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Dynachrome

Dynachrome

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...er I mean hefeweisens.
;-)

Please give me your thoughts - I'm going for somewhat sublime/understated results.

I had some leftover two row and asked my wife what I should make with it.

Typical husband? I should have noticed she has been enjoyng going along to all the brewwpubs I try. She's been drinking the wheat beers and I didn't notice.

I went to on of the local brew and picked up enough wheat to do a 50/50 barley/wheat...

Here is what I came up with taking this recipe and trying to simplify it:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/widmer-hefeweizen-american-wheat-129051/

My version:

All-Grain - Hefeweizen American Wheat WHH

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Safbrew WB-06 11.5 g dry activate in water
Yeast Starter: -
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: x
Final Gravity: x
IBU: [30]
Boiling Time (Minutes): 75
Color: x
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): ?[21] days at [68] degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Crash cool and rack to keg or bottling bucket
Tasting Notes:


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7 gal
OG: x.x SG
Color: x.x SRM
IBU: x.x IBU
Efficiency: xx.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.0 lb RHAR 2 Row (x.0 SRM) Grain
5.0 lb American White Wheat (x.0 SRM) Grain
0.50 oz Chinook pellets (60 min) Hops
0.50 oz Chinook pellets (15 min) Hops
0.50 oz Liberty pellets (3 min) Hops
1 Pkgs Safbrew WB-06 11.5 g Dry Wheat Bear yeast


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 10.0 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 11.42 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 6.40 qt of water at 200.7 F 168.0 F

Could't get it to run on the brewtarget software - needed hepl to figure how much water -

I see there is a complimentary thread running right now re; amount of water to grain. I think I'll go 1.5qt to 1lb grain. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/grain-water-ratio-176115/

Will my recipe be beer? Will it be good? Any major omissions?
 
It's a pretty hoppy recipe for a traditional Hefeweizen. If your going for more of an American wheat it's fine. For a more traditional Hefeweizen I would do something like EdWort's Recipe.

IMO WB-06 does not make a good Hefeweizen. I would suggest using one of the liquid strains. I'm partial to 3068, but there are a few good liquid Hefeweizen strains available.
 
Yes, I saw from what I could gather that too much hops is not a good thing in WB. The Brewtarget showed mr at the edge of cloying as I played with th hops ratios. My wife liked my IPA the best and that was pretty hoppy. I hve enough ingredients for two batches - I was going to do a double - maybe I do two and see what the difference makes. I could do this for the cost of a different package of yeast.

Ed boils for a while before hopping. Any idea why? Also, I am trying to use up some extra barley. That's why I made up my own grain list. Will the flavor end up terrible?

Thanks for the feedback.
Bill
 
You can use 2 row if that's what you have. It may be slightly darker and taste a little different than Pils. It should still taste good.

I'm not sure exactly why EdWort uses that boil schedule. It may be to get a smoother bitterness from the first hop addition. Also Pilsner needs a long boil to get rid of DMS.
 
I dont really have an input on the recipe but, I have tried the original recipe a few times now. I really want to make a good Widmer clone! I have had my share of bad luck with this one; mostly stuck sparges.

All in all the beer has not been what I was trying for. It has not been neer sweet enough. I am going to try mashing at 158 next time to see if that helps.
 
lschiavo said:
I dont really have an input on the recipe but, I have tried the original recipe a few times now. I really want to make a good Widmer clone! I have had my share of bad luck with this one; mostly stuck sparges.

All in all the beer has not been what I was trying for. It has not been neer sweet enough. I am going to try mashing at 158 next time to see if that helps.
Click to expand...

Have you tried rice hulls to help prevent a stuck mash?

Mashing at 158 will give it more body. To get a sweeter beer back the IBU off a bit. I mash at 148 on my Hefeweizens and bitter to about 18 IBU. They are pretty balanced at this IBU.
 
Widmer - Yeah, that was really scarey. I was talking about doing a hefe. She says; "Yeah that Widmere was pretty good - it had a yellow and black label."

I clicked on humman brewing's link and there it was in color, black and yellow, just like she described. I guess I brought it home and don't even remember it. We took the labels off the bottles and reused them.

I better get the rice hulls, huh? Stuck mash sounds painfull.
 
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/rice-hulls-how-use-143864/

Rice hulls - reminder to self pick up. :)

I have to go back and pick up my set of wrenches from Bull Falls Home brew Depot anyway. I forgot them there when I borrowed their grain crusher. I can combine trips and get new yeast and rice hulls at the same time.

