Rice Hulls

[kontreren]

What is the purpose of rice hulls in wheat beer (or any beer)? I read about then aiding in the clearing of wheat beer but I don't understand. Can someone explain it to me? How would I use them (eg: in the brew pot, in the fermentor, etc)?

 

[giligson]

Rice hulls are used in an all grain mash situation where the material might get very sticky and cause the flow of wort to stick (a stuck sparge) the rice hulls are like spacers which allow fluid to flow past - like preventing an obstruction in a filter.

 

[knowltonm]

They help you keep from getting a stuck mash, they should offer nothing else to the finished product. Just toss em in with your crushed grain (don't crush the rice hulls).

 

[Saccharomyces]

Rice hulls help filter the mash, basically. That's it. Without them it's a bear to avoid a stuck mash with wheat beers (unmalted wheat).

 

[ncobble]

If I'm using 1.5 lbs of flaked wheat and 1.5 lbs of flake corn, both of which could be sticky, how much rice should I use? Is there a conversion between amount of rice needed?

 

[kpr121]

I always just throw a big handfull in. I would say maybe 1/3 lb for my 10 gallon batches. I've never had a stuck sparge (batch) when using rice hulls.