Getting the most out of your corn

Let's say you have a 50lb bag of normal feed corn, and you want to extract as much sugar as possible for fermentation.

Alot of recipes call for cracked corn and boiling all of it for awhile. Though traditional it seems like these authors don't fully understand how sugars are converted (I'm no expert).

It makes sense to sprout corn and go from there. That said where is there? Should I dry it? Grind it? Is it good to go wet?

Thoughts on how to get the most sugar out of your corn?

Are you asking regarding distilling or brewing? I think distilling talk here is frowned upon due to it being illegal in the home.

Not distilling, just fermenting.

You can malt the corn the same as barley and get some conversion there. You can also do a cereal mash to break the starches down so they can be worked on by the enzymes from the barley. If you're using more than 20% corn in the grainbill, you're going to need to use at least a higher enzyme malt like 6 row, and I would maybe consider using amylase enzyme to further convert it. What type of beer are you trying to make here.

For brewing you need to crack the corn and do a cereal mash. I did it once and will not do it again. Much easier to buy instant grits and mash them with your grain

I'm wanting to make a 100% corn beer.

I really wanna make it with dry whole kernel corn. Should I do a cereal mash or sprout it?

I have been planning to attempt this also.

Recently found my choice of corn, and feel I have the correct process, after much research.

My process:

Split the corn into 3-4 mesh bags. I'm using 24"x36" hand sewn nylon toole bags. Put the bags in a giant rectangular Rubbermaid or similar tub. Take a aquarium aeration pump with a long bubble stone and put it under the bags. Go to harbor freight, get the little black submersible 110volt recirculating water pump ($8.00) attach 3/8 tubing to inlet and outlet. Intake end wedged between or under bags, outlet side against side of tub to get a sort of whirlpool effect. This will keep your water from going rancid, and provide a healthy sprout for your corn. After about 4 days most of the grain should have a root and a small sprout.
Remove grain and spread out on screens. Set a fan up over it to dry it faster. After about 24 - 48 hours, take the grain and mill it.
Now, drill a hole in your Rubbermaid container, and install a drain valve with a strainer screen on the inside of the tub. Fill the tub, drop the corn in and fill tub with water as hot as you can get from your faucet. Add white sugar 1-2Lbs for every gallon of water and stir until dissolved. Put the lid on your tub and let the temp fall to about 75-80 degrees. This will take several hours.

Once at 75 degrees, add your yeast. For this, you will need a large packet of "special" yeast.

Let ferment for 7-30 days depending on which "special" yeast you used. The package will tell you how many days. No need to airlock, as your tub lid is not airtight.

Once fermentation is complete, drain off your 'beer' into your kegs, carboys or whatever you want to use.

What you do with it after this, is entirely up to you...

Keep me posted on how yours goes, and I'll do the same with mine.

Good luck, hope this was helpful.

Jnco_hippie said:

I have been planning to attempt this also.

Recently found my choice of corn, and feel I have the correct process, after much research.

My process:

Split the corn into 3-4 mesh bags. I'm using 24"x36" hand sewn nylon toole bags. Put the bags in a giant rectangular Rubbermaid or similar tub. Take a aquarium aeration pump with a long bubble stone and put it under the bags. Go to harbor freight, get the little black submersible 110volt recirculating water pump ($8.00) attach 3/8 tubing to inlet and outlet. Intake end wedged between or under bags, outlet side against side of tub to get a sort of whirlpool effect. This will keep your water from going rancid, and provide a healthy sprout for your corn. After about 4 days most of the grain should have a root and a small sprout.
Remove grain and spread out on screens. Set a fan up over it to dry it faster. After about 24 - 48 hours, take the grain and mill it.
Now, drill a hole in your Rubbermaid container, and install a drain valve with a strainer screen on the inside of the tub. Fill the tub, drop the corn in and fill tub with water as hot as you can get from your faucet. Put the lid on your tub and let the temp fall to about 75-80 degrees. This will take several hours.

Once at 75 degrees, add your yeast. For this, you will need a large packet of "special" yeast.

Let ferment for 7-30 days depending on which "special" yeast you used. The package will tell you how many days. No need to airlock, as your tub lid is not airtight.

Once fermentation is complete, drain off your 'beer' into your kegs, carboys or whatever you want to use.

What you do with it after this, is entirely up to you...

Keep me posted on how yours goes, and I'll do the same with mine.

Good luck, hope this was helpful.

Click to expand...

What corn are you using? Ever use a flowing stream instead of the air pump setup?

Once they have soaked up enough water (overnight), I would remove the seed from the water or you will drown the seeds. Yes drown. Seeds respire just like we do (at the cellular level) and need oxygen. In commercial malting once the seeds have taken up water they are put into "vessels" that allow good air circulation and a humid environment so the don't dry out. This helps to speed up the germination process

wet burlap for corn sprouting...mmkay