Sorachi Ace Wheat Ale.

So if ther is one thing I love about brewing is brewing for other people. Most people I know love beers like Blue Moon and Summer Shandy. So here is my attempt at a Summer Lemon Wheat.

5.5gal
5# Two Row
4# White wheat malt
1# rolled Oats.

Mash at 155F for 60 min -

Boil 90 minutes to thin the body

My question is I want to use Sarachi Ace hops but hear its pretty potent. I was thinking willamette or other nuetral noble and doing maybe 0.5oz Sarachi at 1 minute for the lemon aroma. I was also going to add the zest of one lemon at flame out for a little flavor.

Ferment with S-04.

I imagine floating in a lake on a 90 degree day where the water is about 85 and the pontoon is just a swim away.

I did a Saison that had 20% wheat and some honey malt. I used all Sorachi Ace and got plenty of lemon flavor and aroma without using lemon zest. Unfortunately, I can't find that recipe right now, and I don't remember the hop schedule. I know it was a very small bittering addition at 60 minutes and a bigger flavor/aroma addition in the last 10 minutes. I then dry hopped with an ounce. Wish I had more specifics for you, but I changed the recipe up and dropped the Sorachi ace for the next time I try it. I didn't care much for the combination of Saison yeast, sweet honey malt flavor, and lemon from the Sorachi. I'll find another use for these hops, because I did like the hop character they added. It just wasn't that great in this particular beer.

This is just an added suggestion. Have you considered using WB-06 yeast instead of S-04? It's just as simple to use and makes a decent wheat beer. The last time I used it I stressed the yeast a little to really pull more yeast character out and it made a good wheat beer. I finally got the hang of using Wyeast-3068 to produce a wheat beer that I like, so I'll probably stick to this yeast for wheats from now on, but WB-06 can make a good beer.

julioardz said:

This is just an added suggestion. Have you considered using WB-06 yeast instead of S-04? It's just as simple to use and makes a decent wheat beer. The last time I used it I stressed the yeast a little to really pull more yeast character out and it made a good wheat beer. I finally got the hang of using Wyeast-3068 to produce a wheat beer that I like, so I'll probably stick to this yeast for wheats from now on, but WB-06 can make a good beer.

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I'm hesitant on wit beir yeast because i don't want to risk banana flavor in this beer. I wanna try S-04 because people say it has a fruity finish which i think may compliment what I am shooting for.

This is my first made up recipe so it could be a disaster.

I am doing something like that but I'm using saaz for bittering and soriachi at 30 min for flavor. I'm fermenting in two 3 gal carboys and adding 1oz lemon zest soaked in vodka after fermentation in one carboy to do a side by side taste test. Both will get s-05.

caioz1jp said:

I'm hesitant on wit beir yeast because i don't want to risk banana flavor in this beer. I wanna try S-04 because people say it has a fruity finish which i think may compliment what I am shooting for.

This is my first made up recipe so it could be a disaster.

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Oh OK, gotcha. That's why I had never been happy with Wyeast-3068. It just had too much banana flavor and not enough spice no matter what the fermentation temperature was. Then I figured out that I had to over pitch and ferment cooler to get more spice and tangy flavors. Now I love it. I've never used S-04, but I have read the same things about the fruity esters. I've been curious to try WLP299. The description sounds like it would go well in a wheat beer.

I've played around a little with wheat recipes. My standard grain bill for wheat beers is now 7 lbs wheat, 4 lbs pilsner. I'll change up the yeast and hops to try different things.

Good luck with it.

Est Original Gravity: 1.046 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.008 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.1 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 17.4 IBUs Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 3.4 SRM

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 2 44.4 %
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 3 11.1 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 44.4 %
0.50 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 10.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Sorachi Ace [10.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 5 7.1 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Wheat Ale (Wyeast Labs #1010)

THis is going to be my first attempt.

I went 50IBUs in a 4% wheat with full on late additions of Sorachi and it was great. Don't be afraid to embrace the ace!

So i figure i would give a luttle update. I brewed this on friday the 7th. I hit all my numbers but i realized i had about 11% oats so it might have a funky mouth feel. Im excited to try this but i want to try the sorachi ace in the cream of three crops ale.

Just an update to this recipe. I just taste my first shot and I LOVE SORACHI ACE. It is so crisp and refreshing. I did find myself adding a lemon wedge like i would with a vodka tonic and it is even that much better. Gonna tinker with making it so i dont need the added lemon. Maybe lemon juice with some Ksorbate since i will be kegging it.