Can you use 'normal' wheat to make beer?

[biggtime]

Quick question - a friend has offered me some wheat (he grows some). I assume it will come, effectively, from the field. Can I use it straight in a wheatbeer, rather than getting it malted? I'm planning a blackberry wheat beer...

 

[TheMumbler]

You can use some unmalted wheat in a beer. Indeed it is normal for Belgian Wits. However, you will need some malted grains to provide the enzymes for conversion. I would say at least 50% but it will depend on the diastatic power of the grain that you use. You should be aware that using a lot of unmalted wheat is likely to result in a cloudy looking brew.

You will probably need to do a cereal mas as well if it is just raw wheat as opposed to flaked wheat.

 

[biggtime]

You can use some unmalted wheat in a beer. Indeed it is normal for Belgian Wits. However, you will need some malted grains to provide the enzymes for conversion. I would say at least 50% but it will depend on the diastatic power of the grain that you use. You should be aware that using a lot of unmalted wheat is likely to result in a cloudy looking brew.

You will probably need to do a cereal mas as well if it is just raw wheat as opposed to flaked wheat.

If did a mix of pale malt and wheat (was going to look at recipes but wanted to check viability of wheat first), would that probably work?

 

[TheMumbler]

I think you would need to crush the wheat and do a cereal mash especially when you are talking such a large proportion, but unmalted wheat is certainly used in brewing some beer.

You can even buy it from one of our forum sponsors

I did a cereal mash on this brewday but that was using flaked wheat which should convert more easily anyway due to the flaking process.

I would be inclined to go rather less than 50% on the first go at it, also you would need a pretty big pan to do the cereal mash for a large quantity
You might have a go at malting some, there is a thread around somewhere.

 

[Jeltz]

Not an answer to your question but another way it use it is to "pop" it in a popcorn maker which I think is all that torrified wheat is.

I used 100g that way in a brew and it produced a good head.

 

[biggtime]

I think you would need to crush the wheat and do a cereal mash especially when you are talking such a large proportion, but unmalted wheat is certainly used in brewing some beer.

You can even buy it from one of our forum sponsors

Thanks! I'm guessing it would be a roughly 50/50 mix with Pale Malt? I would indeed be mashing it - is a cereal mash something different from normal mashing? Main reason for using this is that a friend is offering me some of his own wheat, rather than buying from a supplier.

 

[TheMumbler]

Yes cereal mashing is an additional process to deal with unprocessed grains. See my edited post above for a link to a brewday with a cereal mash. I'm probably not the only person to have done one at some point.

See here as well. It is a pita to be honest

 

[biggtime]

Yes cereal mashing is an additional process to deal with unprocessed grains. See my edited post above for a link to a brewday with a cereal mash. I'm probably not the only person to have done one at some point.

See here as well. It is a pita to be honest

Cheers! Sorry, didn't see the whole post first time around and missed the link. I'll give that a look. Much appreciated. I note the PITA element. I only have one batch of blackberries to throw in so this may not be a regular part of the experience for me. Easier to just buy malted wheat, but seems a shame to pass on my mate's offer on this occasion.