The Protein Rest...how long?

[1971hemicuda]

All Grain brewer...been doing it for a few years. So I'm not new to this...full electic system...recirc...etc...so I have my process down.

I'm making a Belgian Wit...50% of the grain bill is flaked wheat.

So, i'm curious....i've used flaked grains in the past, but small amounts. Do I need a longer protein rest than just 20 minutes?

 

[biestie]

I'm also going to make a wit soon and would like some advice on this very topic. The recipe in Brewing Classic Styles calls for a 15 minute protein rest and a 15 minute rise to 154F. But on the Brewing Network Podcast on Witbier they do something completely different. I won't try to explain it...

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show/Witbier-The-Jamil-Show-03-13-06

 

[turkeyjerky214]

I do 15 min at 130º, then up to 150º on my Wit. 154º seems high. I like Wits to be pretty dry.

 

[Lennie]

15min at 130F is a modest protein rest, should help break up some of the massive amount of protein from the unmalted grain. Really its just to help with runoff, and I've managed to avoid stuck mashes without doing a protein rest. Its not for chill haze in a wit.

 

[MaynardX]

I think 15 mins is plenty. Any longer and you run the risk of breaking too much of the protein down causing head retention loss.

 

[FatsSchindee]

I'm also going to make a wit soon and would like some advice on this very topic. The recipe in Brewing Classic Styles calls for a 15 minute protein rest and a 15 minute rise to 154F. But on the Brewing Network Podcast on Witbier they do something completely different. I won't try to explain it...

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show/Witbier-The-Jamil-Show-03-13-06

Sorry to necropost, but I've been wondering the same thing:

In my research for a wit recipe, I've seen many using flaked (unmalted) wheat, and some using only malted wheat. Unmalted seems to be more authentic for a wit, so that's what I'd like to use. The grist I've come up with is as follows:

Flaked wheat 41%
Belgian Pilsener 27%
6-row 18%
Flaked oats 7%
Munich (light) 5%
Acid malt 2%

So the follow-up question is like the above quote...

Should a protein rest at 122 (15 min seems good enough) of the whole grist, followed by a sacc. rest at 154 for another 45 min, be god enough to get good conversion for a wit?

Or, as Dr. Scott recommends in the linked podcast, would a cereal mash of the flaked wheat, oats, and 6-row (15 min at 122, 15 min at 154, then 15 min at boiling) be better (adding that to the rest of the grist at 122 to raise the whole thing to 154 for the sacc. rest)?

If I don't do the cereal mash (never done one before, but sounds interesting to try), I'd probably drop the 6-row (only in there for the extra enzymes for the cereal mash) and replace with an equal amount of more Pilsener malt...

What has worked for you in making a great wit? Thanks...


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[pjj2ba]

I've never brewed a wit, but use a LOT of pilsner malt and some times with adjuncts (mostly corn - ~20% typically). I like to use a 20 min. rest at 122 F. It really helps with the lautering, and I think it improves my foam. If my grain bill is mostly pilsner malt, I might go a couple minutes shorter, but when I use adjuncts I go the full 20 min.

I recall reading an article a couple yrs back, probably in zymurgy, that used both malted and unmalted wheat in the grain bill for a wit. I remember they talked about the complicated process wit breweries use (cereal mash etc.), but I don't think they used it in the recipes in the article. If you use some malted wheat, you could probably ditch the 6-row, simply upping the pils malt.

 

[fearwig]

I've never done a cereal mash. You have more than enough lintner in there without 6-row, though (you're over 50L with this recipe). That 6-row will contribute protein to a proteiny mash, in my opinion.

I have done protein rests at 130 before, and I can't honestly tell if it mattered. I would say have I had slightly quicker sparges when I did. But my SS mesh doesn't often stick very badly, no matter what I do to it. With that much adjunct I don't think you'll have any head problems with or without, so the downside is minimized.

 

[FatsSchindee]

Thanks for the replies. I just figured out how to calculate Lintner as well, and you're right - looks like I'll be fine without the 6-row.

I do BIAB, so I'm not worried about a stuck sparge. I just wasn't sure if the protein rest helped do anything to make the mash more convertable/efficient when it gets to the sacc rest. In other words, should I expect any drop in efficiency from not using the protein rest with that much unmalted grain? Or does the protein rest really only help with breaking down the longer proteins to make a thinner mash (to mitigate stuck sparges), and the total degrees Lintner is really the main factor in getting good conversion with this sort of grist?
Thanks for enlightening this unmalted noob!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[fearwig]

Won't affect conversion. Some people say it harms body and head, but I haven't noticed.

 

[FatsSchindee]

Cool - thanks. Looks like a single infusion mash is the way to go then!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew