(In other words, if a pound of potato flakes are used to make a gallon of wort, that wort would register a specific gravity of 1.035.) Remember that this number will be modified by your extract efficiency. Other than that, however, just follow your normal mashing procedures and finish brewing as you normally would.įor recipe calculations, expect a potential extract of about 35 points per pound per gallon. Whenever I mash any starchy adjunct, I stir the mash a few times during the saccharification rest. Potato flakes can be stirred into the mash just as flaked maize would be. If your potatoes aren’t fit for cooking, they aren’t fit for brewing. Homebrewers used to extract-with-grains procedures can easily make partial mash beers using potatoes.ĭon’t look at potato beer as a way to get rid of potatoes that have sprouted - potato sprouts contain toxins and should therefore be discarded. Using potato flakes is simpler, but I’ve always used unprocessed potatoes in my beers to avoid the processing agents in potato flakes, even though I’m almost positive that they would be harmless. However, they contain more protein than flaked maize or rice, so you can’t use potatoes to dilute the protein content of your wort when using high-protein malts.Īll-grain brewers can use either raw potatoes or unseasoned potato flakes in brewing. So, you don’t need to worry about the potatoes contributing to protein haze in your beer. The percentage of protein in potato flakes is on par with the percentage found in malted barley. These preservatives and processing agents will be diluted in your wort and should not interfere with your brewing. They may also include an emulsifier, often a monoglyceride or diglyceride. Flakes will likely contain sodium bisulfite, a chemical added to prevent non-enzymatic browning of the flakes during storage. When using potato flakes in brewing, be sure to check the ingredient label and select only unseasoned potato flakes. Many potato flakes, such as those designed to make instant mashed potatoes, are salted or otherwise seasoned.

Potato flakes are usually made from Russet potatoes and contain 5–7.5% moisture, 60–75% starch and 7–9% protein. Potatoes can be dried and extruded through rollers to produce potato flakes. As such, the starch is accessible to the saccharification enzymes at typical mash temperatures - 148–158 ☏ (64–70 ☌). Potato starch gelatinizes at relatively low temperatures, around 130 ☏ (54 ☌) for most mealy varieties. In comparison, barley starch is 20–25% amylose and 75–80% amylopectin. Potato starch is about 20% amylose and 80% amylopectin. The starch in potatoes is arranged in larger granules than those found in most plants, including barley. Potatoes also contain relatively high levels of vitamin C.

The remainder of the potato is a variety of compounds including fiber and a tiny amount (around 0.1%) of fat. Potato CompositionĪt harvest, potatoes contain about 78% water, 18% starch and 2–3% protein. Waxy varieties - such as Chef’s potatoes or red potatoes - may be usable, but I don’t have any experience with them. Mealy varieties - such as Russet, Yukon Gold or baking-type potatoes - can easily be used in homebrewing. There are many varieties of potatoes found on supermarket shelves and they can be grouped into two functional categories, waxy or mealy (or starchy). The edible portion of the potato plant is the tuber, a modified underground stem. The nightshade family also includes tomatoes, tobacco and peppers. The common potato comes from the potato plant (Solanum tuberosum), a member of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family.

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