# Using wheat as a specialty grain in a pale ale



## SeeFar (30/12/17)

N00b question time and apologies in advance if this gives you the WTFs and/or the SMHs.

I'm about to knock out a quicky, which will basically be a tin of Coopers Pale, tin of pale extract, some maltedextrin, a bunch of hops (clearing up what I've already got open, which I think is Chinook, Cascade and Mosaic). 

I came across a bunch of grain yesterday and all I have in the way of spec grains is a mix of medium to dark stuff, which I'm not inclined to use. I did get a bunch of wheat and Maris Otter. 

I'm wondering what a couple of hundred grams of wheat might be like steeped at 65 degrees for say 20-30 mins. And for that matter, what the MO would be like given the same treatment? 

Dumb idea?


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## wereprawn (30/12/17)

It'd work well,though I'd use the wheat instead of the maltodextrin for a bit of body and head retention.

You could use 1/2 a kg of Marris Otter for a touch of that fresh malty flavour. Any less probably won't be very noticeable.


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## SeeFar (30/12/17)

Top stuff, appreciate the response. 

I'm off to the kitchen!


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## SeeFar (30/12/17)

This shit isn't easy to crack with a rolling pin.


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## manticle (30/12/17)

Both of those malts need mashing but if they are crushed and soaked in water between 60 and 70 for 20-60 mins, that process will occur.

Mashing and steeping are essentially the same physical process for the brewer but mashing has much tighter requirements and different chemistry.


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## manticle (30/12/17)

Rolling pin is a PITA. Persist.

Next time, buy cracked.


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## SeeFar (30/12/17)

Was given to me for free. Beggars, choosers, etc. 

I'm going to make the transition to partial then full in the coming months. I rationalise this as doing my time, paying my dues, starting from the ground up and any other pathetic cliche you'd like to throw in.


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## manticle (30/12/17)

I went via the same road, no judgement from me. My first partial mash involved me with a wooden mallet and about 3 kg of pale malt in plastic bags on the concrete path in the back yard.

When I say PITA, I say from experience.


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## Garfield (30/12/17)

It's definitely not a dumb idea. In fact, if you add the can to the grains while they're mashing in the mid 60s you can increase fermentability. I believe the enzymatic power of Marris Otter would work wonders on a coopers kit, especially if you've had any trouble reaching terminal gravity


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## SeeFar (31/12/17)

So I threw a third of a whirlfloc in the boil given the amount of crap I was going to get from the 850gm of grain that I mashed into this. Now I already have a bunch of sediment that is higher than the tap on my (plastic jobby of a) fermenter as I had no way of leaving it in the kettle when the boil was over. 

Problem now is that I'm not sure if I can get an accurate reading from the sample. Do you think an accurate reading is possible or will all that crap give me a false reading of a higher gravity beer?


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## Hermies (31/12/17)

manticle said:


> I went via the same road, no judgement from me. My first partial mash involved me with a wooden mallet and about 3 kg of pale malt in plastic bags on the concrete path in the back yard.
> 
> When I say PITA, I say from experience.


Yeah and may I ask what type of burner or BBQ's you used for your all grain brew


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## spog (31/12/17)

SeeFar said:


> So I threw a third of a whirlfloc in the boil given the amount of crap I was going to get from the 850gm of grain that I mashed into this. Now I already have a bunch of sediment that is higher than the tap on my (plastic jobby of a) fermenter as I had no way of leaving it in the kettle when the boil was over.
> 
> Problem now is that I'm not sure if I can get an accurate reading from the sample. Do you think an accurate reading is possible or will all that crap give me a false reading of a higher gravity beer?



You’ll have to take several samples and pour off the “good “ stuff into another container/glass for collection, then back into the testing cylinder when you’ve got enough and ditch the sediment each time to get a true reading .
The solids in the bottom will interfere with the reading.


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## manticle (1/1/18)

Hermies said:


> Yeah and may I ask what type of burner or BBQ's you used for your all grain brew



My rig isn’t exactly sophisticated now but I still miss my little woodfired setup sometimes.


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## SeeFar (1/1/18)

spog said:


> You’ll have to take several samples and pour off the “good “ stuff into another container/glass for collection, then back into the testing cylinder when you’ve got enough and ditch the sediment each time to get a true reading .
> The solids in the bottom will interfere with the reading.



Thanks, the crud ended up eventually settling below the tap so I was able to get a clear reading (the sediment in the first tube only varied the reading by about 1 point in the end). 

But my problem now is different. This wort just won't cool enough for me to pitch the yeast. It has been 36 hours and I have it sitting in a water bath in a pretty cool room and it won't budge from 22 degrees. WTF?!

Will have to chuck some ice in it today but I can tell this is going to be a real prick to keep the temp at 18 for fermenting.


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## manticle (1/1/18)

Got any icebricks in the freezer? Wet towls around the fermenter, fan on the towels, icebricks in the water (or frozen pet bottles, keep rotating)


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## RobinW (1/1/18)

I poured a cube into my fermentor on Saturday at 10am.
It went into the fridge at ambient, 29C.
Twas 8PM before I saw 18C.
Takes a long time to drop temp on that volume of liquid.


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## Hermies (1/1/18)

manticle said:


> My rig isn’t exactly sophisticated now but I still miss my little woodfired setup sometimes.


I just marvelled at the tenacity that you had to make beer with what you had oh and the cut hand when you built your mash tun .It doesn't have to be sophisticated as long as it makes beer . I started with a 35 lt esky and a keg it still made beer and good beer at that .


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## SeeFar (1/1/18)

@mantickle yep, the top part that’s not immersed in cool water has been covered in wet towels for 36 hours now. I have some ice in the freezer, which will rotate through to keep the temp down once I pitch the yeast. 

@RobinW Agreed but this batch is particularly stubborn!


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## Garfield (4/1/18)

SeeFar said:


> @mantickle yep, the top part that’s not immersed in cool water has been covered in wet towels for 36 hours now. I have some ice in the freezer, which will rotate through to keep the temp down once I pitch the yeast.
> 
> @RobinW Agreed but this batch is particularly stubborn!


"ManTickle"? Great stuff, SeeFar!

Back on topic: if you ambient tap water can't cool the batch below 22'c have you considered how you'll manage brewing temp when the yeast adds a few degrees as it gets going? 

If you don't have temperature then you may need to choose wisely for your climate. I'm south coast of NSW and the ambient temp is perfect for Belgian styles right now. If it gets any hotter I might move to sour blends until autumn.

Disregard this advice if you plan to invest in temp control

Garf


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## wereprawn (4/1/18)

Old fridges and temp controllers are fairly cheap. If space is an issue, one of our local brewers does this.


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