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urbanmyth · 02-08-2013, 02:17 AM

Just single infusion with a half pound of maltodextrin added to the boil.

**smokinghole** · 02-08-2013, 12:19 PM

The other positive for spelt, at least in my opinion, is it's softer than modern white wheat you'll buy. This factor makes milling it so much easier when you buy it as whole berries. I'm thinking about buying myself a bag of whole spelt from vitaspelt.com and just using it in place of all flaked/raw wheat in any recipe I use. I tend to make a saison and flip flop between rye and spelt at about 25% or a little more of the grist.

My next lambic brew will contain spelt rather than wheat. When I tried to mill the wheat it stopped my drill powered mill like someone engaged the brakes. Spelt mills so much better in my experience. Plus historically it's probably more like the wheat that was used back in the 1400s when that price or king said all brewers in Belgium need to use wheat to improve their beers (from wild brews). So my next lambic I hope to be using a bag of Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pils and raw spelt with a buttload of aged hops.

runs4beer · 02-08-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokinghole

my next lambic I hope to be using a bag of Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pils and raw spelt with a buttload of aged hops.

Have you put any thought into your mash regiment.

I've not used unmalted spelt. I really like the malted thought, I wondered after I bought it if it was worth the extra $25 per sack and if it would have detectable different from malted wheat and it really does. I'd like to hear you thoughts on raw spelt.

**smokinghole** · 02-08-2013, 01:06 PM

I will be doing turbid mash again. My last one was turbid mash and it turned out awesome. It fermented down to about 1.025ish quickly. Then after 8 months it dropped to 1.002. It's funky, sour, has a bit of tannin structure, slightly minerally with a nice citrus character. I am a don't mess with success type of guy.

The difference between malted spelt and raw spelt I cannot comment on. I've only ever used raw or flaked spelt. It has a nutty flavor that is wheat like, and it is different. I suppose too that spelt has different strains and so forth. So where it's grown and everything will have an impact on it's flavor compared to wheat just like any other agricultural product.

**dinnerstick** · 02-08-2013, 02:02 PM

i don't have much to add, except that in the 'traditional' gueuzes there is nothing like any oak character as far as i can tell. not to suggest that you should't do whatever you want

gizmodog51 · 02-08-2013, 02:24 PM

when using spelt would the mash schedule contain a protien rest?

thanx
GD

**lowtones84** · 02-08-2013, 03:50 PM

Thanks for the info, smokinghole. I hope to be brewing this up in a few weeks and I'll be going back down to my old college town where I can get raw spelt berries at a health food store for pretty cheap, so I think I'm gonna go with this plan.

dinnerstick, I know that the traditional gueuzes and lambics don't really have an identifiable oak character (at least I agree with you on that one) but they are fermented in oak casks. Oak gives cellubiose for brett to munch on according to Wild Brews. A small oak dowel in a bung should also allow for just a bit of oxygen since a glass carboy lets in virtually none.

gizmodog, I'm not really sure. I used a small amount in a saison once and I actually used a cereal mash before the main mash, but I don't think that's even necessary. I believe normal mashing temps will gelatinize spelt. I didn't do a protein rest then but I'm not saying you shouldn't. Hopefully smokinghole will chime in.

Thanks for the input everybody!

**smokinghole** · 02-09-2013, 11:15 AM

I do a step mash for my saisons when I use spelt or any other cereal grain. With a turbid mash there is a protein rest temp built into the mash steps. So one way or another I am doing a protein rest. When I do step mashes I do a mix of infusions and decoction. I do decoctions on beers with Brett for sure. I think it helps retain some body and mouthfeel.

Think about it, turbid mash is a complex hybrid of infusion and decoction, if you ask me at least.

gizmodog51 · 02-09-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokinghole

I do a step mash for my saisons when I use spelt or any other cereal grain. With a turbid mash there is a protein rest temp built into the mash steps. So one way or another I am doing a protein rest. When I do step mashes I do a mix of infusions and decoction. I do decoctions on beers with Brett for sure. I think it helps retain some body and mouthfeel.

Think about it, turbid mash is a complex hybrid of infusion and decoction, if you ask me at least.

thanx for the feelback.........
GD