Malted Corn in Whiskey

[RobertS]

We had a surplus of malted corn sitting around and tried using it as the corn component in our grain bill to use it up. I just started stripping it today and am worried about how it will turn out. My strip tastes like corn husk. I'm guessing this is not something that will be removed in the head cuts, and have no idea how this flavor will age. Is this a good thing in disguise or have we made a terrible mistake?

[RobertS]

Belated update: We let the spirit sit and air out a bit and it is much more palatable. Still has a character I would call 'corn husk' but in a sorta good way. We've noted those barrels for blending later and are using a couple bags of malted corn in our batches until its used up.

[OFD142014]

Apologies in advance- I haven't any insight to your question but, where are you buying malted corn or, are you malting it yourself?

[Stumpy's]

I believe I saw Pilot Malt House in MI with malted corn at one point. You might give them a try.

[RobertS]

Just double checked, our malted corn is from Pilot Malt House.

[bluestar]

Yup, I figured it was Pilot. We work with them as well, but not for corn. But you should be getting similar results of total alcohol yields from malted versus unmalted corn if you get it fully cooked and converted, but you may get different flavor profiles, depending on how much growth the sprouted grain has undergone. I am not surprised the result is "greener". I have never used malted corn myself. There are other challenges. You still have to cook the corn, to get access to the starch, but this will kill the enzymes. So you will have more unfermentables. And you will have the increased new "green matter". All will result in a different flavor profile.