
Torrified Wheat - Crisp Malting Group
Torrefied Wheat, an unmalted adjunct, has been a staple for brewers looking to enhance head retention, mouthfeel, and body across various beer styles. Known for its light grain character, it’s prepared by a unique process of heat expansion that pre-gelatinises the starches, making it a convenient addition to the mash without requiring special treatments.
- Wort Colour: 2.5–3.5
- Usage: Up to 25% of the grist
- Beer Styles: Ideal for pale ales, IPAs, wheat beers, stouts, and lagers
Description
What is Torrefied Wheat?
Torrefied Wheat undergoes a specialised heating process, where raw wheat is exposed to temperatures around 400–415°C. This rapid heating causes the wheat kernels to expand, disrupting their cellular structure and pre-gelatinising the starches. Unlike malted wheat, which relies on germination and kilning to develop enzymes, Torrefied Wheat has no enzymatic activity and thus must be paired with diastatic malts (like pale or lager malts) to convert its starches into fermentable sugars.
How to Use Torrefied Wheat
Ideal for enhancing foam stability and texture, Torrefied Wheat can be added at up to 25% of the grain bill in styles needing robust foam and body, such as pale ales, IPAs, and even some stouts and lagers. Generally, a smaller addition of 5–10% is sufficient to improve head retention without overly impacting flavour, while higher amounts can be used in wheat-heavy styles like witbiers or hefeweizens.
Flavour Profile
Torrefied Wheat imparts a clean, subtle graininess with minimal taste impact, especially when compared to malted wheat, which has a creamier and more pronounced flavour. This mild flavour makes it versatile and suitable for balancing malt profiles in various beer styles.
Enzymatic Activity
As an unmalted grain, Torrefied Wheat lacks diastatic power, meaning it cannot self-convert its starches. It requires mashing alongside enzymatically active malts to ensure full conversion, making it well-suited for adjunct use.
Mashing with Torrefied Wheat
Pre-gelatinised during the torrefication process, Torrefied Wheat is ready for direct addition to the mash, unlike raw wheat, which requires a preliminary gelatinisation step. Its pre-gelatinised form allows for efficient starch breakdown at standard mash temperatures when combined with other active malts.
Combining with Other Malts
When used with low-nitrogen base malts, Torrefied Wheat can significantly enhance foam and mouthfeel. It combines well with pale or pilsner malts, bringing stability to beers that may lack head retention due to lower protein levels.
Benefits of Torrefied Wheat
- Head Retention: High protein content promotes foam stability and lacing.
- Improved Mouthfeel: Adds smoothness and body without dominating flavour.
- Efficiency: Pre-gelatinised starches streamline brewing, eliminating extra steps.
- Versatility: Fits seamlessly into diverse recipes, from pale ales to wheat beers.
History
Torrefied Wheat’s use in brewing gained traction in British and European brewing traditions, valued for its simplicity and effectiveness in achieving stable foam and fuller mouthfeel in cask ales. Its ease of use and consistent results have made it a mainstay in craft and commercial brewing alike.
Key Features
- Moisture Content: Max 5.0%
- Extract (Dry Basis): Min 80.0%
- Wort Colour: 2.5–3.5
- Usage: Up to 25% of the grist
- Flavour Profile: Light grain
- Applications: Enhancing head retention and body in all beer styles
- Beer Styles: Ideal for pale ales, IPAs, wheat beers, stouts, and lagers
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