Using Flaked Maize (aka The Great Cornflake Debate)

[EddtheBrew]

I have used both shop bought corn flakes and flaked maize from a brewing store, its the same stuff essentially. It does add something to the beer. I'm fond of brewing light ale, its not quite the same without. According to my calculations in brewing with both the conversion is identical and I can't taste any difference.

I have a few recipes that use flaked corn/maize and in my experience 5% to 15% is ok. However, Warminster Maltings recommend upto 10% in their malt specification information. I tend to use around 8-10%.

Here is my Light Ale recipe with 9% corn flakes. My dad says its just like Courage Light Ale from the 1960s, but who knows!

OG: 1.037
FG: 1.009
ABV: 3.6%
IBU: 20
EBC: 20
Mash: 67c

1000g Golden Promise 29.9%
700g Maris Otter 20.9%
800g Mild 23.9%
150g Crystal 100 4.5%
300g Flaked Corn 9%
50g De-Husked Caraf III 1.5%
300g Golden Syrup (added to boil) 9%
50g Honey (added to boil) 1.5%

15g Goldings 60 min
15g Goldings 30 min
15g Saaz 15 min

I think I've got a Courage Light Ale record (somewhere) I'll dig it out and add it to the list to be converted and I'll update members as to the grist % etc
Regards,
Edd

 

[IainM]

Anyway whilst we're squabbling about cornflakes / flaked maize, how come folk have no qualms about using breakfast oats instead of those from homebrew outlets? Because they are exactly the same thing... can't understand why the penny is still teetering on the edge re maize!

Ingredients for ASDA smart price oats:
Rolled oats

Ingredients for ASDA smart price corn flakes:
Maize (94%), Sugar, Malted Barley Extract, Salt, Emulsifier (Lecithins), Vitamin and Mineral Mix [Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron]

See the difference?

 

[EddtheBrew]

Yup , that's why I'd always reccomend that a brewing supply specialist is the 'go to' for adjuncts such as Flaked Cereals etc .
And we haven't even touched on the use of both Rice & Grits in UK beers yet !!

 

[Thumper]

Ingredients for ASDA smart price oats:
Rolled oats

Ingredients for ASDA smart price corn flakes:
Maize (94%), Sugar, Malted Barley Extract, Salt, Emulsifier (Lecithins), Vitamin and Mineral Mix [Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron]

See the difference?

I see your point, but vitamins and sugar are hardly going to hurt the brew, and malt barley extract is positively helpful.

 

[EddtheBrew]

I agree that vitamins , minerals et al, are useful in brewing.
However, I still stick to my previous statement re suppliers as it's important to have the best ingredients possible, and you'll only get them by using a brewing specialist , the only ingredient I'd use from a non specialist would be rice .

 

[IainM]

I see your point, but vitamins and sugar are hardly going to hurt the brew, and malt barley extract is positively helpful.

Probably not, but they aren't "exactly the same thing", as Gunge says. He says he can't tell the difference, other people say that they can tell the difference and prefer the 100% corn stuff. I've never used either, so I'm speaking from a position of ignorance and not claiming to have the answer. However, I decided to use the stuff from the brewing shop on the basis that it's cheaper and that the recipe calls for 1kg flaked maize not 940g of flaked maize and 60g of other stuff in unknown proportions coming from a product that isn't supposed to be boiled for an hour and includes lecithins which are basically edible soaps which may affect head retention and some people claim adversely affect the taste.

 

[Gunge]

Ingredients for ASDA smart price oats:
Rolled oats

Ingredients for ASDA smart price corn flakes:
Maize (94%), Sugar, Malted Barley Extract, Salt, Emulsifier (Lecithins), Vitamin and Mineral Mix [Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron]

See the difference?

94% maize and the other 6% is sugar with trace amounts of vitamins and stuff which are probably highly appreciated by yeast... bonus! They amount to ppm or even ppb in our ale and if anyone can detect their presence, they're probably aliens or summat. Ah, first world problems... bickering over cheapo cornflakes - luv it!

 

[Thumper]

Probably not, but they aren't "exactly the same thing", as Gunge says. He says he can't tell the difference, other people say that they can tell the difference and prefer the 100% corn stuff. I've never used either, so I'm speaking from a position of ignorance and not claiming to have the answer. However, I decided to use the stuff from the brewing shop on the basis that it's cheaper and that the recipe calls for 1kg flaked maize not 940g of flaked maize and 60g of other stuff in unknown proportions coming from a product that isn't supposed to be boiled for an hour and includes lecithins which are basically edible soaps which may affect head retention and some people claim adversely affect the taste.

I appreciate your reasons and if I was organised enough to order the stuff way in advance I would probably do the same (for the price if nothing else). But judging by the ingredients I can't see any reason the cornflakes wouldn't work just as well. If I was in a spot, I'd just grab a kilo of cornflakes.

 

[IainM]

If I was in a spot, I'd just grab a kilo of cornflakes.

So would I. I'm not anti-cornflakes. I don't think cornflakes is "wrong" and flaked maize is "right". I was just answering Gunge's questions as to why the "penny is still teetering on the edge re maize", and explaining why I got the brew shop stuff.

 

[Thumper]

Fair enough!

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Anyone tried Sugar Puffs?

 

[ACBEV]

This is all a bit silly! Corn and maize is exactly the same stuff, whether flaked or not. For breakfast corn flakes in the UK vitamins and minerals are added, sugar may be added, depends on brand. Cheaper grades of corn/maize are used for animal feed, this is what's used for brewing too. There is no special brewing corn/maize flakes.

 

[EddtheBrew]

Hi!
Anyone tried Sugar Puffs?

Yup, pretty good with some cow juice first thing in't morn

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
If you replace the flaked maize with Kelloggs Frosties will the resultant beer taste GRRRRRREAT?

 

[EddtheBrew]

Possibly , I wonder how many puns we can get out of this ??

 

[Bigcol49]

Possibly , I wonder how many puns we can get out of this ??

I'm stopping before I annoy someone.

 

[IainM]

You could sub it for lucky charms. The leprechaun might not mind you stealing them if he knew you were making beer.

EDIT: This is totally not based on any Irish stereotypes whatsoever.

 

[Sheepish]

This is all a bit silly! Corn and maize is exactly the same stuff, whether flaked or not. For breakfast corn flakes in the UK vitamins and minerals are added, sugar may be added, depends on brand. Cheaper grades of corn/maize are used for animal feed, this is what's used for brewing too. There is no special brewing corn/maize flakes.

So have you (or anyone else for that matter) actually used animal feed flaked maize for brewing? ...and the result were ok?

...I use animal feed flaked maize for fishing and at £9 for 25kg it’s very cheap compared to HBS flaked maize and cornflakes...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Hi!
If you replace the flaked maize with Kelloggs Frosties will the resultant beer taste GRRRRRREAT?

:clap::laugh:

 

[EddtheBrew]

The reason I stipulate a brewing supply specialist is , that the grade of ingredients must , by law be fit for human consumption and fit for use in cooking.