Corn syrup

[buckwheat2016]

Hi. Was wondering if anyone has ever used corn syrup instead of sugar in the mash? Someone gave me 4 gallon s of it. How much do you think for a10 gallon mash?

[GrassHopper]

No I haven't used corn syrup. I am currently using dextrose monohydrate which is corn sugar in powdered form. I am posting this article for your benefit.

Sweet corn is full of sugar in the form of carbohydrates. The corn’s starch is extracted and processed to produce corn syrup, which is 93 to 96 percent glucose. Corn syrup is further processed into high-fructose corn syrup by using enzymes that convert glucose into fructose. High-fructose corn syrup can contain as much as 90 percent fructose, but the syrups used commercially are 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, which makes them chemically similar to cane sugar, according to an article in the December 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."

So, it would seem that you first have to determine whether your syrup has been further processed into the commercially available fructose which is only 55 % sugar or the 96% variety. Then you can have something to go by.

[still_stirrin]

Hi. Was wondering if anyone has ever used corn syrup instead of sugar in the mash? Someone gave me 4 gallon s of it. How much do you think for a10 gallon mash?

What does it weigh per gallon? If it's 12 lb, or so then use a gallon per 5 gallons of ferment. Or, the 4 gallons you got (for free!) would make you 20 gallons of corny fermentation.

But for grins, I'd reduce that and mash some malted barley along with it. The corn syrup can be treated like liquid malt extract (maybe a little lighter tho). It would give you a more rounded flavor off still.

Bottomline...you want an OG in the 1.065-1.075 range for a healthy, yet robust ferment. I'm assuming you DO have a hydrometer, right? If not, get one quick.
ss

[T-Pee]

Get two. They commit suicide at a disturbing rate.

tp

[still_stirrin]

Get two. They commit suicide at a disturbing rate.

tp

[smokineod]

Get two. They commit suicide at a disturbing rate.

tp

This is a true story, seen it with my own eyes!

[buckwheat2016]

I was at 1.07 when it started

[Pops Whitehead]

I’m about too. Note: this is my second actual run. I did the vinager, and sacrificial runs to clean it. Still is the $139 stainless cheap 8 gallon off Amazon. I’ll get a good one when I get this kind of figured out. I’ve been brewing beer, mead, bragot, cider and wine for decades. This still is super inefficient, and I only know what the run process is from the interwebs. However, I know that extract beer is significantly more efficient for ABV. The first 10 gallon all grain mash, made 6 gallons wash at 8% -8.5% ABV. I ended up with 2 quart shine I tasted it by finger dip, it made my lips and younger burn then numb. I have a 4 alcohol hydrometers on order. I’ll proof it when I get one. I know it’s strong the bubbles disappear immediately, and 4 drops in a spoon burn blue for 30 seconds or so. I got another quart of tails that does not light as readily, and burns about 15 seconds. Then about 200 ml of methanol… burns blue and orange on the tip.
Anyway, I’ll post my results from what I’m calling liquid extract mash. Corn syrup, barley extract, and wheat extract. I might steep a couple pounds milled corn for about 90 mins at 155f to add corn flavor to the water then filter it out…
I’ll post my results. I’ll have actual proofing, and recipe calculations by then. I hope it will help. Feel free to let me know if I’m screwing up, and also if my terms are off. I do these things to learn. Thank you.

[contrahead]

___Plain corn syrup is all glucose. To make it - corn is “wet milled”, and steeped in hot water for about 48 hours (usually in the presence some sulfur dioxide). Then it (corn starch/laundry starch slurry) is dried and milled. From the year 1811 then, corn syrup has been created by combining that corn starch with dilute hydrochloric acid and heating it under pressure.
___With HCFS, regular cornstarch is hydrolyzed with the help of a-amalayse and y-amalayse. Just like our homemade booze. But then this slurry is later processed with another enzyme (D-xylose isomerase) to convert most of that glucose into fructose.
___The abomination known as HFCS was invented in the 1970s. HFCS is much cheaper than table sugar. And sweeter. That's why you see it every where. Its deployment is profitable to the food fabrication industry. It's also partially why (see fuel additives) the government (US) pays such lucrative subsidies to corn growers.
___But HFCS is generally unhealthy. It is not processed normally by the body; it can only be processed in the liver. It robs minerals and nutrients from the liver or it is converted into a fat that causes inflammation. That HFSC caused inflammation, frequently leads to troubles like 'fatty liver disease' or 'cirrhosis of the liver'.
___Despite the fact of so much evidence to the contrary, the feckless FDA (a bureaucratic institution, not one that does any of its own research) is “not aware of any evidence” that might prove that HCFS is any more dangerous than honey. ... No, they are not in Big Food's or Big Pharma's pocket. (* The same agency shamefully promoted (2020-2025) dietary guidelines (for children 2yrs or over) that approved - up to 10% of a child's diet can be composed of sugar). Ever wonder why the US has some of the fattest , most unhealthy children in the world ? It's not all attributable to easy living and the lack of exercise.

