I recently brewed a wit beer with a nice 1300mL yeast starter that sat on a stir plate for 20 hours. Here’s the recipe:
Saruman the Wit
16-A Witbier
Author: JR
Date: 12/11/12
Size: 5.25 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 166.15 kcal per 12.0 fl oz
Original Gravity: 1.050 (1.044 - 1.052)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.008 - 1.012)
Color: 3.58 (2.0 - 4.0)
Alcohol: 4.91% (4.5% - 5.5%)
Bitterness: 12.8 (10.0 - 20.0)
Ingredients:
4.95 lb (45.4%) Belgian Pils - added during mash
4.95 lb (45.4%) Wheat Flaked - added during mash
1 lb (9.2%) Rice Hulls - added during mash
0.13 oz (20.6%) Millenium (15.5%) - added during boil, boiled 75 m
.25 oz (39.7%) Czech Saaz (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 m
.25 oz (39.7%) Styrian Aurora (8.1%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 m
2 oz Rose Hips - added during boil, boiled 10.0 m
1 oz Lavender flower (dried) - added during boil, boiled 10.0 m
1 oz Corriander crushed - added during boil, boiled 10.0 m
1.0 ea WYeast 3944 Belgian Witbier™
Schedule:
Ambient Air: 70.0 °F
Source Water: 60.0 °F
Elevation: 0.0 m
Notes
Mash in @ 150 degrees F - Strike temp of 163 degrees F
Mash for 60 minutes
Accidently mashed in the HLT, but I just waited the 60 minutes and transferred it to the Lauter Tun…I don’t think it made a difference.
added 1.5 gallons of boiling water to stop mash for ten minutes
collected 7 gallons of pre-boil wort
S.G. pre-boil wort: 1.040
S.G. post-boil wort: 1.051
Ended with 5.25 gallons of wort
1300mL yeast starter that was on a stir plate for about 20 hours
I checked my gravity and it is holding at 1.012. Right where I want it. I’ve got a lot of brewing experience, but this is my first wit beer. My question is should I keg it now? It tastes amazing, but I’m a little hesitant about how quick it fermented. I know the yeast starter helped, but I just want to make sure. Thanks in advance!
