Hoegaarden...Let's do this!!!

I have read a bunch of threads online, and while there seem to be some attempts to brew this, no one seems to have a confident recipe that really matches.

I have read about the possiblities of cumin in some of these beers, and hope to discover if there are trace amounts in it.

I drink hoegaarden every day, almost, on tap, at my local bar, and wish nothing more than to discover how to brew it. I find a big difference between the bottled and kegged version, and prefer the tap.

Here is my first attempt at a test batch, and the subsequent analysis, and new recipe to be determined.

Test Recipe


Type: All Grain
Date: 3/6/2011
Batch Size: 1.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 1.23 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 1 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes: Tasted good, but a little mild. The maltiness, mouthfeel, color, seemed correct. The yeast seemed to still be present as I used an entire pack of wyeast in the 1 gallon batch, producing an off odor. I intend to increase the additives by about 25% for next batch.

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
15.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 50.07 %
15.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 49.93 %
0.15 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 13.5 IBU
0.09 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
0.10 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.10 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.93 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.95 %
Bitterness: 15.1 IBU Calories: 227 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.4 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 1.88 lb
Sparge Water: 0.49 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 0.59 gal of water at 163.1 F 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 0.38 gal of water at 201.2 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Dried Malt Extract Volumes of CO2: 3.0
Pressure/Weight: 1.5 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 0.0 days
Storage Temperature: 0.0 F

I love Hoegaarden on tap.

And since I can not get it over here I must either go overseas or brew it

So lets brew it

Excited to see how this progresses- would love to get a solid recipe down for this. One of my favorite widely-available brews.

brewing right now...so far so good...

Here is my adapted batch recipe...

Type: All Grain

Batch Size: 10.00 gal

Boil Size: 11.59 gal

Boil Time: 60 min

Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00

Ingredients

9 lbs 6.4 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 50.07 %
9 lbs 6.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 49.93 %
1.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 13.0 IBU
1.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.25 tsp Black Pepper (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.25 tsp Cumin (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.50 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.00 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
.5 oz Orange Peel, Fresh (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 Orange, Juice Only
1.25 oz Coriander Seed, Crushed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
6.00 items Chamomile Tea Bag (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
16.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.93 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.48 %
Bitterness: 15.6
IBU Calories: 245 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.4 SRM

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body

75 min Mash 148.0 F
10 min Mash 168.0 F

Ferment for 7 days at 68
Secondary for 21 at 55

keg and crash cool, and carbonate for 1 week




As you can see, I stepped the hops by about 25%, and added the cumin, pepper, fresh orange peel and juice, and chamomile. I hope to have this drafted and ready in four weeks, and will do a side by side with the on tap

I will inform everyone what mine turns out, but the best possible outcome would be if several batches were made, and multiple analysis were made!!!

If anyone has a recipe that they are happy with, that does actually imitate hoegaarden, it would be great to see it!



It finished with great flavor, after tasting hydrometer sample, cumin and pepper not standing out at all, more of the coriander and hops present. Am very optimistic about this one... Many more to come!

Mine is similar to Hoegaarden but I prefer mine due to freshness. Only brewed it once and only compared it to a bottle sample, not tap that you prefer. Maybe you can use something from my process to help tweak yours.

Belgian Witbier
Batch Size: 12.40 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Efficiency Into Kettle: 94.3%

Beer Profile:
Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Final Gravity: 1.0095 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.15%
Bitterness: 14.9 IBU
Est Color: 3.2 SRM

Ingredients:
1 lb Rice Hulls (rinsed)
7.6875 lb Dingemans Pilsner Malt (1.0356, 1.8 SRM) 40.47%
4.9875 lb Weyermann Malted Wheat (1.0356, 2.0 SRM) 26.26%
4.25 lb Briess Red Wheat Flakes (1.0299, 2.0 SRM) 22.37%
1.32 lb Briess Flaked Oats (1.0298, 2.5 SRM) 6.95%
0.75 lb Weyermann Acidulated Malt (1.0337, 2.3 SRM) 3.95%

