Rye question

[Palmetto Coast]

We are trying various small rye mashes looking for something that is liquid enough to distill without lautering. We hammer mill through the smallest screen size available for our mill (3/32"). We are trying to find a usable ratio of grain to water and are just looking to start a dialog and see what others have tried.

Thanks.

Todd

[jeffw]

I don't know how high you can push it, but with some viscosity enzymes getting 3 pounds per gallon shouldn't be too big a problem (my last run was that but with malted rye). I have heard (not sure with rye) of getting up to 4 pounds per gallon. Think that was blackheart...?

[bluestar]

We usually have about 2 lbs per gallon, 50% flour and 50% grist. If all flour it could be too gummy.

[Oregon Spirit Distillers]

When we make rye we use 450 pounds to 300 gallons. We have found it important to use plenty of alpha amylase while mashing in the grain the mash will get to gummy. Then your in trouble. But the reason rye tastes so good is because it is so hard to work with.

[CopperPig]

Silly question, but do you have an agitator on your still? I use a roller mill, and if you start at a lower temp, and use a little more alpha amylase as OSD suggests, you should get a tick higher yield.

[Palmetto Coast]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. On our regular stills we have agitators, but not on our test stills. Don't know that we can do the rye on our test stills. I don't have the mash bill in front of me, but we tried 100% rye. No luck, too gummy, even with enzymes. We are now trying different amounts of rye to water, rye to corn, etc, with an eye on mash consistency and brix/sg.

Todd

[Jake Holshue]

I just started my rye whiskey this week. It is 100% rye. Make sure the viscosity reducing enzyme has a xanthanase in it. We use Viscoferm from Gusmer. We use approx 2 lbs per gallon, and half flour half grist. We do have an agitator on it, and we use a defoamer product to essentially lubricate the mash.

Hope that helps!

[fldme]

Their may be a better product than viscoferm coming very soon.

[Jedd Haas]

That's intriguing, fldme. Can you elaborate?

[PeteB]

Their may be a better product than viscoferm coming very soon.

Please keep us posted. I am very interested

[fldme]

Not just yet, I can say that in trials it outperforms visco ferm hands down.

[Jake Holshue]

Waiting with baited breath.......