No Spent Corn in UJSSM

[vicrider]

Started my 3rd generation of UJSSM last night, but when I added my backset/sugar no corn rose to the top. First time around I got maybe a pound. What happened?

[Dnderhead]

did it stay on the bottom?

[rednose]

I use 50 ltr vessels and always replace 2 pounds of cracked corn, if it doesn't float I take it from the bottom.

I imagen that if you don't do that you will lose the taste within higher generations.

I'm in the 16th generation now and will stop it there to prepare new vessels using the backset of the last one.

I could go ahead with more generations, it's a sanitary precausion.

[vicrider]

did it stay on the bottom?

I don't think so, I stirred it real well after I added the backset. I saw lots of yellow, and just a little white. I probably had half a handfull float to the top. When I stirred it it got very white and cloudy. Could it have completely broken down?

[Dnderhead]

I just went back and looked at recipe,, It said to remove (skim off) spent corn off the top after racking,, this means to siphon off beer,, then skim off top lair of corn" do not mix it up" .then replace corn,,,, next you mix hot back set with sugar, when cool add to fermenter..

[vicrider]

Dnder, I read that also, and got that you are supposed to rack into your boiler, then add water back so the yeast won't die then "this is the perfect time to scoop spent corn off the top". It doesn't say the top of what so I guess it could be taken either way. It does say to scoop spent corn floating on top after adding backset a little later on. I'll remove some of the corn as you suggest the next go round.
Thanks, V

[goinbroke2]

I've always found that when I refill the water, only a little bit of corn floats. Once you add sugar though and stir it in, the whole freaking top is covered in spent (white) corn.

Also, the white and cloudy is the lee's on the bottom/in the corn getting stirred up.

You said you added sugar, but did you stir before or after you added sugar?

[vicrider]

GB2... The way I have been doing it is to add sugar to the hot backset and dissolve, then cool it down, add it to water/corn, and stir. I got a bunch of spent corn the first go-round but not the next. Thanks, V

[goinbroke2]

Well, the only thing I can think of would be the second time didn't ferment out as much/use as much nutrients so there was less corn used..or the corn was settled the first time and the top layer gave up nutrients and the second time something was moved/disturbed during fermentation causing all the corn to release some nutrients but not some releasing all.

Basically the point is to get complete fermentation. How much corn is used is kind of a moot point as long as it ferments out completely. I realise it's better to understand something and ask why, but sometimes it just is what it is.

Here's another thought, when you first start, you put dry corn in the water/etc and it ferments out. The corn on the top layer is soaked first and releases first. The second time though, the corn left over has been soaked/stirred up and is soft enough to release nutrients. So now you have more corn overall releasing nutrients instead of just the top layer. This would cause the total amount of corn spent to be less, but the overall corn would be depleted more.
(same as first answer I guess just different reasoning.

[vicrider]

Works for me.