Oat hulls for hefeweizen?

[Bubbles]

I'm about to do my first AG hefe.. 

I use a Coleman picnic cooler mash tun and use a pretty average crush setting. Would you recommend using oat hulls as a matter of course when working with 50-60% wheat? I also batch sparge, which might influence things.

Anyone?

[irish_goat]

If it's 50% or more wheat I would probably go for them. HBC sell them for 85c so they don't really break the bank.

They are also good for maintaining mash temperature too so there's that bonus. I've started throwing them into regular beers recently.

[Leann ull]

Yep cheap as chips used in a 12kg grain bill recently to keep everything "fluffy" but give them a good rinse first which if I remember correctly is to do with tannins?
Shanna is a expert with them.

[molc]

Use them and don't ever regret. Even with my mash bag, I use them just for piece of mind when using oat or wheat.

[Bubbles]

Thanks lads. What way do you calculate it? Percentage of the total wheat malt? Percentage of total grain bill?

[Bubbles]

but give them a good rinse first which if I remember correctly is to do with tannins?

Nice tip man, cheers.

[molc]

250g per 20L batch usually does it for me. I also Prince in a mash bag, as the feckers go everywhere.

[Leann ull]

250g per 20L batch usually does it for me. I also Prince in a mash bag, as the feckers go everywhere.

Huh?
http://youtu.be/F8BMm6Jn6oU

[molc]

Well shite. damn phone strikes again!
I meant I put them in a mash bag to rince.

[Shanna]

Yep cheap as chips used in a 12kg grain bill recently to keep everything "fluffy" but give them a good rinse first which if I remember correctly is to do with tannins?
Shanna is a expert with them.

Not any more since I sorted out the crush problem with my mill/drill.combo For > 50% I would use 1/2 kg but remember to factor it in your grain bill. As Molc says good advice to wash them first.

Shanna

[Bubbles]

Yep cheap as chips used in a 12kg grain bill recently to keep everything "fluffy" but give them a good rinse first which if I remember correctly is to do with tannins?
Shanna is a expert with them.

Not any more since I sorted out the crush problem with my mill/drill.combo For > 50% I would use 1/2 kg but remember to factor it in your grain bill. As Molc says good advice to wash them first.

Shanna

Cheers Shanna, will do.

[Dr Jacoby]

Thanks lads. What way do you calculate it? Percentage of the total wheat malt? Percentage of total grain bill?

Husks normally constitute roughly 10% of the weight of grain, so I'd go for 10% of the weight of the wheat malt (or any other huskless malts in there).

I think I read the 10% figure in Mike Tonsmiere's sour book if you want to follow up on it.

Edit: here's a pro brewer discussion on rice hulls which I assume are equivalent to oat husks. The final post mentions the 10% figure. 

[Bubbles]

Thanks lads. What way do you calculate it? Percentage of the total wheat malt? Percentage of total grain bill?

Husks normally constitute roughly 10% of the weight of grain, so I'd go for 10% of the weight of the wheat malt (or any other huskless malts in there).

I think I read the 10% figure in Mike Tonsmiere's sour book if you want to follow up on it.

Edit: here's a pro brewer discussion on rice hulls which I assume are equivalent to oat husks. The final post mentions the 10% figure.

Thanks DrJ, just ordered a kilo based on your advice.

[johnrm]

If the purpose of the hulls is to reduce the risk of a stuck mash why not consider conditioning your malt in advance of milling?
Spray with water 20 mins before milling - 2% of the malt bill weight of water.

[Dr Jacoby]

Hi John, lots of breweries wet the grain before milling to protect the husks for better run off, but for grains that don't have husks I'm not sure it would prevent a stuck mash. Open to correction on that though