Weissbier Honey Orange Hefeweizen

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Reno_eNVy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2008
Messages
6,039
Reaction score
235
Location
Reno
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
WB-06
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.045
Final Gravity
1.008
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
10.5
Color
5.4
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
7
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
3
Tasting Notes
Nice malty sweetness, just enoughcitrus flavor, moderate banana/clove, med-light body
*NOTE: I know it isn't a real hefeweizen since there is orange in it. I just like the alliteration of the name.

**NOTE #2: I've noticed the recipe statistics don't show up on the HBT app. Here they are for quick reference --

- 5.5 gallons
- OG 1.045, FG 1.008
- Boil 60 minutes
- 10.5 IBU
- 5.4 SRM

Mash
Single-Infusion, 12QT water, 60 miuntes @ 154*F

4.00 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) 45.71 %
3.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) 34.29 %
1.00 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) 11.43 %
0.75 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) 8.57 %


Boil (60 minutes)

0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (60 min) 7.7 IBU
0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (10 min) 2.8 IBU
zest of 4 large navel oranges (10 min)


Yeast

Safale Wheat Ale (WB-06)



This one has been made a couple times in the past and my sister recently commissioned it for a housewarming party. With only two weeks to get it done it still turned out spectacular. The yeast can create a decent amount of banana flavor but it suits it really well. The beer has body and character but is still refreshing and very quaffable.

Be sure to not skimp on the honey malt, it really adds something special. As you can tell, there is not actual honey in the recipe; all the flavor gets fermented out. Also, be sure when you zest the oranges to only go as far as there is orange/yellow color; don't get any white (pith) in there, unless you want serious orange bitterness.

For it to come out just as delicious and quick:
- Keep it in the primary for about 7 days
- KEGGERS: Transfer to your keg and let sit at room temperature for roughly 3 days, then get it cold and carbed in your favorite fashion
- BOTTLERS: Be sure fermentation has completed, then bottle as you typically would. Sadly it won't be ready as quick as it would in a keg but give in 1-2 weeks and it should be fully carbed and ready to drink
- Remember, hefe's are best enjoyed young


If you give this a shot please let me know how it goes! It really is a great beer and is pleasing to the masses. Even my BMC drinking sister wants 5 gallons of it!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXTRACT AND PARTIAL MASH RECIPES (hops/orange schedule stays the same)

Extract Version
4# Wheat Liquid Extract
2.5# Pale Liquid Extract
12oz Crystal 20L



Partial Mash Version
2# German Pilsner Malt (2-row)
2# White Wheat Malt
2# Flaked Wheat
0.5# Honey Malt

2# Wheat Liquid Extract
 
Oh jeez, I can't believe I forgot the beer pr0n!

This is a picture of it just before taking the keg to the housewarming party. Nice and cloudy ^_^
0403001448.jpg
 
That's not a Hefe Weizen...it's a Honey Orange Wheat...;) :D

Yeeaaaah I know but I like the alliteration.

Does the honey malt impart any flavor in that brew?

It sure does! It adds a great malty sweet(ish) character that very closely resembles, well, honey. Even if the beer ferments lower than expected and it's very dry overall, that honey malt still shines through.
 
I want to try this. What do you think of using WLP300 on this? Maybe 320?

Sure. I use WB-06 (scoff at me, everybody!!:D) so WLP300 or 320 would be great. Go with 300 if you want the banana/clove associated with traditional German hefes. I find 300 produces very similar results as WB-06. If using the liquid yeast I'd suggest making a 1 liter starter.

If you do end up trying this please let me know how it turns out!
 
I'll just be using washed yeast, but I'll let you know. Might take me a while to fit this into my brew schedule, I never seem to have enough buckets ;-)
 
Yeah, I'm full at the moment too. But luckily buckets run cheap at the LHBS, even ones with holes up top and spigots down below. Might have to pick up another one... I find myself wanting to make this again :D

Let me know which yeast strain you use, that way I can use the other one when I make this again
 
Seeing as I have a bunch of 320, I'll probably go with that. But I tell you what, first one to brew it, post it.
 
