2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

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BoomTown
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2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

Checking the effectiveness of my ingredients :

2 lbs Tractor Supply’s cracked corn
4 Liters water
1 tsp Hi-Temp Amylase enzyme added at 180°F
Held at temp for 2 hrs, dropping to 100°F after 24hrs
_______________

OSG = 1.032
************************


2 lbs soft White wheat, crushed
4 Liters water
1 tsp Hi-Temp Amylase enzyme added at 180°F
1 tsp Hi-Temp Amylase enzyme added at 180°F
Held at temp for 2 hrs, dropping to 100°F after 24hrs
____________________
OSG = 1.045

Is this normal? High value? Low value?
I was hoping to reach an OSG of 1.065. Any suggestions?

Anyone get any comparable results?

Will do a Blue Corn test this weekend…stay tuned…
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Bradster68
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Bradster68 »

Ii run my cracked corn through a mill to get better conversion.( I go twice through cause I'm ocd) And my HT enzyme I believe is an alpha enzyme.

Is the wheat malted? If so your denaturing at that temp.
Don't go any higher than 145 if malted, then at about 135 add some gluco enzyme.
You may also find letting it sit longer at that temp will give better conversion.

I'm very new at AG,so maybe someone else will chime in
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Sporacle »

I would say that is pretty indicative of the difference between cracked corn and milled grain using the same techniques.
Cracked corn as Bradster said will benefit from milling.
Personally I add boiling water to my cracked corn in two lots into an esky and stir with a power drill that is on a jig that goes through the lid, add my enzymes at the correct temp and continue the stirring.
Cracked corn takes a bit of gelatinising

Edit. I'm not commenting on the SG of the two ferments, just the difference between them.
Both should be higher
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by subbrew »

That seems a bit low on the wheat but it will depend on the crush. If it is still chunky then that is about right. the crush makes all the difference on your conversion efficiency. I grind my corn to a course cornmeal and the barley and wheat get run twice through a roller mill set at 12 hundreds.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Deplorable »

+1 to the above.
Mill the cracked corn and you'll get higher yields. Probably closer to 1.053.

I dont have the best brew house efficiency, but I routinely get 1.058 to 1.062 at 2.3 pounds per gallon using TSC corn, Alpha and gluco amylase, and malted grains.
If Im making a malt whiskey, I can reduce the amount of grain to water to just under 2#/G and hit 1.068 consistently.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by still_stirrin »

Boomtown,

I suggest doing an iodine starch conversion test before assuming you’re done with the mash. Sometimes, they may convert slow, especially if the pH is not right for the respective enzymes. You should hold the saccharification temperature until the iodine check says you’re converted.

Also, if you have malted barley to help with the mash enzymes, the barley malt enzymes will have denatured at temperatures above 155*F, or so. And you’ll actually want it cooler than that before adding the malt, ie - around 148 to 150*F.

Milling cracked corn will help with the extraction as well as speed up the process. And I’d also agree that the extract you got for ground white wheat (not malted wheat) is good. If it was malted, you might get a little more extract out of it, but not a lot more (1.052 +/-).

If you don’t know about the iodine check, here’s a youtube link:
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by shadylane »

BoomTown wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:52 pm Checking the effectiveness of my ingredients :

2 lbs Tractor Supply’s cracked corn
OSG = 1.032


2 lbs soft White wheat, crushed
OSG = 1.045

Is this normal? High value? Low value?
Corn didn't gel enough.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by squigglefunk »

Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:50 pm +1 to the above.
Mill the cracked corn and you'll get higher yields. Probably closer to 1.053.

I dont have the best brew house efficiency, but I routinely get 1.058 to 1.062 at 2.3 pounds per gallon using TSC corn, Alpha and gluco amylase, and malted grains.
If Im making a malt whiskey, I can reduce the amount of grain to water to just under 2#/G and hit 1.068 consistently.
wow, I always thought I was not getting good conversion :shock:

I might have to rethink that... that "fine cracked corn" I get from the feed mill gets me to 1.062 at around 2 lbs per gallon on the "easy mash" method with enzymes, so I guess I am not doing too bad

I was probably more like 1.5lbs per gallon when I used the angel yeast yellow cake nuclear mutant mothra blend and got slightly stronger results :clap:
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Soft batch »

in both cases he never used Gluco Amylase or malted grains, only Alpha.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Bradster68 »

nuclear mutant mothra blend. Lmao.
That sounds as though it would ferment anything. :lol: :lol:
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Bradster68 »

Soft batch wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 7:53 am in both cases he never used Gluco Amylase or malted grains, only Alpha.
I always use both now. And am getting around 1.06 to 1.065
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Soft batch »

When doing an all grain batch, I always grind the cracked corn again to a cornmeal consistency. I have found other brands of cracked corn have better yields than Tractor Supply - maybe the strain of corn they are buying?

I steam cook the corn for 90-120 minutes (sometimes with some malted barley - HBB), then add the HTA. I let this cool (depending on other grains used) before adding flavoring grains, then add malted barley AND Gluco Amylase when it hits 150. I tend to use a bit more water than the recipe calls for - for ease of cooking and ensuring enough liquid to properly run the stripping run. Having more liquid thereby lowers the SG, typically around 1.06.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Bradster68 »

Soft batch wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:25 am When doing an all grain batch, I always grind the cracked corn again to a cornmeal consistency. I have found other brands of cracked corn have better yields than Tractor Supply - maybe the strain of corn they are buying?

