Brewer’S Flakes are cereal grains that have been precooked or pregelatinized and then rolled into dried flakes. The use of flaked grain helps brewers overcome certain obstacles in the brewing process. Brewer’s corn flakes and rice flakes are the most common and are used at up to 40% of the grist bill for making American-style standard lagers and light lagers. The flakes are added directly to the mash and do not require a separate liquefying or cooking step. This makes them simpler to use than whole rice or corn grits, which must first be gelatinized in a separate vessel called the cereal cooker. Corn and rice flakes are adjuncts that lighten the body and flavor of the beer, resulting in a clean, crisp flavor. As with any adjunct, corn and rice flakes will decrease the amount of foam in the beer and may necessitate the use of yeast nutrients to ensure the fermentation progresses to completion. Brewer’s flakes are also made from pregelatinized oats and are sometimes used by brewers who wish to increase the mouthfeel of a beer. Oat flakes are usually added to the mash at 2% to 20% of the grist bill when making oatmeal stout and occasionally Belgian-style white ales. The glucans in oat flakes do add body and texture, but they can make lautering and filtration difficult. Brewer’s flakes from precooked rye are used when making rye beers. Like oat flakes, rye flakes are used at a relatively low percentage. Rye has a strong, almost peppery flavor and also contains high levels of beta-glucans and protein. Rye flakes are rarely used for more than 25% of the grist. Although not as commonly used, brewer’s flakes can also be made from precooked unmalted barley and wheat. Grists for Irish stouts sometimes contain barley flakes, which are felt to add body to a beer style that can otherwise be somewhat thin on the palate.

Keith Villa