The role of maize in the brewing sector

Did you know that corn is increasingly used in the brewing of many beers?

Surely, if you look at the usual ingredients in beer, you will think that corn is not among them.

Traditionally, beer is brewed with hops, water, yeast and malt, and the process is the result of germinating cereal grains and subjecting them to a drying or roasting process. The most commonly used cereal is barley, but other cereals, such as maize or rice, are often incorporated.

In fact, corn is one of the most commonly used ingredients as an additional element in beer brewing, both in Europe and America.

The purpose of incorporating maize into beer is to increase the proportion of carbohydrates in the brewing wort in relation to proteins and, with them, to obtain beers with milder organoleptic characteristics.

If corn is used in a proportion of 20% of the recipe, it does not have much influence on the taste, unless you are an advanced taster, then you will notice a slightly different but subtle taste and a particular sweetness.

What the use of corn does give at first glance is a lighter bodied feel and a lighter, more golden colour than beers brewed with 100% barley.

Corn can be incorporated directly into the mash in the form of flakes, but can also be included as grits or in syrup.

In the case of Dacsa Group, it offers corn grits for the brewing industry. A semolina obtained by grinding maize semi-wet without the addition of colouring agents or preservatives.

In addition, all the maize used in Dacsa Group has the non-GMO certificate, which means that the maize has not been genetically modified and complies with all the requirements of European legislation, which means that it has all the guarantees required by the consumer.

As we have seen, nowadays, both master brewers and large beer brands are increasingly using this type of brewing grits in the preparation of their beers, as they help to create a unique recipe with a characteristic flavour that the end consumer enjoys more.