Mashing Raw Wheat

[permo]

Its harvest time where I am from and I have basically an unlimited supply of raw wheat. I have no interest in malting it, so I am going to try to make a simple American Wheat ale with %50 Pale Malt, %10 Munich, %40 raw wheat.

I have heard that multi step mashing, decoction and even cereal mashes are necessary to convert this adjunct but I have also read that folks just mash it with two row and it converts......I was thinking of mashing at 155 and holding it near that temp overnight (8 Hours)

Can anybody give me any experience based suggestions and how to proceed with this?

 

[stpug]

Large percentages of raw wheat: do something to it to get good conversion.
Small percentages of raw wheat: grind fine and mash as normal with an elevated sacc rest.

Cereal mash will get you to a point where it's starches will give good conversion, and the process isn't too hard or time consuming (you should included a protein rest though). Decoction will also get you there, but take more time and effort. Step mashing, IMO, will not serve as well as cereal mashing or provide much better conversion than single-fusion. Just my opinion of course.

I would opt for a cereal mash with included protein rest and sacc rest using small amount of high-diastatic malt.

 

[permo]

I would opt for a cereal mash with included protein rest and sacc rest using small amount of high-diastatic malt.

protein rest with a few pounds of malted barley followed by a cereal mash?

 

[IslandLizard]

@stpug +1^ to the cereal mash, with such a large load of raw adjuncts.

You want to mill those (small) wheat berries with a narrow gap, around 0.024" making a grist fine enough so the enzymes can work faster and better.

Perform your cereal mash with a third to half the weight of a well-modified Pilsner malt to the weight of the Raw Wheat. Your total DP of the cereal mash should be 40 or higher (for all security). You could mash longer too.

To reduce gumminess and a stuck lauter, a beta-glucanase rest (95-113F) is advised, as well as a protein rest (113-122F).
You could "combine" those 2 in one protein rest for 15-30' @113-122F. Alternatively just heat very slowly (over 30') from 95-122F and then let rest for another 10-15 minutes.

Use some rice hulls in your main mash.

Wheat decoctions are fun too, and lengthy (3.5 hrs).

 

[stpug]

protein rest with a few pounds of malted barley followed by a cereal mash?

You're not looking for complete conversion of the wheat starches during the cereal mash - you're just looking for a "head start" so that the job is easier during the real/regular mash. A small amount of US 2-row (pils if you want; 6-row if you want; etc) will suffice for the "head start" you're after (0.5-1 lb would be enough), save the rest for the mash.

Cereal mash:

• Grind wheat good (not flour) and add milled 2-row
• Add enough hot water for a very thick mash (like oatmeal)
• Bring to 113-122 for ~30 minutes
• Note: I like to preheat my oven to 170F and shut it off; then when cereal mash is at 113 I stick it in the oven covered; it tends to very slowly work it's way up and by the time I pull it out I'm close to 120
• Now, add enough hot water for a normal thickness mash (~1.5:1) and bring to a good sacc rest (~156-158F) - dextrinous sugars can be broken down further in the main mash, and conversion completes quicker at elevated temps
• Note: Put back in the 170F preheated oven for an incomplete sacc rest (20-30 minutes)
• Now, add enough boiling water to get to about 3:1 water:grist ratio and continue to bring to a boil
• Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and continue simmering for 10-30 minutes until you get very thick and sticky porridge consistency.
• Now use your method of choice for adding this to your main mash

I like to cool my cereal mash to the low 160s in a sink of cold water and add it to my main mash which I would have just doughed-in to my desired mash temperature. After adding my cereal mash, I generally overshoot my mash temp by a couple degrees, but will then use some cold brewing water to get it back down. I find cooling a mash is always much easier and faster than heating a mash.

Edit:
IslandLizard reminded me of the need for beta glucan with raw adjunct (wheat, especially), and is something I had overlooked in my previous reply. Also, rice hulls (like he suggested) are a VERY GOOD addition to your main mash as extra insurance against a stuck sparge - it could save you a lot of time on brewday.

