Home Distiller

I know this question has been asked but I haven't found any good answers. I am buying flaked maize online. This stuff works good and is very easy but shipping is killing me. Is cracked corn at the feed store just as good or should I buy whole kernel and malt it. When making grain mashes what's the difference in using cracked corn vs. malted corn?

cracked corn is used in sugar head,or AG if using malt or other enzymes to convert starch.
malted corn has enzymes to convert starch to sugar.so is used in all corn.either by its self or with
numalted grain.

I find, that for my own purposes,cracked corn is the way to go. Many on this site prefer flaked corn because it does not require boiling as it has already been steamed. I prefer cracked corn because it is easier to strain the wort from crack corn than from flaked corn. I have not given malted corn much attention because it takes so much more effort to malt it when it isn't necessary. I mean if you are making something other than pure corn whisky.

Ok, I have always sprouted and ground my corn up. Like you said though, it is a pain to do so and takes time. I am thinking of switching to cracked corn also. Is the cooking process required for cracked corn just like I do when I use whole corn? Thank you!

if doing AG you need to cook the hell out of cracked corn,them cool and add malt/enzymes.

If you want a different perspective. Take look at at what I have been working on over the years using plain ol' cornmeal.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 7#p6934467

It has its advantages (cheap, easy gelatinization) and its disadvantages (difficult to strain, but not impossible)

Its not perfect, but its my baby.

Doc T.

you git higher yields from the meal because much has been removed.
it cooks easier because its ground finer.

doctee wrote:(difficult to strain, but not impossible)

Its not perfect, but its my baby.

Doc T.

Have you ever considered using rice hulls to create a filter.

Pesty wrote:
Have you ever considered using rice hulls to create a filter.

The thought crossed my mind, but more in the context of using them in the mash / lauter tun (I have R.I.M. system). I ultimately decided to forgo the lauter tun and just mash in the keg I boiled the cornmeal in. This has the added benefit of loosening up anything that scorched on the bottom making for easier cleaning. After fermenting on the grain, I pour the whole lot a bit at a time into a large nylon straining bag and wring out the liquid leaving the solids behind. It takes about an hour of wringing to collect 9 gal liquid from 12 gal of liquid and solid.

Just for science sake, I may just try some rice hulls in the wringing process next time. Thanks for the tip.

Doc T.

dont strain anything.