Booner's Casual All-Corn

[Lawfish]

So I followed the directions for making the all-corn recipe to the letter. After the first all-night rest, my gravity was way low, so I removed the corn and ran it through a food processor and repeated the process. I still did not get the kind of gravity I was hoping for (1.035 was what I got). So I cooled it and pitched "on the grain" and after six days, it's still bubbling away. Gravity was around 1.010 and last night around 1.000. I stirred it up last night and this morning it continues bubbling away. I get the feeling the enzymes are continuing to convert starch to sugar, which is immediately being converted to alcohol. I will keep taking gravity readings until it stops bubbling.

My take from this is I didn't get all the starch out of the cracked corn with the simple addition of corn at 200 degrees. Next batch, I plan to soak the corn overnight, then steep it at 200 or so until it gelatinizes, then follow the Booner's protocol from there. I'd like to ferment off the grain so to speak. I would appreciate any feedback on this.

[der wo]

I think, you see everything right. You need a hotter gelatinization and/or mill the corn. The food processor is probably a good idea, but you have to heat it up after that again and add the enzymes.
You could soak it in hot water overnight, then run it through the food processor and then heat it up (you will have to stir!) and add the first enzyme.
Yes, the enzymes work while fermentation too, but the yeast is faster normally.
Note everything at the stripping run, that it becomes clear, what abv your mash had. If you have an iodine test, you can also test the fermented mash with it.

[Brutal]

If you read in the thread for that recipe many people have to use more corn to reach the desired SG. Grinding definitely helps as well. Some folks grind, some just add more cracked corn due to it being inexpensive. I have had cracked corn that gave up its starches late and I think that's what yours is doing. You should just wait out the bubbles however long it takes. In my case I had fermented cracked corn on the grain, then squeezed the grains with a brew bag and a mop bucket. Doing so broke loose unconverted starches which the enzymes broke down and the hungry yeasties chomped up as fast as they were converted. Took a week and a half I believe.

[Kegg_jam]

Yeah, all corn is not created equal. Last bag I got wasn't for shit.

Finer grind, longer gelatinization helps a lot. Of course it also helps to have the target PH and temps for the enzymes in the ball park too.

I think 'shed had access to good corn. I've had to up the lbs/gallon a little to achieve a decent SG.

[scuba stiller]

+1 on suggestions above.

I too had troubles with the original recipe, fought it hard by keeping the heat on low after reaching a rolling boil and eventually achieved good conversion using increased heat time and temp. When I quit being bullheaded and bought a Corona Mill and half inch drill for grinding and stirring, the yields became remarkable.

25 lbs. in 12.5 gallons the SG comes in between 1.075 and 1.081. I dilute it down to 1.065 for fermenting. 10.5 gallons of beer for the still.

Heat time and temp. made corn work for me; all the other protocols are solid.

[biggybigz]

If you use cracked corn you should 3lb per gallon. Pulverized or milled you can get by with 2 lb per gallon.

How are you insulating you fermentation vessel?

Shoe me some pics of yours and I'll show you some pics of mine........

Race to the gutter and go....

Really though, show us some pics.

[thecroweater]

very funny, rolling boil only conversion you are gonna get is corn to grits

[Lawfish]

Biggy, I don't insulate my fermentation vessel(s). I have a basement that maintains a fairly constant temperature ranging from 65 to 72 or so, depending on the season. Never had fermentation problems, just conversion problems. Although since doing the Booner's, I did my two first all-grain beer batches. That is easy as taking candy from a baby. If only converting corn to sugar were that easy.

[moosemilk]

I've had pretty good success using 2lb per gallon, getting a potential of 8-9% (1.065) every time. I take my cracked corn and grind it to almost a meal. Then I use Big R's step cooking method for corn. I find it also helps if you have some backset, the added acidity seems to help get those starches out for conversion, and also gets you in the right pH range for the enzymes. I've also used citric acid for pH adjustment, but the backset seems to work much better.