Flaked Wheat or Wheat Malt

[Pappers_]

Hi. Am brewing another witbier, have used flaked wheat previously and am thinking about using malted wheat instead. Anyone have experiences or opinions they care to share about this? The grain bill would also include over 50% Belgian Pilsner malt. Thanks in advance!

 

[Droot]

Kind of curious my self.

Could some one explain the difference between malted wheat, Flaked wheat and torrified wheat?

Brewing a whit in a few weeks.

David

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Unmalted wheat is just that - raw wheat.

Torrified wheat has been kilned lightly to help with mash efficiency.

Malted wheat has been germinated and kilned so that it provides its own diastatic power.

Flaked wheat is unmalted wheat that has been rolled flat (picture Quaker oatmeal).

Raw wheat (in whole or flaked form) adds more of that "grainy" flavor and mouthfeel than malted wheat. It can contribute a lot of starch to the beer, and it contains a lot of protein, which contributes to the cloudy nature of some wheat beers. Torrified wheat is very similar to raw wheat, but it mashes a little more readily and will likely convert better. Witbiers traditionally use unmalted wheat as a large portion of the grist.

Wheat malt has enough diastatic power to convert itself. It contributes a milder flavor than raw wheat. German weizens call for 50% or more malted wheat in the grist.

 

[Malticulous]

I think you will need some malted wheat in there. The DP of continental pils is not real high and I don't know how well it would convert 50% adjunct. The DP of American malted wheat is as high as six row.

I used 40% uncooked, unmalted raw hard red wheat with American two row once. It had a thin mouthfeel, not much wheat flavor and it cleared. Malted wheat has more flavor.
Here is is.

 

[weirdboy]

I usually do like 50% pils, 40-45% malted wheat and the remainder flaked wheat.

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks for the input!

 

[Droot]

thank you Yuri

I have always put torrified wheat in my beer for head retention. It seems to work. I just add it to the mash. 5% or one pound for 10 gallons.

David

 

[thievaryx]

Can I steep flaked wheat?

 

[Pappers_]

You can steep flaked wheat, just as you can flaked oats. It won't add any fermentables to your brew, as I understand it, but you probably don't need that with a extract and steeping grains recipe. I made an excellent extract witbier and steeped wheat, it was a recipe based on Blanc du Chambly. I'll see if I can find it . . .