What does wheat malt look like?

[chuckyboomboom]

Here's a silly one:
I bought some wheat malt at my LHBS. They had a bin labeled Avangard base wheat malt, but it looks almost exactly like barley malt. Are the two malts totally distinguishable or can they look fairly similar? I've done a couple of beers with wheat before, but can't remember if I had this same issue

 

[November]

Should look like this:

If it's got a hull it probably is barley.

 

[Morrey]

Wheat is quite harder than barley, and looks similar but slightly smaller huskless kernels than barley. If you compare by taking a few kernels of wheat and chewing them, then do the same with barley...you easily see the difference in hardness.

This hardness factor also comes into play when you mill your grains. Wheat doesn't grind as easily or finely with the mill set at the same gap setting as you grind barley.

 

[ancientmariner52]

As I recall it, wheat malt grains are smaller than barley, and lack hulls. Google 'wheat malt' and select 'images'. Definitely doesn't look like barley.

 

[chuckyboomboom]

Wheat is quite harder than barley, and looks similar but slightly smaller huskless kernels than barley. If you compare by taking a few kernels of wheat and chewing them, then do the same with barley...you easily see the difference in hardness.
This hardness factor also comes into play when you mill your grains. Wheat doesn't grind as easily or finely with the mill set at the same gap setting as you grind barley.

Morrey, they both chew and taste the same. I'm thinking it was mislabeled. Thanks

 

[Morrey]

Morrey, they both chew and taste the same. I'm thinking it was mislabeled. Thanks

Yeah...wheat has definitely more "tooth" than barley. That's the best test I could describe. Rye has lots of tooth like wheat. Sounds like they put the wrong grain in the wrong bin.

 

[nh_homebrew]

25 pounds of the stuff. It is labeled wheat can you tell if it’s malted or not?

 

[catdaddy66]

It looks like torrified wheat. Think Sugar Smacks cereal. The kernal is gelatinized which allows the amylase enzymes from your base malt to convert. It will need to be mashed.

 

[nh_homebrew]

It looks like torrified wheat. Think Sugar Smacks cereal. The kernal is gelatinized which allows the amylase enzymes from your base malt to convert. It will need to be mashed.

awesome. But I still mill it right?

 

[catdaddy66]

awesome. But I still mill it right?

Yes you could mill it but it's not required. I have before but not always.

 

[specharka]

View attachment 578945 25 pounds of the stuff. It is labeled wheat can you tell if it’s malted or not?

Raw wheat is quite a bit harder than even malted wheat, and considerably chewier. Try eating a few kernels and if your teeth can make it through, it’s probably malted wheat.

Comparing them by sight alone is quite difficult. Check it out: