The Mexican Corn Ale recipe:
- Color: Pale straw (6.3 EBC)
- Alcohol: ~4.6% (depending on efficiency)
- Quantity: 20 L
- Bitterness: Low (19.4 IBU)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Brew time: 5 hours
Ingredients :
- 2,75 kg Pilsner Malt
- 1,30 kg Corn Flakes
- 0,20 kg Carapils Malt
- 60 g Motueka Hops (Off‑flame: 20 min at 90 °C)
- 1 packet WHC Hornindal Kveik
- Total water volume: 31.8 L (15 L mash water + 16.8 L sparge water)
Step 1 :
In your brewing kettle, heat 15 L of water to 70 °C and add the crushed grains along with the corn flakes.
Stir well to fully soak the grain and break up any lumps against the sides of the kettle.
Mix until you reach 66 °C and hold this temperature for 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 16.8 L of water to 75 °C for sparging.
Brewing in Brew in a Bag? Simply put the entire water volume in the same kettle. And if your kettle is too small, no worries! Fill it as much as possible and add the remaining water just before the boil (after removing the bag).
Step 2 :
If possible, perform a 10‑minute mash‑out at 75 °C.
Step 3 :
Proceed with lautering and sparging.
Step 4 :
Bring your wort to a boil for 60 minutes. No hops are added during the boil to keep the bitterness very soft. Once the boil is finished, turn off the heat:
Add 60 g of Motueka and let it steep for 20 minutes at this temperature.
If you’re using an immersion chiller, don’t forget to place it in the wort during the last 15 minutes of the boil to sterilize it.
Step 5 :
Cool down the wort.
The good news with Kveik is that you don’t need to struggle to cool it very low! Stabilize the wort between 35 °C and 37 °C, transfer it to the fermenter, then pitch the Hornindal yeast.
Original gravity should be around 1.043 (depending on efficiency).
Let it ferment at this tropical temperature (35–37 °C) for one to two weeks.
Rolling Beers tip: Don’t panic if the airlock goes crazy in the first few hours — that’s the signature of Kveik yeasts! Keeping the temperature this high allows Hornindal to express its full aromatic potential without producing off‑flavors.
Final gravity should be around 1.008.
Depending on your equipment, perform a cold crash for a few days to clarify the beer.
Step 6 :
Sterilize (in a bit of water) 7 g/L of sugar for classic bottling.
For the “iso team”, carbonate to a lively, sparkling level (around 2.6 vol. CO₂) to match the style.
Conclusion :
This Mexican Corn Ale recipe is our answer to summer heatwaves and the excitement of the World Cup.
The goal? Recreate the ultra‑refreshing profile of the famous Mexican Lagers, but with a huge technical shortcut thanks to Kveik yeast.
The result: a pale‑straw beer, crystal‑clear, incredibly light and refreshing.
Using corn flakes (over 30% of the recipe!) brings that unique cereal character typical of Mexican beers, while lightening the body for an ultra‑crispy texture.
The aromatic profile is entirely fruit‑forward. New Zealand Motueka, infused exclusively off‑flame, releases beautiful notes of lemon and lime. This “lime zest” character is perfectly supported and amplified by the naturally tropical and fruity esters of the Hornindal strain. A true thirst‑quencher, with extra personality.
Rolling Beers tip: Want your beer ready in time for the group‑stage matches? Ferment in a classic bucket, and after one week transfer the beer into a 20 L Oxebar mini‑keg. You’ll be able to carbonate and serve draft beer in just a few days with a simple SodaStream CO₂ bottle! Follow the guide in our special article.