How long should buying yeast and rice hulls take. I bet I'm in the store for more than an hour.
 
I have a degree in product development. Is it OK t name a recipe and then start refining it? seems like most guys here do the refining first - then publish it.
 
Clonefarmer said:
Have you tried rice hulls to help prevent a stuck mash?

Mashing at 158 will give it more body. To get a sweeter beer back the IBU off a bit. I mash at 148 on my Hefeweizens and bitter to about 18 IBU. They are pretty balanced at this IBU.
Click to expand...

My last batch was my first non-stuck sparge. I have been using rice hulls all along. Last time I conditioned the wheat before crushing. It was also the first wheat since I started recirculating with my HERMS....so something finally worked.

I was at about 23 IBU's. Maybe I will try backing that off a bit. Am I going the wrong direction with mash temp? The recipe calls for 152.
 
lschiavo said:
My last batch was my first non-stuck sparge. I have been using rice hulls all along. Last time I conditioned the wheat before crushing. It was also the first wheat since I started recirculating with my HERMS....so something finally worked.

I was at about 23 IBU's. Maybe I will try backing that off a bit. Am I going the wrong direction with mash temp? The recipe calls for 152.
Click to expand...

152 is a medium body. If you like a dry refreshing beer go lower towards 148. If you like a beer with more body go higher towards 158. IMO lower is better for Hefeweizens.
 
Clonefarmer said:
152 is a medium body. If you like a dry refreshing beer go lower towards 148. If you like a beer with more body go higher towards 158. IMO lower is better for Hefeweizens.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that is what I thought but I havent really ventured out of the medium body range yet.

Widmer, although labeled a Hefewizen is more an american wheat from what I have read. I have only sampled it once quite a while back but it struck me as quite sweet and not having the pronounced banana/clove profile of german hefe's.

I guess I was thinking (as with wines) dry is the opposite of sweet...so was thinking a higher temp may give me what I am looking for. I appreciate your advice. I'd really like to nail this one down.
 
Clonefarmer said:
Publishing in the recipe database?
Click to expand...

Sorry,

Should have said "posted". It seems like guys either generally put a recipe up for critique before they brew it like I did here, or test something a few times and then post it.

Does anyone else have a different read? Is there a brew-ettiquotte?
 
lschiavo said:
Thanks, that is what I thought but I havent really ventured out of the medium body range yet.

Widmer, although labeled a Hefewizen is more an american wheat from what I have read. I have only sampled it once quite a while back but it struck me as quite sweet and not having the pronounced banana/clove profile of german hefe's.

I guess I was thinking (as with wines) dry is the opposite of sweet...so was thinking a higher temp may give me what I am looking for. I appreciate your advice. I'd really like to nail this one down.
Click to expand...

Changing the mash temp is a fun way to tweak your beer.

Widmer Hefeweizen is a good beer. It does seem more like an American Hefe than the typical German Hefe.

The bitterness from hops can be raised to balance a beer with a higher FG. Or be lessened to make a dry beer sweeter. Any residual sugar in a wine will add some sweetness. You can also add specialty grains like Crystal to add sweetness to beer.
 
Dynachrome said:
Sorry,

Should have said "posted". It seems like guys either generally put a recipe up for critique before they brew it like I did here, or test something a few times and then post it.

Does anyone else have a different read? Is there a brew-ettiquotte?
Click to expand...

Usually people post recipes in the Recipe/Ingredient section for feedback before they brew or to get feedback tweaking a recipe.

The recipe Database has posting guidelines.
 
Clonefarmer said:
Changing the mash temp is a fun way to tweak your beer.

Widmer Hefeweizen is a good beer. It does seem more like an American Hefe than the typical German Hefe.

The bitterness from hops can be raised to balance a beer with a higher FG. Or be lessened to make a dry beer sweeter. Any residual sugar in a wine will add some sweetness. You can also add specialty grains like Crystal to add sweetness to beer.
Click to expand...

Will I wreck it if I try to go for too high a FG/ABV? I'm trying for something that drinks like either Hacker-Pschorr or the Widmwer. Neither of those seem heavy to me.

Also - went and read the Sticky regarding posting recipes in the recipe forums. Kewl - didn't realize they were open to posting by the general unwashed masses. I'd still like to get it right before I carve it in stone then.
 
Dynachrome said:
Will I wreck it if I try to go for too high a FG/ABV? I'm trying for something that drinks like either Hacker-Pschorr or the Widmwer. Neither of those seem heavy to me.
Click to expand...

