First recipe critique!

I wanna try to brew a light hefeweizen, not to hoppy but with a decent ABV% please let me know if the one I have come up with will give me the desired results.

5 lbs Wheat DME
1 lb Extra Light DME (late addition 15 minutes)
1 oz Hallertau Hops (60 min)
SAFBREW WB-60 Wheat Beer Yeast

Est. OG 1.052
Est. FG 1.014
IBU 9.4
SRM 3.49
ABV 4.98%

I would like to use specialty grains but dont know which ones to use. Recommendations would be appreciated.

I think your recipe looks good as is. Wheat beer doesn't generally need specialty grains for extract brewing. This recipe calls for some munich malt which is not a specialty grain. It has to be mashed so I'm not sure what is up with that...

If you want to use specialty grains wait until your next batch and do a stout, porter, pale ale, IPA, ESB, etc all of which require specialty grains...

Specialty grains are not needed, but I would steep 1# of white wheat malt and maybe 1/2# of 2-row just to enhance the flavor.

I've tasted great hefeweizens made with 100% wheat DME, a 60 minute hop addition and a good hefeweizen yeast. Simple really is the best way to go here.

I could see steeping ~4oz Melanoidin Malt to help simulate a decotion and give it some more malty flavor. I have made hefeweizens with just wheat DME and they were very good. It's all about the yeast. Proper pitching rate (lower than normal) and temps have more effect on the outcome than the grain bill. Go with WLP 300, wyeast 3068 or WLP 380 and you wont be disappointed.

3068 is amazing!

I had thought about using liquid yeast, i think that is the way to go. Thanks for the input, Im also still figuring out hops, do you think the Hallertau will work out ok.

If you like Bavarian style, go with a liquid. 3068 or like wlp300.

If you're into American wheat, wb06 will do fine. Though you can use liquid as well. For Bavarian it's imperative to us liquid

Hallertau is perfect for this style.

if using dme be careful adding it the last 15 minutes people tend to say it clumps if you don't put it in for at least 20 mins.

michael.berta said:

Hallertau is perfect for this style.

Click to expand...

+1 Hallertau/Hallertau-Hersbrucker:rockin:

I add at the end sometimes. just use a whisk and pour slowly while you break up clumps or else you may end up with real chunks. if I add dme at the beginning I dont worry about small clumps as they dissolve in the boil. use a whisk!

WOW! lots of good info, thanks I'm kind of excited to try this. I think keeping it fairly simple for my first basic recipe is the way to go.