Using WLP400 (Belgian Wit Ale Yeast) in a non-wheat beer?

Bosh · 07-20-2007, 05:05 AM

OK bit of a wierd question.
I want to make a witbier (SWMBO has commanded it!) but the only home brew store in Korea that stocks it is out of all wheat extract except for Mr. Beer (which costs over $20 for a bit over a pound of LME, which I won't pay). My cooling system isn't the best so my next beer's fermentation will run in the low 70's and there isn't much of a selection of temperature tolerant yeast that I can get my hands on.

So what I was thinking is making something Dark Abbeyish with WLP400 and then use the slurry to make a sort of dark Witbier when Munton wheat LME is back in stock. Would that work?

Was thinking along these lines for a recipe:

3.5 pounds Muntons medium DME
3 pounds Mutnons dark DME (got a crapload of this that I've GOT to use up before it gets too old)
.5 pound seeped Chocolate malt
1 oz bittering Saaz
.5 oz flavor Saaz
.5 oz aroma Saaz
Pound or two of table sugar that I'll invert at home and them caramelize a bit in a frying pan. Closest I can come to Belgian candi sugar I think.
WLP400
Fermenting in the low 70's

Would that produce something drinkable?

**Baron von BeeGee** · 07-21-2007, 04:33 PM

I can't really comment on the recipe, but using the yeast for an all-barley beer should work fine. The dominant flavors come from the yeast, not so much the wheat malt. It might be a bit untraditional, but I think it should work okay.

**BierMuncher** · 07-21-2007, 05:17 PM

Should be very drinkable. Be prepared for a lengthy, unpredictable krausen. I'd definitely rig a blow off tube.

MikeRLynch · 07-21-2007, 05:37 PM

I thought I heard of something similar to this before, but it escapes me. I think this will turn out great, the fruity esters will balance well with the dark roasty malt flavors from the dme. I would leave out the candi sugar, and either increase the dme or simply leave it as is. Just because the color will be dark doesn't mean it needs to be a big beer

Let us know, this sounds very interesting. I've been concentrating on witbiers myself for the summer, and they are my favorite right now. I'd like to see other applications for the wit yeast, which is very unique and basically is the entire flavor profile for any beer its used in.

mike

**DeathBrewer** · 07-21-2007, 05:55 PM

it will indeed be Abbeyish

Bosh · 07-23-2007, 04:31 AM

Thanks for all the help all. Very much appreciated. I hope this this brew turns out well...

Quote:

The dominant flavors come from the yeast, not so much the wheat malt. It might be a bit untraditional, but I think it should work okay.

That's what I was thinking.

Quote:

the fruity esters will balance well with the dark roasty malt flavors from the dme.

Yummy. Possibly something like a Leffe Bruin but darker? That would be nice...