Ok, brewed this today, pitched washed WLP320. I only had 3 oranges (the 4th was getting moldy), but they were big. I'll post back when I pull the first glass from the kegerator :mug:
 
Here it is:
Honey_wheat.jpg

Wow, I learned how to post pictures! I deserve another beer
:mug:
Hit 1.044 as SG, finished at 1.009. Just hit the one month mark, and while the WLP 320 gives it a little of the hefe flavor, it's subtle. The orange and honey notes are mostly in the nose, taste brings out the wheat and some orange. I over carbed it, (as you can see) but even after bleeding it off, it still has great head retention.

I give it 2 thumbs up (does anybody say that anymore?)

Since I'm always trying new things, I'll try again with a cleaner yeast, maybe WLP001. I might up the honey malt, and maybe even use a more citrusy hop, like cascade or citra.
 
Awesome, thanks for the Siskel and Ebert style review!

Yeah, WLP320 throws off just a little clove/banana but it's pretty subtle. I'm not sure how fast is flocculates but with WB-06, after a couple weeks in the keg it was crystal clear and much of the hefe-ness went away. And yes, I think some citra at the end of the boil would add something really nice to the brew.

Well I'm glad you liked it and hope you enjoy the rest! Brew on :mug:
 
Instead of fresh orange, could you just throw 1oz of sweet orange peel into the boil for the last 30 mins?

Yeah that should probably do you alright. I haven't used the dried orange peel you can get from LHBS in a while but it should be fine. Make it the last 10 minutes, though. 30 minutes will boil off too much aroma and possibly some flavor
 
Looks pretty good. My family asked if I can make a brew for Thanksgiving and I was scouring for something I can turnaround in 2.5 weeks. I found this last night and grabbed the supplies today. Sadly I'll have to brew tonight after work which means I won't start until around 7:00pm but I'm averaging around 4.5 hrs for BIAB these days.

Here's what I'm thinking for the fermentation:

Brew tonight, Monday 11/7.
Set in primary through Sunday the 13th.
Move to secondary Monday the 14th.
Begin cold crash Saturday the 19th.
Keg and carb Monday the 21st.

Any suggestions to the above?
 
ThePell said:
Looks pretty good. My family asked if I can make a brew for Thanksgiving and I was scouring for something I can turnaround in 2.5 weeks. I found this last night and grabbed the supplies today. Sadly I'll have to brew tonight after work which means I won't start until around 7:00pm but I'm averaging around 4.5 hrs for BIAB these days.

Here's what I'm thinking for the fermentation:

Brew tonight, Monday 11/7.
Set in primary through Sunday the 13th.
Move to secondary Monday the 14th.
Begin cold crash Saturday the 19th.
Keg and carb Monday the 21st.

Any suggestions to the above?

Wow thanks for reviving this one. Makes me want to brew it now!

My suggestion would be skip the secondary. Not only is it easier to just leave it in the primary, but you'll reduce the risk of infection and leaving the beer on the cake will allow the yeast to clean up faster. Faster cleaning means you can have amazing beer in 10 days
 
It sounded too good not to revive it :)

I've only kegged one beer so far and found it was still rather yeasty. Should I cold crash the primary fermenter then before kegging or cold crash in the keg.

I also picked up some citra and I think I'll toss half an oz in at 10 min too.
 
Yeah, the first few pints pulled will likely have some yeast. But this style is meant to have yeast in suspension so it doesn't really matter.

If you really want to cold crash it do so in the fermenter. But if you just give it enough time in the keg they will eventually drop out and you'll have yourself a nice krystalweiss :mug:

You might also want to consider holding off on the citra... but then again I've never experimented with citrusy hops in wheat beers.

Regardless, definitely going to have to make this one again once one of our kegs gets blown! :ban:
 
Also, just added partial mash and extract versions of the recipe to the original post.
 
Well I did my final hop add before I saw your reply. .5oz of citra was added at 10 min. We'll see how it turns out. It smelled amazing transferring to primary. I've started sparging my bag over the brew pot after the initial BIAB mashing and I think I've seriously upped my efficiency. I haven't sat down to do the math yet but I netted 5 gallons at an OG of 1.062 @ 62 degrees with no additional grains to your original recipe.
 
