Corn Syrup

Comments

• Pa_bon

  2 October 2017 07:53PM

  Didn't know there was a part of the world where you couldn't get corn. See how much I know. Interesting.
• grim

  2 October 2017 08:38PM edited October 2017

  If you can ferment and distill sorghum syrup and call it whiskey, I don’t know why you can’t do the same with corn syrup.

  There are corn syrup grades that might be more useful for distilling. For example, high maltose corn syrup, which is probably the most ideal as fermentability is going to be maximal compared to the high fructose variants, which will probably stick like hell.
• DonMateo

  2 October 2017 08:43PM

  I read in a whiskey book it used to be called thin wash. I would do it here in Argentina but corn is cheap and corn syrup is not so cheap. But probably easier to use.
• squeakyclean

  3 October 2017 03:08PM

  @Pa_bon said: Didn't know there was a part of the world where you couldn't get corn. See how much I know. Interesting.

  Not just exotic islands, even in Europe it's quite difficult to get corn that's good (and cheap!) enough to make whisky... Then again barley and wheat are abundant.
• grim

  3 October 2017 04:49PM edited October 2017

  Suspect the better corn syrups are going to be just as difficult to source. Likely only in bulk, importing IBC totes to keep it cost effective.
• grim

  3 October 2017 04:53PM edited October 2017

  Or just import cornmeal - which is very easy to source. I would imagine most bulk ingredient importers on the island can get it in 50lb sacks.
• Fiji_Spirits

  3 October 2017 06:34PM

  Will the hfcs throw a nice flavor?
• grim

  3 October 2017 07:23PM edited October 2017

  Try fermenting with it and let us know, I strongly suspect the high fructose levels will make for a stuck fermentation, worse than a sugar wash, worse than invert sugar.

  You will likely need to use high fructophilic index yeasts, which are primarily wine yeasts that have a sufficient amount of fructose sugar transporters in their cell walls.

  The easiest to find with a high fructophilic index is good ol' EC1118. But also Uvaferm 43, Lalvin C, QA23, etc.

  Probably want to push nutrient up towards the high end, and probably keep it around 7-8% max.

  The combination, however, of highly refined corn sugar, high percentage of fructose, and the need to use primarily wine yeast types, is going to push you further away from a typical whiskey profile. With EC1118 for example, I suspect you'll end up with a very light rummy flavor.
• Nikkate

  22 October 2017 02:44AM

  KARO corn syrup USA FOODs Melbourne.Works a treat.Use 3 16 oz bottles,1 kg liquid malt,12 kgs sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons of bread yeast in 50 ltrs of water.