Home Distiller

Being a beer brewer for years I understand enzymes, Diastatic Power, and mashing that go into brewing beer. A relative of mine who is new at distilling (but has more experience than me in this) told me that he makes his wash by adding 4 gallons water, 5 pounds sugar, 5 pounds corn meal, heats it up and mix then adds yeast according to packets directions and does very well with it. My question is how does the corn meals starches convert to fermentable sugars without the proper enzymes needed to convert these starches? I have seen a few corn washes out there but to my understanding corn lacks these enzymes. Could someone please explain or point me in the right direction on distilling mashes. I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death and thanks for your help as always.

I am new to this, but if I am learning correctly... many add a small amount of 6-row barley (high diastatic power) to bring in enzymes and start the process. You can use 2-row as well (but it may take longer or more quantity).

I know you can also add amylase enzume (which is a powder) if you are doing corn only.

I'm not sure about corn and sugar only... where the enzyme would come from (unless just the sugar is fermenting and the corn is for flavor only). But as I said, I'm still learning!

That is correct qball. He is using the corn for flavor and the table sugar is what is being converted by the yeast.

Washashore wrote:That is correct qball. He is using the corn for flavor and the table sugar is what is being converted by the yeast.

+1, search for the Sweetfeed thread in the Tried and True recipes, it will explain, somewhat, what is going on here.

In that recipe the starch does not convert, nor does it contribute anything to the abv. That's a lot of corn meal for a 5 gallon sugar head wash, he would do better by cooking the corn meal and converting the starch with a little 6 row.

Ok that makes more sense about the corn adding to flavor and not converting. I tried explaing that he needed enzymes to convert the starched but he said he had no idea about that and just mixed it . Durance11 thanks for the search suggestion I'm going to check it out right after I post this. I do have another question. I plan on following his foot steps so would this be exceptable with not using a mash tun? take the corn meal and a bit of 6-row, add it to the fermenter with half the water at 154*F and let it mash for about an hour to let the enzymes do their work, then add the sugar to dissolve, then top of with the rest of cold water to reach final volume and correct yeast pitching temperature?

corn is one you can ferment "on the grain" so it makes no difference what you use.
what ever is convenient for you.

Ya you can do something like that, but remember you need to cook that corn before you convert it. I would also lower the mashing temp to 145 for 3 hours, or start at 148f and let it drop to 142f over those three hours. I would also use 1.2 pounds of 6 row for every 5lb of corn.

Rubber Duck, you answered a question I've been researching about the 6-row to corn ratio. I know corn needs to be gelatinized but I thought that corn meal was processed and does not require gelatination just like when using flaked products. You guys have been a huge help clearing up these loose end questions of mine.

the only kind of corn that you're not gonna need to cook is flaked maize .... like this http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_i ... cts_id=127.....everything else will need to hit 180f for some amount if time based upon the grind.