Corn Allergy & Beer Ingredients ??

My brother just found out he may be allergic to corn. Yeah, thats a first for me too for all of you that are like Anyway, he was asking me if there was corn in my homebrew as the Dr. gave him a list of things that had corn it. The list had almost everything known to man on it by the way. I get my kits from Northern Brewer and Homebrew USA (LHBS). Now, I know some extracts are corn based and some priming sugar is, but wouldn't the yeast eat that up? Has anybody run into this before? Now I haven't called NB or the LHBS yet, but I wanted to bounce it off you guys. Thoughts? Thanks.

Ben

The malt extract kits are from all-barley, so no corn. I use corn in some recipes, but it's not commonly an ingredient in most beers.

Instead of corn sugar for priming, you could use table sugar.

I think that there are quite a few people allergic to corn- especially since it's become such a huge part of the American diet. Most packaged foods have some kind of corn, including high fructose corn syrup.

If you make a "regular" beer style (not light, or maybe not a recipe with "adjuncts") then you should be fine.

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking along those lines but really wanted some assurance. I guess I'll have to make him some beer now huh?

Ben

No coors, but that is okay.

Also be aware that some sugars like dextrose and maltose can be a derivative of corn.

I think you should be fine, even if you bottle with dextrose (corn sugar). I think there are other things in corn that cause the allergy, not the sugar derived from it.

I know people that react to ANYTHING made from corn. Sugars and starches included.

My son is highly allergic to corn among many other things. If your brother has a corn allergy why put any corn derived product in your beer? Especially when there are many other ingredients that you can use in place of them. Might be a good excuse to move up to kegging.

surfbrewer said:

My son is highly allergic to corn among many other things. If your brother has a corn allergy why put any corn derived product in your beer? Especially when there are many other ingredients that you can use in place of them. Might be a good excuse to move up to kegging.

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I'm glad you brought this up. My brother was diagnosed by our allergist as beiing allergic to corn when he was a kid. If I remember right, it mainly caused mild rashes, and mild allergy symptoms (stuffy nose etc). I just assumed a corn allergy couldn't be worse than that. If the OP's brother is similar to surfbrewer's son, definately stay away from corn in the brew.

I noticed that nobody said you can prime with DME. It takes a tad bit longer, but it works fine.

B-Dub said:

I know people that react to ANYTHING made from corn. Sugars and starches included.

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So, then we are talking basically everything at the supermarket? Everything in the US is made with corn syrup since it is the cheapest most available sweetener here.

rocketman768 said:

So, then we are talking basically everything at the supermarket? Everything in the US is made with corn syrup since it is the cheapest most available sweetener here.

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Yep. And if it's not sweetened with corn then it's probably got corn starch, or corn by-products used as a filler/binder.

Corn is everywhere! It's such an odd crop to choose too... it's labor and energy intensive to grow, hard on soil, and low in nutrients (this is all relative of course).

Let me tell you, when we found out about my son it was a real eye opener. Not only is he allergic to corn but also to soy and is severlly allergic to peanuts. If a product doesn't have corn its probably got soy or peanuts, it really limits what your choices are.

My son Benjamin has sensitivities to soy and wheat.........if he eats anything containing either, he becomes textbook ADD. He is simply unable to sit still, his ears get red........it's not pretty.

Brew your poison without corn, you'll be OK.

Edcculus said:

I'm glad you brought this up. My brother was diagnosed by our allergist as beiing allergic to corn when he was a kid. If I remember right, it mainly caused mild rashes, and mild allergy symptoms (stuffy nose etc). I just assumed a corn allergy couldn't be worse than that. If the OP's brother is similar to surfbrewer's son, definately stay away from corn in the brew.

I noticed that nobody said you can prime with DME. It takes a tad bit longer, but it works fine.

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Thats the symptons, he's now 28 and trying to eliminate corn to see if that works. He's also allergic to shellfish and I'm deathly allergic to peanuts. Can't even sit beside someone eating a Resse cup. So is it just the priming sugar I need to worry about for the most part? Sounds like I can get rid of that by using table sugar. Would you use 5oz per batch of that as well? Thanks for the replys guys.

Ben

Yeah basically you want to avoid anything that is a derivative of dextrose, dextrin, fructose, fructate, crystalline fructose, etc....

Per John Palmer:
"Here's how to make and add priming solutions:
1. Boil 3/4 cup of corn sugar (4 oz by weight), or 2/3 cup of white sugar, or 1 and 1/4 cup dry malt extract in 2 cups of water and let it cool."

Have you had much trouble dealing with your peanut allergy? My son can't even come into contact with peanuts or were injecting epinephrine and calling 911. Sounds like you have about the same severity that he does. Any advice?