Maximum Starch Conversion Thread

[Dan Call]

Been at this for around five years. I cannot honestly affirm that I can consistently get good starch conversion from corn. I am not going to pay for flaked maize. I'm relegating myself to buying 50 lb. bags of corn and working it to conversion. They didn't have flaked maize back in the 1800's and they got along quite well. No sugar either.

It's a good feeling to walk up to your mash vat and see a three inch layer of golden brown syrup on top, you know you got something right.

So here's the three fold attack, using Tractor Supply Whole or Cracked corn, to get maximum conversion. If you are taking this approach please report findings and methods here. Will then move to a white corn to see if there is a difference in taste.

1. Malting the corn indoors, starting with TS whole corn. I will also use white corn.
2. Enzyme AA and GA.
3. Using barley as well.

I will be abating the malt with the smoke of different woods. I'm thinking either sugar maple or peach. Just interested to see if anything will carry over.