Help no rice hulls!

Hi All

I want to make an AG Wit this weekend but Rice hulls don't seem to be available in New Zealand! I've googled all over and have only found other NZ brew forums asking where to get them, but no answers.
Is there an alternative I could use?


Thanks

Muss

Depending on your lautering set-up, you may not need them. My manifold and Igloo cube set-up don't require them, even with 50% raw wheat bills.

The only time I needed rice hulls was when I made a potato beer. Then I needed 2 pounds.

what about juniper branches...or spruce...or just lots clean twigs...

the only purpose is aid lautering, so why does it always need to be rice hulls?

Never needed them with my cooler and braid. What's your system and grain bill? You may not need rice hulls. - Dirk

Right, I have even made recipes with about 10% oats without needind hulls of any sort, and that was with 2 row. I have a manifold system.

So just take it slow, and when you Vorlauf you'll know if your heading for trouble.

If your system does get stuck then perhaps you could use 6-row instead to give a better filter/grain bed.

I've done a AG with over 50% grain with no husk(wheat and rye), and didn't need them with my SS braid.

z987k said:

I've done a AG with over 50% grain with no husk(wheat and rye), and didn't need them with my SS braid.

Click to expand...

+1
I did Biermuncher's Wit (50% 2-row, 50% flaked wheat) and didn't have any problems.

The recipe is pretty much half wheat, half barly grain with a bit of flakes oats in there. I've left the brew magazine at home so can't tell you the exact amounts.

I use a cooler with SS braid. I think it almost stuck when I made a recipe using 20% wheat. When lautering The top of the grain bed looked like smooth mush and at times there was only a trickle of wort coming out the bottom.

In that case it sounds like you'll definitely need something in there to fix the problem. If you use 6 row, that will possibly prevent you from trouble.

2 things that might help. 1 is your braid SS or that cheap plastic stuff that looks like it might be stainless steel when you buy the braided hose?
2, put some "stints" if you will in the braid to keep it from getting crushed by the weight of the grain.

Thanks I'll try those tricks, it's a real SS braid.
I called one of the local brewpubs and was told that rice hulls aren't in the country as all the rice we import is already hulled. He suggested to get a long knife and cut some slits on the grain bed if it gets stuck. I'll use that as a last resort as it will encourage channeling and I assume I'll get a lower efficieny.

Now to top it off I've looked everywhere for unmalted flaked wheat but it doens't seem to be available either!!

I have the options of wheat germ, wheat bran, wholemeal wheat flour, plus plenty of already malted wheat.
I was thinking sice wheat bran is the outside and wheat germ is the inside I could just get equal parts of both and effectively have wheat
The other option is just to use the wholemeal wheat flour, apparetly it's made from the whole wheat grain and it looks rather coarse for flour. I wonder if it's raw or malted...

Has anyone got any suggestions for my new crisis?

Muss, if 6 row is available that will help a lot. That and take the sparge really easy and slow. Make sure you keep the grainbed fluid and don't disturb it once you start the sparge. That's about the best advice I could give. One thing that *might* help is if you physically cover the braid, keeping the weight of the grain off the top, and only allowing the liquid to come through the sides...as far as channeling goes...your guess is as good as mine.

There is no 6 row available either.... The all grain supplies are in a bit of a sorry state here

Anyway I have an idea that is either really brilliant or really stupid.

Wheat is made up of basically 3 things, the husk, the germ and end endosperm.
- The husk is what wheat bran is made out of, which is reasonably coarse.
- The germ is what wheat germ is made out of, which is also coarse.
- The endosperm is what wheat flour is made of, which is very fine.

All three individual products are available on supermarket shelves, what if I just buy all three and add them together?
I figure i could mash the husk and the germ, but not the endosperm as it will just turn to mush.
The endsperm I guess is the part which causes the haze, so maybe I coupld just pour the appropriate amount of whet flour in to the pre boiled wort?

Do you think this would make MacGuyver proud?

If you don't have rice hulls, and need them, try grabbing a few handfuls of 5 row, uncrushed and throw them in right before the sparge. They won't get gummy as long as you don't crush them.

rice hulls are used extensively in pyrotechnics/fireworks building. Any online suppliers of fireworks making equipment should have rice hulls.