Wheat Beer recipe?

[bigears]

I'm looking for a good kit-based recipe for a Wheat Beer. I'm a big fan of the German Wheat Beers such as Maisel's, Franziskaner and Erdinger.

I've got the following supplies:

1.7 KG Morgans Golden Sheaf Wheat Beer kit
500g Dried Wheat Malt Extract (Spraymalt)
500g Glucose
Wyeast - 3068 - Weihenstephan (German Weissbier yeast)

I have also got Tettnang and Hallertauer Hersbrucker hops (both German) but I'm not too sure whether to use them as I don't want to overhop this style.

I'd be interested to hear opinions on whether these ingredients will give a decent result!

[pharmaboy]

Hi, I,ve made that kit a few times, but have always made it up with a kilo of wheat spray malt rather than a half and half, like your ingredients.

Youre right about the style, not much need for hops unless you are trying for a dry bavarian version of wheat - which isnt my thing, so cant help you there. 3068 is a great yeast and one of the 2 that i use for wheats - but its a bit tempremental at times - I find it goes great at 20 to 24 degrees, but under that it can stop.

Given your location and season you are going to need some temperature control, and if starting at 18C or lower, a REALLY big yeast starter! The glucose should give you slightly less body and drier, but the tartness from the yeast will still be there.

goodluck

[bigears]

Cheers Pharmaboy,

You're right about the location; not exactly tropical over here at the moment. I was in your neck of the woods this time last year so I'm missing the sunshine!

I suspected an extra 500g of wheat spraymalt might make a difference so I'll have to look into that. Incidentally I have 500g light spraymalt going spare - would this be an acceptable substitute for the extra wheat malt? i.e. 500g wheat spraymalt plus 500g light spraymalt.

I've got a brewbelt to keep the temperature in range so I'll aim to start it at around 25 and reduce it slightly once it gets going.

What timeframes have you gone for in the past as regards primary, secondary (if you used it) before bottling? As I won't be leaving the bottle sediment behind when pouring would you recommend to prime with glucose?

Have you tried making it up to 20 litres instead of 23 litres and how did it compare?

Thanks for the tips

[pharmaboy]

the light spraymalt would go well with the wheat SM, most extract recipes seem to use a bit of both rather than all wheat (well wheat and barley - but you know what i mean).

With temp another option with that yeast is to start at 12 or 14 and bring it upto 20 from there - supposed to give more balance to the yeast effects (never tried it personally - I cant start at 12c without a lot of planning). because I like hefeweizen, i dont always secondary (depends on keg space mainly) so i like a little suspended yeast - gives a nice flavour, so try some bottles fully poured as well as clear and decide for yourself, but the going opinion seems to be that you cant tell the difference on priming methods - go with whats easiest.

I only make the kit up to 19 litres for kegging, although I reduce the additions (750 grams muntons wheat spray malt) - doesnt seem to be too bitter for me, with the full kilo, you'll be up around 5.5% I suppose - will taste nice, but might knock you around after a few on an empty stomach

[bigears]

Sounds perfect. I had a few bottles of Maisel's last night so that's put me in the mood to get started ASAP. I think I'll go with the mixture of wheat and light SM.

Good point on not bothering with secondary, I might try with just primary. It's not like hefeweizen will benefit from clearing anyway.

Seems like a lot of people recommend using a starter with the Wyeast. I haven't done this before - do you think it's necesary? If I keep the temperature of the wort at say 20-23 before pitching will this make a difference?

[pharmaboy]

on a twenty litre brew, the wyeast can be just pitched straight (especially at the right temp)- i always use a starter though, because i split into 6 stubbie bottles to give by 6* brews for the one pack. mind you, wyeast are $15 here - about 6 GBP.

[bigears]

oops.

think i made a bit of a boo boo with the yeast starter.

i was planning on making a starter with the wyeast 3068 pouch and 4 tablespoons of light DME, 500 ml of water.

I boiled the wort and cooled it, put it into a sterilised one litre glass bottle. So far so good. When I snipped the yeast pouch (it had ballooned so I think it was ready) I think I cut the hole too small and the yeast started to spray everwhere. Uh oh, panic stations

I'm not sure how much escaped before I managed to get the rest into the bottle, and put in a cork and airlock. I put it in the hotpress to get the temperature up around the right range. 24 hours later and there was no bubbling in the airlock, no krausen. I wrapped the bottle in a small towel just in case the temperature was not constant but 36 hours after starting there is still no activity.

It then dawned on me that I misread my measuring jug and included half a pint of water instead of half a litre. This has probably doubled the OG. I was aiming for about 1.045 but it's probably sitting at about 1.090.

There is a sediment in the bottom and scatterings of foam (no depth) on the top of the wort which suggests that some activity has taken place but I'm not sure whether I should pitch this starter or take a hit and make a new starter with another pack of yeast before starting the brew.

[pharmaboy]

sounds like fun in the kitchen! youre certainly going to have a shortage of viable yeasties, I'd be inclined to bring it up to 28C or so untill it gets going, then when krausen appears, get it back down. I asume you've used th pack before and it smacked right -coz that is hard to get the courage to squeeze hard enough to break the food parcel in there. warm and patience, or patience and more money for more yeast , your call.