7-Gallon Bourbon Mash Recipe (Classic Small-Batch Style)

7-Gallon Bourbon Mash Recipe (Classic Small-Batch Style)

Mash Bill:

• 78% corn
• 12% malted barley
• 10% malted rye

Yeast:

• Fleischmann’s All-Grain Yeast (or any quality distiller’s yeast)

1. Calculate Your Grain Amounts

For a 7-gallon mash, use a ratio of roughly 2 pounds of grain per gallon of water.

2. Mashing Process

Step 1 — Heat & Add Corn:

• Heat 4 gallons of water to 190–200°F (88–93°C).
• Gradually stir in the cracked corn, ensuring there are no dry clumps.
• Maintain this temperature for 90 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching.
  This step gelatinizes the corn starch so it can later convert into sugar.

Step 2 — Add Malted Grains:

• Cool the mash to 150–160°F (65–71°C).
• Add malted barley and malted rye, which provide the enzymes needed for starch-to-sugar conversion.

Step 3 — Saccharification Rest:

• Keep the mash between 147–152°F (64–67°C) for 60–90 minutes.
• Stir occasionally.
• Test with iodine: if the test shows no black/blue color, starch conversion is complete.

Step 4 — Mash Out:

• Raise temperature to 170°F (77°C) for 10–20 minutes to halt enzyme activity and improve sugar extraction.

3. Fermentation

Step 1 — Cool & Transfer:

• Chill the mash to 70–77°F (21–25°C).
• Transfer into a sanitized fermenter.

Step 2 — Add Yeast (and Optional Backset):

• Pitch your yeast and add a yeast nutrient if desired.
• Optionally, add backset (liquid left from a previous distillation) at a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 to stabilize pH and enhance flavor.

Step 3 — Ferment:

• Seal the fermenter with an airlock.
• Let it ferment for 5–7 days (or until bubbling slows).
• The mash should finish with a mildly sweet, sour aroma and an alcohol content around 8–10%.

4. Distillation & Aging

Step 1 — Distill:

• Run the fermented mash through a pot still or reflux still, discarding foreshots responsibly.
• Collect the distillate in stages to separate heads, hearts, and tails.

Step 2 — Age:

• Transfer the heart cut into new, charred American oak barrels.
• Age for at least 2 years to produce a straight bourbon, or longer for deeper caramel and vanilla notes.

Notes

• Temperature control and sanitation are key at every step.
• Experiment with yeast strains and aging times to develop your signature flavor.
• Label and store barrels in a cool, stable environment for optimal aging.