I find my efficiency always drops considerably when i use a large amount of wheat as you do for wheat beers. Have you found the same and if so, how would you combat it?
My first couple of attempts at a wheat beer did have a considerable drop in efficiency. To help counter it, I shorten the gap of my mill when milling the wheat to produce a higher percentage of flour. This has helped with my efficiency, but requires significantly more rice hulls. The higher protein content of the wheat malt combined with a fine crush is a recipe for a stuck mash if you don’t have enough rice hulls. Even if you are able to pull wort through your mash bed, it doesn’t mean you aren’t getting the effects of the stickiness of the wheat. Without enough rice hulls, the wheat can manage to be sticky enough to reduce efficiency and cause wort separation issues. If you are using plenty of rice bulls and are still struggling with efficiency, you can also try doing a step or decoction mash if that is an option for you. I wouldn’t go crazy with the steps, as the lower temperature rests can break down too much protein in the well modified malts resulting in a lighter body and issues with head retention, but a quick rest at 95F and 122F before conversion at 152F could help efficiency.
I did a Lemongrass Wheat this summer that is one of my best beers ever. I used locally grown raw red wheat and did a cereal mash to gelatinize it. I grew the lemongrass. I looked for an American wheat yeast and all I found was one from Omega. Somehow I didn't come across this white labs one. But I can say the one from Omega worked terrific.
I find my efficiency always drops considerably when i use a large amount of wheat as you do for wheat beers. Have you found the same and if so, how would you combat it?
My first couple of attempts at a wheat beer did have a considerable drop in efficiency. To help counter it, I shorten the gap of my mill when milling the wheat to produce a higher percentage of flour. This has helped with my efficiency, but requires significantly more rice hulls. The higher protein content of the wheat malt combined with a fine crush is a recipe for a stuck mash if you don’t have enough rice hulls.
Even if you are able to pull wort through your mash bed, it doesn’t mean you aren’t getting the effects of the stickiness of the wheat. Without enough rice hulls, the wheat can manage to be sticky enough to reduce efficiency and cause wort separation issues.
If you are using plenty of rice bulls and are still struggling with efficiency, you can also try doing a step or decoction mash if that is an option for you. I wouldn’t go crazy with the steps, as the lower temperature rests can break down too much protein in the well modified malts resulting in a lighter body and issues with head retention, but a quick rest at 95F and 122F before conversion at 152F could help efficiency.
I did a Lemongrass Wheat this summer that is one of my best beers ever. I used locally grown raw red wheat and did a cereal mash to gelatinize it. I grew the lemongrass. I looked for an American wheat yeast and all I found was one from Omega. Somehow I didn't come across this white labs one. But I can say the one from Omega worked terrific.