Why not remove the husks from the grain?

[Epimetheus]

What use are the malt husks? Why not winnow them out? Are they only used for filtering during the sparge process.

I read elsewhere that husks can contribute undesireable tannins. If they do, perhaps they could be winnowed out before mashing.

 

[IffyG]

You need the husks to form a filter bed. Removing the husks would result in a nasty stuck sparge.

Husks generally don't impart any extra tannins unless you do something stupid, like boil them. If it was a problem, everyone would remove the husks.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Without the husks you will get a stuck sparge. It will be like trying to strain all the liquid out of a bowl of oatmeal. Yeah, you'll get some but definitely not all of it. A mash isn't quite as sticky as oatmeal but it's the same premise. The husks create channels for the wort to drain out. Plus, it would be a real pain in the ass to try to get all the husks out. Easier to let them stay and help out than take them out and make mashing out next to impossible.

 

[Epimetheus]

Thank you for the replies. It seems husks are only useful for filtering during sparge. I do not think it is an issue with BIAB because the bag is the filter.

In the future I will experiment with a 2.5 gallon batch BIAB. I will winnow the husks from the grain, create the wort, and see if it results in a doughball. It might create a dough when i squeeze the bag to get out the rest of the wort. it will be interesting to try. After the mash I can use the spent grain for cooking without husks.

 

[BigEd]

Thank you for the replies. It seems husks are only useful for filtering during sparge. I do not think it is an issue with BIAB because the bag is the filter.

In the future I will experiment with a 2.5 gallon batch BIAB. I will winnow the husks from the grain, create the wort, and see if it results in a doughball. It might create a dough when i squeeze the bag to get out the rest of the wort. it will be interesting to try. After the mash I can use the spent grain for cooking without husks.

Whether it's BIAB or a conventional mash tun the husk particles are still needed to create separation between the small bits of grain and flour within the mash. It goes beyond simply providing a filtering mesh for sparge & runoff the husk bits also let the mash liquid flow to all the small endosperm bits to ensure they are uniformly wet. That allows the enzymes in solution of the mash liquor to better do their job of conversion and after conversion helps provide for better solubility of the now converted sugars. However, don't let me stand in the way.

 

[user 83772]

What BigEd said. I personally don't see the point in such an experiment, but it'll be interesting to see the results I suppose. I would put money on your efficiency suffering due to incomplete hydration of the grains though.

 

[mattd2]

Whether it's BIAB or a conventional mash tun the husk particles are still needed to create separation between the small bits of grain and flour within the mash. It goes beyond simply providing a filtering mesh for sparge & runoff the husk bits also let the mash liquid flow to all the small endosperm bits to ensure they are uniformly wet...

I agree, Epimetheus I think you are missing the point of the husks. Read up about adjusting the gap on a grain mill, you will see that it is a fine balance between making flour (all the starch and husks pulverised) and not cracking the grain (no starch is broken out of the grain).
What you are proposing is - to get a good crush and then remove the bit that makes it a good crush and end up with a crush that is simlar to one that is too fine (the making flour one).

 

[Epimetheus]

Without the husks you will get a stuck sparge. It will be like trying to strain all the liquid out of a bowl of oatmeal.

Now I understand with the other explanations. The husks keep the grain separate in the mash as well as the sparge.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I found that the pieces of husk seem to keep it all loose enough to allow water flow to soak out the sugars.

 

[BrewingWisdom]

Husks generally don't impart any extra tannins unless you do something stupid, like boil them

Well husks are going to get boiled anyway with the mash. No way to avoid it.

 

[RM-MN]

Well husks are going to get boiled anyway with the mash. No way to avoid it.

No, the husks don't get boiled in the mash. Mashing requires a specific temperature range well below the boiling point. The only time the husks would stay in a boil is during a "decoction mash" where part of the mashing grains are removed, brought to a boil, then returned to the mash to change the temperature of the mash.

To extract tannins from the husks in an appreciable amount requires temperature higher than about 170F plus pH over 6.0 which can be controlled by mineral or acid additions to the water. If you control one of the two conditions you don't really extract much tannins from the husks.