anyone have terrible efficiency when a large portion of the malt bill is some type of wheat? The other two wheat beers I've done have just been horrible. Just got through with my berliner mash, 50% flaked wheat. 45% efficiency , i'm usually locked in at 65% BIAB no sparge.
Did you use rice hulls? Not knowing your system or being all that familiar with BIAB and no sparge, but did you/can you mash out with your method?
Yes, I typically have lower efficiency with wheat beers and have often supplemented these beers with extract. I'm pretty sure it is a crush issue, as wheat greats are smaller than barley. If you crush your own, try narrowing the roller gap or double crushing. Some online places will double crush at added cost. I recently got a mill, so next time I brew with wheat I'll see if I can eliminate the issue.
Negative, just lift the bag and let it drip out to a trickle. Always right on 65% on the dot, bummed out that this wasn't even in the ballpark.
I had my LHBS mill the grain ahead of time, I usually run it through twice so that may have had an impact.
Flaked wheat has no diastatic power...what was the other 50% and would it provide enough diastatic power to covert the entire mash effectively?
It was just domestic 2row, which I thought would get the job done. I'm thinking 60 minutes wasn't enough, should have let it ride for a while longer?
Some of my higher efficiencies have come from mashes where white wheat malt was a significant part of the grain bill. According to BeerSmith ... the diastatic power of white wheat malt is 130 Lin.
But it is true that wheat malt has a lot of diastatic power. In the future, maybe what you could do is something like 50% 2-row, 10% wheat malt, 40% flaked wheat. That simultaneously adds some diastatic power while reducing the need for it, and you still end up with most of your wheat contribution coming from the flaked wheat, not the malt.
In rereading your post, it looks like you used flaked wheat, so my experience with malted wheat crush does not apply. Edit: I composed this response shortly after my original response but neglected to post it.
I've crushed the flaked wheat before but I've never used such a substantial amount to know if the crush mattered
I was always under the impression that starches in flaked grains were thoroughly gelatinized, and simultaneously, the fiber structures that hold those starches are thoroughly ruptured by the process, making it easy for the starches to overcome physical barriers to solubility. Your experiences make me wonder if I am incorrect.
Unless you count the part where he said "50% flaked wheat," which I managed to overlook because he described his "malt bill" for his "Berliner," both of which made me think "wheat malt.
Truth be told ... not only can't I count ... I can barely see anymore. I replied to the OP's question: "anyone have terrible efficiency when a large portion of the malt bill is some type of wheat?"
