corn starch powdered

[Stavrose]

Greetings!

I'm very new to distilling and the only thing I've distilled was red grape using an air still (electric device) I'm still reading and learning about fermenting and distilling other stuff and will have a pot still, either making my own or just buy one.

When I was shopping for grocery at supermarket, I've seen cans with corn starch powder and I don't know if I can use this instead of buying corn or oat and just add amylase enzymes to it to convert starch into sugar.
I'm wondering if anyone tried this before as I couldn't find information about it.

Thank you.

[NZChris]

Can you buy the amylase?

[greggn]

I posted this some time ago ...

********

Friday evening I found myself alone in the house when, poking around the pantry looking for dinner, I spied a 1-lb box of corn starch. Nearing the end of my second AG wheat vodka I thought "let's give it a try." So, a pound of corn starch dissolved into a gallon of water, heated to 190F, I added a splash of HTL and stirred occasionally for 30 minutes. At 140F I added a splash of GL and stirred occasionally for 30 minutes. Checked with my refractometer and OG was 1.045 ... right on the mark per the calculators. I pitched some baker's yeast an wrapped it up in a towel. It was still bubbling on Sunday morning (about 36 hours later) which surprised me because I had added no nutrients nor supplied any external heat and yet the FG measured 0.993 for an ABV of 6.7%

I thought that was a nice validation of theory.

[der wo]

Of course it works. But I don't see any reason to do it. Corn starch is almost pure starch and after conversion almost pure sugar. So why not simply using beet or cane sugar? If you get corn starch cheaper than sugar and the extra effort is ok for you, then it's ok. For me, I wouldn't spend my free time for mashing tasteless things.

[Stavrose]

Can you buy the amylase?

Amylase enzymes? Yes I can get it.

[Stavrose]

Of course it works. But I don't see any reason to do it. Corn starch is almost pure starch and after conversion almost pure sugar. So why not simply using beet or cane sugar? If you get corn starch cheaper than sugar and the extra effort is ok for you, then it's ok. For me, I wouldn't spend my free time for mashing tasteless things.

I wasn't planning on going to make a sugar wash, I thought I could make whiskey from corn and since there is a corn starch ready to use. I wonder if it will have taste of whiskey after distilling.

[Stavrose]

I posted this some time ago ...

********

Friday evening I found myself alone in the house when, poking around the pantry looking for dinner, I spied a 1-lb box of corn starch. Nearing the end of my second AG wheat vodka I thought "let's give it a try." So, a pound of corn starch dissolved into a gallon of water, heated to 190F, I added a splash of HTL and stirred occasionally for 30 minutes. At 140F I added a splash of GL and stirred occasionally for 30 minutes. Checked with my refractometer and OG was 1.045 ... right on the mark per the calculators. I pitched some baker's yeast an wrapped it up in a towel. It was still bubbling on Sunday morning (about 36 hours later) which surprised me because I had added no nutrients nor supplied any external heat and yet the FG measured 0.993 for an ABV of 6.7%

I thought that was a nice validation of theory.

Was it like a corn whiskey at the end? Did it have any taste or just ended up like a sugar wash? I'm sorry, I couldn't find your post while searching.

[der wo]

Of course it works. But I don't see any reason to do it. Corn starch is almost pure starch and after conversion almost pure sugar. So why not simply using beet or cane sugar? If you get corn starch cheaper than sugar and the extra effort is ok for you, then it's ok. For me, I wouldn't spend my free time for mashing tasteless things.

I wasn't planning on going to make a sugar wash, I thought I could make whiskey from corn and since there is a corn starch ready to use. I wonder if it will have taste of whiskey after distilling.

Technically it is a whiskey, tastewise it is a sugar wash.
Perhaps try HD google search "Corn starch". Works better than the normal searching tool.

[Stavrose]

Of course it works. But I don't see any reason to do it. Corn starch is almost pure starch and after conversion almost pure sugar. So why not simply using beet or cane sugar? If you get corn starch cheaper than sugar and the extra effort is ok for you, then it's ok. For me, I wouldn't spend my free time for mashing tasteless things.

I wasn't planning on going to make a sugar wash, I thought I could make whiskey from corn and since there is a corn starch ready to use. I wonder if it will have taste of whiskey after distilling.

Technically it is a whiskey, tastewise it is a sugar wash.
Perhaps try HD google search "Corn starch". Works better than the normal searching tool.

It got me confused ><; What is HD google?

Also, if it works like mashing corn, why don't people use the powdered one? Is it because the cost?

[still_stirrin]

It got me confused ><; What is HD google?

There is a hotlink in my signature that tells you how to use it. The HDGoogle is "button" is located above the threads in each forum. The "how to" will explain it....

Also, if it works like mashing corn, why don't people use the powdered one? Is it because the cost?

I would imagine so. Feed store corn is less than $10USD per 50 lb. sack. Grocery store powdered corn starch is $4 per pound....a big difference when you need 100 lb. for 50 gallons of wash. Add to that the fact that it won't give you the same flavor in the finished spirit as real grains do, and you (may) better understand why it isn't more popular here.
ss

[Stavrose]

It got me confused ><; What is HD google?

There is a hotlink in my signature that tells you how to use it. The HDGoogle is "button" is located above the threads in each forum. The "how to" will explain it....

Also, if it works like mashing corn, why don't people use the powdered one? Is it because the cost?

I would imagine so. Feed store corn is less than $10USD per 50 lb. sack. Grocery store powdered corn starch is $4 per pound....a big difference when you need 100 lb. for 50 gallons of wash. Add to that the fact that it won't give you the same flavor in the finished spirit as real grains do, and you (may) better understand why it isn't more popular here.
ss

Thank you for the explanation!! and everyone for contributing to this!!

[der wo]

Also, if it works like mashing corn, why don't people use the powdered one? Is it because the cost?

Corn starch is not powdered corn. Corn starch is refined. It's 99% starch. Whole corn is about 65-70% starch.
Like you can't make rum with refined sugar you can't make whiskey with pure starch.

[missnridge]

Hi Stavrose,
I've had some good initial success using Bobs Red Mill Corn Meal. Sometimes you can find it at Lulu or Saveco. It's not cheap but not much is cheap here. That combined with the enzymes from Enzymash produced a decent drop. We're still working on our procedures to get a reasonable conversion but I'm sure more practice and scouring these boards will help tremendously.

Cheers,
mr

[Stavrose]

Also, if it works like mashing corn, why don't people use the powdered one? Is it because the cost?

Corn starch is not powdered corn. Corn starch is refined. It's 99% starch. Whole corn is about 65-70% starch.
Like you can't make rum with refined sugar you can't make whiskey with pure starch.

Now I got it. I appreciate your help for explaining me this!

[Stavrose]

Hi Stavrose,
I've had some good initial success using Bobs Red Mill Corn Meal. Sometimes you can find it at Lulu or Saveco. It's not cheap but not much is cheap here. That combined with the enzymes from Enzymash produced a decent drop. We're still working on our procedures to get a reasonable conversion but I'm sure more practice and scouring these boards will help tremendously.

Cheers,
mr

I thought I was the only one in Kuwait trying to make something for myself, lol.

I've see Bobs Red mill corn meal at Saveco and also I've seen corn around that corner. I haven't tried it any yet. I will definitely give it a try and let you know the results.

[Oldvine Zin]

Related kind-of - A while back I tried to make a vodka from potato starch. The first tests on converting seemed promising in the end it was a failure, that thread is somewhere on this site. The suggestions of using bobs redmill is good that's what I use when I make a bourbon. And +1 on Enzymash

OVZ