This is going in the 119 campout cook book. Maybe we can make a batch next time we camp at Hueys.
Making Corn Liquor. My family recipe. Bob Taylor 2004
To make good corn liquor from scratch based on a recipe provided me in 1966 by my mom’s brother and my hero. My Uncle Coy McMillan. This recipe or a variant of it has been used since the 1700s by one or another member of my mom's family. Sugar or syrup was added in the 1800s. The last member of mom's family to make and sell corn was my uncle J.B and I think his last batch was in the late 60s or early 1970s.

Equipment needed
1 ea.55 Gallon barrel. Wood preferred.
1 Copper liquor still equipped with a thumper and a worm (condenser)(60 gal. still preferred but it can be done in batches with a smaller still.

Still. A still has several components. The ones used by my family had a cooker pot (the bottom) a cap and a connecting rod. These formed the familiar still that is shown in movies. Connected to the Cap by a tube (connecting rod) was a Box (usually of wood but later metal (about 5 gals in size) . This box was called the thumper and was placed between the still and the worm. It's purpose was to catch "Boil over”(Puke) that would contaminate the liquor It prevented the water beer from going to the worm but let the alcohol steam off and continue in the process.
The worm was a coil of copper tubing about half an inch or so in diameter and was usually in a barrel that had water going into the barrel to provide cooling for the condenser. The Worm was connected to the thumper by a copper tube.All joints were sealed with a paste made of flour dough. The lower end of the worm protruded from the cooling barrel and was open. This is where you sat the jars or bucket to catch the booze.

Corn Liquor Recipe

½ bushel cracked ground corn
25 pounds sugar (to make it more potent)
3 pounds of homemade corn malt (see below) (Ed. Note, I suspect any good beer malt will work)

In the still pot bring 20 gals of water to a boil.

Put the Corn in the wooden barrel and pour the 20 gals of scalding water over the corn.
Let the corn sit over night
Next day put 20 gals water in the still pot and bring to a boil. Pour in the 25 pounds of sugar and stir till it dissolves. Let cool till warm. Pour the syrup into the wooden barrel over the grain.

Add the malt. (see recipe below)

Fill the barrel with good water to within 6 inches of the top, stir the mixture thoroughly and cover with a cheese cloth. Let it set for 5 or 6 days. It will foam and as long as foam is building let it set. When foam starts to settle back down, pour off the beer into the still pot. (I’d use a bucket rather than pour).

Malt recipe;
Take 3 pounds whole grain hard corn. Put it in a sack and soak it in the stream (or water) 3 days or till it sprouts. As soon as it sprouts take it out of the water , spread it on a sheet to dry.
When it is dry grind it. This is the malt and must be ready for use before starting the liquor process.

Making the booze
When the Beer is in the cooker, build the fire and cook till it is hot ( slightly burns your finger) then cap the still. Connect the cap to the connecting rods and thumper.when the thumper rod is hot start pulling the fire.
Seal the cap with dough paste.
The liquor will start coming out of the worm ( condenser) . Keep the flow about the size of a kitchen match. (Alcohol boils off at 170 F so keep it below te boiling point of water) If the still starts ‘puking into the thumper” pull some more fire. The slower you cook the beer the better.

The first 3 gallons of the run will be “hot” Almost pure 190 Proof.

Run 2 more gals to “proof it down with”
Catch a little in a jar as you cook the booze off. Toss it in the fire. If it explodes it is “hot” if it sputters. The cook is over. Stop the run.

You proof it using the last two gals of the run plus some water.
If water is soft it may take 5 gals to make the booze right. If it is hard it will take about 4.

Proofing the booze.
You use the bubbles of the booze to proof it. After you mix the first 3 gallons with one gallon of the tailings take a pint of it in a jar with a lid. Shake the jar and look at the bubbles going up the side. Large bead about the “size of a peral” it is too hot.
A bead about the size of number 5 or 6 shot is about 100 proof.
90 proof and below won’t bead. So you can use water to make it to taste but about 95 proof is best.