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**Revvy** · 10-28-2009, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayaBrew

Nice to see that even one of the "pros" on HBT looking for advice. I've gotten a lot of good tips from you, Pol. I used 8oz of rice hulls in a recent Oatmeal Stout and Bier Muncher's Wit, and I like the results. Like Revvy said, keeps the mash nice and loose. I wetted mine good before adding to the mash to compensate for absorption, but honestly they didn't take on much water, and I doubt they took away too much heat. Good luck!

I'm surprised people go through all the other ritual with them...like soaking or reheating them...Interesting to see...

A fun tidbit...Papa Charlie Papazain on within the last year discovered rice hulls and started using them...so even an old dawg can learn new trick.

KayaBrew · 10-28-2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

I plan to brew another lager in a couple weeks... some HBTers were nice enough to send me some rice hulls today after witnessing my issue during my brewcast.

It really baffles me... NEVER had this problem before and on my MO based O-Fest and now this Pils based pilsner, I am having this sticking issue.

I really want to be able to flow at 2-3qts per minute if at all possible.

My crush was at .035", which is really reasonable.

I wonder if it's an MO thing. When I dough in MO, I get a lot more clumps and doughballs as opposed to American 2-row run through the same mill. Anyone else have MO issues?

The Pol · 10-28-2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayaBrew

Nice to see that even one of the "pros" on HBT looking for advice. I've gotten a lot of good tips from you, Pol. I used 8oz of rice hulls in a recent Oatmeal Stout and Bier Muncher's Wit, and I like the results. Like Revvy said, keeps the mash nice and loose. I wetted mine good before adding to the mash to compensate for absorption, but honestly they didn't take on much water, and I doubt they took away too much heat. Good luck!

Ha ha you crack me up.

You know I brewed my Hefeweizen this summer with no hulls and no problems. Now I cannot brew a Pils without getting a stuck recirc. Makes no sense to me, but I will gladly use hulls so that I can speed my recirc. since that is what the performance of my system is predicated on. I will use them in a brewcast in 2 weeks time. Just you see.

The Pol · 10-28-2009, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayaBrew

I wonder if it's an MO thing. When I dough in MO, I get a lot more clumps and doughballs as opposed to American 2-row run through the same mill. Anyone else have MO issues?

I know MO is sticky, but that one didnt stick as bad as this Pils based brew! AND I milled coarser this time. What gives!

KayaBrew · 10-28-2009, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

Ha ha you crack me up.

You know I brewed my Hefeweizen this summer with no hulls and no problems. Now I cannot brew a Pils without getting a stuck recirc. Makes no sense to me, but I will gladly use hulls so that I can speed my recirc. since that is what the performance of my system is predicated on. I will use them in a brewcast in 2 weeks time. Just you see.

I give credit where credit is due. Now stop making me type so's I can pull another IPA...

beerocd · 10-28-2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

I know MO is sticky, but that one didnt stick as bad as this Pils based brew! AND I milled coarser this time. What gives!

The camera was on.

-OCD

Catt22 · 10-28-2009, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revvy

I take a handful or two and add them to my grain then sort of hand toss them like a salad. The guys who host Craftbrewer Radio out of Australia lay it as a filter bed on top of the false bottom of their herms though...I don't quite get what their purpose doing it is...I have always thought of rice hulls like bran in our colon....it keeps everything loose.

Layering the rice hulls over the false bottom is the wrong way to use them. You are correct they are supposed to be mixed into the mash to help keep it loose and the grain in suspension. I too at first thought that it would be best to cover the false bottom with the rice hulls. Problem is, a lot of them go right through the perforations and they plugged things up at the hose connections when pumping for the recirc.

Rinsing is advised as they do contain a lot of dust which will go right into the boil and could cause problems with clarity and tannins, although I've used them without rinsing and had no issues.

The exact amout to use is not critical, so long as you use enough to do the job. A few big double handfuls was my measure for a 6 gallon batch. I think you could use a lot more than that without causing problems.

I did not compensate for absorption as I figured the rinsing would take care of that and I ignored the thermal mass issus too. Seemed to make no difference in hitting my strike temperatures.

I no longer use rice hulls as I've learned to mill the grain so the husks produce a good filter bed. I might use them again if the grain bill had a high percentage of wheat or a gummy adjunct of some kind. I do keep some on hand for emergencies just in case.

The Pol · 10-28-2009, 03:06 AM

Well, Id prefer not to use them, but my mill setting which allowed me to brew a hefe with no problem and no rice hulls... is now giving me stuck recircs while using pils malt.

Sooooo, obviously my mill is not the issue here. Been using the same setting for 8 months on it and today was the first time I had a problem. I cannot afford to have problems.

Catt22 · 10-28-2009, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

Well, Id prefer not to use them, but my mill setting which allowed me to brew a hefe with no problem and no rice hulls... is now giving me stuck recircs while using pils malt.

Sooooo, obviously my mill is not the issue here. Been using the same setting for 8 months on it and today was the first time I had a problem. I cannot afford to have problems.

IIRC, you were having some kind of a problem with your mill and had to exchange it for a new one. Maybe the mill is operating a little differently without the loose pin or whatever it was. I prefer not to use rice hulls too, but i'm not at all sure why.

Scut_Monkey · 10-28-2009, 04:57 AM

Pol,

Like I mentioned during the brewcast I use 4 oz for a 5 gallon batch (10pound grain bill). I have used more than this and on my last batch I used a pound as it was a pumpkin mash batch. If I were using a pump I think I would up this amount slightly to account for the extra tendency to stick with a pump.

Also, try checking this out, just something to think about.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/paint-strainer-bag-mash-tun-good-idea-132893/