Replace flaked maize with grits?

[RobertHSmith]

Has anyone used grits when brewing?

I imagine I'd just cereal mash them right?

[siwelwerd]

I would think you could get by just tossing instant grits in the mash tun. Others would need a cereal mash. You're probably asking for a stuck sparge though, is my guess.

[Witch Doctor Dale]

Yellow or white?

[RobertHSmith]

What's the difference in taste?

I'll probably use yellow cornmeal instead. I was able to do a little research at lunch today and read more than one forum post that suggested using cornmeal over grits, and that if you do use grits, use regular grits. Otherwise you don't get as much corn character.

I'm going to use it in a Mexican style lager. My last one used flaked corn and I was hoping for more corn character than it had.

[Witch Doctor Dale]

Yellow grits have a much stronger corn taste than white grits. My last CAP, I used flaked corn, it has plenty of corn flavor. You could just get some whole corn from Kent and run it thru your mill. Might require 2 grinds, one at a looser setting, followed by a tighter setting. You'll get the germ that way, I believe that is removed from some corn meal.

[JE]

Or run the whole corn roughly through a blender / food processor. Don't do it too long, though...you wouldn't want corn dust!

[SteveO]

Or run the whole corn roughly through a blender / food processor. Don't do it too long, though...you wouldn't want corn dust!

Boom.

[Bob Brews]

I have used grits, polenta, and corn meal. All had fairly good results but the strength of the corn flavor varied. My favorite was the polenta. All were done as part of a decoction where I pulled off some of the thick mash and brought the grain and adjunct to a boil for at least 20 minutes.

You cannot compare these items to flaked corn which normally has already been boiled than dried. Flaked corn can be added to the mash but corn meals need to be done with a cereal mash to free the starches so that the enzymes can do their job.