Weissbier...% wheat malt...mashing

Beer Recipes
1

I’m comparing the weissbier recipe in the Brewing Classic Styles book with the one in Eric Warner’s German Wheat Beer.  Besides employing decoction, Warner’s recipe has about a 2-to-1 ratio between wheat and pils malt.

The recipe in BCS employs a single infusion (152F), and a 50/50 wheat-to-pils malt ratio.

What concerns me most is the mash.  What type of step mash would aid in preventing a stuck sparge?

Any other advice on wheat-to-pils ratios?

Thanks.

2

I don’t believe a step mash will help prevent a stuck sparge.  A stuck sparge comes from the grain bed becoming compacted.  This can be caused by a high percentage of wheat or rye in the grist or other problems.  One way to help prevent a stuck sparge with a high percentage of wheat would be to add some rice hulls.  The rice hulls will help add more filtering material along with the grain husks to help prevent a stuck sparge.  Hope this helps.

Happy Brewing,
Brandon

3

Fly or batch?  I recently did a weizen that was between your 50 and 75% wheat and, batch sparging with a braid, had no problems whatsoever.  Have done similar percentages of Rye with no probs also.

4

I usually use 60% wheat. I drain off slow at the start of the runoff (I batch sparge.) That will help prevent the grain bed from compacting as much. I’ve never needed or used rice hulls.

5

I generally use a 60/40 blend of wheat to pils (often a  little Munich blended with the pils). I like to step mash a hefe weizen, but it is not necessary. Using a batch sparge method I have a slower run off, but never a stuck run off.

If you do a step mash dough in at 111 degrees or so. This is a ferulic acid rest and will help bring out the clove character in the beer. Also, this overlaps the Beta Glucan rest and will help break down the “gumminess” from the wheat malt and could very well help speed up your sparge.

6

I batch sparge.

Since your runoff is slower, how much of a hit does your efficiency take?

How long for the acid rest?

7

I batch sparge as well. No efficiency change. I usually do a 20 minute ferulic acid rest, but a single infusion works very well.