Beer tastes like corn

Hi,

Just tasted the first pilsner I've ever made and it tastes like corn. I used flaked corn in the mash but I didn't think it would contribute that much flavor. Maybe I used too much? Grain bill below:

7 lbs Pale Malt(6 row) 60.9%
3 lbs Flaked Corn 26.1%
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L 8.7%
0.5 lbs Cara-Pils 4.3%


Thanks!

How long was the boil? That's typically why we do a 90 minute boil with Pilsner malts, to eliminate DMS precursors, that lend a cooked corn taste to beers.

Only 60 minutes. I'll have to do 90 on the next attempt.

Also, chill as fast as you can

You didn't cover the kettle during the boil, did you?

Sadly I can't remember if I covered it or not. Usually I've been leaving it open until the last 15 minutes or so.

As Revvy said, 90 minute vigorous boils with no lid and don't expect the DMS to age out or go away sadly

1. Full raging boil for 90+ minutes
2. Throw away your boil pot lid.
3. Once done boiling, drop everything below 140 asafp.

Covered Lid... Volatile chemicals Get boiled off and covering with the lid can trap them and they can get reabsorbed into the wort. At least thats what Ive read and been told by experienced brewers. Ive never had this off flavor but I always boil with lid off.

Google "off flavors in home brew"... Should give you a more scientific explanation.

6-row Pale Malt is not Pilsner Malt. I don't know how susceptible 6-row is to DMS but boiling covered is probably the issue, not the boil time.

Thanks for all the info! Kettle lid has been destroyed. One last question: do you always 90 minute boil or just for those kinds of malts to get rid of said DME. I've been doing 60 minute boils for most everything.

DMS.. not DME. That's one good reason to chill the wort quickly as I understand it.. at least that's what I heard in a brewing talk awhile back. DMS continues to form above certain temps.. not just while boiling.. but, I don't remember the critical point.. but I think it was something like 158*F. That's where the compound that forms DMS happens. Boiling boils off the DMS.. but below that to that 158*(?) point, DMS continues to form, so get it below that point as fast as possible to eliminate that cooked corn flavor. I remember the company I used to work for built an analyzer to detect DMS and wrote a paper on it. Technical, but interesting read. Google DMS Formation and I think you'll find the paper by Agilent Technologies there.

+1 on tossing the lid.

I hope you really didn't destroy the lid.

Yeah DMS not DME. ><

tehgoody said:

Thanks for all the info! Kettle lid has been destroyed. One last question: do you always 90 minute boil or just for those kinds of malts to get rid of said DME. I've been doing 60 minute boils for most everything.

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I have always done a 60 minute boil (that is started the clock when the wort Started to boil, not just when i turned on the heat- big difference!) This is to boil off impurities, break down proteins, and proper hop utilization. I also cold crash after boiling.

Im not entirely sure the reasoning behind boils of more than 60 minutes, except it might improve flavor by breaking down the larger chemicals in the wort to make it more yeast friendly...

Everyone has given great answers, but I keep going back to his ingredients.
26% of his grist is flaked corn. That's a lot of corn!

Halbrust said:

Everyone has given great answers, but I keep going back to his ingredients.
26% of his grist is flaked corn. That's a lot of corn!

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I agree, you're not going to get significant DMS from 6-row barley but that much flaked corn certainly could. Maybe try the same grain with flaked rice next time and see what the difference is.

3sheetsEMJ said:

I have always done a 60 minute boil (that is started the clock when the wort Started to boil, not just when i turned on the heat- big difference!) This is to boil off impurities, break down proteins, and proper hop utilization. I also cold crash after boiling.

Im not entirely sure the reasoning behind boils of more than 60 minutes, except it might improve flavor by breaking down the larger chemicals in the wort to make it more yeast friendly...

Click to expand...

90 minute boils are recommended for Pilsner Malt (not Pilsner extract) to reduce it's susceptability to DMS. Extract does not have a DMS concern.

helibrewer said:

I agree, you're not going to get significant DMS from 6-row barley but that much flaked corn certainly could. Maybe try the same grain with flaked rice next time and see what the difference is.

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As I understand it, light base and 6row based malts are the ones most succeptable to DMS issues. Corn itself doesn't contribute much actual DMS, except in the fact that it can taste welll... corny (Go Figure).

Here's a link to the wiki on DMS and it's prevention:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/DMS

Short version of the "fixes":
The following steps should insure low levels of DMS in the finished beer:

1. Boil the entire wort 90 minutes or longer
2. Ensure that the boil is vigorous - rolling
3. Keep the boil uncovered
4. Allow at least 8% evaporation
5. Minimize the hot wort standing time
6. Rapidly cool the wort

Hope that helps.