non-traditional wit critique

Already brewed, just wanna see if I missed anything/this looks terrible. One of the cheaper things my head has dreamed up.

5 gals:

5lb light LME
0.45lb rye malt
1lb wheat malt
slightly < 1lb honey
0.25lb corn sugar

0.75oz Spalt 4.0% @ 90 mins remaining
0.25oz Spalt 4.0% @ 22 mins remaining

nutrient at 10 mins remaining
0.7oz crushed coriander @ 5 mins remaining
rind of 1 tangerine (pith removed) @ 5 mins remaining
(not sure on the weight)
yeast: WB-06

Mash 155 for 60mins, sparge 170
25 mins into the boil, put pieces of tangerine peel on foil and put in oven for 60 mins @170
Added ~1.5lb LME at 90 mins remaining, and the rest at 15 mins remaining.


I didn't use whirlfloc on this like I usually do...should I have? I've never used rye before. The wort tasted good, but if I did it again, I might decrease the rye a bit. Also the coriander I got from the LHBS seemed a bit weak, and I really like that flavor, so I might increase that a bit. I guess we'll see how it turns out.

In order to brew this right, you need to measure out the coriander and put it in a small bowl. Then you need to reach in the cabinet and knock the bowl over, sending the seeds shooting all over the floor and in between cracks of stuff. Then measure coriander again.

When I brewed this, I just dumped everything in the primary (i.e. coriander and tangerine peel included). I found some topics where it looks like that wasn't the best of ideas. As aforementioned though, the coriander was pretty weak; I was able to chew on 2-3 seeds without it gagging me/being overpowering. In the event it isn't such a hot idea, should I rack to secondary for 2 weeks after a week in primary, or just go 2 weeks in primary then to bottles?

I usually bottle Witbier straight from the primary, a few days after the main, vigorous ferment is complete. Taste it when the gravity flatlines; if the spice is weak, add more and let it sit for another week.

Cheers,

Bob

I brewed on Tuesday, had airlock activity in about 3 hours. Cracked the lid open today and most of the kraeusen has already fallen. It'll go at least a week no matter what, but will the ~1lb of honey tack on additional time to the tune of 2 weeks or so? I have to kind of estimate all of this since I don't have access to a hydrometer at the moment.

Oh. Well, I really don't know how to advise, other than leave it another week at the least. The honey should all ferment out, but without a hydrometer, there's no way to be sure.

Can't you borrow one or something?

Bob

Nah I don't know anyone around here that brews. I have one, its just locked up at the moment. I accidentally knocked it off a shelf and straight into a carboy of Apfelwein, and now I can't get it out until the carboy is empty...so I'm waiting on that to clear so I can rack it. It'd be much better if they made hydrometers that were prism shaped or something so they don't roll off so easily

Really I can leave the wit in as long as it needs to be, I'm just kind of concerned about leaving it on the spices.

All I can advise is to use a sanitized turkey baster or wine thief and keep taking small tasting samples. That'll help you gauge the spices. I suggest you spur the local and national economy by going out and buying another hydrometer, though; go hang out in your LHBS - I bet they could use some company!

Bob