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Fix a stuck sparge before it happens! |
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Written by DJ Spiess
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Saturday, 02 February 2008 |
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Rice hulls contribute no fermentable sugars, no flavor, and no color. Many all-grain recipes include rice hulls in the list of ingredients. Why? Rice hulls are your insurance policy against stuck sparges.
A stuck sparge can ruin your brew day. A stuck sparge means that you cannot vorlauf or sparge your mash because the grains are so compacted that the wort cannot flow out. This leaves your precious wort stuck with the grain. If you are using wheat or oatmeal for your beer, stuck sparges can be quite common. There are methods you can try to avoid a stuck sparge, but the simplest method is to avoid the stuck sparge to begin with.  Adding rice hulls to your mash is a small price to pay for peace of mind!
Adding rice hulls are the best insurance policy. You usually add 2% to 5% rice hulls to your grain bill. This will dramatically decrease the likelihood of a stuck sparge. Usually rice hulls are about $1 USD per pound, but you’ll only use about a third of that. That’s a $0.33 USD insurance policy. Peace of mind rarely comes cheaper!
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