Solid Adjuncts – Grits Flashcards
What are grits?
Coarse milled fragments of starchy endosperm produced from cereal grains
Common grains used for grits include maize (corn), sorghum, and rice.
What happens during the preparation of grits?
The surface layers and embryo are removed, reducing lipid, ash, and fibre content.
What are the valuable co-products of maize grit production?
- Maize bran
- Germ (embryo)
What is maize bran typically used for?
Animal feed.
What can the germ (embryo) of maize be processed into?
- Vegetable oil
- Animal feed
- Ingredients for the food and cosmetic industry.
How are endosperm grits separated?
By particle size through sieving.
What is the size range of smaller grits used in brewing?
0.3 to 1.5 mm.
What is the process to make refined maize grits?
Steeping grits for 30 to 40 hours, then separating and washing the starch several times.
What is the average grain size of refined maize grits?
0.5 mm.
What effect does smaller grit particle size have on beer?
Increases formation of stale beer flavour precursors.
What are rice grits?
Broken grains of rice that are too small for food, typically less than 2 mm in size.
Why do some breweries avoid using grits made from broken grains?
They prefer whole grains that must be polished two weeks before use to avoid rancid off-flavour.
What is double mashing in brewing?
A type of mashing where starch is gelatinised through pre-cooking before conversion into fermentable sugars.
Why are grits generally cheaper than malt?
They require additional equipment such as a cereal cooker and dedicated silos.
Which type of grits is currently the most costly and why?
Rice grits, due to high demand for rice as food.
What risk is associated with the residual lipid content in stored grits?
It oxidises in the presence of oxygen, causing rancidity.
What is the next adjunct mentioned that is a by-product of grit production?
Flour.
