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Flaked Maize (Corn)
A pre-gelatinised corn adjunct that lightens the body and colour, common in classic American and cream ales.
What Flaked Maize (Corn) is
Flaked maize is pre-cooked corn that can be added to the mash to provide fermentable sugar with very little colour, protein or flavour. It lightens the body of a beer and dries the finish.
It has a long history in American brewing, where it was used to lighten pale lagers, and it is a traditional ingredient in the cream ale. Used judiciously it makes a crisp, refreshing beer rather than a thin one.
Colour and flavour
Colour: 1 degree Lovibond. Malt colour is measured in degrees Lovibond, or the metric EBC, and is a rough guide to flavour intensity as well as to the shade the malt lends the beer.
Flavour and character: Neutral to lightly sweet, lightening body and giving a crisp, dry finish..
How much to use
Typical proportion of the grist: 5 to 25% of the grist. Adjust to taste and to the style you are brewing; the figures here are a starting point, not a rule.
Flaked Maize (Corn) is an adjunct. It is added to the mash alongside husked malt, which keeps the mash flowing, and contributes body or a lighter finish rather than much flavour. It is central to styles such as Cream Ale, where it does much to define the flavour and colour, and it can be used in smaller amounts in many other beers. As with any grain, the right amount depends on the beer you are building, so treat the proportions here as a tested starting point rather than a fixed rule.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Malt type | Adjunct |
| Colour | 1 degree Lovibond |
| Typical proportion | 5 to 25% of the grist |
| Flavour | Neutral to lightly sweet, lightening body and giving a crisp, dry finish. |
Typical published figures; maltsters vary.
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Sources: BJCP Beer Style Guidelines ยท How to Brew (John Palmer), malt reference