iampooky

Hey Pooky bear (couldn't resist), that is absolutely an option for gelatinizing the corn separately then cooling to malted barley enzyme temperature ranges. Something to watch for is the starch thickening as the temperature drops and turning your mash into polenta.

A high temp alpha amylase is your friend when working with corn. It is cheap, highly effective, and makes everything easier...

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To the second question. How much malted barley you want to use to corn in entirely up to you. Just take into account the DP of the malt you are using to convert X much more corn and how long your mash is going to have to sit to get the full conversion. More malt makes the conversion go faster (generally speaking) but also greatly increases the price of the grain per batch.

That is a bit more subjective. People will argue that many ways. I would say look at your flavor as a total sum equation.

grain bill + yeast profile + distillation (cuts etc.) + aging techniques + blending techniques = final whiskey flavor

The grains are just one part of the many things that go into making a whiskey.

Absolutely.. well thanks! Pretty sure I've decided on a grain bill.. just, yeah, didn't wanna make polenta, haha.. I'll probably aim for about 80% of the total volume of water needed to get the corn going and boil, then the last 20 to help cool down to 175 for the wheat and try to hold in the 155 range once everything is in..

Anywho.. have to order a few things first... and get my rum runs outta the way.. but .. this will be up next...

-thanks!

Question, from someone interested in the same product, and process, for someone who has or does do it... why not cook (boil) the corn for a bit.. and cool down to a more enzyme friendly temp by adding cold water to reach actual batch volume? Then add your malted barley other grains and hold at the right temp for conversion. Just trying to get a grasp on a .. let's say.. 250gal batch.. as it's not something I've worked with YET... and I realize something that large would not cool the same as my 10gal at home...

Also, didn't want to get off of this topic, and also am interested in the answer to the above question - IS there a ratio to aim for (or round-about, as obviously different malts will vary) for corn-malted barley? Two ways actually - as far as conversion goes, and for flavor - wondering if a 3% rye in a wheated bourbon will be noticeable?

thanks for any input!