Red Wheat for Wheated Bourbon & Whiskey

Red wheat is an excellent choice for distillers looking to produce smooth, flavorful wheated bourbon and whiskey. Used as the flavoring grain in place of rye, wheat can soften the sharper spice associated with high-rye mash bills while adding its own rich grain character.

It’s especially useful for creating wheated bourbon-style mash bills, where corn remains the primary grain and red wheat is combined with malted barley or distilling enzymes for starch conversion.

What Does Red Wheat Add to Whiskey?

Red wheat can produce a whiskey with a softer, rounder character than a traditional rye-heavy bourbon while still providing plenty of grain flavor and complexity.

Depending on your mash bill, fermentation, distillation, and aging, red wheat can contribute:

• Soft, rounded grain character
• Subtle sweetness
• Bread and cereal notes
• Fuller mouthfeel
• Less peppery spice than rye
• Excellent character after oak aging

Great for Wheated Bourbon Mash Bills

Instead of using corn, rye, and malted barley in a traditional bourbon-style grain bill, substitute red wheat for the rye.

A typical starting point might be:

70% corn / 16% red wheat / 14% malted barley

From there, experiment with the percentages to develop your own house mash bill.

Red wheat can also be used at higher percentages for wheat whiskey or combined with corn, barley, rye, and other grains for custom recipes.

Important Mashing Information

Red wheat contains plenty of starch but should not be relied upon to provide the enzymes necessary for complete starch conversion.

When making an all-grain mash, combine it with malted grain that has adequate diastatic power or use appropriate enzymes such as high-temperature alpha-amylase and glucoamylase.

Wheat can also create a thicker mash than corn-heavy recipes, particularly when finely milled or used at higher percentages. Make sure your mash has enough water and good circulation or agitation during cooking and conversion.

A Classic Grain for Smooth Whiskey

Whether you’re developing a smooth wheated bourbon, experimenting with wheat whiskey, or creating your own signature mash bill, PhilBilly Moonshine Red Wheat gives you a versatile grain for building flavorful spirits from scratch.

Product: Red Wheat
Grain: Wheat
Recommended Uses: Wheated bourbon, wheat whiskey, bourbon-style mash bills, and custom grain recipes
Conversion Required: Yes — use malted grain with adequate enzymes and/or added distilling enzymes