ThePell said:
Well I did my final hop add before I saw your reply. .5oz of citra was added at 10 min. We'll see how it turns out. It smelled amazing transferring to primary. I've started sparging my bag over the brew pot after the initial BIAB mashing and I think I've seriously upped my efficiency. I haven't sat down to do the math yet but I netted 5 gallons at an OG of 1.062 @ 62 degrees with no additional grains to your original recipe.

Wow that seems like some awesome efficiency. Just for a frame of reference, the recipe is based on my old average efficiency of 70%
 
Well, I plunked it into Beersmith and it looks like an 89% efficiency. I find that a bit hard to believe so I did some research online and it looks plausible. I did a double grain crush, mash out to 170, sparged almost 2 gallons of 170 degree water over the bag and squeezed the bag like crazy. *shrugs*
 
Am going to try the extract version of this, but what gives the honey flavor in the extract version?

Honey malt in the all grain, but nothing of the like in the extract version.

I guess I'm just confused here.
 
thx997303 said:
Am going to try the extract version of this, but what gives the honey flavor in the extract version?

Honey malt in the all grain, but nothing of the like in the extract version.

I guess I'm just confused here.

Yeah, sadly you have to mash honey malt. There's really no substitute.

Try adding 0.5 - 1.0 # honey, preferably a perfumey or strong flavored one. Add it after it has gone through primary fermentation
 
Okay, so I still have to steep the crystal at 154 degrees for 60 minutes, couldn't I add honey malt to the grain bag I intend to use?

Would that work?
 
thx997303 said:
Okay, so I still have to steep the crystal at 154 degrees for 60 minutes, couldn't I add honey malt to the grain bag I intend to use?

Would that work?
Nah, honey malt requires mashing.


If you have the ability to keep it at 154 for 60 minutes why not use the partial-mash version and do a BIAB?
 
I'm not sure that I have that ability yet. Just bought a cube cooler for the purpose, but haven't tested it yet, no thermometer either.

In the extract version, what do you do with the crystal? I had assumed you would steep it, as I said above.

And as far as partial mash, I would, but I have the extract ingredients on hand already.
 
Well, that was what I assumed you would need to do, based on what you've written in this recipe. And I haven't been doing that, this will only be my 5th brew.

How would you go about using the crystal in the extract version without steeping?
 
Well, that was what I assumed you would need to do, based on what you've written in this recipe. And I haven't been doing that, this will only be my 5th brew.

How would you go about using the crystal in the extract version without steeping?

If you're not mashing then the only other way you can get the sugar out of the crystal is to steep it.

I'm sorry if my answers aren't helping, I'm not exactly sure on what you're asking. Are you confusing steeping with BIAB (brew in a bag) mashing?
 
I'm sure my noobishness is what is causing the confusion.

So, let's assume I know nothing at all (not far from the truth.)

I am brewing the extract version of this recipe.

How do you steep the crystal?
 
To steep the crystal simply take the amount of water you intend to boil and keep it ~120-150... it's not terribly vital that you keep it constant. Add the crystal in a muslin or grain bag and let it steep for 30 minutes or so, every now and then giving it a dunk and a jiggle.... like a big cup of tea.

After 30 minutes or so, pick the bag out and let it drain either by hanging it or letting it rest on a strainer over the pot. Don't squeeze it as you can release harsh tannins (highly debated.) At this point you boil as normal (add your hops, extract, etc)

Hope that helps. Don't be afraid to ask more questions.
 
brewed this one up today. Kind of bastardized it with orange peel, coriander, and Weihenstephan Weizen 3068 yeast. Also my eff dropped to an all time low on this to 59.3% according to beersmith. I think I need to get my own mill and crush my own grains. LHBS has two mills and the one I used for this also netted me a lower eff on my other beer I ran through the same day as usual.

I might have run into a problem with using torrified wheat instead of the white wheat. either way it smells like a blue moon when I put it to bed tonight with a healthy starter.
 
just looked back and looks like last brew was a Surley bender clone and it was also in the 60% brew house eff range. my pale ale before these two was 70%.
 
Well I think using torrified wheat was your issue. The wheat malt has mash enzymes while torrified does not.

But I'm sure it'll still be tasty. The yeast was a good choice.
 
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