Critiques for a Hoppy Honey Wheat please

This will be my third all grain BIAB and my 6th brew overall. I am looking to make a nice refreshing American style Wheat beer with a little extra kick in terms of both hops and ABV. I realize this is non-tradition but I am basing this recipe on a couple that I have run across here and on the web including a Midwestern Hi-Octane Honey Wheat extract recipe and JohnnyB99's Hoppy Wheat. I'd be curious what folks think. Also, if you have suggestions for mash conditions that would be great. I'm thinking 151F with a 175 batch sparge.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the poor formatting. I have yet to successfully upload any attachment to this site at a resolution that works.

Hoppy Honey Wheat (all grain)

Light Hybrid Beer-American Wheat/Rye Beer

Recipe Overview
Wort Volume Before Boil: 6.50 US gals
Wort Volume After Boil: 5.50 US gals
Volume Transferred: 5.20 US gals
Water Added To Fermenter: 0.30 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 5.50 US gals
Volume Of Finished Beer: 5.00 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.053 SG
Expected OG: 1.066 SG
Expected FG: 1.014 SG
Apparent Attenuation: 77.2 %
Expected ABV: 6.8 %
Expected ABW: 5.4 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 27.5 IBU
Expected Color (using Morey): 4.3 SRM
BU:GU ratio: 0.42
Approx Color:
Mash Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Duration: 60.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 68 degF


Fermentables
Ingredient Amount % MCU When
Belgian Pale Wheat Malt 6.50 lb 49.1 % 1.8 In Mash/Steeped
US 2-Row Malt 5.50 lb 41.5 % 1.7 In Mash/Steeped
US Caramel Vienne 20L Malt 0.25 lb 1.9 % 0.9 In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - Honey 1.00 lb 7.5 % 0.3 End Of Boil

Hops
Variety Alpha Amount IBU Form When
US Cluster 7.5 % 1.00 oz 21.6 Bagged Pellet Hops 60 Min
US Cluster 7.5 % 0.50 oz 5.4 Bagged Pellet Hops 15 Min
US Willamette 4.5 % 1.00 oz 0.6 Loose Whole Hops 1 Min
US Citra 11.1 % 2.00 oz 0.0 Loose Whole Hops Dry-Hopped


Other Ingredients
Ingredient Amount When
Yeast Nutrient 0.10 oz In Mash

Yeast
White Labs WLP320-American Hefeweizen Ale

Water Profile
Target Profile: No Water Profile Chosen
Mash pH: 5.2
pH Adjusted with: Unadjusted

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Extract with Mini-mash
Schedule Name: Single Step Infusion (68C/151F)

Step Type Temperature Duration
Rest at 154 degF 60

I would ditch the honey in favor of .5lb of honey malt (it gives more of a honey flavor in the finished product than honey IMO) and then dial the citra back to 1oz on the dry hop--the stuff's very potent.

What's the reason for 320? Nothing wrong with it, I guess, but if I was going to make a blow-it-out-your-ass-with-dry-hops brew, I'd choose a friendlier, more flocculent yeast.

RCCOLA said:

I would ditch the honey in favor of .5lb of honey malt (it gives more of a honey flavor in the finished product than honey IMO) and then dial the citra back to 1oz on the dry hop--the stuff's very potent.

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Rccola,

Thanks for the input. I saw the honey malt suggestion in another thread. I was really looking for the extra jolt more than the honey flavor. I guess it could be argued that dextrose would be just as effective.

I have never used Citra in a dry hop but I like the description. How does it compare in strength to something like Cascade or Centennial in the dry hop?

944play said:

What's the reason for 320? Nothing wrong with it, I guess, but if I was going to make a blow-it-out-your-ass-with-dry-hops brew, I'd choose a friendlier, more flocculent yeast.

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944play,

I was really looking for the "wheat beer/hefe" character with the fresh yeastiness. I didn't think that the 2 oz of citra was going to be overpowering. Based upon your suggestion and that of Rccola, maybe I will scale back the citra dry hop or use a less in-your-face hop. Any suggestions. Want the nice hoppy nose with a fresh tasting beer.

