El Segundo Grado Witbier

This is an extract version of an all-grain recipe on this website.

The classic Belgian Witbier style is a light, somewhat tart, easy drinking wheat beer around 5% ABV which has a strong grapefruit and slightly peppery flavor from Indian coriander and Seville oranges. It should remain cloudy even when warm, and pour with a solid white 2" head. The aroma should be of grapefruit mixed with a rubbery, phenolic character unique to the Witbier yeast.

The low OG reading was due to my screw-up, not one in the recipe. I misread the hydrometer and added too much water.

BUT... I am intending to replicate my mistake! This beer is SO refreshing. It is like Smuttynose Star Island Single with a hint of citrus, not unlike Southern Tier Hop Sun.

The Seville Orange Marmalade adds a GREAT taste. Yes, it must be Seville Orange Marmalade. Duerr's and James Keiller & Son are examples. The Coriander should be a good fresh Indian coriander cracked slightly during the boil. Zest fresh grapefruit during the boil as well. Also dried Chamomile Flowers ("bulk" tea) will give a better flavor than teabags.

This beer ROCKS. It is a great summer beer. I am brewing another batch tomorrow.

I am going to try adding some grains of paradise, and some lemon zest or tamarind "brick" to my brew tomorrow. This beer is great and I probably shouldn't screw with it, but I'm a born tinker so I'm going to anyway.

Recipe:

Extracts

3.30 pounds Munton's Wheat Malt Extract
1.00 pounds Briess CBW® Bavarian Wheat DME

Grains

1.00 pounds American Pale Malt (2-Row) 15.9% of grist
1.00 pounds Flaked Wheat 15.9% of grist

Adjuncts

1.00 pounds Orange Marmalade (Seville)

Miscellaneous Ingredients (Non-Fermentable)

1 oz. (one Mike's Floating Trout Bait jar full) Coriander Seed @ 5 minutes
2 gm. (also one Mike's Floating Trout Bait jar full) Chamomile @ 0 minutes
3 grapefruit peels peels Grapefruit Zest @ 0 minutes
1 oz. Wheat Flour @ 0 minutes

Hops

1.00 ounces Saaz 2.8% Pellets @ 60 minutes
Type: Bittering
Use: Boil 2.8 AAUs

0.50 ounces Cascade 7.5% Pellets @ 15 minutes
Type: Aroma
Use: Boil 3.8 AAUs

1.50 ounces Total Hop Weight 6.6 AAUs


Procedure:

Steep grains in a "grain sock" in 2 gallons water at 155 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Heat 3 quarts of water in separate pot to 170 degrees F.

Pour 170 degree water over grain sock in drain basket.

Allow water to gravity drain into pot.

Bring wort to gentle boil.

Add 3.3 lb. Wheat LME and Saaz Hops.

Boil for 45 minutes.

While boiling zest three grapefruits and gently crack coriander seed.

Add 1 lb Bavarian Dried Malt Extract DME and Cascade Hops.

Boil for 10 minutes.

Add Seville Orange Marmalade and slightly cracked coriander seed.

Boil for 5 minutes

Remove pot from flame and add grapefruit zest, chamomile and wheat flour.

Cool wort to 70 degrees F in an ice-bath.

Transfer to primary carboy.

Add water at 70 degrees to make 5 gallons, or until OG reaches 1.046-1.050 (or lower to re-create my pleasant mistake)

Pitch yeast.

Airlock carboy.

After primary fermentation is complete, add 5 oz. corn (bottling) sugar, mix and bottle.

Allow conditioning in bottle for two weeks.

Printed using BrewBlogger 2.3.1 Personal Edition, brewing log software for PHP and MySQL, available at http://www.brewblogger.net.

Hey,

Im gonna try an adaptation of your brew this weekend. Im a bit unclear on the zesting part. Did you use three whole Grapefruit peels? Do I zest completely through the peel until I can see the inner fruit?

Thanks