0.54 oz Magnum [pellet, 10.70 %] (Boil 80 min) Rager 10.4 IBU
2.50 oz Saaz [pellet, 3.70 %] (Boil 15 min) Rager 4.5 IBU
1.20 oz Orange Zest (Boil 15.0 min)
1.20 oz Coriander Seed crushed (Boil 5.0 min)
2 Servomyces Capsules (Boil 10.0 min)

Water Profile:
100% Distilled
Gypsum and Calcium Chloride added to get 50 ppm Ca, Cl & SO4

Mash Profile:
15 min Acid Rest @ 105F, 5.26 pH
15 min Protien Rest @ 122F
85 min Sacc Rest @ 154F, 5.46 pH
15 min Mash Out @ 170F

Fermentation:
WLP400 - .8 Million cells/mL/ºP
Chill to 66F after knockout
O2 for 40 seconds @ 3 Lpm then pitch chilled and decanted starter
Let warm to 68F over 24 hours then to 72F for 3 weeks.

Notes:
Try adding .5% more Acidulated next time.

Gypsum in this beer seems like a horrible idea FWIW.

I've brewed multiple wits with wlp400 and don't think it offers the sour tang that Hoegaarden has, even when I've kept my pH on the low side. Wyeast's wit yeast might be better, and WLP410 is out now and I think it's a superior wit yeast and closer to what you are looking for.

Here is a water profile target...

Pierre Celis located his brewery in Austin because the water is perfect for brewing this style -- it's similar to the water profile in Hoegaarden. Acidulated malt can be used to drive down the pH, or you can use lactic acid per Palmer's spreadsheet to adjust the mash pH down to around 5.2 which is what I do because it's more precise.

Here's a sample Austin water profile:

Ca 15.0
Mg 17.0
Na 26.0
SO4 39.0
Cl 42.0
HCO3 62.0

dstar26t,

what was different other than freshness? I don't really understand, other than what we all taste as homebrew as more of a fresh quality... Color, bitterness seem similar, but you thought the beer was the right color, bitterness, wheat qualities?, did you like the oat? magnum good, or use more saaz? coriander and orange at the right levels? just trying to nail down some levels of flavorings for the beer...

thanks

Been enjoying quite a few hoegaardens this week, and am pretty convinced that there is chamomile in the recipe, as well as the obvious orange and coriander. The coriander is pretty dominant, and offers this kind of fruity sweetness. I think that the final stages of nailing this recipe will be the varieties of coriander, as well as the orange. I think that I might have to do this next one with a premium indian coriander, as well as the combination of bitter and sweet orange peel, instead of fresh orange. I will notify as to the affect of the cumin and pepper also. When tasting, there is a very subtle "smokiness" to the finish. I will also be testing the inclusion of acidulated malt in the future.

wlp 410 will be used against the 3944 also.

I am currently varying fermentation temps on the split 10 gallon batch at 70 and 60 degrees independently on 5 gallon each.

i have a chef friend who also recommended roasting the coriander seeds slightly before grinding to increase the flavor.

benbradford said:

Been enjoying quite a few hoegaardens this week, and am pretty convinced that there is chamomile in the recipe, as well as the obvious orange and coriander. The coriander is pretty dominant, and offers this kind of fruity sweetness. I think that the final stages of nailing this recipe will be the varieties of coriander, as well as the orange. I think that I might have to do this next one with a premium indian coriander, as well as the combination of bitter and sweet orange peel, instead of fresh orange. I will notify as to the affect of the cumin and pepper also. When tasting, there is a very subtle "smokiness" to the finish. I will also be testing the inclusion of acidulated malt in the future.

wlp 410 will be used against the 3944 also.

I am currently varying fermentation temps on the split 10 gallon batch at 70 and 60 degrees independently on 5 gallon each.

Click to expand...

Nice - are you going to be doing a split batch with 410 in one and 3944 in the other?

Why not try to harvest some of the yeast on the bottom of the Hoegaarden bottles and use it in the reproduction?

I am curious on how this turns out. I was planning on culturing some hogaarden yeast from the few bottles in my fridge and maybe trying your recipe this summer.
Good luck

I don't have my stirplate yet, so haven't attempted any yeast harvesting, and also havn't researched on whether they bottle with the same yeast that they ferment.

