Sparging Flaked Maize

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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alpine
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Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by alpine »

Did a 6 gallon, 70% flaked maize, 30% barley mash yesterday and, as expected, I could not sparge using the SS-braid manifold in my MLT. I ended up scooping it out and squeezing it through a nylon strainer bag. That's fine for small batches, but that doesn't really scale well - I don't really want to be hand-wringing 30# of corn or more. I figure another thing I ought to try is to ferment on the grains, but I'm still going to need to get the beer off the solids before the stripping run. Is it easier to rack post-fermentation or do you still need to strain and press? How do the pros do it? Is there some sort of press somewhere in the process?
carbohydratesn
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by carbohydratesn »

You still need to strain and press, unless you're okay with leaving the liquid in the grains. There is no easy way to do it.

The pros do it by either leaving some liquid behind, or using an enormous, expensive press or separator. Many avoid the problem altogether by fermenting and distilling on the grain.
alpine
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by alpine »

carbohydratesn wrote:Many avoid the problem altogether by fermenting and distilling on the grain.
Distilling on the grain sounds very difficult to clean up unless I can rig up a double-boiler.

Thanks!
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S-Cackalacky
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by S-Cackalacky »

There are some threads here on the forums that talk about steam distillation. At least a couple of members have talked about using a large thumper (equal size to the boiler). With a large thumper, you could rack off the liquid wash into the boiler and add the dirty (grainier) wash to the thumper. Do the strips that way and the spirit run as normal. Brutal is one member who has done it. Truckinbutch has also done something similar and a few others have used a similar technique to cook their grains for mashing.
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Kegg_jam
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by Kegg_jam »

Steam is not as hard as you might think. I've run off two trial batches and decided it's worth the effort to make a more permanent steam rig.

My experimental rig was not optimal for setup and breakdown. It worked just fine though.
Usge
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by Usge »

I dunno, I've just never found straining off flaked maize "that" difficult. As far as I have experienced....it won't sparge. I just use a very large grain bag and line my mashtun with it. When I'm done...I open the spigot and mash the bag against' the false bottom and it I'm usually able to retrieve 5-6 gallons off a 6 gallon start without too much fuss. Some people buy a rubbermaid mop bucket with strainer or make some kind of press and use that. OR, you can use the large bag in your fermenter, dump the whole lot in and ferment on the grain. When it's done, lift the bag up, squeeze what comes out easily (a lot of it does), then use put it in the rubbermade press on the mop bucket and get the last bit with out a lot of physical effort.

Anyway, it's easier (to me) to do the squeeze for 5- 5.5 gals of 1.060-65 with good flavor from a food corn variety of flaked maize and lift out the grains clean ..only having to rinse the pot after.......than to boil feed corn for an hour or so to get 4-4.5 gals of 1.045 - 50 and have to scrub the pot after (6 or one half dozen if you ask me). The real difference is the cost.....feed corn is way cheaper if you are looking to save some money.
srs787
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by srs787 »

I mash - sparge in a 10 gal water cooler with the false bottom that is used also in my beer making, the holes in the stan. steel bottom are 3/32" x 5/32" spacing. I used 12 lbs flaked maize and 12 lbs 2-row for the mash or 50/50 mix. I mash-in at 152F to 156F. Mash-out at 170F which I think helps keep the mash from sticking. I sparge with 180F water at start, but it cools down. Try to keep the temp of the mash above 160F. I will try 60% flaked maize X 40% 2-row barley soon. Good luck.
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30-06
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by 30-06 »

Sparging is a pain, and on a corn run that small your squeeze will have minimal added benefit.

My solution for a similar set up...
Ferment on the grains in your standard 6.5 g plastic bucket.
Have two lids. Use the full one to ferment with your standard air-lock (or loose fit).
On the second lid, cut out a healthy pizza slice.
After primary ferment, remove lid one, cover bucket with mesh straining bag, apply lid two.
Pour contents into carboy (via big ass funnel) for a secondary ferment.

This is a lot less messy than squeezing, or putting the straining bag over a big funnel on the carboy, or mop buckets, or brew in bag where you are removing a big dripping bag of grains from the pail but leaving the wash behind. All the good wash gets transferred super easy and clean, and all the messy grains stay in the bucket.

Just my 2 cents. Best of luck in however you do it.
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masonsjax
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by masonsjax »

Stir in a few handfuls of rice hulls, problem solved.
Usge
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Re: Sparging Flaked Maize

Post by Usge »

Most of the liquid in flaked corn mash is "trapped" in between the grains...not absorbed into it — which is why rice hulls can help. The amount of pressure it takes to release it via squeezing is minimal at first...and gets progressively harder as it goes until you "are" extracting what has been absorbed. You can stop any point along the way. If you squeeze it out...the grains come out dry/moist in the bag...not dripping. It doesn't matter whether you do it after the mash in your mashtun/pot or ferment...you gonna have to squeeze flaked grains to get the liquid out from it. It will not just pour off that I'm aware of.

I've used rice hulls and they help (more will drain off initially)...but it still required some pressing to get all the liquid out. In that case..I just used a skilled/pan lid that fit inside my mashtun and pressed down on the grainbed as it drained off. There are other plenty of methods around for mashing corn (including steam, baking, etc). What ever works best for you is the one you should use. It's all good :thumbup:
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