Substitutions

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1fastdoc

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Location
Winston-Salem, NC
I planned on making a blackberry wheat from the below ingredients:

6.6lbs Irks Wheat extract
1-2 lbs Amber Dry Malt Extract
2 cups Carapils
1 1/2 oz Hallatter hops (bittering)
1 tsp Irish moss
1/2 Saaz hops (finishing)
3 1/2 quarts FROZEN blackberries added to help cool wort
1 cup corn sugar for priming
Wyeast #3056 and 1 quart starter

Well, after going to the local store I had to make some substitutions for the extract and the yeast.

I have Mutons Wheat extract and Wyeast #3068, which the guy said is also a wheat yeast.

The extract doesn't concern me much but substituting the yeast does. These ingredients added up to a healthy sum that will come out at over a buck a bottle. Should I drive 30 mins to the next town over to pick up the right yeast, assuming they have it or will this be fine?
 
Looks like two rather different beasts.

3056 Bavarian Wheat Yeast. Blend of top-fermenting ale and wheat strains producing mildly estery and phenolic wheat beers. Flocculation - medium; apparent attenuation 73-77%. (64-74° F, 18-23° C)

3068 Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast.
Probable origin: Weihenstephan, Germany
Beer Styles: German Hefeweissen, Crystal weisse, Dunkel weisse, Weisenbock
Unique properties: Classic German wheat beer yeast, used by more German Brewers than any other strain in the production of Wheat beer. Properties dominated by banana ester production, phenols and clove like characteristics. Extremely attenuative yeast, which produces a tart thirst quenching finish. ... Flocculation - low; apparent attenuation 73-77%. (64-75° F, 18-24° C)
 
Hmm. Am I right in assuming that the 3056 will produce a milder and clearer wheat beer that would pair better with the blackberries?
 
Whatever you do, take careful notes.
When I was starting up, I did something similar. I didn't have the right ingredients so I made wholesale substitutions to use up the ingredients I had on hand. I didn't take notes, and the brew turned out fantastic. :D
Needless to say, I tried to duplicate the brew several times, but without any notes, I failed dismally. :(

-a.
 
What I would like ideally is a Henry Weinhard's Blackberry Wheat clone.

I don't like a lot of the stronger wheat beers. Actually, the only wheat beers I drink are raspberry/blackberry ones.
 
1fastdoc, I'd say you are gonna make good beer with what you've got.

You are not Budweiser, where every batch made ever, in every brewery all over the world, has to match. I don't think that is my goal, as a homebrewer. But taking notes will help you next batch match this one.

Re cost, you could make all-grain for lots less. Mine goes about 35 cents/12 oz.

I would google <"blackberry wheat" homebrew recipe>, +/- AG. I'm sure you can find alternative recipes.
 
Okay, I'm going to hang on to the 3068 for a dunkelweizen in the near future.

Forgive what might be a noob question but does it matter if I use the ale yeast with the wheat extract? Safale 56 was recommended by another member on this board.

What about American wheat yeast, specifically Wyeast 1010? Or the more generic ale Wyeast 1056?

I really prefer using the liquid yeast since I don't make a starter and the Wyeast was rolling inside of hours whereas the dry took a couple days.

My LHBS has the safale US 56 and the Wyeast 1056. They don't have the 1010 but I'd order it if I thought it would balance out the blackberry character better.
 
If you already have the 3056 then go ahead and use that. It will let the fruit come through. I would not use the 3068 as it will give some banana/clove flavor with the other fruit which I don't think you want.
You could go with a nice clean yeast like 56 or 1056 that will let the fruit and malt/hops come through.
 
The LHBS didn't have the 3056, prompting my original dilemma. I'm going with the california ale yeast for this one.

Now I just need to find 6 lbs of blackberries for a decent price.
 
I wouldn't waste the german wheat yeast on a fruit beer. Get the american wheat or use the US-56. The american wheat would be the ideal yeast for this beer. The fruit flavors will compete with the esters and phenolics that come from the german hefe yeast and both will end up lackluster. You need a cleaner, amercan wheat, or american ale yeast for your fruit beer.
 
One thing that was missed is that you probably shouldn't add the blackberries to the hot wort, it will cook them and set the pectins. Freeze them, and then thaw and mash them before adding to your secondary when you rack the beer, you will get a lot more of the berry flavor that way.
 
I don't even think you need to mash them. Fuit sugars can be eaten up by the yeasties and I think you'd run the risk of setting pectins even at mash temps. BUT I don't know that for sure. I say just crush them up and throw them in the secondary, or primary once fermention slows.

EDIT: I think that may be what you meant by mash i.e. mash with potato masher, not mash like amylase enzymes...
 
clayof2day said:
EDIT: I think that may be what you meant by mash i.e. mash with potato masher, not mash like amylase enzymes...

yes, sorry, used a word with dual meanings only on this board....I meant to MUSH them up, so as to let juices flow and provide more access to yummy flavors to the beer...my bad.:mug:
 
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