brewing with rice

[Zambi]

Not husks or anything, just normal rice...

Anyone any experience?

I saved part of a dicscussion a while ago, I think it was from an aussie brewers forum

I'm thinking of trying this, but with Maris Otter, kveik voss and cascade hop & much warmer fermentation temps)
(Got no galena and no temp control for the yeast. Still a bit too warm here for US 05)

Do you think it will come out as something drinkable?
I know I've changed all ingredients, I'll just keep the ratio's the same

 

[GFHomebrew]

Yes you sure can.
Inspired by @Ozarks Mountain Brew Blond ale using flaked rice I brewed this twice years back and I remember it tasting great.
Recipe I used I used pre cooked rice not flaked.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/550872/blondie
Here are some brew day notes if it will help.
Also first batch i had heaps of doe balls
heaps of trub in sample and kettle.

Here is early tasting note I've come to understand honey as a sign of oxidation but sounds like I was digging it that brew.

 

[J A]

Rice is a very common adjunct and makes for a very nice International Lager style beer. I brew with Pilsner, Rice and Vienna malt in a 70/20/10 percent ratio or thereabouts. White rice is desirable and sushi rice is best.
I cook the rice and add it to the mash to raise the temp from protein rest to beta rest temps, like a decoction. I do a long mash (over an hour) to ensure complete conversion.

 

[Zambi]

I've heard it being used in lagers, although not in the ones I commonly drink.
I would like to use it in so.ething more like an ale.
Looks like it will be possible.
I may put it on the trub of a wheat beer that is almost ready for bottling

 

[J A]

I've heard it being used in lagers, although not in the ones I commonly drink.
I would like to use it in so.ething more like an ale.
Looks like it will be possible.
I may put it on the trub of a wheat beer that is almost ready for bottling

Be aware that rice tends to lighten the flavor profile and thin out the mouthfeel. I'll probably do best in a blonde ale or American cream ale (which is essentially a lager). Anything heavier or darker won't really see any benefit from using it.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I guess I wouldn't bother with it, especially with Maris Otter. The MO has such a strong malt flavor and it would only lower the malt character of the beer, plus the diastatic power of MO is lower, so often it's not the first choice for an adjunct. You could just change to to a cheaper two-row barley and get the same effect. Plus two-row has a higher diastatic power, usually 100 -140.

I use rice often, mostly Minute Rice (pre-cooked). With pre-cooked rice you can just toss it in the mash as is, no cooking required. If you're going to use straight up rice, just cook it as you normally would and throw it in your mash.

I like to use the rice in American lagers, but you could make a lighter pale ale, keep the gravity up at 1.060 and still have a really drinkable beer. 15-20% of the mash bill is a nice spot to start with. Don't waste the MO with a rice beer.

 

[Zambi]

Point taken
I got a bit of pilsner and lager malt left so will use those instead of Maris Otter.
Would you find anything back of the flavour of rice? Say basmati or jasmine versus cheap long grain?

 

[GFHomebrew]

Point taken
I got a bit of pilsner and lager malt left so will use those instead of Maris Otter.
Would you find anything back of the flavour of rice? Say basmati or jasmine versus cheap long grain?

I did find there was a flavour when I used brown rice but I noticed it went away after a couple of weeks of conditioning.
I'm guessing it imparted a little flavour as per being neutral

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I did find there was a flavour when I used brown rice but I noticed it went away after a couple of weeks of conditioning.
I'm guessing it imparted a little flavour as per being neutral

I agree. Rice doesn't really add much in the way of flavor, standard long grain works good. I do notice a sweetness in the beer with rice, it doesn't linger, it's quite pleasant.

 

[Steve Ruch]

I've heard it being used in lagers, although not in the ones I commonly drink.
I would like to use it in so.ething more like an ale.

I had an article published in the March/April 2018 BYO about brewing with alternate forms of rice. I brewed a Muntons nut brown ale kit and added some brown rice syrup. It turned out pretty good. It had a nice crisp finish.

 

[Zambi]

Brown rice syrup?
Never came across anything like that!

 

[J A]

Just use plain, cheap white rice. If you want to maximize the sugars produced, find some sushi rice. Because it has extra starches that make it sticky, it yields a little better. I get California sushi rice (Cal-rose) for a reasonable price in 25-50 lb bags. Flavor will be about the same either way...there's a slight sweetness that isn't maltose but it's pretty subtle. Mostly you're just creating a beer that's lighter in color and crisper in the finish when you use it.

 

[Steve Ruch]

Brown rice syrup?
Never came across anything like that!

I found it either at Fred Meyer or WinCo in Vancouver, WA.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I agree. Rice doesn't really add much in the way of flavor, standard long grain works good. I do notice a sweetness in the beer with rice, it doesn't linger, it's quite pleasant.

Ah maybe this is that sweet honey like flavour I found so that's a contribution of the rice maybe hmmm

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Ah maybe this is that sweet honey like flavour I found so that's a contribution of the rice maybe hmmm

Exactly

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I've used flaked rice and powdered rice, both are neutral in flavor