Brewing another wheat beer

Mashing
1

So I am brewing another wheat beer because after tasting my last one I ended up using WAY too much honey so I gave it the axe. Just though I would throw my new recipe out there and get everyones thoughts on it before I dive in since I am still new to brewing.

Grain:
Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 7 lb
White Wheat Malt 4 lb
Carapils 8 oz (head retention)
Briess caramel 30L 8 oz (add orange tone)
Flaked wheat 8 oz (give the beer a nice haze)

Hops:
Hallertau 1 oz
Amarillo 1 oz
Citra .5 oz

Yeast:
Safale US-05

Added some notes on why I am using so many different grains, feel free to chime in and tell me if I am using them for the wrong reason.

THANKS EVERYONE!!!

2

Recipe is too complex and redundant.

The best wheat beers are made from Lager Malt and Wheat Malt or Flaked Wheat.

You don’t need carapils because the proteins in the wheat will help head retention (don’t do a protein rest unless you’re using undermodified malts).

Caramel malt should be added for residual sweetness and body (Dextrins) not for color.

Start with 50% pilsner and 50% wheat malt and when you taste that beer then determine if you would like to add a caramel malt or increase the percentage of a base malt.

No times for hop additions are given, but keep the bittering hops on the light side, wheat beers aren’t IPA’s.

Use Amarillo and Citra for flavor and aroma and Hallertau for bittering.

Maybe 60 min for the Hallertau and 10 mins and flameout for the Amarillo and Citra.

US-05 won’t let the wheat malt shine through, so if that’s what you’re after you’ll want to replace that yeast with a Hefeweizen yeast.

3

Unless it’s Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin :wink:

4

[quote=“mattnaik”][quote=“jd14t”]
No times for hop additions are given, but keep the bittering hops on the light side, wheat beers aren’t IPA’s.
[/quote]

Unless it’s Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin :wink: [/quote]

Mmm… tasty. Just bottled my clone of that this last weekend. I remember thinking my world changed when I realized that was a wheat beer. I stammered for a good five minutes “But I don’t like wheat beer…”

5

It is a bit overly complex. What kind of wheat beer are going for? American? Bavarian? I’m guessing American. Start with a simple grist. As mentioned do a 50/50 mix of 2row or Pilsner malt and wheat. I also use a touch of crystal for sweetness. Amarillo and Citra would be great flavor/ aroma hops. Makes me think of 3 Floyd’s Gumball head wheat. Save the hallertau and bitter with something else that is clean. Maybe 20 ibus? If making an American wheat O5 will work.

6

Thanks for all the tips guys, I thought I was getting a little complex there that is why you guys are awesome.

Sorry should have been more specific, I am going to an American wheat beer and yes, I was going to bitter with the Hallertau and throw the Citra and Amarillo in at flameout.

JD14T, you think I should try and Hefeweizen yeast? any recommendations?

If I went 50/50, are you saying I should use something other than 2-row, you said that the best wheat beers are made from Lager Malt, I am still new at this what malt would you say over 2-row?

I put a post earlier in the week and I want my beer to come out with a citrus flavor, mild hops and a bright summer orange like Oberon. I previously brewed a wheat ale with just 2-row and white wheat and it came out yellow.

THANKS AGAIN GUYS!!

7

I think the srm is close to 5, so yes you will need to add some crystal malts to get your color there.

8

[quote=“tony269”]Thanks for all the tips guys, I thought I was getting a little complex there that is why you guys are awesome.

Sorry should have been more specific, I am going to an American wheat beer and yes, I was going to bitter with the Hallertau and throw the Citra and Amarillo in at flameout.

JD14T, you think I should try and Hefeweizen yeast? any recommendations?

If I went 50/50, are you saying I should use something other than 2-row, you said that the best wheat beers are made from Lager Malt, I am still new at this what malt would you say over 2-row?

I put a post earlier in the week and I want my beer to come out with a citrus flavor, mild hops and a bright summer orange like Oberon. I previously brewed a wheat ale with just 2-row and white wheat and it came out yellow.

THANKS AGAIN GUYS!![/quote]

First and foremost a recipe should be designed to taste as one envisions. Color is an ancillary matter.

Forcing a beer to be a certain color by adding ingredients that aren’t necessary doesn’t equate to a beer that tastes good.

Do you really want the characteristics of the crystal or are you just adding it for color?

The crystal may help out if the beer was highly hopped.

If you just want to darken the beer without the characteristics of crystal then try Sinamar.

Color can also be increased by doing a decoction mash.