If your not sure about mash temp you can stay in the medium range. It should still be good even if you mash a little high. Hefeweizens tend to be lower ABV, but I have made them at 6% ABV and they come out easy drinking. Maybe a little too easy drinking at that ABV ;).
 
Dynachrome said:
Will I wreck it if I try to go for too high a FG/ABV? I'm trying for something that drinks like either Hacker-Pschorr or the Widmwer. Neither of those seem heavy to me.
Click to expand...

The style (American Wheat) is 4-5.5% with FG 8 to 13. I don't rope myself into this as long as it tastes good.

Sorry if I 'jacked your thread a bit. I am also trying to get this one right for my wife. I know she'd love it if I can get there.

Good luck with the brew. Post back your results.
 
lschiavo said:
The style (American Wheat) is 4-5.5% with FG 8 to 13. I don't rope myself into this as long as it tastes good.

Sorry if I 'jacked your thread a bit. I am also trying to get this one right for my wife. I know she'd love it if I can get there.

Good luck with the brew. Post back your results.
Click to expand...

You didnt even come close to jacking this thread.

LHBS was closed today. Gotta wait for the other yeast. :ban:

Gotta have patience man.

This might be a highjack...

http://www.sonicbids.com/Opportunity/OpportunityView.aspx?opportunity_id=12949
 
Clonefarmer said:
If your not sure about mash temp you can stay in the medium range. It should still be good even if you mash a little high. Hefeweizens tend to be lower ABV, but I have made them at 6% ABV and they come out easy drinking. Maybe a little too easy drinking at that ABV ;).
Click to expand...

Just uncorked one of my Ed Wort's Haus Ale batch. I mark the last two or three bottles differently because they usually have a bit different character the way I do it. I do a boils in SS pots and chill right in them, then cast the yeast and put a lid on it. I have to lift the lid to check foming... I decant to a different pot for filling bottles, but a lttle sediment gets through and ends up in the last couple bottles so the last couple bottlesget a little more sediment. I don't wan to serve what I consider seconds to company.

Anyhow, I opened one of these and got three almost all glasses of foam. Once it settled down its really good beer. The Cascade hops give it a nice citrus flavor. A couple crumbs of hops caught in the foam, interesting.

I may risk doing this hefe a little hotter.
 
Dynachrome said:
Just uncorked one of my Ed Wort's Haus Ale batch. I mark the last two or three bottles differently because they usually have a bit different character the way I do it. I do a boils in SS pots and chill right in them, then cast the yeast and put a lid on it. I have to lift the lid to check foming... I decant to a different pot for filling bottles, but a lttle sediment gets through and ends up in the last couple bottles so the last couple bottlesget a little more sediment. I don't wan to serve what I consider seconds to company.

Anyhow, I opened one of these and got three almost all glasses of foam. Once it settled down its really good beer. The Cascade hops give it a nice citrus flavor. A couple crumbs of hops caught in the foam, interesting.

I may risk doing this hefe a little hotter.
Click to expand...

I am going to try a higher mash temp next time. It may be a while but when I brew it I will let you know how it turned out.

We are on the same wavelength. Ed's haus pale is my next scheduled brew.
 
Ed's Haus Ale is pretty straight forward. It's a really good beginner reciped because it's uncomplicated. I should have mixed the two pots of wort. One had a lot heavier flavor and a bit higher specific gravity.

I'm looking forward to hear of your results with the hefe.

I'll report back on my results too. I plan on making all of the wort up and mixing it to insure consistency, splitting into two pots, and then trying two different yeasts, one in each pot.
 
Dynachrome said:
Ed's Haus Ale is pretty straight forward. It's a really good beginner reciped because it's uncomplicated. I should have mixed the two pots of wort. One had a lot heavier flavor and a bit higher specific gravity.

I'm looking forward to hear of your results with the hefe.

I'll report back on my results too. I plan on making all of the wort up and mixing it to insure consistency, splitting into two pots, and then trying two different yeasts, one in each pot.
Click to expand...

So you are doing 10gallon batches? That is what I do. I ferment each batch in two buckets. I only mix them if I dryhop which I do in a 10gal corny. FG between the two buckets usually does not differ much. I usually dont notice a difference because I split the batches with my buddy.

I am looking forward to Ed's pale. It seems quite popular. I need to get a pipeline going for my reunion coming up.
 
I'm mashing and boiling tonight.

Its snowing on May 8th....

I'm going to set the wort on the back deck and let it cool. I tried to run a double batch.

