basics: cracked corn to sugar

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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Pikey
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Pikey »

Thanks for that Tm - Now I'll have to mend the damn microwave again ! :roll:

[Edit - I'm thinking that "cut" of yours may be well worth a try ! 8)
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Tapeman »

You can just boil the water and add to canning jar, same difference.

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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Pikey »

'cept we don't get "canning jars" over here - I'm stuck with a "Kilner" which may not cope with the thermal shock as well. Anyway, it needs mending - there's only 3 or 4 faults they get unless the "Digitals" are f'd up ! - (usually it's the big diode or the super-capacitor ), but I'm loving this "oaky water" idea ! :wink:
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Tapeman »

Wow, careful with those diodes, they can lay you on your back. Practice one hand electrician! Your kilners will work just fine if you heat them before adding hot water. Let them cool with a tight lid, it's the vacuum pressure that gets the flavors into the water quickly.

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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Rain Distillate »

So I'll try to get us back on track from TMs slight derailment. Is using 2 enzymes to break down cracked corn really considered cheating? Is using no malt whatsoever really considered cheating?

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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Jimbo »

Its not about cheating or not cheating. Its about personal preference and nothing more. Folks who use enzymes exclusively have nothing to apologize for, this isint North Korea with some rigid dictates about how you must do something else risk beheading.
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Honest_Liberty »

Greetings folks!

Currently, I'm trying my first attempt at Booner's Casual All corn tried and true recipe.

I hand ground the cracked corn to .25 on my grinder, but not sure if it was ground enough. I have at least half of the cracked grain the size of a ball point pen, if you snipped the tip about 2mm, so maybe 2x2mm. I brought 8 gallons of Arvada CO tap water up to 200F at 5200 ft above sea level, dumped it into my 10 gallon Home depot orange cooler on 19 lbs of cracked corn I previously mentioned. I added 7.5ml High Temp alpha based on slightly overshooting .36 ml per lb. I stirred it twice before putting on lid to prevent any clumping. That was at 11pm Saturday night. Sunday morning I woke up, temp was 150 F. I woud have added Glucoamalzye like Booner's recipe called for but I read the glucoamalyze I have: it said not to add above 140 or it would denature. I added 1.5 gallons of backset to hopefully drop the ph and then checked temp. 138F. I added 8ml of Gluco. This was at 10 am. I'm going to let it set all evening.

I have a few questions. I'm not sure whether to attempt to strain and ferment off the grain or to ferment on the grain. the corn was milled as fine as my two roller SS mill would mill but it wasn't like corn meal, still a bit bulkier. I suppose I could have run it twice but it took me about 35 minutes for just the 15 pounds hand cranking. My understanding is that fermenting on the grain, and then distilling on the grain produces a more complex and tasty flavor, but I'm concerned about scorching. I have a Brewhaus SS 15 gallon still with 2" column I pack full with copper scrubbers, diffuser plate underneath, and LPG fired. I don't want to run it low and slow, but rather do a stripping run and once I have 12 gallons of low wines, do a spirit run.

If I don't go that route, how in the world do I squeeze all that potential sugar out of the grain, especially if it hasn't fully gelatinized? I'm assuming it should be more soupy than it currently is. most of the corn is settled on the bottom. I am thinking about constructing a grain press so I can dump it all in, almost like a wine press, but I'm having trouble determining the best approach.
Anyway, I wanted to type this on the T&T message but it was closed. Pardon if there was a better thread. Any help would be greatly appreciated
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by fizzix »

One concern I have is that "it hasn't fully gelatinized." You want to make sure and cook that sh!t good before treating with enzymes.
Honey Bear Bourbon is also a good method of "cooking" where boiling water is just dumped on the corn,
insulated, and brought to mashing temperature over a few hours.

I ferment on the grain, but not distill on the grain. My 8-gallon Brewhaus with diffuser and hotplate would certainly scorch Booner's on the grain.
Instead, after fermenting on the grain is complete, I squeeze all the corn through a paint strainer bag in the wringer of a mop bucket and pour it all into a 20-gallon trashcan.
wringer.jpg
The corn is damp, but all the liquid is pretty much salvaged. I don't bother to let the milky liquid clear either --just distill it.
Just spent the last month doing Booner's this way and couldn't be happier.
I hope this helps.
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Honest_Liberty »

holy crap! I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to find something and this is such a simple idea. You have just saved me TONS of effort and time.
Thank you so much!
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Honest_Liberty
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Honest_Liberty »

would one of those spin mops work well using centrifigul force or would you recommend this as a more efficient and effective method?
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Honest_Liberty »

also, I followed booners no cook casual all corn recipe. maybe at 5000' I should have put the water in at 205F?
I'm not sure what else I could have done. I milled that as good as I could get it without doing it twice, and it was cracked to begin with
Sweetfeed 100 proof for drinking white
All grain bourbon for testing my patience
Whatever else is left goes to the Homefree, because, I hate waste
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by The Baker »

I've heard of people using the spin dryer on a washing machine. Dunno how good it works or what are the potential problems....
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Honest_Liberty »

well, I'm a bit bummed out. I must have screwed something up, maybe not enough water to corn ratio but I only have the 10 gallon cooler.
I ended up with a OG of 6% at 120F, and I'm not good at math, so I added about 6 gallons and got 3% OG at 100F. I don't know, I'm sure the ph wasn't just right or I didn't get the initial water up. There is probably a bunch of stuff. However, that initial taste pulled off the grain was delightful and hopefully I'll tweak this to make it work next time.
Sweetfeed 100 proof for drinking white
All grain bourbon for testing my patience
Whatever else is left goes to the Homefree, because, I hate waste
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by skeet_skeety »

Y’all,

I am thinking about switching from cracked to flaked corn at the proportions given in this thread. This decision will be considerably more expensive but, it will be a better whiskey with a lot less mash time. Q: Am I on the right track to make a better whiskey or, is there a better less expensive way to use cracked corn?

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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Twisted Brick »

With flaked corn you are paying a premium to pre-gelatinize your corn. Depending on your numbers involved (flaked cost x pounds used) you could easily pay for a corona grain mill ($50 on Amazon) that grinds perfect corn meal from cracked corn. Yes, there is manual labor involved (it gets tedious) but the meal gels and converts nicely. Flaked corn is not going to make a better-tasting product or it would be common knowledge. From all accounts (I've never used it) flaked makes for a tough grain/wash separation. If you can afford a real motorized grain mill you'd be golden.
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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by Expat »

What you want is the easy large batch mashing procedure that ShineonCrazyDiamond documented previously; link below. Definitely the easiest and most effective method for getting things done.

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Re: basics: cracked corn to sugar

Post by skeet_skeety »

Y’all,

Thank you Twisted Brick and Expat. I will get the mill and go with the recommendations y’all provided.

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