Need a good BELGIAN WIT recipe. EXTRACT BASED!

bgough · 02-18-2009, 09:38 PM

Hey all! Im just getting started brewing (3rd batch), and I'm looking for a good extract based WIT recipe.

First off, could I just use Wheat malt extract and then steep flaked oats or flaked wheat for mouthfeel?

Or, would it be worth my time to try a mini-mash for this style( This makes me a little nervous because I've never tried it.)

Thanks in advance~

**BierMuncher** · 02-18-2009, 09:44 PM

See my Blue Balls (sig). Post #5 for extract with steeping grains.

**DeathBrewer** · 02-18-2009, 09:48 PM

Time for a mini-mash

For a true wit, you want unmalted wheat along with pilsner malt.

Check out the link in my sig for PM brewing. I could probably help formulate a recipe for you to make an easy partial mash, but I'm pretty busy at werk today.

sconnie · 02-18-2009, 10:34 PM

True Wit beers use Flaked wheat, which needs to be mashed, not just steeped, for conversion. In the past I have made a pretty passable Wit with a combination of wheat extract and a mini-mash of pilsner and flaked wheat, even though wheat extract is made with wheat malt instead of flaked wheat. The mini mash with give it some flaked wheat mouthfeel, and a lot of the flavor of Wit comes from the yeast and spices, so while it's not 100% true to style it makes a good beer.

Bob · 02-19-2009, 01:12 AM

+1 to the other guys, who tell you that the best, world-class Witbiers use unmalted wheat and often oats. For that, you need at least a mini-mash. Mini-mashing is really, really easy; DeathBrewer's tutorial is Teh Awsum.

You can make a damned fine Witbier with wheat extract only, however. It just won't be exactly like Hoegaarden, because you can only get that from the aforementioned grains.

If you stick with extract, steep a half-pound of CaraPils and use your favorite Wheat extract. Then it's all up to the spices and yeast.

You can do this!

Bob

bgough · 02-19-2009, 07:01 AM

Death Brewer, thanks! The tutorial was great. I think I could do a mini mash.

How much grain should I use for the mash if I use a 50/50 slpit of unmalted(flaked?)wheat and pilsner malt, and how much should be Wheat Malt Extract?

**DeathBrewer** · 02-19-2009, 07:30 AM

I'd go with the following:

2 lbs pilsner
2 lbs unmalted wheat (flaked is fine...true unmalted will involve more steps)
3 lbs Wheat DME

go light on the spices and use styrian goldings and/or saaz for the hops

bgough · 02-19-2009, 07:37 AM

What extra steps does unmalted have?

Also, whats the difference between the two?

Shawn Hargreaves · 02-19-2009, 02:23 PM

Unmalted wheat needs to be cooked prior to the mash, to gelatinize it (which makes the starches available to the mash: without that you just have a bunch of hard grain kernels that the enzymes cannot get to). With flaked wheat, this gelatinization has already happened during the flaking process, so you can add it directly to the mash along with the pilsner malt.

I would also advise throwing a pound or so of rice hulls in there. These have no flavor impact, but will make your sparge (rinse) stage much easier. Wheat tends to get pretty sticky, so without rice hulls, a 50/50 wheat barley mix can be a pain to work with!

**DeathBrewer** · 02-19-2009, 03:23 PM

oh yeah...i also made a PM recipe for my whogarden:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/whogarden-hoegaarden-clone-76543/

Similar to what I stated earlier and it gives you an idea of the spices.

If you want to know how to use unmalted wheat, search for "cereal mash"