The world of craft brewing has exponentially grown in the past few decades. New flavors of beer have been created all over the world. Due to modern manufacturing and distribution methods, these small-batch beverages can be shared directly with consumers with less overhead. After the success of moonshine and corn whiskey, the natural progression was to experiment with corn beer, also known as corn lager. Although its roots are from Peru, you can now get corn beer at local Seattle breweries!
What Is a Corn Lager?
Put simply, this type of lager is a beer made from corn (maize). Corn is a relative of the grass family. It's the largest grown crop in the United States due to its ability to produce a high yield. America produces half of the world's corn, followed by China, Mexico, and South America. Considering corn is a staple in many parts of the world, it makes sense that the corn grain would eventually make its way to fermentation and, namely, alcohol production.
Corn as the main ingredient in beer creates a pale ale. The use of corn to produce beer continues to be a controversial topic, and yet corn has historical roots when it comes to producing alcohol. Corn's ancestry in United States beer brewing runs deep. It's one of the most traditional ingredients used to brew alcohol, as it was one of the few grains widely available in the world back in the 1800s.
The History of Corn Beer
Corn beer has ancient South American roots with pre-Incan origins. A commonly known corn beer from that area is called Chicha, which is served in the Andes region. You can still find corn beer today in South America, especially in Peru. Corn beer was originally brewed by women in the Wari culture, back in 600-1000 A.D. In Mexico, a corn beer known as Tesguino is made by the Tarahumara culture and is popular at festivals. Known to be a sacred beverage, it also serves as a tonic for healing.
In the late 1700s, a man named John Boston created the first corn beer in Australia. The famous Peroni and Nastro Azzuro Italian beers also include corn as a main ingredient. KEO beer from Cypress, Greece, is made with maize. Corn has also been used to create ales in Europe, including Belgium, England, and Germany. There are published corn beer recipes dating back to the late 1800s.
How Is Corn Beer Made?
There are a variety of ways to use corn in a beer recipe. The first thing to know about brewing with corn is that different forms of corn can be used, including cornmeal, corn grits, malted corn, flaked corn, popcorn, corn sugar, and other types of fermented corn.
The most easily incorporated types of corn include cornmeal, flaked corn, and corn sugar. Depending on the type of corn used, the beer's body, clarity, and flavor can be significantly impacted.
The second thing to know about brewing with corn is that the type of corn that's used directly impacts the method that's used to brew the lager. For instance, the infamous Chicha beer uses a very unconventional method. The corn is chewed by humans and spit into a pot that is then fermented. Human saliva contains enzymes that convert the corn's starch into sugar, which then forms the mash. When looking at other types of corn, malted corn is sprouted and dried. Popcorn is crushed into small pieces before being mixed into a brewing mash.
The final thing to know about brewing with corn is that corn can be used in two forms: as a source of sugar and as a source of starch. Corn is a commonly used ingredient for beer around the world and can make up to 20% of the grain mix. Corn grits are often used the most in mass production in North America, and it's used as a source of sugar.
The Controversy of Corn
When corn became widely reported as an ingredient in beer, this stirred up controversy. The myth was that corn was being used as an "adjunct" grain (supplemental grain) purely as a cost-saving measure. Bud Light went to war with Miller Light and Coors Light in a series of Super Bowl ads in 2019, using medieval-themed commercials to poke fun at commercial beer manufacturers' usage of corn syrup.
However, the corn syrup implication insinuates that harmful high-fructose corn syrup is being used. However, this is not the same type of corn syrup used in beer production. Many commercial and small brewers use beer-making corn syrup, and this has been used in beer processing for hundreds of years.
In addition, small breweries have reported that corn can often be more expensive than other ingredients. There has been a rise in corn use in beers in Michigan-based breweries over the years. They have proudly proclaimed that corn is responsible for creating super-light bodies and coloring, using natural sugars and sweetness.
How Does Corn Beer Taste?
For most types of corn beer, the amount of corn used is limited to 30% of the total grain mix. Otherwise, too much corn can create cider-like flavors or risk producing a hazy-looking beer with less clarity. Over the years, corn has been used as a major ingredient in North American lagers to create a very light body.
Some lagers may give off a corn flavor and not have any corn in them. The problem is often due to a chemical compound known as DMS (dimethyl sulfide) that occurs with light lagers. The cause is a flaw in processing. Beer produced with corn is not expected to
taste like corn.
Often today, corn is used to create dry flavors in alcohol. However, when brewed properly, corn can have a positive impact on many aspects of beer. Corn usually imparts a neutral sweet note upfront, with a dry flavor in the finish. Corn can also add a sweet smoothness and create clear and pale beers with fewer calories, as well as lighten flavors. For these reasons, corn is often used in light and cream-style lagers.
Where Is Corn Beer Produced?
Corn beer is produced in many areas of the United States. Traditionally, barley was the main grain used in beer. However, adjunct grains are making a step up in the world. Now, most of the world's beer contains some amount of corn in the grain mix. Grains like rice, rye, corn, wheat, and oats create lighter beers which are critical for pale lagers. In addition, small-batch producers have become more creative and are experimenting with body and taste.
Corn beer has also encountered an uptick in home brewing recently. Many recipes allow how brewers to create pilsners, cervezas, and pale ales. Although a bit more tricky in the fermentation stage, corn allows small craft batches to create a pale brew at home with a healthy level of experimentation.
Does the idea of corn beer pique your interest? Check out Lowercase Brewing! One of the coolest Seattle breweries, we pride ourselves on serving the best beer in the area. We have rotating beers on tap year-round and seasonal flavors. Winners of the 2021 Great American Beer Festival medal and 2 Washington beer awards, we're proud of our offerings and would love to serve you up some amazing brew!
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