Need opinions on this Oberon clone

Q2XL · 02-26-2009, 04:32 PM

How does this recipe sound to you?

Steep 1lb. lager malt, 8oz. malted wheat and 12 oz. carapils malt @ 150F for 45 minutes.

Add 4lbs. wheat DME, bring to boil.

Add 4 AAU's Saaz hops

Boil 60 minutes, then add 1/8 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds.

Remove from heat. Cool, then top up to 5 1/4 gallons with chilled,preboiled water. Cool to 68F then pitch:

Wyeast #3944 Belgian Witbier

Ferment at 65F for 2 weeks, then transfer to secondary and condition cool (50-55F) for 3-4 weeks.

Prime with 1 cup wheat dry malt extract.

Bottle and age at 50F for 3 weeks.

I know that some ale yeasts are you used at colder temps, but do the colder temps seem right to you for fermenting this beer?

Any help or thoughts are appreciated.

**mmb** · 02-26-2009, 04:38 PM

Oberon is an American Wheat, maybe THE American Wheat. I'd use Wheat Extract instead of DME, skip the coriander (it is not in Oberon) and use an American Wheat Yeast or a Cal Ale yeast. Saaz hops sound fine but I'd add .25oz Cascade at flame out for a little citrus. The partial mash would be fine. I assume lager malt is standard 2row pale malt.

Ferment at 65* and prime.

**rasherb** · 02-27-2009, 01:35 AM

I would also try steeping some Munich (.25-.5lb) and be heavy-handed on the saaz in the last 15 min.

The saaz and american wheat yeast will give you the spiciness.
I've heard that the only way to really get this right is to culture some yeast from an oberon bottle.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I moved to GA and can't get this beer anymore.

Here's a clone I found (haven't tried it yet)

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Wheat Malt, UK (2.0 SRM) Grain 47.6 %
3.20 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (2.0 SRM) Grain 38.1 %
0.60 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 7.1 %
0.40 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4.8 %
0.20 lb Wheat, Torrified (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.4 %
0.25 oz Magnum [14.00%] (60 min) Hops 15.9 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (15 min) Hops 4.5 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (7 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)