Use an American Hefeweizen yeast if that’s the style of beer you envision, use US-05 if you envision a drier IPA type beer. The hefeweizen yeast is what helps give the beer a cloudy appearance.

Instead of 2-Row use a pilsner malt for a more grainy sweet background to the bready wheat.

50/50 split of barley and wheat is a good starting point. It’s up to you to determine if you want more grainy or bready character in your beer.

9

[quote=“jd14t”][quote=“tony269”]Thanks for all the tips guys, I thought I was getting a little complex there that is why you guys are awesome.

Sorry should have been more specific, I am going to an American wheat beer and yes, I was going to bitter with the Hallertau and throw the Citra and Amarillo in at flameout.

JD14T, you think I should try and Hefeweizen yeast? any recommendations?

If I went 50/50, are you saying I should use something other than 2-row, you said that the best wheat beers are made from Lager Malt, I am still new at this what malt would you say over 2-row?

I put a post earlier in the week and I want my beer to come out with a citrus flavor, mild hops and a bright summer orange like Oberon. I previously brewed a wheat ale with just 2-row and white wheat and it came out yellow.

THANKS AGAIN GUYS!![/quote]

First and foremost a recipe should be designed to taste as one envisions. Color is an ancillary matter.

Forcing a beer to be a certain color by adding ingredients that aren’t necessary doesn’t equate to a beer that tastes good.

Do you really want the characteristics of the crystal or are you just adding it for color?

The crystal may help out if the beer was highly hopped.

If you just want to darken the beer without the characteristics of crystal then try Sinamar.

Color can also be increased by doing a decoction mash.

Use an American Hefeweizen yeast if that’s the style of beer you envision, use US-05 if you envision a drier IPA type beer. The hefeweizen yeast is what helps give the beer a cloudy appearance.

Instead of 2-Row use a pilsner malt for a more grainy sweet background to the bready wheat.

50/50 split of barley and wheat is a good starting point. It’s up to you to determine if you want more grainy or bready character in your beer.[/quote]

WOW, that is awesome stuff, thank you so much! I mean, I try to read as much as I can about brewing on my own so I dont have to light up the forum but thanks again everyone, you are awesome!

10

Not meaning to confuse the issue, but aren’t even the American hefe yeasts really clovey and banana-y? I wouldn’t think that’s what he’d want to use for an American Wheat Beer. US-05, one of the Cal/American Ale yeasts, San Fran Lager, or maybe a kolsch yeast would be my direction.

Above-posters are right on this though: make beers with boring grain bills first. And make them well. Then build on those. You will be rewarded with better beer.

11

Not necessarily, they’re mostly clean fermenting, perhaps very slight banana/clove at warmer temps.

Having used WLP320 multiple times, I can’t really pickup any sulphur or clove, and maybe a very slight banana, but only because I’ve been told to expect it.

Wyeast 1010 seems to be even cleaner.

12

My only experience with heffe yeast was WLP300 and that was a banana bomb even at lower temps in my opinion. I did raise it to 70 to help it finish out so it could have been due to that. So based on my limited experience I would stay away from WLP300/WY3068.

It really seems like you can’t decide what kind of beer you are trying to make. You have noble hops AND American hops and considering using a Heffe yeast. Is there a certain commercial beer you want this to taste similar to or an inspiration for this beer? At least then maybe we can help guide you in the right direction.

13

[quote=“uberculture”][quote=“mattnaik”][quote=“jd14t”]
No times for hop additions are given, but keep the bittering hops on the light side, wheat beers aren’t IPA’s.
[/quote]

Unless it’s Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin :wink: [/quote]

Mmm… tasty. Just bottled my clone of that this last weekend. I remember thinking my world changed when I realized that was a wheat beer. I stammered for a good five minutes “But I don’t like wheat beer…”[/quote]

it is funny, I ran to my Costco version of a beer store and picked up some of that Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin…wow…great beer but I couldnt walk too good after a few last night :cheers:

14

[quote=“mattnaik”]My only experience with heffe yeast was WLP300 and that was a banana bomb even at lower temps in my opinion. I did raise it to 70 to help it finish out so it could have been due to that. So based on my limited experience I would stay away from WLP300/WY3068.

It really seems like you can’t decide what kind of beer you are trying to make. You have noble hops AND American hops and considering using a Heffe yeast. Is there a certain commercial beer you want this to taste similar to or an inspiration for this beer? At least then maybe we can help guide you in the right direction.[/quote]

Man you guys really know you stuff, cant wait till I am at that level.

