Need help with mash profile for witbier

So I am doing a group brew with a homebrew club in my area, and it is an imperial witbier recipe. I have never used unmodified grains before so I'm not sure how to go about doing this. I use a batch sparge set up and am trying to play around with values, and I am wondering what I need to change:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.93 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.75 gal
Estimated OG: 1.088 SG
Estimated Color: 6.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 46.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 68.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 4.8 %
7 lbs 4.0 oz Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM) Grain 2 34.5 %
6 lbs 4.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 29.8 %
5 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 4 23.8 %
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.8 %
4.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.2 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 7 1.2 %
4.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 46.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) [124 Yeast 9 -


Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 21 lbs
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Protein Rest Add 19.90 qt of water at 134.3 F 122.0 F 30 min
Saccharification Add 16.81 qt of water at 197.5 F 152.0 F 30 min
Mash Out Error: Infusion temperature above boili 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 0 steps () of 168.0 F water

You probably only need 15 minutes at the lower rest to loosen the mash up. I'd plan on more than 30 minutes for conversion. It might be done in that time, but it will likely take longer than your normal times. I wouldn't bother with the mash out, but that is personal preference. Also personal preference, but for big beers, I like to mash lower than 152.

The most important not would be that the wheat is smaller than 2-row, so you'll need to adjust the mill accordingly OR plan on lower than usual efficiency. Also, keep a bunch of extra rice hulls on hand in case you run into issues.

For fermentation, you'll want more than 1 smack pack, so plan on a big starter or multiple packs.

billl said:

You probably only need 15 minutes at the lower rest to loosen the mash up. I'd plan on more than 30 minutes for conversion. It might be done in that time, but it will likely take longer than your normal times. I wouldn't bother with the mash out, but that is personal preference. Also personal preference, but for big beers, I like to mash lower than 152.

The most important not would be that the wheat is smaller than 2-row, so you'll need to adjust the mill accordingly OR plan on lower than usual efficiency. Also, keep a bunch of extra rice hulls on hand in case you run into issues.

For fermentation, you'll want more than 1 smack pack, so plan on a big starter or multiple packs.

Click to expand...

So I don't need a mash out? I could just sparge? I wonder how much water to use then. I've never done more than a single infusion batch sparge so I was just using beersmiths default.

You never really need a mash out for batch sparging. Just add the mash out water to the sparge step.

I don't use beersmith, but I've found this calculator to work pretty well for step mashes. As always though, keep a little extra boiling water around when you are using a new mash schedule.

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml