Kit being shipped out today

Kind of cool, being shipped out on St. Paty's

Well looks like next weekend will be my first brew weekend. Ive been spending most of my free time reading Dave Miller's book and reading all over this forum. And at the moment Im still undecided whether or not to use the basic kit ingredients or try something a little more in depth. Like a wheat beer for instance. The SWMBO and I are both huge fans of wheats.

Well anyways, I read over a post that Janx posted a while back. He suggested

Ingredients:
6 pounds Wheat Dry Malt Extract
http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=16421

1 oz Hallertau (or any German hops - preferrably whole - you want something roughly 3% alpha acids)
http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=17696

Wheat yeast
http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=19830

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After reading up on those would adding Flaked Wheat to these be a good idea? If so, then how much would be good amount to add? I'm up for any suggestions you guys have to throw my way. Thanks

Oh, here is the kit I picked up. I think Im pretty well set.

You can make a very good wheat beer with the simplest possible recipe, like what Janx suggested. If you decide to do a wheat, I'd just stick with that.

In fact, hefeweizen is one of the few styles that I think you can do really well with no specialty grains, just extract, hops, yeast. I have a hefeweizen in primary made exactly that way. I'm experimenting with a different yeast strain, but the one that Janx linked (WLP300 or Wyeast Y3068) would be the classic hefeweizen yeast strain.

Right on, thats good to hear. I think I'm going to go with a wheat brew for my first batch. Any thoughts on the Flaked Wheat? Or should I not even bother with it?

JimmyBeam said:

After reading up on those would adding Flaked Wheat to these be a good idea?

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I'm with weston...I wouldn't add flaked wheat, or anything else. The recipe that Janx suggested is also the recipe for Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier out of Beer Captured, and it's simple and makes a great hefe...the perfect first batch, IMHO.

That is a nice starter equipment kit. Morebeer ingredient kits are pretty good so I would keep it simple at the begining because you will learn a lot after the first few attempts. I am hoping you have a propane burner for that big kettle because I think you will need it.

Blender said:

I am hoping you have a propane burner for that big kettle because I think you will need it.

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Sure do, got a nice burner leftover from frying a turkey last Thanksgiving

congrats on the kit!!!

Wheats are great beers to brew!!! My first was a IPA that is goign to be up next!

JUst about half of all my brews (13 years) are German-style Hefe Weizens. There's no need for the flaked whatever.

The secret is using a genuine German Weizen yeast. The only other (major) variable is the bittering hops. Keep them low if you like your HWs sweet or add more if you like slightly bittered HWs. If you like the slightly sour HWs you'll need about 4 oz of German Sauer (sour) malt.

That's all there is to it.

Roger that. I'll be using liquid hefe yeast and an ounce of Hallertau hops. and what would be a good sugar to use for priming?

I use wheat dme to prime hefes.

I'm still a noob with only 8 batches to my name but you might want to brew the kit first since it comes with it, just to get "the feel" If you follow the directions it is hard to screw it up, and will give you the confidence to go forward.... My first batch was a kit, it turned out great and got me hooked on brewing..

IMHO if you got the kit brew it, if it came with your rig and you screw it up no loss just learing experience...... Had I tried to go on my own first brew I can't imagine the crap I might have brewed.
Once I had done it successfully I felt good about brewing the second batch from a recipie where it wasn't all measured out for me and it turned out great.

Any suggestions for the DME used for priming? And is 1 1/4 cups a good amount?

JimmyBeam said:

Any suggestions for the DME used for priming? And is 1 1/4 cups a good amount?

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Any DME will work for priming - the quantity is right for a 5 gallon batch.