how to mash wheat?

[ron,ar]

I have never mashed wheat before and I understand it is prone to stuck sparge problems. I have 6 lbs of wheat that I got for Christmas that I think I need to use in something before it gets too old. I have a lb of rice hulls but am unclear as to how to use it. Do I mix the rice with the grain? Should I put the rice in first and let it set a bed before I add the wheat and barley?
Another thing is that I don't have a recipe yet, I just want to make a simple american wheat beer. What is the usual wheat to barley ratio? Anybody have a simple wheat recipe they recommend? Thanks for any advice in advance.
ron

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Add about 1 handful of rice hulls for every two pounds of wheat. The idea is to make it function the same as barley and its hulls. Mix it all together before you add the water. Half barley and half wheat is pretty normal.

I like Belgium wheat like Hoegaarden or shock top. Here is my recipe:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/10/hoegaarden-clone-recipie.html

 

[Sambecker1]

I have never mashed wheat before and I understand it is prone to stuck sparge problems. I have 6 lbs of wheat that I got for Christmas that I think I need to use in something before it gets too old. I have a lb of rice hulls but am unclear as to how to use it. Do I mix the rice with the grain? Should I put the rice in first and let it set a bed before I add the wheat and barley?
Another thing is that I don't have a recipe yet, I just want to make a simple american wheat beer. What is the usual wheat to barley ratio? Anybody have a simple wheat recipe they recommend? Thanks for any advice in advance.
ron

I always just mix the rice hulls in with the wheat and have not had any stuck sparges. I haven't done any American wheats but if you search Lemon Lime Hefeweizen you'll find a great recipe by Slim

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

I like an American wheat, 40% Wheat - 40% Barley - 10% Adjunct/Specialty grain (Crystal 20L-120L or similar grain) not counting the rice hulls in the equation.

 

[CTR08]

Then 10% what?

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

Then 10% what?

LOL, I don't know? Maybe better math skills?

 

[FightingBob]

I use a pound of rice hulls for about 10 lbs of grain.

I brew up a simple hoppy wheat beer with about 50% Red Wheat, 40% Marris Otter, and 10% caramunich. If you like hoppy beers, especially Amarillo, this simple single-hopped brew is in my recipes.

 

[RM-MN]

This might be a time to explore BIAB. You'll want a finer crush than normal if you decide to do it that way but it will eliminate the chance of getting stuck with the wheat.

 

[ron,ar]

Thanks for all the advice folks.
I have decided to brew this one as I have most of the ingrediants here already, exceot for the Kolsch yeast, any ideas for a substitute,
I prefer a liquid yeast. I also intend to ferment more than 9 days as the OP was on a time constraint to be able to enter a competition. I also am going to bottle as I don't keg yet but have had better results by cold crashing.




Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 2565 Kölsch
Yeast Starter: 1.5 L on stir plate
Batch Size (Gallons): 6.0
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 19
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 3.9 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 9 days at 62 °F
Tasting Notes: Refreshing beer with a nice mouthfeel and a light clean fruitiness.


Grain:
5.5 lb 2-row malt (52%)
4.5 lb Wheat malt (43%)
0.5 lb Munich malt (5%)
0.5 lb rice hulls

Hops:
9 g Yakima Magnum (14.0% AA); first wort hops
8 g Centennial (8.8% AA); 10 min.
21 g Centennial (8.8% AA); 0 min.

Single infusion mash at 152 °F, 60 min. Mash out at 165 °F, 10 min. Batch sparged.

Fermented 9 days at 62 °F. Cold crashed for 1 day, then kegged and force carbed.

 

[ron,ar]

I have done 1 BIAB on a 2 gallon batch with mixed results. I already have the grains crushed and want to use them up before they get too old. But thanks for the idea, as I was not aware I needed a finer crush for BIAB, learn something new all the time here.
>
>

This might be a time to explore BIAB. You'll want a finer crush than normal if you decide to do it that way but it will eliminate the chance of getting stuck with the wheat.

 

[RM-MN]

I have done 1 BIAB on a 2 gallon batch with mixed results. I already have the grains crushed and want to use them up before they get too old. But thanks for the idea, as I was not aware I needed a finer crush for BIAB, learn something new all the time here.
>
>

You don't need a finer crush for BIAB but you can use it crushed finer. That finer crush will raise your efficiency and with the same grain bill your OG will be higher.

People often mention a poorer efficiency when doing a wheat beer which is because the wheat kernels have no husk, are harder than barley, and are smaller so they don't get crushed as well as the barley without resetting the roller spacing on the mill.

 

[Tupperwolf]

Thanks for all the advice folks.
I have decided to brew this one as I have most of the ingrediants here already, exceot for the Kolsch yeast, any ideas for a substitute,
I prefer a liquid yeast. I also intend to ferment more than 9 days as the OP was on a time constraint to be able to enter a competition. I also am going to bottle as I don't keg yet but have had better results by cold crashing

I just brewed this recipe on Friday. I received the order of grains mixed and crushed by the Lhbs and the 0.5lb of rice hulls in a separate bag. I dumped in about 1/5 of the grain, then all the hills, then a bit more grain. Stirred thoroughly and then poured the rest of the grain and stirred again. Batch sparged, zero problems draining the wort.