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I’m starting to doubt my recipe. Am I adding too much malted grains? What happens if you have to much malt?
Recipe

14 gallon water
15 lb flaked corn

At 150 degrees adding
7 lb 6-row
3 lb malted rye
3 lb malted wheat
2 teaspoon alpha

Was doing reading and saw the 80/20 rule. So now concerned too much malt or not enough corn

Thanks

You can't have "too much" malt, 100% malt is a perfectly fine (and very tasty).

The opposite however is not true, you need enough enzymatic power to convert the available starches.


Here is a good read on that.
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 11&t=69417

I wouldn't bother with the alpha amylase in that recipe. It should do just fine without it.

Excellent thanks all

That grain bill will make you a fine 4-grain bourbon, but you will want a method to handle your corn. The role of an alpha amylase is to break the larger starch chains into small ones for the beta amylase to work on, efficiently. You certainly can't add your malts at corn's gelatinization temp or you'll denature them post haste. Simply exposing corn (even partially-gelatinized flaked corn) to gel temps won't convert it. A high-temp alpha amylase like SebStar HTL will complement your gel temps (180-200F) and will thin your corn out, relieving you from ripping your shoulders out stirring polenta cement. It can also shorten your mash day considerably.

OP is using flaked corn, which should already be gelatinised.

Twisted Brick wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:41 pm Simply exposing corn (even partially-gelatinized flaked corn) to gel temps won't convert it.

You taught me something too TB. I've never used flaked corn but from what I've read I had the understanding that flaked corn was completely "pre-gelatinized". Graw might have had the same impression. Good to know for both of us.

River Rat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:52 pm
You taught me something too TB. I've never used flaked corn but from what I've read I had the understanding that flaked corn was completely "pre-gelatinized". Graw might have had the same impression. Good to know for both of us.

Well, upon review, I think I need to step back a bit. I got ‘steam-rolled’ corn mixed up with flaked. Still_stirrin’ reminds us that flaked is completely gelled and can go straight to saccharification (still needs enzymes to convert, tho) whereas the steam-rolled still needs some cooking to gel. Sorry for the mis-information.

It’s just that after working dozens of corn mashes, getting regular cornmeal to convert is so easy the pre-gelatinized stuff is just not worth cost, IMO.

Now steam rolled corn I have used. Lots of it. Eventually just went to shell corn and grind it up. Rolled corn is nearly triple the price of shell corn around here and it's not worth the cost either in my opinion.

Based on my recent experience (4 corn/malt batches since January), I'd recommend adding malt at 155. When I've done this, each of my batches has settle perfectly at 148. If you put the malt in at 150, it may drop down below 148.

If you have a way of heating without scorching, carry on! I do infusions of hot water to heat, so I'd be bummed if I went to low on the temp! I can cool with my immersion chiller if needed, but heating is a pain.

K

You bring up a good point, kmmuellr. The drop in temp depends on the volume of the mash, or its thermal mass. The larger the mass the less the temp will tend to drop, even over time altyhough I think insulation is always a good thing.

In my 12gal keg mash, adding 7lbs of malt to 18lbs of converted corn drops the temp from 151F to 149F, right where it likes it.