I steam cook the corn for 90-120 minutes (sometimes with some malted barley - HBB), then add the HTA. I let this cool (depending on other grains used) before adding flavoring grains, then add malted barley AND Gluco Amylase when it hits 150. I tend to use a bit more water than the recipe calls for - for ease of cooking and ensuring enough liquid to properly run the stripping run. Having more liquid thereby lowers the SG, typically around 1.06.
Is 150 a little hot for gluco? I'm thinking 130 to 135.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

Soft batch wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:25 am. I have found other brands of cracked corn have better yields than Tractor Supply - maybe the strain of corn they are buying?
Interesting comment about corn. I’ve used TS corn mainly because TS was available. Living in the DC Metro area, sources for grains have been a problem. Can you suggest a different vender for corn? I’ve found the local Home Beer supply stores tend to have too high pricing, and small packaging. I like to buy 25lbs or more when I buy. Just asking….
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

Bradster68 wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:39 pm
Soft batch wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 7:53 am in both cases he never used Gluco Amylase or malted grains, only Alpha.
I always use both now. And am getting around 1.06 to 1.065
When I do a whole mash it’s typically 11 lbs of combined Corn, Wheat and M Barley. These 2lb tests are to evaluate only the yield value of the corn and wheat separately. I learned a terrific amount from the posted discussions, many suggestions to maximize the yield that will be adopted in my technique.

As to the Gluco, I’d assumed the Malted Barley I use in my complete recipe picked up the lower temperature enzyme activity. Taking your observation to heart, I ordered some Gluco and will be repeating the 2lb tests to confirm its affectiveness. Thanks for your comments.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:50 pm +1 to the above.
Mill the cracked corn and you'll get higher yields. Probably closer to 1.053.

I dont have the best brew house efficiency, but I routinely get 1.058 to 1.062 at 2.3 pounds per gallon using TSC corn, Alpha and gluco amylase, and malted grains.
If Im making a malt whiskey, I can reduce the amount of grain to water to just under 2#/G and hit 1.068 consistently.
Thanks Deplorable, I just bought a better mill and will introduce that step in my mashing technique. Those increases in yield are hard to ignore! Also will be increasing my corn portions…
Thanks for your observation.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:40 pm That seems a bit low on the wheat but it will depend on the crush. If it is still chunky then that is about right. the crush makes all the difference on your conversion efficiency. I grind my corn to a course cornmeal and the barley and wheat get run twice through a roller mill set at 12 hundreds.
Thanks for the observations. I’ll be trying you approach.
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

still_stirrin wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:09 pm Boomtown,

I suggest doing an iodine starch conversion test before assuming you’re done with the mash. Sometimes, they may convert slow, especially if the pH is not right for the respective enzymes. You should hold the saccharification temperature until the iodine check says you’re converted.

Also, if you have malted barley to help with the mash enzymes, the barley malt enzymes will have denatured at temperatures above 155*F, or so. And you’ll actually want it cooler than that before adding the malt, ie - around 148 to 150*F.

Milling cracked corn will help with the extraction as well as speed up the process. And I’d also agree that the extract you got for ground white wheat (not malted wheat) is good. If it was malted, you might get a little more extract out of it, but not a lot more (1.052 +/-).

If you don’t know about the iodine check, here’s a youtube link:
ss
I’ll do the iodine checks, thanks. BTW - I tried to follow the 4 links at the bottom of your posting, and they didn’t resolve to produce anything, are the still active?
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by BoomTown »

Great guidance from all, thankyou very much.

Just to clear up a couple questions floating about my 2lbs of TS Cracked Corn test. I normally mash a recipe of 7lbs TS Cracked corn, 3lbs of coarsely ground White Wheat, both doused with boiling water (5 gallons). Hi-Temp Amylase (2tsp), stirred with a drill mounted drywall mixer every 15 minutes, poured between buckets 4 times after temperature drops to 165°F, then 2lbs 6-row Rhar Malted Barley stirred in. The Fermenter is then suspended in a 80°F heated bathroom for 12 to 24 hours. When Mash Temperature drops below 110°F, Specific Gravity should be 1.065. It’s not gotten to 1.065 for a few cycle, so I’ve added simple syrup into the mash to boost it to 1.065.

The objective of the 2lb test was to ascertain why SG had stopped before it reached 1.065. Was it simply a matter of inferior grain product? Poor technique? Bad enzymes? Lax Temperature control?

Thanks to the many comments about the 2lbs Tests, I’ll be a lot more disciplined in my technique, and introduce the regrinding of the cracked corn. Also ordered some Glucoamylase, intending to add 1tsp along with the malted barleys

1 Liter of bottom settling from previous Ferments (Dunder?) is added as yeast. Usually ferment dry (SG 1.000) in four days
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Re: 2lbs Tractor Supply cracked corn mash

Post by Homer John51 »

In regard to where you can find other sources for grain a little bit outside the beltway in Virginia The county coops have rolled oats fine, cracked corn animal feeds so no pest asides or treatments . And affordable prices. Most of it comes in 50 or 100 pound bags. The further west in to farm country the better. Also there is a malting company in Charlottesville they carry a wide variety of malted grains
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