First Wheat Honey Beer - Feedback Please

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NWAleDad

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would love some feedback on my new recipe, trying to make a wheat honey beer. Thinking of adding 1/2lb of honey at the end of boil.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.46 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.46 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 6.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 22.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.6 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 1 45.0 %
4 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 45.0 %
12.0 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.5 %
4.0 oz Caramel Malt - 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.5 %
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 15.0 m Hop 5 18.9 IBUs
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 7 3.8 IBUs
2.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: My Medium Profile (2qt/lb)
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperatur Step Time
Mash In Add 21.00 qt of water at 161.1 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 2.66gal) of 168.0 F water
 
Looks pretty good to me! Honey malt and a little but not too much actual honey should work well, I would think. Although if I were doing an American wheat with a neutral yeast I'd probably do the whole coriander/orange peel thing to keep it from being too plain/boring. But that's just me!
 
I'd do a bit more wheat and a bit more honey malt (and some actual honey), and probably drop the caramel if it were me.
 
Good feedback, I was thinking of using a hefe yeast to get esters into the brew to help spice it up. How woud you suggest i use the coriander/orange peel?
 
Personally, I think you have a lot going on in this beer. To me, 1/2 lb honey malt is a little overpowering (in the sweetness department) so i'd either drop to 1/2 lb honey malt or drop the caramel (probably both, if I was brewing). Replacing the caramel with a darker cara-munich would be awesome also, if you're feeling adventurous. Your yeast and hops choices look spot-on, in my opinion.

For a beer with this much going on, I think a clean ale yeast would be best (the one you selected is perfect)- a wheat beer yeast would just muddy the waters further. Of course, this is just one kid's opinion. If you do not BIAB, but use a cooler MLT or some other method, you should grab some rice hulls to improve lautering. Lots of wheat malt can cause stuck mashes/sparges which result in low efficiency.

Also: regarding your yeast choice: 1056 is the same strain as Safale US-05 dry yeast, so consider using that, it's extremely easy to find- every LHBS should have it. If you rehydrate that dry yeast according to the manufacturers instructions, you won't need to use two packages and will save a bit of money. Overall the beer looks great, with your choices I don't think you need any witbier type flavorings like orange peel or coriander.

Many may disagree, but I think you've designed quite a nice beer here. Take all suggestions with a grain of salt. My first recipe was extremely well-researched, but strongly criticized here. That beer has won me more awards in my short career than any other I've brewed. Have fun with it!
 
Thanks daksin, if i remove the honey malt, where would the beer gets it honey flavor from? Good point on the rice hulls, have not done a lot of wheat beer till now.
 
I would bring the honey malt down to 1/4 lb and use 1 lb honey. I would also mash in the upper 140's and make this a very dry beer. You can use cascade for aroma if you want, but I had success with .5oz Willamette and 0.5oz Liberty.
 
Oh, I just meant I would reduce it if I were making it- didn't mean to imply you should drop it. Honey malt is definitely the way to go for honey-flavored beers.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'm going to reduce the honey and caramel malt. First time brewing with those malts don't want to over power the brew and keeping everything else as is.

daksin, I should of read your post after a cup of coffee ;) and thanks for the advice! regarding yeast, I do want a clean fermenting yeast. I have some washed 1056 and made the starter last night for a Sunday pitch.

Happy Brewing Everyone!
 
Thanks daksin, if i remove the honey malt, where would the beer gets it honey flavor from? Good point on the rice hulls, have not done a lot of wheat beer till now.

Bottle with honey if you are looking for that subtle flavor. I've beem less and less pleased with the results of honey malt when I am looking for only a slight hint. If you want a stronger flavor...do both
 
if you bottle with honey it may or may not lend flavor, honey malt works every time. if you want a slight hint just use a slight hint of honey malt. i use 4 oz in a 5 gallon batch and next time i'll use 2oz since 4oz tastes too much like honey for my liking.
 
One more thing, i have never used rice hulls. is 1lb too much for a 5gal batch?
 
You can probably get away with half a pound, but a pound isn't overkill. Your just wanting some kind of a bed to act as a filter because of the wheat malt.
 

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