This is my vision, to have an easy drinking citrus summer beer that will taste good for myself and the masses. I guess in my head I was stuck on the beer being orange because most of the summer beers I like Bells Oberon and Arcadias Whitsun are orange.

How I came up with the hop profile is I have read many recipes that use the Hallertau for bittering on Wheat Ales so I picked that. I have just been reading about hops and I liked the sound of the Amarillo because I have read it gives off a tangerine flavor and I thought adding in a hint of tropical fruit flavors from the Citra would be a good idea.

Hopefully that gives you more to the vision I am looking for, in future posts I will try and be more specific, thanks again everyone for all your help!

15

I think you’re on the right track. I think you would be fine with US-05, or any of the Cal/Am Ale yeasts, and even a brit ale yeast as the tanginess may enhance the flavor you’re going for.

Bittering hop really doesn’t matter as you are just getting bitterness from it. Hallertau would work fine (FYI, I believe Magnum, which many use for ‘clean’ bittering, is a cousin/mutant descendant of Hallertau).

16

[quote=“Pietro”]I think you’re on the right track. I think you would be fine with US-05, or any of the Cal/Am Ale yeasts, and even a brit ale yeast as the tanginess may enhance the flavor you’re going for.

Bittering hop really doesn’t matter as you are just getting bitterness from it. Hallertau would work fine (FYI, I believe Magnum, which many use for ‘clean’ bittering, is a cousin/mutant descendant of Hallertau).[/quote]

Thanks Pietro, I have a lot to think about, after the idea of using the Hefeweizen I found the WLP380, seems like a popular yeast for wheat ales. The description on the Bells website where I buy my ingredients is: “Large clove and phenolic aroma and flavor, with minimal banana. Refreshing citrus and apricot notes. Crisp, drinkable hefeweizen. Less flocculent than WLP300, and sulfur production is higher.”

I am not too a huge fan of the clove aroma and flavor it might give off but then it says it gives off a refreshing citrus and apricot notes which sounds awesome…uggggg…so many choices hahahaha.

17

Maybe with lower IBU beers (which makes sense in this case) but my experience using lower AA noble hops to achieve the same bitterness as a high AA hop like magnum will not result in the same flavor. Maybe it’s just the increased vegetal matter required to achieve the same bitterness but it still contributes somewhat to the flavor outside of just bitterness.

18

Maybe with lower IBU beers (which makes sense in this case) but my experience using lower AA noble hops to achieve the same bitterness as a high AA hop like magnum will not result in the same flavor. Maybe it’s just the increased vegetal matter required to achieve the same bitterness but it still contributes somewhat to the flavor outside of just bitterness.[/quote]
Interesting; I’ve not noticed that. But then, I rarely do highly bittered beers, and the only time I remember using low AA noble hops for a higher bitterness beer it was a ton of Saaz in an imperial pilsner. With lower IBU beers, a high AA hop can be problematic because a small error in weighing can result is a big difference in the bitterness. I like magnum, but I wouldn’t use it in a recipe like this just for that reason.

To the OP, you might want to simplify your recipe to get what you are looking for. You can make a great-tasting summer wheat beer with just a 50/50 or 40/60 mix of wheat and your choice of low color barley malt. I often use pils malt, but two-row, lager malt or any kind of pale malt will work fine as well. You definitely don’t need any specialty malt for head retention - the wheat will do that for you. I’d stay away from any caramel malts because sweet just doesn’t work in an easy-drinking summer beer. If you want the orange color, use sinamar as recommended above, or 1/2 oz of Carafa special (or any other “debittered” black malt) will do the same thing with almost no flavor impact.

US-05 makes a fine clean wheat beer, but if you want some cloudiness, perhaps an American wheat yeast is what you want. Stay away from German wheat yeasts if you don’t like the clove and banana flavors.

For hops, I’m one of those people who can’t stand Amarillo. Tangerine is fine, but the cat pee aroma gets in the way of my enjoyment. Consider Sorachi Ace for your late additions - nice lemony flavor with that one. I brewed a wheat with that a few years ago and it came out pretty good. Or you could just put a wedge of citrus in the glass when you drink.

19

I stayed away from Bavarian styles and made mainly American wheats for a long time because I thought they all had that banana bomb flavor. I didn’t realize that most were made with Wy 3068/Wlp 300. I went back to them because I started to use WLp 351/Wy 3638 and love those strains which fit my palate because of the clove flavor. I also ferment them at 65-67 deg. to keep them as subtle as possible. Just me.