Raw Wheat

[507Brewery]

I received a bag of raw wheat from a farmer friend of mine.

I tasted it and it tastes like flour, not like the normal brewers wheat that I normally put into beers.

My question is two fold:

1. Can I use the wheat raw, as-is? What do I need to do for it to make it work as part of an ingredient bill?
2. Can I roast the wheat myself? There's instructions online for barley, but I haven't seen anything about wheat. Is the process the same? Or is it just not needed for wheat? Anyone have experience?

 

[Brewsmith]

It doesn't taste the same because it's not malted. You cannot just mash with it, even with other makted grains. You need to gelatinize the starch first so that the malt enzymes can work it. This is called a cereal mash and is basically like making oatmeal by boiling the wheat in water for a while and then adding the wheat mush into your regular mash.

 

[Brewsmith]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/cereal-mash-explained-81106/

 

[Malticulous]

Wheat will gelatinize at mash temps. You can crush it and use it as-is. I usually cook it though. Sometimes I've done a protein rest separate from the main mash with some two-row trying to get clearer beer. I seem to get 27-30 PPG from the raw red wheat I have any way I use it.

My American wheat is 42% unmalted wheat that I did not cook. Next time I brew it I will do a triple decotion. If gelatization is a big issue my efficiency should go noticeably up.

 

[507Brewery]

Thanks for the tips. I'll consider the cereal mash.

How about home malting? Can I convert the raw grains in my oven like some home barley roasters do?

Also, what is PPG? I've never seen that measurement acronymn.

Thanks!

 

[Malticulous]

Points Per Gallon. It's important to figure OG and efficiency.

You can toast them in a oven like any grain. For malting you need to use a malting floor.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I'd use them as-is with a portion of wheat and pils malt...that'd make a WONDERFUL wit


P.S. Don't forget the rice hulls!