50/50 wheat flakes/pale malt. What water to grain ratio and sparge should I use?

[Slurk]

Hi all,
I am planning to brew BeerSmith's Wit (Belgian White). In his recipe the grain bill shows a 50/50 wheat flakes and pale malt ratio (no other grains) and a single infusion mash. I found the following information in a beer style description (BeerSmith weekly may 8. 2008) : 
"Wheat lacks key nutrients and enzymes needed for proper conversion of sugars during mashing, so malted wheat is always combined with barley malt to provide enzymes for mashing and fermentation, often at a mix of between 40 and 60% wheat."

I was wondering 3 things:
1. should I "prepare" the wheat flakes one way or the other (or an extra mash step at a lower temp)? 
2. my standard water to grain ratio for all my beers is 2.8 liter/1kg (in your system 0.17gallon/ounce). Should I use a different ratio for this recipe?
3. could the 50/50 wheat flakes/pale malt cause some trouble during sparging due to a sticky easy stuck sparge?

Regards,
Slurk

 

[ihikeut]

Brew several Belgain Wit, never had a stuck sparge with wheat. Corn is a totally different story. I always  add sour and sweet orange peel and coriander seeds at the last 5 minutes of the boil. Leave plenty of head space in you fermentor and starter, Belgian Yeast has high flocculent (Wyeast 3944). Never changed my mash steps, I always do a protein rest with all my brews. Everbody tales me it's not necessary, probally just habit.

 

[Slurk]

Never changed my mash steps, I always do a protein rest with all my brews. Everbody tales me it's not necessary, probally just habit.

Thanks a lot  ihikeut! I am really looking forward to brew this one this weekend.
I love the Hoegaarden from Belgium, so this could be the first step in that direction.
I bought WLP 400 Belgian Wit ale yeast (first time I am using this one).

Are you using the mash steps according Brad's recipe?
60 min Mash at 154.0 F
10 min Mash at 168.0 F

Since you brew this one several times, did you change the amount of Coriander/orange peel. If yes, how much (and batch size).

Regards,
Slurk

 

[merfizle]

I don't agree with that quote about wheat.  You can use 100% and it would be just fine....just very sticky. 

No worries for you thought since it's flaked wheat you are using.  Don't crush,  just throw it in the mash and it'll be fine.

Mark

 

[Slurk]

Thanks Mark!

 

[ihikeut]

I usually use 3/4 to 1 oz of bitter orange peel and 3/4 to 1 oz sweet orange peel, 1 oz crushed coriander in a 5 gal batch.

Protein rust 125 degrees 30 min
saccharification rest 154 degrees  30 min

Last two batches Decoct 8 qt to boil added back to mash for 30 min, then Batch sparges, Added half of my bitter hops at first wort, half at flame out steeped for 30 min above 175 degrees

These two batches are still fermenting. Can't tell you how they turn out yet

 

[Maine Homebrewer]

Flakes are not malted. No starch cracking enzymes. Use wheat malt. It's got enzymes for itself and more.

 

[Slurk]

Flakes are not malted. No starch cracking enzymes. Use wheat malt. It's got enzymes for itself and more.

:-\
BeerSmith weekly (may 8. 2008) says in a style description: 
"Wheat lacks key nutrients and enzymes needed for proper conversion of sugars during mashing, so malted wheat is always combined with barley malt to provide enzymes for mashing and fermentation, often at a mix of between 40 and 60% wheat."
??

 

[Slurk]

These two batches are still fermenting. Can't tell you how they turn out yet

Thanks ihikeut! I am interested to hear how things work out.

 

[Curly55]

"Wheat lacks key nutrients and enzymes needed for proper conversion of sugars during mashing"

This is simply talking about unmalted wheat, such as flakes. If you use wheat malt then it has everything it needs. Just like barley there are malted and unmalted versions of it.