Soulive
Well-Known Member
If you're using a considerable amount of wheat and/or oats, what else can you do other than adding rice hulls? Are there any alternatives?
What if you don't have rice hulls?
- Thread starter Soulive
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Yeah, nothing at all. I've done 60% wheats without a stuck sparge and you know I grind til it hurts. I know rice hulls are an ounce of prevention but try it..
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Soulive
Well-Known Member
I'm just really nervous about the oats/wheat combo. My crush isn't uber fine or anything, but I've had stuck sparges with less potential...
blacklab
Well-Known Member
I have made several hefes without rice hulls and have had no issues while batch sparging. What's your MLT look like? I have a bullet screen/rubbermaid combo. Not sure what would happen with a false bottom or a braid.
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Soulive
Well-Known Member
I'm pimping the braid in a round cooler. I can handle stuck sparges in the literal sense, but I really don't want to...
- Open your valve only slightly for an ultra slow drain.
- Keep a water hose nearby with a spray nozzle to blast back the drain hose if it begins to stick.
- Keep a supply of rice hulls on hand...better efficiency and narry a worry about slow/stuck sparges...life will be easier.
FlyGuy
Well-Known Member
I know of nothing that is common in the household to replace rice hulls. But a friend who is a pro brewer also recommended oat hulls to me (sorry -- no idea where to get them).
On my batch sparge system (cooler and SS braid), I have done 60% wheat and not had a stuck sparge. If you are doing 50% or less, I bet you will have no problem.
On my batch sparge system (cooler and SS braid), I have done 60% wheat and not had a stuck sparge. If you are doing 50% or less, I bet you will have no problem.
Ryanh1801
Well-Known Member
I would not worry about it. I have never had a problem with a stuck sparge with out rice hulls. Hell I have a bag of them sitting in my brew room that I would give you if you were in Dallas, I see no reason to ever use them again.
Brett0424
Well-Known Member
Yeah if it's a batch sparge it shouldn't be much of an issue. If you're fly sparging then just run a real slow sparge so the grain bed accordions out more and doesn't get all squished up.
You can also do a beta-glucan rest.
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zoebisch01
Well-Known Member
Shoot, now I have a manifold and fly sparge (which is pertinent) and my recent Wit was a lot of raw Wheat and raw Oats. I have learned, protein rest is your friend in those instances. Have never used Rice hulls and have made some very high percentage (well over 50/50) Wheat with no troubles. The worst was the first sour mash I did with a high percentage of raw wheat, and no protein rest....lets just say I think I had a record for sparge time 
ohiobrewtus
Well-Known Member
Even if it does get stuck you could always force some water back in your braid to relieve. I believe that BM had success with this in the past. I don't see it being much of a problem though.
2ndstorey
Well-Known Member
One thing you can do if you don't have rice hulls is to do two shallow mashes. If your grain bed is not very deep it wont compress itself and turn into a rock. Cut your grain bill in half and do it twice. Its more time and work, but hey... I had a stuck sparge ONCE and became a firm believer in rice hulls. If I didn't have them this is what I would do.
meyers.markg
Member
Don't forget the mash out! I've found that's helped w/ my first sparge (I batch sparge).
EvilTOJ
Well-Known Member
Go to the grocery store and in the Mexican Food section buy those dried corn wraps they use for tamales. Wash them thoroughly. Take some scissors and cut the unholy crap out of them until they're in little bits of shredded confetti. You can use that as a substitute for rice hulls when the LHBS is closed on a Sunday at 11 PM.
That said, I always keep a lb of rice hulls onhand, just in case.
That said, I always keep a lb of rice hulls onhand, just in case.
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