Brewing a ryePA

[brew4allMI]

Brewing a ryePA tomorrow any pointers of what to expect?

 

[CCericola]

A good time and a delicious beer. You may want to get some rice hulls depending on how much rye you're using to help avoid a stuck sparge.

 

[brew4allMI]

A good time and a delicious beer. You may want to get some rice hulls depending on how much rye you're using to help avoid a stuck sparge.

I am using one lb flaked rye and one lb rye malt as well as some other base malts and specialty grains. Doing a partial mash, rice hulls just help the sugars from the rye filter into the wort?

 

[CCericola]

I am using one lb flaked rye and one lb rye malt as well as some other base malts and specialty grains. Doing a partial mash, rice hulls just help the sugars from the rye filter into the wort?

It helps prevent the rye (or other grains like wheat) from clogging up the sparge. If you're not sparging, you've got nothing to fear.

 

[brew4allMI]

It helps prevent the rye (or other grains like wheat) from clogging up the sparge. If you're not sparging, you've got nothing to fear.

I plan on using about 1 gallon of water at 170 degrees to sparge..I am somewhat new to partial mashing, how much rice hulls would someone use?

 

[CCericola]

I plan on using about 1 gallon of water at 170 degrees to sparge..I am somewhat new to partial mashing, how much rice hulls would someone use?

You said you're using two pounds of rye? One pound is probably enough, two if you want to feel super-safe. I did a rye pale-ale with 3lbs of rye (1.5 flaked, 1.5 malted) and only used one pound of rice hulls and had no issue.

 

[brew4allMI]

Well I mashed the grains at 154 for 45 minutes and used 1 gal of 170 degree water to sparge. The sparge didn't go so well. The sparge water was nearly clogged in the grain bag is this because the rice hulls were not used. Would I have better sparge if I happen to use them?

 

[shawnbou]

Well I mashed the grains at 154 for 45 minutes and used 1 gal of 170 degree water to sparge. The sparge didn't go so well. The sparge water was nearly clogged in the grain bag is this because the rice hulls were not used. Would I have better sparge if I happen to use them?

Yep, that's exactly what they would prevent in the future.

I use at least a half pound of rice hulls in most of my AG batches. I've never used them in a partial mash, but 1 lb sounds like an awful lot for a partial mash with 2 lbs of rye. 1 lb of rice hulls is enough for an 11-lb AG batch with 5.5 lbs of wheat. It wouldn't hurt anything to use extra, but it'd be a bit wasteful (granted, rice hulls are dirt cheap so do whatever you like ...)