Help
I brewed a smoked wheat beer the other day and my efficiency sucked.
It was an all german wheat malt grain bill. About a week before I brewed, I cold smoked the wheat malt with oak.
I did a single infusion mash at 150 degrees in my system that I usually get 70% efficiency. This time my efficiency was 54%.
I did not do a protein rest.
I have done similar style beers with 50% of the grain bill unsmoked wheat malt and have never had a problem with efficiency. I did not do a protein rest on these beers either
When I smoked the beer, I wetted the malt with a spray bottle at the beginning and at several times during the cold smoke. The malt was smoked for just over 2 hours. Since I was using a cold smoke technique, the temperature in the smoker did not go over ambient temperature (high 70's).
Where am I going wrong. Does cold smoking grain affect its diastatic power? How about wetting the grain for smoking? From what I can tell, the wheat malt should have enough diastatic power to convert, but do I need to throw some pilsner or 2 row malt in with it?
Any help is appreciated.
I brewed a smoked wheat beer the other day and my efficiency sucked.
It was an all german wheat malt grain bill. About a week before I brewed, I cold smoked the wheat malt with oak.
I did a single infusion mash at 150 degrees in my system that I usually get 70% efficiency. This time my efficiency was 54%.
I did not do a protein rest.
I have done similar style beers with 50% of the grain bill unsmoked wheat malt and have never had a problem with efficiency. I did not do a protein rest on these beers either
When I smoked the beer, I wetted the malt with a spray bottle at the beginning and at several times during the cold smoke. The malt was smoked for just over 2 hours. Since I was using a cold smoke technique, the temperature in the smoker did not go over ambient temperature (high 70's).
Where am I going wrong. Does cold smoking grain affect its diastatic power? How about wetting the grain for smoking? From what I can tell, the wheat malt should have enough diastatic power to convert, but do I need to throw some pilsner or 2 row malt in with it?
Any help is appreciated.
