how much yeast to add

[Saltfisherman]

I found a recipe I want to try it calls for
8.5 lbs of flaked maize
1.5 lbs of malted barley
5 gallons of water

it says to add yeast once the temp drops but does not say how much yeast to add does anyone have any suggestions? and can I use cracked corn instead of flaked maize and get the same results with the same quantity.

[BeverageCommander]

What kind of yeast are you planning on using?

Cracked corn won’t give you the sugar conversion that flaked maize will- Flaked maize has already been partially processed so you can mash with it and pull the sugars out easily-
If you are going to use cracked corn you will need to add sugar and won’t really need to use the malted barley as no conversion (converting starches to sugar) is going to take place.

If you only have cracked corn I would just use the cracked corn and sugar. If you want to do an all grain corn recipe use the flaked maize.

Hope that helps,

[Saltfisherman]

ok so I want to go with the flaked maize to get an all grain recipe, Im also thinking about using rye as part of the mixture can I add that to this recipe and how much should I add? and as for yeast im using Fleishmanns bread yeast.

[BeverageCommander]

The rye will add a nice flavor- I’ve used malted rye instead of the malted barley and it came out great.
use two packs of the bread yeast for 5 gallons, I’ve had great results with that method.

[Saltfisherman]

do i need to crush the barley or rye? or can I use whole rye with the flaked maize? if I do need to crush It how should I do that?

[BeverageCommander]

Definitely crush the barley or rye- that is needed.
You can buy it crushed from any home-brew supply store- or you can buy a barley crusher

[Saltfisherman]

ouch that’s expensive is there anyway to make a diy one? or hand crank?

[BeverageCommander]

I started with this one- worked well for years

[Saltfisherman]

so I have a grain crusher now and Ive found a good deal on whole shelled corn and I would like to turn that into flaked maize, can I run the corn through the crusher several times until It comes out to what I would consider the flaked maize?

[Saltfisherman]

if I use cracked corn instead of flaked maize how much sugar do I need to add and can I still use the barley to add a flavor? I cant find any way to make flaked maize online

[Saltfisherman]

ive also read that if I boil the cracked corn for about 2 hrs or until its the thick gel like what the flaked maize and then allow it to cool to the point of adding the malt. does This work the same as flaked maize but just takes longer? will it work?

[Beerdcomb]

I always use flaked maize because lately my time is worth more than the money I spend on it. I’d boil the corn for an hour or two- then cool it to about 152 or so- add the malted barley and let it rest for an hour or so. (try and keep the temp between 148-152) this should give you a pretty good conversion. Let us know how this works- I’ve been interested and will most likely try it this spring when I have more time- for now I’ll be using the flaked as you can just mash with it without having to add the extra step of boiling it to break it down.

Let us know how it works- I’m sure it will be fine.

[Saltfisherman]

im gonna try it this weekend and let you know.

[BeverageCommander]

Please keep us posted!

[Saltfisherman]

I tried boiling the cracked corn this weekend and it worked to an extent I believe if it would have let it boil longer I would have gotten better results but after about 2hrs of boiling I removed the heat to allow it to cool down and in that time just to add to the alcohol content I added 2lbs of sugar per 5 gallons I know its not a true grain alcohol now since I added the sugar but I wanted to make sure I at least had something that would produce, next time im gonna boil longer and not add any sugar. some suggestions is to not add the corn till after the water boils and then make sure to stir it regularly to keep corn from burning to bottom I had very little corn get burnt but I stirred maybe every 5-10 minutes

[BeverageCommander]

Did you add any enzymes to the cracked corn?

[Zymurgy Bob]

Along the lines of Beverage Commander’s question, I’ve tried allgrain corn (with malted barley in some cases) a lot of different ways, and have found it to be too much work (almost) for too little yield. However, when Sherman Owens, whom I’ve know online for maybe 10 years, put this video on utube, while selling the enzymes in hobby-sized quantities, I’ve had great luck, although I’m still improving equipment and process. At this point, I’d never consider going back to the “old” ways. The biggest single issue is absolutely no cooked corn-starch gunk. Here’s the video.

[Author]

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