Possible Recipe-Wheat Beer #1

Be gentle......I'm using Beersmith for the first time. Would this produce a decent wheat ale? I'm starting to think Spring!
Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 7.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 13.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 57.14 %
1.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 14.29 %
1.00 lb Wheat Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 14.29 %
0.50 lb Carafoam (2.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
0.50 oz Pearle [8.00 %] (60 min) Hops 10.8 IBU
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 2.4 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle German Ale (DCL Yeast #K-97)

I think it would be good. I've used K-97 for a wheat beer before and liked it. You'll get massive krausen in the fermnenter.

Speaking of foam, I've never used carafoam before. Would you need it for a wheat? Wheat beers usually produce good heads on their own.

Also, I'm not sure what your 1 lb. of each liquid are doing. You need the extract for OG, but it seems annoying to use a pound of each liquid...can you buy it in those quantities?

I might play with your options for LME vs. DME based on the easiest ways to buy each, and the knowledge that if you're going to have leftovers, you want them to be DME.

Also, the pound of pilsner extract won't add much character. Wheat extract is already only ~50% wheat. I'd suggest using either more pilsner extract or (better, IMO) none at all. Again, keep your OG as is and look for a more efficient way to use your extracts.

Depending on the brand wheat extracts are 45%-65% wheat.

With the carafoam and C10, you've got a pound of crystal in there. Wheat beers generally don't lack for foam or body, so I'd say they're probably unnecessary - at least cut the quantities in half, or cut the carafoam altogether, that way you'll retain a little caramel flavor from the C10.

You can up your IBUs a little if you want. Daniels recommends an average BU:GU ratio of around 0.35 for wheat beers; you're at 0.264 which is fine for a wheat (they have a broad range), but if you want to do something with your remaining 1/2 oz of perle, you could.

Definitely good advice about the extracts and finding a more economical way to go about it....Also, I think I will drop out the carafoam and do the half on the C10 as suggested. I would like a little caramel flavor to throw in a twist...Like I said, I'm a newb to brewing outside extract kits, so as I go about making my own recipes all advice is helpful.

To be honest, I have no idea what quantities LME/DME come in hence my silly numbers in my recipe! I will check my LHBS!

Thank You!

cheezemm said:

To be honest, I have no idea what quantities LME/DME come in hence my silly numbers in my recipe! I will check my LHBS!

Thank You!

Click to expand...

I believe LME comes in 3.3 lb cans

You might just want to go with all DME instead of LME/DME combinations. DME is generally available in 1lb and 3lb bags. LME usually comes in 3.3lb cans or some similar quantity repackaged from a large drum. One of the biggest advantages to DME is that any unused portion will keep longer and better than LME since it's not prone to oxidation. There are a couple of other advantages to DME: it doesn't darken as much during the boil; it's easier to measure, etc.

I recommend reading up on recipe creation. My bible is Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels. It's immensely helpful in understanding the how and why of the ingredients we use. Hugely informative, yet easy to understand. I haven't read it yet, but Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer also gets high praise.