MashTun Malfunction

[HeathClark]

I am experimenting with unmalted wheat with an eye to high gravity lambic style beer. Just to see what would happen, I put 4.75 kg/ 10.5 lbs of unbleached all purpose wheat flour in 23L/6.25 gallons of water with a ph of 5.8-6 ish. I brought the wash to 72 C / 161F, added 1 1/2 tspn of a-amalyse, and held for 90 min. Original gravity was a disappointing 1.0515. I pitched my yeast and a nice rolling fermentation took place over the next 30 hours. This morning, a real sticky foam had pushed through my airlock and all over the place. About 3" of foam was in my fermentor. I stirred, cleaned and re-locked and a slower fermentation is happening now. I have mash foam on me during cooking, but never in fermentation. My question is this: What the hell happened!?

 

[Walker]

did you do any sort of check to see if the conversion of starch to sugar was complete after your "mash"?

I have NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL with using flour like this, so I am just guessing about things here.

 

[HeathClark]

No starch conversion test. I was out of iodine and so was the home brew store. The foam returned today. The mash is normal viscosity but the foam is real glue-like.

 

[Walker]

Sounds like loads of gluten to me.

 

[HeathClark]

Protein does foam. Agitation helps. Another thread seems to have pegged it as blow-off and how to deal with it - put a hose on the airlock for more release/overflow. Now I'd like to know what causes it.