How did the Germans brew Roggenbiers without Rice Hulls?

[BeirKaiser]

I was looking into brewing a Roggenbier but almost any time I look up a rye recipe it calls for rice hulls. I was wonder how Germans and other cultures use to brew without getting things stuck before someone came up with the idea of rice hulls. Or has the addition always been there since the beginning? Did they use something else?

 

[monkeymath]

Probably not rice, which is not native in Germany. Oat or spelt husks seem like a more appropriate choice.
Can't tell how it was done historically, but I have read about the use of straw for lautering (generally, not specifically for rye), and I think it would make sense here?

Also, I really don't know the percentage of rye that was typically used.

 

[BeirKaiser]

I have read about the use of straw for lautering (generally, not specifically for rye), and I think it would make sense here?

Thank you, straw does make sense!

Also, I really don't know the percentage of rye that was typically used.

I was told it was 40-60% before the purity law.

 

[MrPowers]

Beta glucan and/or protein rests.

 

[AlexKay]

Maybe they used the historical IETB (in einem Tasche brauen) technique?

 

[bkboiler]

Mash tuns weren't always direct fired...even in some commercial breweries they were insulated but not direct fired historically.
Decoction is one way to raise the temperature of a grain bed (for step mashing) without a recirc or direct fire method.
What's more is that in some breweries they'd take the mash out of the insulated mash vessel (which was fairly deep) and physically scoop it into the lauter vessel (bringing along the liquid also.
There they'd drain out the liquid (lauter) and also sparge the grains.
I'm guessing that the very shallow lauter tun made stuck sparges a lot less likely.
It's not so necessary in a homebrewery as we have access to these things like rice hulls or BIAB.
Cheers!