Rice Issues

[Powersurge]

I just made a batch using the double bucket all grain approach.Here's the ingrediants

6.5 lbs Pale Ale
1.5 lbs Rice
1 lbs Torrified Wheat
1 lbs Rye

I let the crushed grains steep at 160 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Right before I pitched the yeast I took a gravity reading and I was shocked to see that it was only 1030. Keep in mind this is a 5 gallon batch.

Usually when I use 10 pounds of grains my starting gravity is 1040 - 46

Why was my gravity so low? This is the first time I have use Rice, Torrified Wheat and Rye.

I prepared the rice by cooking it like you normally would prepare rice to eat and then I added the rice to the grains and then added the water.

Is there a better technigue to use when using rice for brewing puposes? Did my weak starting gravity come from The wheat and or Rye?

Please help.

Thanks

 

[homebrewer_99]

What was the temp when you took the reading?

 

[Powersurge]

The temperature was 89 degrees. Gravity was 1030. Adjusted for temperature the gravity was 1034. This is still pretty low considering I have received higher gravities with less grains. I have never used Rye and Rice before. Maybe you cant get the same amount of sugar out of them.

Keep this in mind as well. I bathed the grains is 160 degree water for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Usually I bath in 178 degree water for only an hour. I should have received a higher Gravity reading from that alone. Wouldnt you think?

Is anything sticking out in mind? Is it the Rice?

 

[budbo]

Did you protien rest the rice to prep the starch for conversion? if the rye wasn't gelatinised and the rice definately wasn't the 120 rest is real important. Others can tell you the science.. but I was told cooked rice needs a protien rest or it doesn't mash well, and minute rice is a bad choice... calrose or other non processed rice will yield much higher, also rice should be mashed at around 150 for best yield

 

[Powersurge]

I dont know anything about protein rest. I guess I didnt do it. Can you explain the process? I didnt use Minute Rice I used Goya Canilla Extra Long Grain Enriched Rice. Is there a difference?

You mentioned something about Rice being at 120. Can you explain? Finally how can you guarentee the grains (Rye) will be gelatinized? It sat in 160 degree water for a hour and 15 minutes. Is that enough? Was the temperature wrong?

 

[kaptain_karma]

I find when I have a lower than expected sg, it's usually from poor sparging. My efficiency went way up when I upgraded from the double bucket lauter tun to one with a screen false bottom and a sparge arm.

Also, rye, wheat, and cooked rice all have a tendency to create gummy residues that will muck up a good sparge. Adding rice hulls or a 6-row malt with a good solid husk will help loosen up the grain bed and make sparging more efficient.

 

[budbo]

I didnt use Minute Rice I used Goya Canilla Extra Long Grain Enriched Rice. Is there a difference?

yes big differences ( I never knew that until I got married to a Japanese girl) but you want to use a rice that needs to be cooked for 20min and tends to be sticky.. the dry stuff like minute rice isn't going to mash as well. Flaked rice can be done single infusion.