My first all-grain bourbon mash — lessons learned (and mistakes made)

February 2, 2026

Finally did my first all-grain bourbon mash last weekend after six months of reading, watching YouTube, and overthinking it. Using a 10-gallon setup. Here's what happened: **The recipe:** 70% cracked yellow corn, 20% malted rye, 10% malted barley. Pretty standard bourbon mashbill. **What went right:** - The corn gelatinization worked perfectly at 190°F. Being patient and stirring constantly for 45 minutes was key. - My rye addition at 155°F converted cleanly. No stuck mash. - Final gravity hit 1.050 which is exactly where I wanted it. - Fermentation kicked off within 12 hours with a healthy yeast pitch. **What went wrong:** - Underestimated how much cracked corn expands. My 10-gallon pot was almost overflowing. Next time I'm doing a 7-gallon batch. - Didn't have enough ice to cool the mash quickly. Took over 2 hours to get from 190°F down to pitching temp. Need an immersion chiller. - Scorched the bottom of the pot slightly during the corn cook. Need to stir more aggressively. Currently fermenting. Planning to do a stripping run next weekend on my 8-gallon pot still. Anyone have tips for a first distillation run?

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Replies (2)

BP Barrel Proof BrianFeb 2, 2026

Nice work on your first mash! A few tips for the stripping run: 1. Go slow on the heat at the start. Bring it up gradually — you want a steady stream, not a gushing pour. Think "pencil-thin stream" from the condenser. 2. Make your cuts generously on the first run. Toss the foreshots (first 100ml or so — smells like nail polish remover, you'll know immediately). Heads will smell sharp and solvent-like. Hearts are clean and sweet. Tails get oily and vegetal. 3. Don't try to be too precise on a stripping run — the real cuts happen on the spirit run. Just separate into rough foreshots/heads/hearts/tails jars. 4. Keep a notebook. Write down EVERYTHING — temperatures, volumes, times, what each fraction smells like. You'll thank yourself later. Good luck! Post an update after your run.

WW Whiskey WandererFeb 3, 2026

The scorching issue is super common with corn mashes. Two things that helped me: 1) a false bottom in the pot to keep the grain off the direct heat, and 2) switching to a propane burner with better temperature control than my electric stove. Also, stirring with a large paddle (like a canoe paddle — seriously) is way more effective than a regular spoon.