Flaked Barley question

[Dr. Fedwell]

Does any one soak or cereal mash flaked barley before the main mash? Something in my stout was making the mash extra thick, suspecting the barley. I already use a lot of strike water, as I have a large (1) gal dead space under my FB and I like to mash thin due to my recirc system. Should I add more strike water? Should I just not worry because everything turned out fine? I have used the stuff a lot, just seems like yesterday the mash was super thick.

 

[ChshreCat]

You might want to get some rice hulls when you're using ingredients like flaked barley. Helps keep things flowing.

 

[BigEd]

Does any one soak or cereal mash flaked barley before the main mash? Something in my stout was making the mash extra thick, suspecting the barley. I already use a lot of strike water, as I have a large (1) gal dead space under my FB and I like to mash thin due to my recirc system. Should I add more strike water? Should I just not worry because everything turned out fine? I have used the stuff a lot, just seems like yesterday the mash was super thick.

Flaked barley has undergone gelatinization during its' processing so a cereal mash is unnecessary. Just mix the flaked barley very well with the milled malt to fully disperse it before mashing. At the 5-10% range at which flaked barley is generally used rice hulls shouldn't be required.

 

[Dr. Fedwell]

Thanks guys, I do use some rice hulls with it now as I have had a little sticking with a high percentage of it before. Today I just learned about soaking and draining the hulls before, so perhaps that was the new problem.