After deciding which fermentation chambers I approve of, and after deciding about the flavors of the herbs, I will put both yeasts side by side with the same recipe. I assume that these wits will turn out good and i will enjoy them, and keep brewing them. With the split fermentations, it does allow me to test this part of the process.

Here is the update!!!

Split batches
1st-fermented at 63 degrees and after 15 days, the gravity was 1.014 and tasted maltier and therefore a bit sweeter... a krausen still present, so fermentation may start back up at warmer temps. Has started after 24 hours at warmer temperatures...
2nd-Second batch fermented at 70-72 degrees and finished at 1.006 and had a cleaner flavor and drier finish. Switched it a cooler fermentation chamber at 62 for 1 week before kegging.

I finished both of the former batches of hoegaarden, and loved them both, but they were not quite what I wanted.

The first complaint is that some of the sweeter flavors were a little strong. I think that the chamomile, coriander, and fresh orange were a little to powerful.

My new recipe tones them all down about 25%. And also switches the previous mexican coriander to an indian coriander. Switches fresh orange to sweet orange, and cuts all down a bit.

Another plan is to add 1.5% acidulated malt to balance some of the flavors.

I also changed half of the flaked wheat to unmalted wheat.

Here is the recipe...

Type: All Grain
Date: 5/30/2011
Batch Size: 20.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 22.92 gal Asst Brewer: Me
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 12 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes: Split batches



Amount Item Type % or IBU
16 lbs 8.6 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 43.37 %
8 lbs 8.9 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 22.45 %
8 lbs 8.9 oz Wheat, Unmalted (1.0 SRM) Grain 22.45 %
3 lbs 14.2 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 10.20 %
9.3 oz Acidulated (Weyermann) (1.8 SRM) Grain 1.53 %
2.98 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 12.9 IBU
2.98 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.50 oz Black Pepper (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.50 tsp Cumin (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 oz Coriander Seed, Crushed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
4.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
4.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
9.00 items Chamomile Tea Bag (1g) (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
4 Pkgs Belgian Wit II (White Labs #WLP410) Yeast-Ale

Just an FYI you can not harvest Hoegaarden yeast. This specific beer is filtered and a second, "bottling" strain is added to prime/carb the beer. I have cultured this secondary strain and it will make beer... but it is not the witbier yeast you are looking for. Wy/WL witbier is a good strain to use for this style.

Brewed it today, and other than some annoying brew complications, I think it came out alright. I did have to tone the cumin down to .25 oz, and the chamomile to 4 bags, and the bitter orange and sweet orange to 1 oz each. I am happy with all of this because the orange and chamomile flavors were too pronounced last time. This will be on tap in 3 to 3.5 weeks, and I will let everyone know how it is.

Fermentation was really fast from the wyeast cake, but the wl410 took 2 days to really start up. Everything going good, and everything fermenting at 70, but will try to drop the fermenters down to 55 for the last two weeks

According to "Brewing with Wheat" Hoegaarden looks a little like this;
OG of 1.048
12 IBU's using Tomahawk and Nugget hops
40% unmalted wheat
60% malted barley
spices; coriander and orange peel
House yeast strain

The mash is heated from 122*F to 167*F gradually then a 1 hour boil. Fermentation is started at 64*F then allowed to rise to 77*F over 5 days.

I don't find that recipe very likely...

There is almost certainly a bit of acidified malt, and I could go either way on the oats actually, but i do like the split of the flaked and unmalted wheat.

I find it very hard to believe that the hops used are tomohawk and nugget...

House yeast strain doesn't help much. Are they referring to hoegaardens house yeast? If so, we can't even culture it because they bottle with a different strain, or so I have heard.

I find that wyeast 3944, and wl 410 are both close, but i am actually considering a blend of the two.

I too, adore the Hoegaarden. I think the perceptable difference between bottles and kegs is time. I assume that teh bottles tend to move more slowly than the kegged offerings. As well as see more UV.

I just pulled hydro samples 9 days after the brew.

This is gonna be damn close to hoe!

