Beefing up UJSM's - more flavours

[r.c.barstud]

LME not DME :doh:

[r.c.barstud]

OK!!! The results are in, All grain vs BT1`s version of UJSSM.

Re: Beefing up UJSM's - more flavours

by r.c.barstud » Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:42 am

Ok, so I have started the sugarhead VS all grain cook-off challenge. Straight off the bat, I have never done a sugarhead before, but it appears to be the way to go at this point.


25 mins to crack grain
2 hours to soak and remove debris from grain
3 hours to pre-mash and mash grain (lots of stirring involved here) 65 deg C and iodine tested
8 hours (over night) mash
Bring to total volume and pitch yeast

60 litre total volume ferment (all grain)
corn 12kg @ $1/kg
rye 1.8kg @ $9/kg
barley (6 row) 1.2kg @ $9/kg (I had some malted and uncracked from a previous bill)
using bakers yeast to keep costs down (got 4 X 60 litre mashes to make)
gypsum
$50 round figures gas etc and 13.5 hours including a bit of rootin about.



60 litre total volume ferment (sugar head)
corn 12kg @ $1/kg
rye 1.8kg @ $9/kg
barley 1.2 kg @ $2.50/kg Dried stuff from home brew shops
sugar 11 kg @ $1/kg
using bakers yeast to keep costs down (got 4 X 60 litre mashes to make)
gypsum

20 mins to crack grain
2 hours to soak and remove debris from grain and heat dissolve sugar/ sanitise
Bring to volume and pitch
$45 round figures and about 2.5 hours of work involved

The sugarhead didn’t require bugger all stirring compared to an all grain mash, it didn’t require much work at all to get the same results as an all grain mash (fermentable stage).

Onto stage 2, the ferment…………….will keep things posted as they happen
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
All grain gave a 35litre wash @ 9%ABV.
31 litre still charge and a 3 litre thumper charge.
150 ml of fores
200 ml of heads
1.5 litres of hearts
3.8 litres of tails (down to 20%abv).

BT1`S version gave a 44 litre wash @ 9%abv
40 litre still charge and a 4 litre thump charge
150 ml of fores
300 ml of heads
2.9 litres of hearts
4.3 litres of tails.

Both were cut at 76%abv down to 67%abv
The temperature differences between the 2 styles was relatively close to each other during the run, I did find the sugar head gave better results over all.

Personally, as much as I don’t want to admit it, the sugar head is by far the way to go, its A LOT less work, a potential bacterial threat can be dealt with easier (hot water etc), the gravity can be adjusted easily with a sugar head, not so easy with all grain mashes, its cheaper and the ingredients are more readily available, no malting, no drying, no worries.

For me, all grain mashes are a thing of the past, I will do them from time to time to keep them fresh in my memory, but I will be doing sugar heads from now on.
it’s a new era for me and my distilling and im learning the “new ways”, but either way, its still fun..

[Bushy]

Well done Arsey :handgestures-thumbupleft: This is the sort of thing that helps us all.
I would be keen though, to hear the comparison in a couple of months time. I'm finding there is a sweetness in my sugarhead bourbons that is starting to give me the shits. So i'm wondering if you will find the same?

[punchy21]

Well done mate :clap: looking forward to your tastings :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dominator]

Awesome work r.c.! Great write up on the differences between sugar heads and all grain.
I think the proof will be in the pudding, so to speak. If we just wanted bigger returns for less time/money we would all still be using turbos, carbon filters and essences. I look forward to hear the differences in taste.

[bt1]

Howdy,

Nice RC

just reckon DME /LME really does finish a UJSM off nicely.

Bushy, was corn a major element in yuor grain bill? generally alway want it cos it turns fastest of all grains but does have a sweeter finish say >2 months.

bt1

[Bushy]

Yeah bt. Corn only in some of em, and mostly corn in the others. Hadn't considered that it may be the source of the sweetness.