Unmalted barley

[Tombo]

Just a thought. Could you use whole unmalted barley instead of rice hulls, just for the reason to open up the mash?
I can get 20kg sacks of it near me for £6 or rolled barley for £6.50?

 

[gyurmaember]

I'm not sure if it would work instead if rice hulls, but you can go for unmalted grains up to 50% of the grain bill. Good luck for the experiment. Make sure we hear the outcome.

 

[scomet]

but you can go for unmalted grains up to 50% of the grain bill

Not a criticism, I’m just trying to understand what you’re saying, will the 50% unmalted grains be fermentable? I understood it wouldn’t as the grain requires conversion in the malting process

In saying that a good friend of mine is a pro brewer and his Brewery uses 100% unmalted barley /wheat with no additives. Their process is a closely guarded secret, very nice beer if a little lacking in body for my taste but they just won a significant industry award. Cheers

 

[gyurmaember]

In theory the other 50% has enough enzymes to convert the unmalted 50%. I read it somewhere when i was making a Mexican lager with lots of maize.

 

[Tombo]

I don't want the unmalted grain to add anything, just to open up the mash and make it more free draining in much the same way that rice hulls do, and don't add anything either.
£6 for 20kg is WAY cheaper than buying rice hulls @ £3/kg.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Unmilled it's not going to add much, but I'd be surprised if it contributes nothing to the end beer.

However, you're going to have to use a lot more of it compare to pure hull/husk. Several times the weight in fact, which might blow up the economies of it.

If you've got someone selling cereals direct to you it might be worth trying to get oat or barley husks from them in bulk.

 

[Tombo]

Just asked at the farm and they also do whole oats and wheat as well as barley but can't say wether it's any good for the mash or brewing. I might have to try a bag of one of them and see what happens.