I modified the hops schedule some. I shortened it on the boiling time and with almost fifty percent more grain as the regular batch I upped the hops quantity a tad. It smells pretty hoppy though.

All-Grain - Hefeweizen American Wheat WHH

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Safbrew WB-06 11.5 g dry activate in water - Pot 1
Yeast: WLP 320 vial liquid YEAST - Pot 2
YEAST - POT 3 MIX WLP 320 AND SAFBREW WB-06 TOO MUCH WORT FOR JUST TWO POTS?
Yeast Starter: -
Batch Size (Gallons): 9
Original Gravity: x
Final Gravity: x
IBU: [x]
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: x
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): ?[x] days at [x] degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Crash cool and rack to keg or bottling bucket
Tasting Notes:


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
36 quarts water initial w/loss to grain (1.875 gal)
Batch Size: 8.5 gal
Boil Size: 9.0 gal
OG: x.x SG
Color: x.x SRM
IBU: x.x IBU
Efficiency: xx.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.50 lb RHAR 2 Row (x.0 SRM) Grain
7.50 lb American White Wheat (x.0 SRM) Grain
1.00 oz Chinook pellets (45 min) Hops
1.00 oz Chinook pellets (12 min) Hops
1.00 oz Liberty pellets (3 min) Hops
1 Pkgs Safbrew WB-06 11.5 g Dry Wheat Beer yeast
1 vial WLP 320 Dry Wheat Beer yeast


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 15.0 lb
----------------------------

Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 16 qt of water at 156.0 F 130.0 F (Barley was in the freezer...)
reboiled some of wort and added 4 quarts sparge early to raise temp to mid 150 range
20 min Mash Out Add 8 qt of water at 160 F 130.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 8 qt of water at 180 F 154.0 F

Boil and hop. Mix batches of wort to attain good consistent characteristics.

Set liquid yeast out to reach room temperature. Cool wort, aerate, and pitch yeast.
 
Yeah snowing here too. Where is Americas Hinterland? Are you my neighbor?

I see two yeasts in your recipe. I haven't tried WB-06 but read some not-so-good reviews. Which did you use? Both maybe? Let me know about WB-06 if used.

see you used both. lack of reading skills!
 
I'm planning on doing an eXper1m3nT. One pot with liquid, one pot with dry, and one pot with a mix of the two. I don't have enough head room and so far at less than 65 degrees my OG is 1.064. I'm thinking this will be active and I'd like to avoid foaming over. Thats the highest specific gravity I've ever boiled yet.

Thus use a third pot (and see if the yeast cooperate).

It smells good. It's really cloudy though.

:D
 
Ok - I messed up - I ran the final SG after adding 2.5 oz of priming sugar. I got a 1.011.

It should still be petty strong stuff. It kind of has me wondering if Imight have been better off waiting a couple more days. Was it finished? will there be bottle bombs?
 
Now the wait...that is the problem with brewing. Try something new or change a thing and it takes a month and a half to know if it worked! Sorry, cant help you with bottling advice. I have kegged since day one. But it sounds like a reasonable FG to me...especially with the sugar added.
 
I capped the second container - liquid yeast batch - tonight. The fg was 1.008

When I took the lid off it smelled sour. towards the end of bottling I sneeked a taste and it tasted pretty good - Probably too hoppy for the category. I'm thinking it will be good beer. I may like the one done with dry yeast - time will tell.

The yeast floating around in this was large clumps compared to the others I've done. There was also the usual wheat cloudiness to it.
 
Lookng for a litteral translation.

Willy's Sich Gehalten Weizwnbier - Does that come though alright? Just thinking about fun labels.....
 
We tried one of the first batch with dry yeast last night. Its been capped for a week and not nearly mature.

Too much hops I think SWMBO says its not what she was expecting. She wrinkled up her nose. Dang.

I like it, but it wasnt for me...
 
I just tapped my last wheat. It is still only about a month old but it was a big hit. I still want to get it sweeter. I will definitely cut back the IBU's next time.
 
Update - I severed samples of all three of the beers this weekend for the parents at my oldest son's graduation party.

I personally really liked the wheat with WB-06 best. It has very nice citrus overtones - probably from the hops and yeast - I didn't add any lemon. There is a ton of head though. It passed up the red I made on the drinkability scale. That is the last thing I would have expected. The hops settled down somewhat too.

UP'ers - We're looking for ideas of where to camp with our RV trailer when we drop junior off for freshman orientation in August. Any idea-ers?

Tx
Bill
 

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