Fructose is just an isomer of glucose; it should make ethanol. However not all corn syrups are created equal. Dark Karo® Corn Syrup for example is made from corn AND molasses. But also, dark Karo contains sodium benzoate, which is “fungistatic”. That's a pause for concern to anyone looking to obtain a healthy / happy ferment.

.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/wh ... ITLE_HDR_4
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives ... nd-answers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylose_isomerase
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_benzoate

[Pookie]

Hi. Was wondering if anyone has ever used corn syrup instead of sugar in the mash? Someone gave me 4 gallon s of it. How much do you think for a10 gallon mash?

I came across 8 5 gallon buckets of the stuff a few years ago...it's a little weaker than granular sugar IMO but that was just my experience...go a little heavier on the syrup and yeast and keep pH in check...it made fine corn moonshine for me

[shadylane]

Hi. Was wondering if anyone has ever used corn syrup instead of sugar in the mash? Someone gave me 4 gallon s of it. How much do you think for a10 gallon mash?

Answering an old post.
A google search said corn syrup has a specific gravity of 1.400 don't know if that's right.
Sounds crazy high to me, but I ran out of motivation to search farther.

Best advice I can give without lots of math and facts, is to make a small scale batch.
Start with a gallon of water and mix in a measured amounts of syrup until the SG is 1.070

[Yummyrum]

A google search said corn syrup has a specific gravity of 1.400 don't know if that's right.
Sounds crazy high to me, but I ran out of motivation to search farther.

It’s probably not far from the truth Shady . Molasses has an SG of circa 1.360 - 1.380 IIRC .

[Pops Whitehead]

I’m about too. Note: this is my second actual run. I did the vinager, and sacrificial runs to clean it. I hope it will help. Feel free to let me know if I’m screwing up, and also if my terms are off. I do these things to learn. Thank you.

So I mixed the Wash today. 3 each 32 oz bottles of Light Corn syrup, 1lbs 8oz of Dark malt extract and 1lbs 11oz of malted wheat extract. I did boil/simmer 2lbs of cracked corn for about 90 minutes, stirring constantly, at about 180 degrees F. Then strained out the solids, and used the hot liquid for corn flavor. I had an initial SG:1.097 for 5.25 gallons.the water is the bottled gallons of spring water. I pitched 4 tbls of red star bread yeast at about 85 degrees F. I’m sure I will need a “blowout” style bubbler. Blowout style is basically a quart jar with sterilizer in it with a three piece bubbler, a racking hose about 15 inches long running into the jar. It allows the function of a standard bubbler but makes sure as the fermentation occurs very fast with the large amount of sugars and yeast, with out blowing all the liquid out of the air lock. Basically a massive air lock. With a 1/3 addition of my active/energized and nutrient enhanced yeast culture over the next week, I should get it down to about dry SG:1.005 or less 11-ish percent alcohol. Hopefully it will taste good. I’ll put a little of the wash in the thumper, and add the feints from my first run (85 proofx1quart). Just to add to the output. Hoping for about 3/4 gallon at 130proof to proof down to 90. I’ll oak it on dark French oak spirals before proofing down.
I’ll post the results.

[Biker24a69]

Well how did it turn out kinda curious

[Pops Whitehead]

It turned out really nice, a bit sweet as I over seeeten my mash to try and get 17-18%, and only got about 14% using a started dady. Then did a 1/3 starter add over a week. It aged it for 4 weeks on some lightly toasted French oak. The 5 gallon wash I ran what I’m guessing to be very slow. I started heating about 7:30am and was down to 110 proof about 3:30pm. I ran until it was putting out 40ish proof low wines and saved that for my next run of this recipe.
I ran through the thumper, with a bout 1/2 quart of the wash. It was crystal clear, not burn and went 130proof, which seemed normal. I dropped out the first 200ml. Tested for orange flame, I was pure blue. Then it ran up to about 150 proof and back down to 110, I just run it all together as I figure my 1 gallon of liquor is not changing flavor much. I was around 130proof over all. I use only spring water in the wash and to proof to 90. It was sweet, vanilla Carmel and a little buttery. No burn at all.
I feel like I’ll use this recipe as my standard.
I’m going to try it the same with honey instead of corn syrup next. I’m sure it will be sweet. My son is a pappy van whinkle snob. He said “ it’s to sweet for him, but was really nice and smooth.” I told him, it’s all good because then I get to drink more. I brew for what I like. I’m buying a used Bourdon cask about 3 gallon. I’ll do enough 5 gallon wash runs of this, and let it set in the cask, hanging from the rafters in my basement. It should move around good and sea age it pretty go0d a year of that should have it about 10-15 years depending on the motion.
Anyway, I hope all that is correct. And answers the how was it question.