flakey question

[hunter]

was wandering if anyone has used flaked rice or flaked barley in there brewing,if so what doe's it do to the finished product and how much fermentables doe's it add to your boil.also where do you buy rice syrup and solids.hope that's not to many questions

[littlebrew]

I'm a cheap brewer( except for the equipment).

I use rice from the grocery.  Either the "minute rice" or gelatinize my own.  From past experience, it works just as well as the expensive flakes.  

I am the one that puts as much time as I can into my brewing days...basic materials (make your own), bottling, building my own gear, etc.

Just listen carefully to these guys.  They know their stuff!  

[hunter]

how do you use the minute rice,do you boil it first or do you just mash it,do you mash it with other grains to convert the starches to sugar.

[littlebrew]

I boil according to the directions or until it is "mushy" (gelatinized).  Add it directly into the mash and continue as normal.  Remember to either lower its temp to mashing temp or compensate for the temp you add it to the mash.

I have also used cornmeal, uncooked rice, minute rice, Quaker Oats. Try TEXMATI  Rice.  It has a really different popcorn type taste.  I usually eat it before I can use it!!!

[hunter]

i'll have to try some of thoughs idea's,i realy like cream ales so i'm try some different idea's that i find on the brew sites.before i started reading all the different recipes i would never have thought you could all this different stuff for brewing beer,but i remember when i was a kid my dad would use patatoe,i always thought  that was kinda wierd,i guess it wasn't.

[littlebrew]

Go to Brew Your Own, Northern Brewer, etc. and search for topics of interest and concern to you.  From books, forums, and advice from these guys, I am getting better and learning more everyday.