Rice Hulls

Rice hulls, known as a grain adjunct in beer brewing, have become increasingly popular among brewers for their unique properties and flavor profile. These light-colored unmalted grains provide a neutral taste to the final product. When used in brewing, rice hulls play an essential role in enhancing the mouthfeel of beers by providing better filtration during the lautering process.

The addition of rice hulls improves the overall clarity and stability of beer due to their filtering capabilities. This makes them particularly useful when working with high-protein malts or ingredients that tend to create stuck mashes or slow run-offs. Moreover, they prevent compacting and allow for improved drainage during mashing and sparging processes.

Typically used in lager-style beers like American Adjunct Lagers or Japanese Rice Lagers, rice hulls contribute to lighter-bodied brews with crisp finishes. They are also commonly employed when crafting gluten-free beers using alternative grains such as sorghum or corn grits instead of traditional malted barley. In these cases, rice hulls aid in maintaining proper mash consistency while ensuring efficient wort extraction without affecting the desired flavors of other ingredients present in the recipe.