Would corn starch added in mash tun work?

Grimsawyer · 07-01-2008, 07:21 AM

Got to thinking again... Not always a good thing. Instead of using corn as an adjunct why not use corn sugar... then my thoughts turned to corn suryp then what about corn starch... Corn starch is crazy cheap. 1/2-1/4 the price of corn sugar. I'm doing all grain anyways would there be a problem of bumping abv .5%-1% with corn starch dumped into the mash tun after dough in? Would the enzymes break corn starch down and turn it into corn sugar? Not sure If I'll try it or not just had that wheel spinning in my head for a few days now and it wouldn't make sense if it diddn't work. Then the "GO BIG OR GO HOME" part of my brain wonders what grain to starch ratio could the enzymes of 2 row handle in an hour. I'm not sure if the beer made with this mentality would even be drinkable but curiosity is getting the best of me. Anybody out there know if it'd work and if so to what extent it could be taken? Just thinking outside the box... so far outside i think i'm in a sphere.... LOL!!!

**david_42** · 07-01-2008, 01:30 PM

Corn sugar is made from corn starch, so 10% in the mash should work fine. I wouldn't go too much higher, as corn starch is used mostly for thickening, AKA stuck sparge. Since it is straight starch, you shouldn't get the corn flavors that corn meal or flaked corn would add.

Kaiser · 07-01-2008, 02:07 PM

Yes, corn starch would work, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

- adding corn starch to the mash isn’t the same as adding corn sugar. The mash enzymes will break the starch down into dextrines, maltotriose, maltose and glucose, but adding corn sugar will be all glucose.

- corn starch may have a higher gelatinization temp than barley starch and your mash temp may not be high enough to gelatinize it. But that is necessary for conversion. To be safe, boil the starch first and add the sticky mess to the mash.

I’m not sure if it is worth all the effort, but it can be made to work. If you just want to bump up the gravity, add sugar to the boil.

Kai

Alamo_Beer · 07-01-2008, 03:46 PM

Papazian says this....

"Fermentables derived from cornstarch will theoretically provide a neutral flavor to the beer. Their use will lighten the body and flavor of the finished beer. Some brewmasters claim that the use of corn (10-20%) will help stabilize the flavor of beer. Regular cornstarch is the easiest form of corn to use (but usually the most expensive). It is easily converted in the mash without precooking."

**Saccharomyces** · 07-01-2008, 07:36 PM

Should work fine, but flaked maize is probably cheaper and easier to work with since you can just toss it into the mash as up to 20% of the grainbill. At my LHBS it's $1.50 a pound.

- Eric

Grimsawyer · 07-02-2008, 07:07 AM

WOW!! Thanks for all the feedback! Don't think I'll be playing with it anytime soon but it was one of them "well, why wouldn't it work" ideas. If I ever make it to a rainbow foods or any post dated canned foods warehouse I'll check for it just for giggles. If I was going to use corn I'd stick with flaked corn that I get at my LHBS... Although it is coming into season.... Maybe I'll goof with boiling the crap out of some corn that I cut off the cob after smashing each kernel. Don't think I want fresh corn off the cob going through my Barley Crusher...