I have about 300ml of WLP400 belgian wit slurry from 12/5/19
I plan to brew the Belgian Wit recipe below tomorrow AM. Last time I brewed it I pitched one new pack of wlp400 to each fermenter. So this yeast is the slurry from one of those fermenters. I’m really not interested in underpitching but the one pack each produced a pretty clean witbier. Of course brewersfriend says my yeast has 0% viability. I’m thinking split a 1L refresher starter at high K.
Any opinions?
Recipe: GardenVariety Ho
Brewer: Danny Clarke
Asst Brewer:
Style: Weissbier
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
9.00 gal My Well Water Water 1 - -
7.00 gal My Well Water Water 2 - -
8 lbs Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.7 SRM) Grain 3 47.8 % 0.63 gal
6 lbs 4.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 4 37.3 % 0.49 gal
2 lbs Wheat - White Malt (Briess) (2.3 SRM) Grain 5 11.9 % 0.16 gal
8.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.0 % 0.04 gal
0.50 oz Hallertau Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 9.5 IBUs -
0.50 oz Premiant [7.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 2.5 IBUs -
1.00 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 9 - -
2.0 pkg Belgian Wit Ale (White Labs #WLP400) [35.49 ml] Yeast 10 - -
The Belgian wit or many Belgian beers get alot of their flavor from the yeast. I just always found that the first use I seem to get better results. Maybe it’s pitch rate maybe it’s mutated maybe it’s mental. I’ll mostly just do a one and done so I don’t bother saving the yeast. Plus I underpitch just use one pack so I don’t have to think about.
I’ve only used 3787 Trappist ale yeast in Belgians and it’s a workhorse.
I’m not looking for lots of character so I’ll ferment cool anyway. Planning to add some bitter orange this time. If you have recommendations on that I’d be interested too. My buddy said “just a hint”. NB’s Gaarden Hoe witbier uses 1 oz in 5 gals so I’m planning on 2 oz. for this batch. Not doing coriander.
I used to make what I called an American Wit kind of took off from Sam summer ale. I would use lemon and orange zest and ferment it clean. It was a great drinking beer for summer. Should make it again.
I wouldn’t hesitate a second to make a starter out of yeast from 12/19. It’s getting old but nothing older than a smack pack/pure pitch from the same date.
I prefer sweet orange peel over bitter. And if you want citrus consider using coriander, as that’s where most of it comes from.
Last time I made a wit I went 1oz sweet orange peel and 2oz coriander that I freshly ground for 10gals. Love this style and brew it in spring and summer, so couple times per year.
Interesting topic. We brew the Saison Buffoon which has 10% white wheat and we pitched WB06 slurry in the current batch. It’s not done yet so I don’t have a flavor data point on reusing the yeast.
It calls for .7 oz of coriander in 5 gallons along with orange and grapefruit peel. I used all the peel from one Blood Orange and the grapefruit. Sounds like I could up the coriander.
I think coriander has levels of quality and freshness like anything else. 1oz of good quality coriander was enough for me to taste in a 5 gallon batch. I wouldn’t have imagined going to 2oz at the time.
I agreed about making a starter from the slurry and pitching some fresh and active yeast but not going over board with the pitch rate
That’s exactly what Ive heard. I have cilantro planted to harvest the coriander seeds. Last year I didn’t get enough going to plant alot this year. That McCormick crap is just that. I’ve heard it is available in Indian markets
I’ve done two so far, it’s a spring drinker for me, I probably should work on my technique more than once/year though. I think next year I’ll take @loopie_beer’s recommendation and naturally carb it in the keg rather than force carbing it.
I don’t know I can’t even say any particular thing about them is all that offensive to me. Though I’m not a big fan of the flavor of yeast so that explains why I don’t like hefes.
They make me feel bloated but the taste good. Back in the day before Corona li e or blue moon orange an old German used to drop a slice of lemon in his weisbeir and said so he didn’t get bloated. Is that real?
I think next year I’ll take 
