Kentucky Common

[AdamWiz]

Okay, I've talked about Kentucky Common for too long, and it's time for action. I've completely given up on getting my hands on an example to taste, and I think we all have seen the same basic info on the style: 25% corn, a little black malt for some color, around 4% alcohol, highly carbonated, partial sour mash or Lacto added to ferment. I am still not confident enough to do the sour mash, so I'll be going the lacto route ( I know some of you will say that it is questionable whether this style was in fact sour, but mine is going to be a bit sour. The idea of some tartness was what got me intrigued by this style in the first place). I have come up with a basic recipe I think I'll use, any comments are appreciated. Also, anyone who has drank or brewed this style, please give whatever notes you may have.
-3 lb., 10 oz. Golden Light DME
-1 lb., 6 oz. flaked maize
-6 oz. crystal 60L
-5 oz. chocolate malt
-4 oz. light brown sugar

-.75 oz. Cluster hops for 60 min.
-.25 oz. Cluster hops for 15 min.
-.50 oz. Fuggles hops for 5 min.

[pythoner]

If you want to convert the corn, you will need some base malt in there too. I would also do a cereal mash too

[AdamWiz]

If you want to convert the corn, you will need some base malt in there too. I would also do a cereal mash too

I see - I have not used corn much, and was unaware that steeping wouldn't cut it. You'll have to explain a cereal mash for me, I have never done all grain - only extract and "mini-mash" type stuff. I only have the capacity to do about 4 pounds of grain at a time, the rest I use extracts for. Can I just cut down on the DME and add a couple pounds of 2-row and do a partial mash? I am starting to think I'm not going to be satisfield with just extract brewing for very long. I mean, I can make good beer with extract, but I want to be able to expand my pallette of grains I can use.

[Travisty]

Since you're using flaked maize, a partial mash with a couple pounds of 2-row will work just fine.

[AdamWiz]

I know I've read this before, but someone humor me and explain again why corn needs base malt present to convert? I'm still a bit uneducated when it comes to the scientific part of brewing. I've just kind of jumped in and learned by doing. Hopefully being on this forum will lead to me having some better technical knowledge.

PS - I am starting to think that I'll go the "cheater" way and just bottle with some lactic acid. My thinking is that I just want a tiny sour edge to the beer - I don't really need a whole lot of depth or complexity to the sourness.(plus I read this style of beer was usually served fairly young and fresh, usually on draft-The hint of sour may have just been from poor sanitation of whatever the beer was stored or fermented in at that time) Who out there has bottled with Lactic acid? How much should I use in 5 gallons for some just noticable tartness?

[Henning1966]

Here start reading or better yet buy the book from the bn store. http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/index.html

[dmtaylor]

Corn has no enzymes, that's why you need to mash it with base malt. Alternatively, this is the same reason that in South America, not having any malt, they brew chicha by chewing the corn and spitting it out into the fermenter. That's right -- chicha is made of fermented corn & saliva. But I digress...

Don't fear the wild fermentation. You can develop some really nice Lacto character by throwing a handful of raw grain into your fermenter. Cheap and easy. Just be sure not to reuse any plastic or rubber equipment that comes into contact with the Lacto -- it's permanently contaminated after Lacto infestation. I know this from experience.

[AdamWiz]

So I did some calculations on hopville's calculator, and I think I'll cut the DME down to about 2.5 pounds, and add 2 pounds of 2-row pale malt to do a partial mash with. Sound good?