Raw Wheat

[November]

So I'm getting ready to do some work with raw white wheat, but I have some questions for those with a bit more experience with wheat. First, do I need to do a protein rest? Searching seems to reveal mixed answers. Any personal experience with this?

 

[RM-MN]

I don't think so. I think you are using a small amount of raw wheat for head retention and mouthfeel and then you wouldn't need a protein rest.

 

[gypsyhead]

How much wheat? Typically, modern wheat malts are modified enough that you wont need a protein rest, though it does depend on the quality of malt.

Edit: Totally missed the "raw" part. Yeah, couldn't hurt to do a protein rest... I think, though I'd research it a bit more

 

[Rev2010]

If by "raw" that means unmalted then yes, do a protein rest. I wasn't doing a protein rest with my Belgian wits using flaked wheat and oats and consistently came under my usual 79% efficiency with 74-75%. I'd read online some suggestions to do a protein rest and also read it in designing great beers so my last one I did the protein rest and I came in at 80% efficiency this time. Haven't tasted it yet since I'm bottling it this weekend. But anyhow, I'd say give it a shot. I mashed in thick for the rest with only 2 gallons of water to leave room for the other infusions, I believe it's a 9.25lb grain bill I had.


Rev.

 

[onthekeg]

I use raw hard red wheat for my witbier all the time. I get a 50lb bag of seed wheat from my dad and just use it until its gone. I grind it fine and do a single infusion and mash at 152 for about an hour or so.
A protein rest isn't necessary and wouldn't hurt, but I haven't needed to do one.

 

[RM-MN]

I use raw hard red wheat for my witbier all the time. I get a 50lb bag of seed wheat from my dad and just use it until its gone. I grind it fine and do a single infusion and mash at 152 for about an hour or so.
A protein rest isn't necessary and wouldn't hurt, but I haven't needed to do one.

I can see my supply of seed wheat becoming depleted as I brew more. I have to think of the old saying, "Don't eat the seed corn".

 

[onthekeg]

At least the seed wheat isn't treated like the seed corn!

 

[friday]

I do a lot of lambics with a 50/ 50 mix of 6 or and re cleaned wheat from the feed store. It's cheep and it's good.

I always do a rest, you need to do it.

 

[November]

Thanks for the responses. If it works without a rest and only costs me 5% efficiency I will probably skip it. I guess I might just have to do it both ways to see what the difference is exactly.

 

[PseudoChef]

Don't think about it solely as a measure to increase efficiency. It will also greatly increase your ability to lauter (not doing a p-rest with unmalted wheat on some systems will almost guarantee a stuck mash/sparge) as well as the contribution of haze in the final beer (affecting mouthfeel, body, etc.) Even when you think of a Wit as being hazy, you don't want it unbearably so.

 

[November]

Good point. How long of a rest is needed? I've read anywhere from 20min to an hour. Do you just rest the wheat and add everything else later or do you just step the whole mash together from the first rest to the second? Maybe I let my laziness get the best of me in wanting to avoid extra steps!

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

It depends on what you want to accomplish with the unmalted wheat. For a witbier it's probably better not to do a protein rest because you want the haze and some starchy element (unless you don't want that). If you are replacing flaked wheat or some other form of unmodified or undermodified wheat I would also say skip it. However if you are using the unmalted wheat in place of malted wheat in other recipes you likely want to do the protein rest to get better conversion out of the unmalted wheat.

 

[PseudoChef]

Good point. How long of a rest is needed? I've read anywhere from 20min to an hour. Do you just rest the wheat and add everything else later or do you just step the whole mash together from the first rest to the second? Maybe I let my laziness get the best of me in wanting to avoid extra steps!

I generally do 20-30 minutes. I have done it both ways of full mash rest as well as just the unmalted with a small portion of pilsner. I have actually found it to be less of a hassle to raise the temp of the full mash, rather than resting just the wheat then adding it.

It depends on what you want to accomplish with the unmalted wheat. For a witbier it's probably better not to do a protein rest because you want the haze and some starchy element (unless you don't want that).

I've used unmalted for my wits, always doing a p-rest (122F for 20-30 minutes) and always retain haze in the finished beer regardless. I personally wouldn't risk not doing it in favor of a stuck mash, but that might just be how my system operates.

 

[Rev2010]

I do mine at the usual 122 for 20 minutes, I've done one at 125 because I hit a little higher but it's still perfectly within the protein rest range so I left it at 125.

Btw, I didn't mean to suggest the only difference is in efficiency. I haven't yet tasted my latest Wit as it's still in the fermenter so I can't yet say what impact is on the flavor itself.


Rev.

 

[November]

Well the first attempt didn't go so well. I did a protein rest just fine but my infusion didn't bring the temperature high enough but I didn't notice until it was too late that I had mashed at 149. I rolled with it but missed my OG by a bunch. Looks like 50% efficiency. Hopefully I'll hit it next time.