All 4 fermenters finished at 1.0045, which is low, and gives it a nice dry finish that i like and compare to hoegaarden

There are nice spicy, lemony, mineral, tones to all 4, with each showing small nuances, that set them apart.

The color is spot on.

I can't decide which yeast strain I favor, but I am actually a little leaning toward the wyeast, but really have started considering mixing all 4 of these together before kegging, because I think that the balance might be the secret.

I think that I will blend the yeast strains before fermentation next time, as I will have 4 cakes, 2 to keep clean, and 2 to blend... I am interested in seeing how that will affect the beer.

I have some new mason jars on the way to help with the yeast washing, and I will transfer to keg, and split the processes between, keg conditioning, and force carbing at that time. Hoping to continue to split processes as much as possible, until each step is set as a preferred method for this beer in particular.

The funny thing is that once I finish this project, I am pretty sure that my recipe will just be modified to my preferences so that it isn't even hoegaarden at all, just some wit that fits my tastes. I sure do like hoegaarden though

I don't think a major brewery would be using so much of a flaked product. White wheat would do, which is why they would dough in at such a low temp. Also you can put acids in your mash water and forgo the sour malt.

this is on brewitagain. com

ABV: 4.9%Type: Partial MashBatch Size: 5 US GallonsIngredients

2 lbs. pale malt

2 lbs. malted wheat

1 lb flaked wheat

1 lb flaked oats

2 lbs. unhopped wheat dry malt extract

3 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (0.75 oz. at 4% AA)

2 AAU Saaz hops (0.5 oz. at 4% AA)

1/8 oz. lightly crushed coriander seed

1/4 oz. dried Curaco orange peel, shredded

Belgian witbier yeast slurry (White Labs WLP400 or Wyeast 3944)



All-Grain Option

Replace DME with an extra 1.5 lbs. ea. of pale malt and malted wheat

All-Extract Option

Omit pale and wheat malts, steep flaked grains at 150F for 30 mins remove grains, increase DME to 5 lbs

Procedure

Mash @ 163F to start 9 qts water (152F for 90 mins)

Sparge w/ 12 qts @ 170F

Add DME, boil Add E. Kent Goldings hops, boil 45 min Add Saaz hops, boil 15 min Remove from heat, remove hops if possible Add coriander and orange peel, steep 30 min Cool to 70F add enough water to make 5.25 gal

Pitch yeast

Ferment at 65F for 2 weeks

Rack to secondary cool to 45F for 3-4 weeks

Prime with DME, bottle and age 3-4 weeks at 45 - 50F

Pretty darn close to what I am doing, but with the goldings instead of saaz all the way.

My mash temps were set to be 148, not 152.

This tasted so good, that i will probably keg at 20 days, and i wouldn't have even waited that long, but I am recieving some new mason jars for washing yeast and will go ahead and wait for those... maybe.

I went ahead and trasnferred 5 gallons to keg and carbed. Pretty happy with the results, but it isn't ready yet. I need to let this sit for a couple of weeks, and it will be great.

I was hoping for grain to glass in 14, but not gonna happen with this style.

Care to post your final, ideal recipe? Would like to try this out.

I would like to taste this batch when finished, but here is what I have so far...

I like the wyeast a little more than the wl410, i think... But blending the two might be the answer also.

Type: All Grain
Date: 8/21/2011
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 11.57 gal Asst Brewer: Me
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 25 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00
Taste Notes: Split batches
1st-fermented at 63 degrees and after 15 days, the gravity was 1.014 and tasted maltier and therefore a bit sweeter... a krausen still present, so fermentation may start back up at warmer temps.
2nd-Second batch fermented at 70-72 degrees