 

[permo]

You're not looking for complete conversion of the wheat starches during the cereal mash - you're just looking for a "head start" so that the job is easier during the real/regular mash. A small amount of US 2-row (pils if you want; 6-row if you want; etc) will suffice for the "head start" you're after (0.5-1 lb would be enough), save the rest for the mash.

Cereal mash:

• Grind wheat good (not flour) and add milled 2-row
• Add enough hot water for a very thick mash (like oatmeal)
• Bring to 113-122 for ~30 minutes
• Note: I like to preheat my oven to 170F and shut it off; then when cereal mash is at 113 I stick it in the oven covered; it tends to very slowly work it's way up and by the time I pull it out I'm close to 120
• Now, add enough hot water for a normal thickness mash (~1.5:1) and bring to a good sacc rest (~156-158F) - dextrinous sugars can be broken down further in the main mash, and conversion completes quicker at elevated temps
• Note: Put back in the 170F preheated oven for an incomplete sacc rest (20-30 minutes)
• Now, add enough boiling water to get to about 3:1 water:grist ratio and continue to bring to a boil
• Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and continue simmering for 10-30 minutes until you get very thick and sticky porridge consistency.
• Now use your method of choice for adding this to your main mash

I like to cool my cereal mash to the low 160s in a sink of cold water and add it to may main mash which I've just doughed in to my desired mash temperature. I generally overshoot a couple degrees, but will then use some cold brewing water to get it back down. I find cooling a mash is much easier and faster than heating a mash.

I really appreciate your response and the thought you put into it. I will surely use the process you listed above.

I have thought alot about this beer and I think I am going to use WLP029 (Kolsch) and some nice homegrown cascade to hop the ale to about 20 IBU. It should be a hit.

 

[November]

The munich should self convert and the 2-row will *probably* have enough surplus enzyme to convert 40% wheat. Wheat gelatinizes at mash temperature (125-150 depending on variety) so cereal mashing it isn't entirely necessary.

When I had a ton of wheat sitting around I would make beers with 40% wheat without an issue. You could always add some amylase powder if you are worried about the conversion power of your 2-row. Just remember to crush it finer than you would barley and extending the mash time can help too. depending on your system you may need rice hulls because of the fine crush.

...or you could malt it and remove all doubt...

 

[permo]

here is the recipe I am trying. Will report back


Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 17.00 gal
Boil Size: 19.18 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 17.68 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 16.50 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Date: 19 Sep 2015
Brewer: CP
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: My Equipment
Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.0 %
Taste Rating: 30.0


Taste Notes:



Ingredients


Amt

Name

Type

#

%/IBU

13 lbs 12.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 44.0 %
12 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat, Raw (1.7 SRM) Grain 2 40.0 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.0 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 4 8.0 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 7.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 6.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 2.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Crystal [6.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 2.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 2.3 IBUs
2.00 oz Crystal [6.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35.49 ml] Yeast 13 -


Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.8 %
Bitterness: 20.8 IBUs
Est Color: 5.8 SRM

Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Double Infusion, Full Body
Sparge Water: 11.21 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE


Total Grain Weight: 31 lbs 4.0 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps


Name

Description

Step Temperature

Step Time

Protein Rest Add 6.25 gal of water at 133.4 F 122.0 F 30 min
Saccharification Add 5.47 gal of water at 203.7 F 156.0 F 30 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 11.21 gal water at 168.0 F

 

[permo]

Finished brew day. Ran the wheat through my mill at its finest setting twice. Ended up at 1.044 OG so the wheat did convert. Samples taste great. Success!!

 

[stpug]

FYI: I always set my raw wheat at a potential of 1.030. If you change your potential to 1.030 in BS what does it say your estimated OG should be?

 

[permo]

Changed it to 1.029 and the gravity was spot on estimated. Now I have this process dialed in


The WLP001 is cranking away at 70 degrees right now and the sample I pulled of the unfermented wort had a bready, cereal, biscuit flavor that was very pleasant. I think t his will be a very good american style wheat ale.......I am already planning my next one using WLP029

 

[Magnus314]

I do a 50/50 2-row and raw wheat beer all the time.

Double grind the wheat and mash for a full hour and it works just fine!

Even comes out clear.