red vs. white

[Buckley]

What are the major differences in red vs. white wheat. I am looking at revamping some old recipes. The old called for weyerman pale wheat, but with prices and a lack of efficiency from it I would like to try other options.

[Fourohstudent]

Wheat

I hope this isn't too obvious, but red wheat is malted and white is raw. My understanding is that one could think of them like the differences between 2-row and flaked barley. I hope that makes sense.

[BeersmithMT]

Red and white wheats are different varities of wheat. There are many different types of each, but in general, white wheat is more often a Spring-sewn variety, and red wheat a Winter-sewn variety. White wheat (such as Durum or Semolina) is normally a softer kernal and often used for products such as pasta. Red wheat is usually a harder kernel, and more often used in bread. Protein varies across the two color types depending on variety and growing conditions. Both types are available either malted or unmalted.

I personally think white wheat has softer flavor profile than red when used in the brewing process. Here is a good basic description of the different types commonly available in the U.S.:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0146.html

The best course would be to discuss the different types of wheat that are available to you from your malt suppliers and use their advice to determine which to use in different beer styles/flavor requirements. Hope that helps!

[Fourohstudent]

Oops

Sorry, next time I'll keep my trap shut

[BeersmithMT]

Dan,

I hope I didn't come across as slamming your post, because I wasn't. I have made plenty of incorrect statements on this forum, and will probably post some more yet. I have re-learned alot on here about things I thought I understood by reading other people's posts. So please don't hesitate to post! Thanks, -Brian

[wailingguitar]

Brian. I seriously doubt Dan took any offense to your post. Frankly, reading it one could easily assume (as I myself did when I first saw it) that you had not even read Dan's post.

You are certainly right about learning from what we see here. That's quite the point isn't it? I find that sometimes lessons stick better when I begin with a wrong answer I believe in, rather than no answer at all.

Where wheat is concerned, for my part I was unsure of the answer myself... although I was pretty sure that Dan's observation was flawed. As long as I've brewed (since '89) I have only voluntarily (as opposed to corporate mandated recipes) brewed with wheat twice and my knowledge of the subject is pretty slim.

At any rate, as long as we maintain an air of professionalism and don't get snarky with each other here, no one should take offense and we should all be able to learn something.

George

[Jephro]

I have brewed a Honey Wheat in which i was forced to substitute Red for White due to lack of a availability of the White from our supplier. Wheat made up 50% of the grist and i only noticed a very subtle difference in the beers, although i would tend agree with the description of white being softer. I didn't even have any of the regular Honey Wheat drinkers say anything to me, in fact i don't know if i would have noticed the difference if i hadn't been the one that cut the bags open.

Cargil describes both as being 2.6° - 3.2° L and...
White- clean and tangy finish
Red- nuttier than the white

...and yes we are all here to learn, if you don't have a little foot-in-mouth every once and a while how can you expect learn anything