2nd AG Wheat Attempt

As some of you know, my first AG was a wheat. It was also riddled with problems (and still aging as well as tasting like sh*t incidently).

Here is the recipe that I just came back from the LHBS with for the Labor Day brew. Making a Dunkelweizen (or at least believe I am....)

Promash does not have WLP351.... anyone know the specifics so I can add it in myself?

I am also out of cherry wheat..... might use puree in the secondary or perhaps add the yest of a lemon or two (this is actually what I attempted in AG #1)
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Michael's Wheat
A ProMash Recipe Report
Recipe Specifics
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Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.50
Anticipated OG: 1.049 Plato: 12.09
Anticipated SRM: 4.0
Anticipated IBU: 19.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Formulas Used
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Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.
Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Garetz
Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
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5.3 0.50 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
52.6 5.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Belgium 1.037 3
42.1 4.00 lbs. Wheat Malt Germany 1.039 2
Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
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1.50 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 3.35 15.1 60 min.
0.50 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4.75 3.9 30 min.
1.00 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4.75 0.0 Dry Hop

Yeast
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White Labs WLP351 Hefeweizen

Notes
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0.5 lbs rice hulls added to mash

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Was thinking to try Baron's Decoction technique.... or his sugested link. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11933&highlight=wheat

Anyone have any suggestions or tips with decoctions?

Looks interesting recipe. Quite alot of wheat going in which isnt necessarily a bad thing.

Also Hallertau is quite weak hop strain to chose. It looks like quite a mellow brew.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-3.html

I'd say that if this is the style you are shooting for then you will not be disappointed.

I forgot where I saw most of this recipe, but it was a combined one from what I had and the link you gave. I figured that was why the quantity of hops were being used in the one place I saw it. I actually agree with you that it's mellow.... I put the dry hops in with that thought actually (also never dry hoped and want to).

Well brew day was yesterday and it was a lot of fun I have to say. I tired to do a double decoction that went kinda like this....

Acid Rest Infusion at 105 deg (shooted for 95 and overshot it and after some fiddling with it settled for 105)

Protein Rest Infusion at 123 deg (thank you ProMash!)

Sac Rest Decoction ranging from 156 to 153 deg (had soem problems getting the temp right here... was very low then pulled 20% to get it to 153.... it rose to 156 and at the end settled at 155)

Mash Out Decoction at 172 deg


I also decided to fly this which was not that bad... will be better next time since nothing runs perfect your first time. It took about an hour and 15 minutes. I had the ball valve as slow as it would go, but was wondering if it should have been slower then I had it.

Reminder that I use two pots to brew AG... was shotting for 1.050 and one question I had before was how to figure it out. Well whoever told me the answer was absolutly correct. G(pot 1) + G(pot2) /2 Pot 1 was 1.070 and pot 2 was 1.020. Added 1.25 lbs of DME to pot 2 which brought it up roughly to 1.030. So in the end when I combined them and pitched yeast it was 1.050! (wow... what a high that was when it all came out right:rockin: )


Well had some challenges with it outside the fact that the SWMBO was there and driving me nuts.... ProMash's tutorial on decoctions was a little confusing and I still need to absorb more information on it. But all in all I say it looks real good. Lag time with the starter came out less then 2 bloody hours!! No really... left for dinner came back and was thankful a blowoff tube was on.

Oh and one more thing... I'm also going to find the thread on this and post it there too... the digital thermometer. Remember the one we were talking about that when you submerg the probe in water the sensor reading gets screwed up. Ok... here is what I did with it. First I took some teflon tape and taped up the probe area where it hits the wires. Then what I did was take one of those cheap throwaway type rubbermaid containers (you find them in the grocery store for saving leftovers) wide enough to take the entire probe in it and punctured the bottom with the probe. You do it real quick and the hole stays tight enough around the probe that no water gets in the container. Push the probe all the way down so it sticks out of the bottom a good 10 inches or so and put the lid on it. Now drop this thing inside your mash vessle! You can pour water right over the thing! NOt one drop got it mine!

Sweet mash schedule! I think you'll like the results of the acid rest in a wheat beer.

Baron von BeeGee said:

Sweet mash schedule! I think you'll like the results of the acid rest in a wheat beer.

Click to expand...

Should be sweet! It's yours I tried to do Actually it really does make a lot of sense as far as ease to do. I did the acid rest at 1 quart/pound, then when I did the infusion protein rest it brought it up to 1.25 quart/pound. Then throughout the mash I added a pint here or there to raise mash temp to where I needed it to be. So in the end it still came out to around the 1.33 quart/pound which seems to be what people shoot for

Fermentation is still going strong by the way. Bill warned me that 351 has a bit of sulfer smell to it... he was certainly right. Not too strong, but you certainly know its there.... so far the SWMBO has not made the connection.

Are you looking for this info?:

WLP351 Bavarian Weizen Yeast
This strain produces a classic German-style wheat beer, with moderately high, spicy, phenolic overtones reminiscent of cloves.
Attenuation: 73-77%
Flocculation: Low
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 66-70°F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium

I hope you like its results.

Thanks Bill! Seems to be what ProMash wanted

All of my Hefe's have seemingly had really vigorous fermentations. I don't know if it was down to technique or the strains, but they really went at it full tilt.

Just put it in the Secondary! Gravity was 1.008 and started at a smack 1.050. Added 1oz Hallertau Hersbrucker dry hop and zest of 2 lemons (were not big lemons). Kicked off cause there is about 1/2 gal in the primary that I could not fit in the 5 gal secondary (grrrrr). Ok... maybe I need a beer... probably would not have gotten all of it in anyways...... without the trub at any rate.

Had to put the blow off hose on again. The hops came right up.