Preventing Stuck Sparge When Using Rye Malt

[ishkabibble]

Any advice on preventing a stuck sparge with rye malt? I've never used it, but I've read of horror stories of gooey nightmares.

The recipe I've concocted uses 15% rye malt (the rest 2-row, munich and crystals).

Going on advice I've read on this forum, there will be 1# of rice hulls as well. I also plan on using a grain bag to hold just the rye malt.

Heck I should probably mention I'll be mash-lautering in a long cooler with a braided wire mesh.

 

[ColoHox]

A grain bag just for rye is not necessary, seems like it would limit the mixing. I avoid stuck mash/sparge using rice hulls when my rye percentage is at 15% or above. If you have the mash tun space, don't be scared to use more rice hulls, although a pound should cut it.

 

[brick]

I don't think you will have any trouble with 15% rye malt, especially with rice hulls. My recent rye IPA was 25% rye malt plus another 10% flaked rye. I used a beta glucan rest, no rice hulls, and the sparge was slow but not stuck. I think you should just throw the rye in with the rest of the grist and go about your mash as usual.

If you are batch sparging, a stuck sparge isn't that big of a deal anyway. This morning's mash got completely stuck (50% wheat in that one, single infusion at 150F) and that was solved easily by closing the valve, stirring up the grain bed, vorlaufing again, and taking the rest of the runnings. I had to do that twice, but the trouble added less than 15 minutes to my brew day and didn't seem to hurt efficiency.

My experience involves a 10gal round Igloo cooler and a slotted manifold.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

I did a hoppy "cereal medley" recently that had 15% rye, 15% wheat, and 15% oats. For 16lb of grain I added a pound of rice hulls and it was fine with a perforated stainless false bottom.

Like ColoHox says, if you're scared use more rice hulls as cheap insurance against the hassle.

 

[mjdonnelly68]

+1 for the rice hulls.

I bought a 50lb bag for $35 bucks and throw a handful in every mash. Two handfuls for anything with wheat or rye malt in it.

 

[jakeasaur]

Another one for the rice hulls

 

[millsbrew]

I don't think you will have any trouble with 15% rye malt, especially with rice hulls. My recent rye IPA was 25% rye malt plus another 10% flaked rye. I used a beta glucan rest, no rice hulls, and the sparge was slow but not stuck. I think you should just throw the rye in with the rest of the grist and go about your mash as usual.

If you are batch sparging, a stuck sparge isn't that big of a deal anyway. This morning's mash got completely stuck (50% wheat in that one, single infusion at 150F) and that was solved easily by closing the valve, stirring up the grain bed, vorlaufing again, and taking the rest of the runnings. I had to do that twice, but the trouble added less than 15 minutes to my brew day and didn't seem to hurt efficiency.

My experience involves a 10gal round Igloo cooler and a slotted manifold.

Plus 1. I had a slow sparge but it was fine. It was my 2nd AG batch so I'm far from an expert. I do use a false bottom and have read that it helps to prevent stuck sparges vs a hose.

 

[ianw58]

I don't think you will have any trouble with 15% rye malt, especially with rice hulls. My recent rye IPA was 25% rye malt plus another 10% flaked rye. I used a beta glucan rest, no rice hulls, and the sparge was slow but not stuck. I think you should just throw the rye in with the rest of the grist and go about your mash as usual.

If you are batch sparging, a stuck sparge isn't that big of a deal anyway. This morning's mash got completely stuck (50% wheat in that one, single infusion at 150F) and that was solved easily by closing the valve, stirring up the grain bed, vorlaufing again, and taking the rest of the runnings. I had to do that twice, but the trouble added less than 15 minutes to my brew day and didn't seem to hurt efficiency.

My experience involves a 10gal round Igloo cooler and a slotted manifold.

+1 more.

I just mashed a Rye Porter with 18% Rye in the grist. I use a Rubermaid 48 quart cooler mash tun with a CPVC manifold.

I had absolutely no problems at all.

 

[masonsjax]

I do recipes with up to 50% rye or wheat pretty often. I've never had a stuck sparge, but it can get sticky enough to be slower that I'd like. As Brick said above, a stir can get it going again, sometimes I just blow in through the drain tube and that clears it enough. I never use rice hulls and use a rectangle cooler with steel braid, and crush my grain on the fine side. I don't normally do it, but conditioning the grain with a little water prior to crushing can help keep the barley husks in tact and prevent sticking. With only 15% rye, you shouldn't notice any slowdown. I'd say you can safely skip the rice hulls.

 

[tsl346]

Rice hulls should be more than enough to do the trick. I did 18% rye with 0.5lbs rice hulls and it did not get stuck.