Rice Hulls - question

[brewswithshoes]

Been brewing awhile, but had never used rice hulls. Decided to start now as doing a lot of wheats lately and running into quasi-stuck mashes in my Brew Boss.

I ordered up some with my last order to get me over a free shipping dollar amount - BTW, 15 lbs of rice hulls is a huge bag

I've read some posts on here, but some people say half a pound, some a whole pound, and then others say "just a scoops worth"

Question now that i see how much 15 lbs really is - what is the ratio of hulls to a 11-12 lb grain bill (50% wheat) in a BIAB/Brew Boss mash ??

 

[Ccceric]

I just throw a pound in every brew. Sometimes I have a pound on small green bills that are 10 pounds or less but I’m pretty lazy so usually just a pound

 

[Rodent]

Question now that i see how much 15 lbs really is - what is the ratio of hulls to a 11-12 lb grain bill (50% wheat) in a BIAB/Brew Boss mash ??

is this a BIAB? if so, are rice hulls needed in a BIAB mash (or ... how could you get a stuck sparge, when you lift out the bag and grains to drain after mash time is up)?

 

[doug293cz]

Since you don't have actual stuck lauters, I would start with 1/4 lb for each 10 lb of grain. If that doesn't give you enough improvement, then use double the amount next time. I also recommend pre-wetting the rice hulls to compensate for their absorption.

Even if you don't need rice hulls to prevent stuck lauters in a true (bag lifted out) BIAB, they may still improve the removal of wort from the grain mass, giving quicker draining and lower grain absorption. YMMV.

Brew on

 

[Rodent]

Even if you don't need rice hulls to prevent stuck lauters in a true (bag lifted out) BIAB, the may still improve the removal of wort from the grain mass, giving quicker draining and lower grain absorption. YMMV.

interesting - never would have thought of this benefit.

 

[kh54s10]

I have never weighed the rice hulls. If I think I "might" have a problem I take a good single handful. If I have a sticky recipe where I am "worried" about a problem I take a two handed handful. My system seems less susceptible to a stuck sparge so I think I can use a lot less than most.

 

[MerlinWerks]

Additionally, the brew-boss system recirculates so rice hulls help with that as well...

 

[day_trippr]

@doug293cz's dosage prescription matches my rate - when I use rice hulls it's a half pound for a 10 gallon batch in a fly-sparge herms system. Lets me maintain the recirculation rate I like to keep the mlt at temperature with the hlt only a few degrees hotter...

Cheers!

 

[ShareBrewing]

Even if you don't need rice hulls to prevent stuck lauters in a true (bag lifted out) BIAB, they may still improve the removal of wort from the grain mass, giving quicker draining and lower grain absorption. YMMV.

Brew on

This is real, when I do my 12 gal BIAB with a sticky recipe, I just add 1.5-2 lbs of rice hulls. Depending on the size/shape of your bag and mash tun vessel, the grain can be much more compacted together than in a regular loose mash.

For me I don’t weigh it or measure, it’s all just by feel of the mash thickness. It’s all subjective that way. Do whatever you’re comfortable with.

 

[brewswithshoes]

This is real, when I do my 12 gal BIAB with a sticky recipe, I just add 1.5-2 lbs of rice hulls.

:

Ok, this is really what confuses me. So when I measure out 2 lbs of rice hulls they equal almost half the size of a 10 lb grain bill.

I'm guessing these compact but I think going to start with 1/2 a pound in my first batch.

 

[ShareBrewing]

I use a 16 gal kettle and a 30x36” brew bag so I don’t have to worry. As long as your recipe is a moderate gravity and you’re not already pushing your vessel’s capacity, then the rice hulls you’re adding should be fine.

 

[jaybo]

I use 1/4 pound rice hulls in all my 5 gallon batches and that seems to be more than enough, even on the stickier mashes. I mash in a 10 gallon igloo round cooler, fly sparge. Haven't had a stuck mash/sparge yet.

 

[Spartan1979]

I put 6 ounces in each batch of my last two Hefeweizens. No problem with either batch. About 10 pounds of malt.

 

[mpmccann]

half pound to a pound depending on the grain bill...

 

[SEndorf]

No worries. Rice hulls do not require any proportional accuracy. They're just there to allow flow, not mess with your recipe.
I use them in my rye malt recipes - 1 lb. for a 10 G batch / .5 lb. for a 5 G batch.