think it could take some time to stir the mix, I did pour it in a little too fast but I used a wisker with the large spoon and soon hag everything evenly distributed to a THICK goop ( maybe a little too thick for the little stirrer you mention. Tomorrow I intend to final siphon the mix and distill it so the second vid is just around the corner.

[@dazza9360]

Nice Vid dude

[@pauljacobs5390]

Thanks Dazza Cheers Paul

[@trevor4370]

Polenta is the same as cornmeal and can be purchased at the supermarket. O haven't tried it as yet but is on the list.

[@pauljacobs5390]

I found this out a while ago and checked the price - $5.56 pr kg - Bit expensive. Found a new Stock Produce store that sells clean shredded corn and thinking about trying this. New vid potential here...... Cheers

[@thomasmcsweeney9871]

Sorry another question, did you heat up your mash mix to 68 C (with stirring so it did not stick to the bottom) before you added your second batch of 4 grams of Alpha Amylase? Again, thank you for being so patient with my questions but my ultimate goal in this hobby is to make a small amount of fine bourbon like whiskey for my personal use as the cost of imported bourbon is practically equal to my retirement pay, so this corn flake method is of GREAT interest to me.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Yes, the initial Amylase works best at the higher temperature but not over the temperature. The Amylase in the yeast works at lower temperatures.

[@poboy942]

tap water just isnt going to work very often for fermentation or with distilling. That being said, if you distill all your tap water then use it at your mash and still water , it will work just fine. i distill tap water for my mashes all the time but i would never use chlorinated tap water without either boiling it first or distilling it.

[@bigredinfinity3126]

There is alpha and beta amalase but the beta is hard to get i got mine from sigma

[@RecoilRampage]

Try canned Cream corn!

[@thdebord]

iodine test is usually ineffective with corn, as corn rarely gives 100% conversion. you can get about 90 to 95% which will still show black iodine.

[@ArtOfDavidAmos]

Is distilling legal now in Australia?

[@pauljacobs5390]

No it is not, this is why I run through a VPN targeted to Davies Station Antartica

[@dfbess]

@@pauljacobs5390 move to New Zealand..wish I could lol

[@chicoalarantianah75]

I'm in Logan (Qld).. where do you get your supplies? Do you have a HBS that you recommend?

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hey there Neighbor..... There are not that many HBS around, but I like the range and help I get from Mikes Home Brew Supplies in George Street Beenleigh. From time to time I go to Quality Home Brew Supplies in Randall Street Underwood. I get my DAP from Grapeworks at this link www.grapeworks.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=77_109&product_id=219. I quite often find something I want and use Google to find someone to supply at a good price........ Happy Brewing Friend.....

[@whiskeywhiffer6374]

Great video! looks like some tasty goop ;)

[@pauljacobs5390]

Yep, I am already saddened by the choices I have to make before it has finished..... Should I have it straight with ice cubes or put in Coke.......?

[@whiskeywhiffer6374]

Take the Ice and Coke and wave it over glass, then toss aside and enjoy the lovely Spirit :) Just Kidding Enjoy in any and all ways you wish. Cheers!

[@thomasmcsweeney9871]

Now I have watched your video 3 times now and I think I have go it correct. Because you said you had 11 - 12 liters in your pot, then you much have only added 1 or 2 liters of distilled water to the 10 liter pot of water and corn flake powder to cool it down to 68 C and thin it out. You then added one 4 g packet of alpha amylase, tested with iodine, added a second packet of amylase and again tested with iodine and again found it full of starch. This is one reason you are going down to 1500 g of CF instead of the 2250 g CF. Then you split this into two approximately 6 liter batches in two fermenters, added 3 Kg sugar to each of the fermenters, tested with a hydrometer and got 1.080 (or 10% max ABV), and then added a 72 g packet of Still Spirits Whiskey Distillers Yeast (with amylase included) to each fermenter. You left the top off (maybe just covered the fermenter with a towel) and the next morning put in your airlocks which were full of activity. Now you will sit back and wait for fermentation to end and start on stage 2. I really look forward to your next video and I am collecting the ingredients and equipment needed. PS I am looking into buying a magnetic stirring hot plate from China.

[@MatthewTaylorAu]

woot. another queenslander!!!!

[@user-xg7ed9fy9f]

It seems counter intuitive, but stock-feed corn, or 'Dent Corn' (named for the dimple in the plump end) has the highest starch content and therefore the highest fermentable content after amylase conversion. Doesn't need to be ground fine tho, or you'll end up with thick porridge. Most Feed Stockists sell cracked corn in 1kg and 5kg bags, which is fine enough for distilling purposes.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hey there... In you're area of the world there may be a high quality of Feed Corn, but where I am in Queensland I only have access to whatever the produce store has - There was so much impurities in my grain, it was nearly impossible to pick it all out grain by grain at a time. I am on the search for better quality corn to try it again.

[@user-xg7ed9fy9f]

lol, I'm in Logan. The only issues I've found are if the grain has been sitting a while there may be weevils. Occasionally stray sunflower seeds, but they are easy to spot. Park Ridge Produce is my go-to when I'm in brew-mode.

[@pauljacobs5390]

With the vastness of the Internet I end up chatting to someone next door..... I'm in Logan too, will check out your Produce store.

[@BlinkVirus]

I've subscribed. Can't wait for you to retire so we can see more vids! Don't work yourself too hard mate! Also if you do anything with corn again, I'd recommend mixing it cold first before cooking to avoid the lumps.

[@thomasmcsweeney9871]

You noted that you added 10 liters of distilled water to your 10 liters of distilled water and corn flake powder which helped thin out the mash and bring the temperature down to 68 C. Now as you suggested below, you will change your recipe to 1500 g of corn flakes, will you still use 10 liters of distilled water to lower the temperature and thin out the mix?

[@pauljacobs5390]

I am about ready to make the Part Two Vid and there is absolutely no starch or sugar left in the barrel. I thought it may have been too much Corn Flakes, but using the yeast that I did was more than enough to finish converting the starch to sugar. The yeast also was able to completely eat up the sugar. I boiled 10 liters just for the CF Porrige and amylase then halved it to two barrels and poured in more water to around 3 inches from the top. the corn flakes takes up a great deal of space so when you siphon the settled liquid out you lose around 1/4.

[@superdave54811]

Something tells me using a wire whisk might be better than a spoon for breaking up lumps.

[@BlinkVirus]

I was thinking mixing it in cold water first before boiling. Like how you mix corn flour cold before you cook to avoid lumps.

[@steviertommoethompson5932]

i would have added the cornflakes gradualy to stop the lumps

[@pauljacobs5390]

I agree Stephen, but this was the first time I did it and we all learn from our mistakes. Cheers Paul

[@steviertommoethompson5932]

to true young fella

[@snappingbear]

I could tell the starch conversion had happened by the look of the mash. Next time when you do the iodine test just don't put it on the sample you must stir it. If you would have done that then the black you saw would have disappeared.

[@billarmstrong2411]

Try corn syrup with sugar if your looking to get the corn flavor

[@pauljacobs5390]

I agree, but here in Australia it is very expensive to get corn syrup and it is only sold in small quantities, thus using Corn Flakes or Cracked Corn.

[@billarmstrong2411]

Still Stuff Fair enough!

[@fourdeadinohio8303]

William Armstrong i pretty much gave up on trying for the corn taste. i've tried 10lbs. of flaked corn with 2lbs. of 6 row. in 5 gals. 4times. everything converted and in the last 2 i also used alpha enzyme but never got the taste. also tried 14 lbs, of frozen corn and alpha enzyme. i use ec1118 in all including my sugar washes. ec1118 is pretty much like dady. the best taste was another project using 10 lbs flaked oats and 2lbs. 6 row. the oats had that mouth feel and taste of oats even after aging..

[@PierreFromCanada]

William: can you give out the recipe to make a 25L (+/-) wash using corn syrup( the dark kind I assume...)...? thanks a bunch...

[@billarmstrong2411]

Light corn syrup with NO high frutcose in it. Probably 2-3 large bottles would work for 25L then 12-15 pounds of sugar.

[@reshairo]

Are u alive ? No see long time 💖💖💖

[@pauljacobs5390]

Hey Rehash, yeah still here. Been working a lot and nearly all my runs have already been covered in previous vids. Hope to be reducing my work to 2 days a week soon so that will give me more time to play here :-)

[@reshairo]

@@pauljacobs5390 nice to hear, waiting for the next 😉👍

[@mullerandre95]

Find a South African and ask them if they know where to get mielie meal. That'll work a treat as you struggle to get decent corn.

[@stevepeterson9819]

Frozen grocery store Sweet corn And canned creamed corn

[@tehdusto]

Your kitchen is stupidly nice. Ill admit I'm jealous

[@dariusweezer2]

Cornflake whiskey I call Poor Man's because all the food banks around here give out corn flakes free ferment

[@JohnnyBGood-bl9tx]

Good videos. Need better music. You being from down unda’ should be playing AC/DC!

[@stompugood18]

Remember if you didnt add your 2nd amylase at 155f it would have no worked

[@stompugood18]

Not Worked

[@michaelwalker2854]

I get cracked corn from these guyswww.qualityhomebrew.com.au/contact-us in Logan, if you dont live close by then find a brew shop near you and ask them as they are usually quite helpful.

[@pauljacobs5390]

Thanks for the Heads Up Michael, I did not know they existed.... I intend to check them out. Randall Street is about 15 min away from me on the M1

[@michaelwalker2854]

@@pauljacobs5390 No worries, be sure to call ahead as it takes a fair while for them to run the corn through the mill. I ordered 4kg and waited 30mins. All the best with your brew!