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
8 lbs 4.3 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 43.37 %
4 lbs 4.5 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 22.45 %
4 lbs 4.5 oz Wheat, Unmalted (1.0 SRM) Grain 22.45 %
1 lbs 15.1 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 10.20 %
4.7 oz Acidulated (Weyermann) (1.8 SRM) Grain 1.53 %
1.49 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (70 min) Hops 13.8 IBU
1.49 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (5 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
0.15 tsp Cumin (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.25 tsp Black Pepper (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.50 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.50 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 oz Coriander Seed, Crushed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
2.00 items Chamomile Tea Bag (1g) (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Wit II (White Labs #WLP410) Yeast-Ale
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.048 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.043 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.55 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.95 %
Bitterness: 16.4 IBU Calories: 185 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.2 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 19.06 lb
Sparge Water: 2.92 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 5.91 gal of water at 159.2 F 148.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 5.53 gal of water at 192.5 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Corn Sugar) Volumes of CO2: 3.2
Pressure/Weight: 5.9 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 7.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Notes

struggled with mash temp for about twenty minutes and finally got it up from 135 to the desired 148...60 minute timer at that point. had to add .5 gallon of 182 water to loosen things and get temp up. the pump was circulating through the coil, only pump for 10 mintues of that time...changed mash out to 5 gallons at 195(boiling), sparged, a half gallon low on boil volume, but good efficiency. Finished boil great, flavor at sample good...Was clogged by the bitter orange peel, and one tea bag broke open...Did pretty throrough straining of everything through muslin bag.

Continue notes...second batch fermented at 70, and then moved to 65 for 2 weeks... cleaner flavor, less sweet, but a touch of rotten egg? yeast at this temp seems to create that odor. i like the beer better, but not that odor. i hope that it is just the bottom of the keg that is like this, and the odor blows off in just a minute.


8-21-11
Sparging was a *****, needed double the rice hulls at least, and a second pump to do this size batch. Efficiency became 62% or so. I reduced the bitter orange and sweet orange peel to 1 oz instead of 2 because that is what was delivered and seemed like it made sense after tasting the last batch. The cumin went down to .25 oz because that is what I had, and the pepper stayed at .5 oz. I pitched with the wyeast wit on 10 gallons, and wl 410 on the other ten. I had used a started of 1/2 cup dme on the 410, but the wyeast was a cake that has already started on 5 gallons within 12 hours. Going to ferment all 20 at room temp, and hopefully have the fermentation chamber here so that i can age for 12-14 days at 55 or 60...

1-8/30-fg=1.0045-wl410 yeast-less minerality than 2, thankfully chlorine flavor absent, must be the yeast...jamis favorite
2-8/30-fg=1.0045-wl410 yeast- slight minerality? clean flavor otherwise...chlorine?
3-8/30-fg=1.004-wy3944-mellow taste, less pepper! my favorite...
4- 8/30-fg=1.0045-wy3944-mellow flavor and small pepper finish




Here are my notes also...

Whirlfloc in a witbier?

Hoegaarden isn't as cloudy as you would think until you get to the bottom of keg. I love the color, but there really isn't a "haze".

I was trying to clear the beer, and figured that the haze would still exist to an extent due to the proteins and yeast.

Here is from the website for whirlfloc...

Key benefits
► Increases wort recovery
► Gives a considerably brighter wort
► Improves final beer filtration and stability

Whirlfloc is a purifed form of high molecular weight carrageenan extracted from red marine algae (Rhodophycae) and manufactured exclusively for use as a wort fining agent. It accelerates the formation of dense and compact hot and cold trub, saving time, boosting wort recovery and resulting in considerably brighter worts.

But isn't it meant to cling to to proteins (whirlfloc) as it is a gelatin right?
Using either I.M. or Whirlfloc is IMO a little strange in a weiss or wit, unless you’re trying to make a Kristalweissen.
I've been trying to make something similar to Hoegaarden for quite some time now, and find that a wit is probably one of the most difficult beers to get JUST right.
I’ve brewed 6-7 versions by now, with just small changes to most of them from batch to batch, and a few lately going in a completely other direction, but with the same goal. To make a wit a little better than Høgården 

Some key notes from my brews:

- Orange peel, forget about the dry bitter orange peel, never worked at all.
- Sweet Valencia will do the job, fresh zest in VERY small amounts. Talking 2-5g max for a 5G batch.
- Lots of Coriander, or lots meaning 10-20g depending on the age if your using seeds. Pre ground actually worked best for me, but then I needed to scale down quite a bit.
- Grainbill: Flaked wheat and Pale ale malt, yes pale ale malt, pils will just be too thin, though I know the colour will be off. Maybe Belgian pils will work too. Messed a lot with this.
Did a try lately with a match to the exact water profile too, find the hops coming to much through. It should be a Saaz brew mainly, but I’m beginning to wonder.
- Wyeast 3944 is the way to go. High temps.