Have you ever tried a Schneider Edel-Weiss? Don't know if it's dry-hopped, but it has Cascade. When you get a fresh one, that beer is bright and dreamy with hoppiness.

Brewitt said:

Rccola,

Thanks for the input. I saw the honey malt suggestion in another thread. I was really looking for the extra jolt more than the honey flavor. I guess it could be argued that dextrose would be just as effective.

I have never used Citra in a dry hop but I like the description. How does it compare in strength to something like Cascade or Centennial in the dry hop?

Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with citra, just that it gives about twice the flavor per oz. that you would get from other hops like cascade or amarillo. I feel that it would dominate a wheat beer if used over 1oz. possibly even being harsh.

The last lb of citra I bought tasted like orange--just like if you zested an orange and stuck your face in it. It was quite good.

Cascade and amarillo are other great hops for dry hopping--can't wrong with any of those 3.

I think what 944 was trying to say about the yeast is that (with a hoppy beer) using a yeast with certain delicate flavor characteristics is pretty much a waste as the hops make those flavors null and void.

For me, I'd throw a $3 pack of S-05 in it, ferment at 67F and end up with a crisp hoppy beer perfect for this oppressive heat.

RCCOLA said:

I think what 944 was trying to say about the yeast is that (with a hoppy beer) using a yeast with certain delicate flavor characteristics is pretty much a waste as the hops make those flavors null and void.

For me, I'd throw a $3 pack of S-05 in it, ferment at 67F and end up with a crisp hoppy beer perfect for this oppressive heat.

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I've never used 320, but what I understand about it is that it's just a clean, but slow, non-flocculent Altbier yeast. Unless there's something in that strain's character you're looking for specifically, something like S-05 will be done sooner and drop out enough to leave the hops to shine.

Thanks. You folks are giving me just what I was looking for. I have a pack of S-05 in the frig. That's easy. And dialing back the Citra sounds right. I like the citra flavor but I have personally not used it as a dry hop. I guess I can get that yeasty flavor by stirring up the sediment from the bottle conditioning

RCCOLA said:

For me, I'd throw a $3 pack of S-05 in it, ferment at 67F and end up with a crisp hoppy beer perfect for this oppressive heat.

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Well, sorry to disappoint but no oppressive heat here in San Diego.

My high hopped honey wheat has all cluster. It is quite good IMHO

Brewitt said:

Well, sorry to disappoint but no oppressive heat here in San Diego.

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I saw your 75F temp--you lucky dog! Here's what I got goin' on

I finally brewed this today after a few alterations. I ended up doing away with the honey and bumping the wheat to 7 lb and the barley to 6 lb. I changed up the hops as well. Warrior and Galaxy (0.5 oz each) for bittering and flavor, Sorachi Ace for aroma and dry hop (1 oz each). Fermenting with Safale US-05 so American Wheat rather than Hefeweissen. I used the Brew in a Bag approach, which I have for my last 3 brews with good results. I missed my targets on all but I really missed them on this. 1.048 instead of 1.063. I expected some problem since I used too much water, but my efficiency was only 65%. Not good. I still should end up with just under 5% ABV so not bad but bothersome. Need to work on that.

Just tried my Sorachi Ace American Wheat tonight. It pours cloudy golden with a 1 inch white head. Nose is herbal and lemon. Flavor is dry herbal and tart. Very distinctive. Very drinkable. Haven't quite adjusted to the herbal character. My wife said it tastes like dill! I think it does taste like dill smells. Is that the Sorachi Ace hop? Anyone used this one before?

I brewed a very similar beer, tried to get close to Southern Tier's HopSun. Wish I would have read this thread, I dry hopped with wet Citra and its INTENSE! Citra is dangerous!

I brewed Saison with sorachi ace and it tastes like dill, so i think it is)