substitute for flaked corn? Mine is infested.

[Beer-Baron]

so I picked up a bag of flaked corn from my LHBS to brew "cream of 3 crops"

I got it home and there is a bunch of tiny ant sized bugs crawling around the inside of thee bag. Like I can see about 6 right now and thats just what's on the outside of the corn. Probably many more inside / middle of the pile.

I don't want to ask the lhbs to replace it because I'll probably just get more bugs. Anything else I can use instead of this infested crop?

THANK YOU

 

[BrewinBigD]

youre gonna boil the wort anyway so , just think- high protien beer builds muscle!

 

[Layne]

yeuck

 

[Just1pepsi]

No way man, take that junk back.. I'd be pissed. they at a minimum need to know that their grains have bugs.

Previous poster is right, you can use them anyway.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Take it back for a refund.

I'm pretty sure you can use corn meal or polenta instead of flaked corn but you will need to do a cereal mash.

 

[shecallsmeblue]

I have a nice stout I make that is called Tasy Weevil Stout because the first time I made it, the flaked barley had some little weevils in it. When I brewed it though, the weevils stayed in the mash tun, so nothing was in the boil. I'd just use the corn, but let you LHBS know, so they can take care of the problem.

 

[PT Ray]

Take it back, flaked maize has a tendency to go rancid if stored at room temps for extended periods. If it has weevils odds are it's not going to be very fresh. My shop keeps it in their deep freeze and that's were I keep mine.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Virtually all grains you buy already have weevils in them - they just haven't hatched yet. In small numbers, they don't hurt your beer, but if it's a massive infestation, the beer won't taste right because so many of the sugars/starches have already been consumed by the weevils and replaced by their waste products and weevil corpses - plus it's disgusting to have a black wall of bugs crawl out of the mill bucket or mash tun.

Most homebrew stores keep a close eye on outbreaks and, when possible, cycle their most susceptible grains through the freezer to kill the eggs, such that actual noticeable outbreaks are quite rare. Flaked grains, especially maize, acidulated malt and honey malt seem to be their favorites. The age of the malt is unrelated to the timing of outbreaks.

 

[Revvy]

One thing you can use in a pinch is Popcorn

I've used tortilla chips in my mash tun, but that was 50% of my corn bill, the rest was standard flaked corn.

All natural Corn Flake Cereal is vary similar to the flaked corn we use....not the General mills, but from a health food store.

You can use grits or polenta but you need to do a cereal mash to use them.

 

[Beer-Baron]

youre gonna boil the wort anyway so , just think- high protien beer builds muscle!

Well this was my thought about the boiling. Technically it will be sanitary when I'm done.

But I just can't psych myself up enough to do it. I know that I would be able to drink the beer. But I would never TRULY enjoy it because I would know that I mashed in with Weevils!

So I'd rather avoid this.

One thing you can use in a pinch is Popcorn

I've used tortilla chips in my mash tun, but that was 50% of my corn bill, the rest was standard flaked corn.

All natural Corn Flake Cereal is vary similar to the flaked corn we use....not the General mills, but from a health food store.

You can use grits or polenta but you need to do a cereal mash to use them.

Popcorn you say? Sounds fun! I might do it.

 

[jonmohno]

Flaked corn is cheap enough anyway. Now i have to go look at mine.

 

[Beer-Baron]

Take it back, flaked maize has a tendency to go rancid if stored at room temps for extended periods. If it has weevils odds are it's not going to be very fresh. My shop keeps it in their deep freeze and that's were I keep mine.

Hey PT.

Hows it going? Its Fo.

 

[Malticulous]

You could just use minute rice or quick grits. Polenta or cornmeal work but have to be cooked first.

 

[brewmonk]

If you had a problem with a one pound bag, purchased retail, imagine what problems are in every grain silo, outside a bakery, or brewery, everywhere.
use em, and enjoy your next PB and J THAT much moar!!!!!!

 

[jiggs_casey]

I used grits in my last 'cream of three crops'. Turned out great. I actually used the non-instant variety. All they had on the shelf at the time was that or 'butter flavored instant grits'.... bleh...

 

[Beer-Baron]

I used grits in my last 'cream of three crops'. Turned out great. I actually used the non-instant variety. All they had on the shelf at the time was that or 'butter flavored instant grits'.... bleh...

Up here in Canada I couldn't even tell you what grits are.

I've heard of them in the movies (Like "My cousin Vinnie) but I won't be able to get them here. The minute rice I could use. But thats already one of the 3 crops. So it would make the cream of 2 crops.

 

[Malticulous]

Grits are just corn meal with a slightly more course crush. The only instant grits I've see are hominy. Masa is about the same thing.