Flaked corn and rice, stuck mash, need tips

I tried a partial mash recipe the other day using 4 lbs grains, 2 pounds flaked corn and a half pound flaked rice. I mashed it at 152 for 1 hour 45 mins (probably too long), and immediatly was stuck. I have never been stuck. Did I mash the flaked corn and rice too long? It almost looked like oatmeal before I started my sparge.

I increased the mash time due to recent issues with efficiency.

Any tips on using flaked corn and rice would be great!

With only 4 lbs of malt, you're going to need rice hulls. Probably quite a bit.

Rice hulls. At least a half pound, maybe more. Also you can drain slower.

Rice hulls ehh? Is that something most brew shops carry?

Yeah, I can even find them at mine for $4 a pound. I usually only use a couple of handfuls. (That's my actual measurement)

Another thing you might want to look at is your manifold/false bottom. I started out with an 18"x1/2" (maybe 3/8"? standard size, whatever that is) stainless braid from a sink supply line and had stuck sparge after stuck sparge, even using rice hulls. I've since switched to a water heater supply line braid. 18"x1.5" and even with a 60/40 wheat/malt mix I can't get a stuck sparge -- WITHOUT rice hulls. It's a $6 part from Home Depot and it's definitely made my brewing a lot easier.

4 lbs grains

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Is that 2-row or total?

david_42 said:

Is that 2-row or total?

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It was 2-row, and the total. Just doing a partial mash, trying to come up with a light ale for the wifey.

Northern Brewer has Rice hulls for $0.70/lb. Ridiculously cheap, as 3 lbs takes up about as much space as 12 lbs grain.

Rice Hulls!! When in doubt add more!

Rice Hulls and hot water.

How hot was your sparge water? It is best to keep the grain bed at least 160*F, so your sparge water should be at least 170*F. A cool grain bed is a dense grain bed.

Cpt_Kirks said:

Rice Hulls and hot water.

How hot was your sparge water? It is best to keep the grain bed at least 160*F, so your sparge water should be at least 170*F. A cool grain bed is a dense grain bed.

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Captain, I was stuck before the sparge. Then tried thinning it out with sparge water, no luck . I knew I was in trouble when I opened the top and it was about the consistency of oatmeal (not quite, but that's what it reminded me of).

I do sparge at a higher temp. Looks like the common theme is rice hulls, I am on it!

Thanks to all for the replies, love the site. Wish I knew about it long ago!

UPDATE:

I just got done mashing the same recipe...but added 3 large hand fulls of rice hulls. Wow, worked great! No issues at all. Plus, they were only 90 cents a pound.

Thanks again all that helped!

squid,

what type of bottom do you have?

I ask because I use the stainless braid (done about 6-8 all grains) and i plan on using corn and rice for my next batch. I've heard that guys who use the stainless braid don't havfe a lot of problems with getting stuck.

so far it's worked for me and I've done 1 batch 50/50 with 2-row and wheat and another with about 45/45/10 % for 2-row/wheat/oats

sillyburt said:

squid,

what type of bottom do you have?

I ask because I use the stainless braid (done about 6-8 all grains) and i plan on using corn and rice for my next batch. I've heard that guys who use the stainless braid don't havfe a lot of problems with getting stuck.

so far it's worked for me and I've done 1 batch 50/50 with 2-row and wheat and another with about 45/45/10 % for 2-row/wheat/oats

Click to expand...

Hey Silly, we are neighbors! I have a CPVC manifold. It only has two rows, so probably isn't optimal. The rice hulls fixed my issue though.