Hello I am wondering if one can brew Northern Brewer Gaarden Hoe Witbier All Grain Beer Recipe Kit using a single-infusion I know they say to use a step-infusion but for one I use a cooler as a mash-tun so it little harder for me to do a step-Mash…
You can skip the protein rest and still make it. But you can definitely do the protein rest in a cooler I’ve done. Look at an infusion calculator on brewer’s friend or whatever software you prefer
If the recipe specifies a protein rest around 120 F, definitely skip it. That’s a recipe for a crystal clear witbier with poor head retention in my experience. Protein rests are never necessary with any 21st century malts, and in fact detrimental. Denny and I agree on this.
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I brew a similar witbier and always mash it at 152. You don’t need to protein rest.
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What grains does the recipe have? If there is alot of unmalted grain you may want the protein rest. The problem is if you do a protein rest with mostly malt you run the risk of making the wort very fermentable and change the outcome
Looks to be ~46% flaked wheat, and the rest is pils malt.
Mine is 49% wheat & flaked wheat, 3% acid malt and 48% pils malt. No issues with conversion and a 1.009 FG without a protein rest.
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How much of that is wheat malt?
From some quick research I see that some suggest a benefit of a protein rest with that large % of flaked wheat. I have no opinion. I did a couple beers using the rest
12% is wheat malt the rest is flaked.
I’ve pretty much resigned to doing single infusion mashes. My point above is only that step mashes can be done in a cooler or brew bag I’ve done both mostly for the experience. I always think it is good to try something yourself
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yea I agree completely. It’s good experience and also just good research to try step mashes and decoctions. You learn a lot and may even find that you like the result. I thought my helles benefited from decoction and I’ll always do a hockhurz when I brew a doppelbock. Since I BIAB on a two vessel system it’s easy to do step mashes by adding water or firing up the burner.
I was mostly surprised to see there wasn’t some rice hulls included with that much flaked wheat.