Only .1 oz of orange peel. Really?

In my wit, I used 1 lb of fresh orange peel. It came out good, with only a hint of orange.

I find it quite depended on the oranges used, they obviously seem to vary a lot in intensity. But then again if you think about the different taste of ecological grown and “pumped” fruit, then maybe not so surprising.

A few Wits ago (A different/new way of keeping track of time) I brewed a wit with 0.3 oz in a 5g batch, after a month in the keg the oranges took over, not that it wasn’t tasty, but certainly not a Hoegaarden.

STomp said:

Only .1 oz of orange peel. Really?

In my wit, I used 1 lb of fresh orange peel. It came out good, with only a hint of orange.

Click to expand...

1lb!!! In a 5g batch? sounds crazy :fro:

Thats like 40 oranges or so.

I think that there are some misplaced decimels in this converstion

benbradford said:

I think that there are some misplaced decimels in this converstion

Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. I think it's a problem with metric vs imperial.

Bonde said:

1lb!!! In a 5g batch? sounds crazy :fro:

Thats like 40 oranges or so.

Click to expand...

errr, it was 3 or 4 large navel orange peels that I weighed on my digital scale. MAYBE it was a 1/2 lb. I'll check in my notes and get back to you.

:rockin:

Here is my next version of this recipe, as while drinking this one, maybe three or four days early for sure, at 30 days, this recipe seems like it just never matured. The samples all tasted great, but when carbonated and poured, there just isn't enough flavore. Even the malt bill seemed a little low. I increased the pilsner malt, decreased the unmalted wheat, increased the orange and coriander, removed the acidifyed malt and added lactic acid, to be added to the keg.

Here is the recipe that I was inspired by a little for some of the changes.

Celis Clone
Witbier


Type: All Grain
Date: 9/14/2011
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 6.59 gal Asst Brewer: 640 Recipes
Boil Time: 70 min Equipment: 6 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4 lbs 7.1 oz Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM) Grain 49.88 %
4 lbs 0.4 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 45.14 %
7.1 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 4.99 %
1.30 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (70 min) Hops 21.3 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (5 min) Hops 1.4 IBU
0.50 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 20.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Lactic Acid (Bottling 0.0 min) Misc
1.25 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.042 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.12 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 22.7 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 2.4 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Double Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 8.91 lb
Sparge Water: 2.05 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Double Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Protein Rest Add 2.04 gal of water at 134.3 F 124.0 F
70 min Saccrification Add 1.79 gal of water at 180.9 F 148.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 1.78 gal of water at 188.6 F 160.0 F

And here is the new recipe for my hoegaarden.

Hoegaarden IV
Witbier


Type: All Grain
Date: 8/21/2011
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 5.79 gal Asst Brewer: Me
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 25 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00
Taste Notes: Split batches
1st-fermented at 63 degrees and after 15 days, the gravity was 1.014 and tasted maltier and therefore a bit sweeter... a krausen still present, so fermentation may start back up at warmer temps.
2nd-Second batch fermented at 70-72 degrees

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5 lbs 2.1 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 53.48 %
2 lbs 5.6 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 24.50 %
1 lbs 2.2 oz Wheat, Unmalted (1.0 SRM) Grain 11.88 %
15.6 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 10.14 %
0.74 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (70 min) Hops 13.7 IBU
0.74 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.13 tsp Black Pepper (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.13 tsp Cumin (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.35 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.35 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
0.75 oz Coriander Seed, Crushed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Lactic Acid (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
2.00 items Chamomile Tea Bag (1g) (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Wit II (White Labs #WLP410) Yeast-Ale
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.048 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.043 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.62 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.95 %
Bitterness: 16.3 IBU Calories: 185 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.3 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 9.59 lb
Sparge Water: 1.69 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 2.97 gal of water at 159.2 F 148.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.78 gal of water at 192.5 F 168.0 F