Next batch to brew- suggestions

With the Scots ale coming off the fermenter in about a week and a half, I'm beginning to think about what the batch will be. Given the season, I think a hefe or similar wheat is prudent, but I get indecisive when I pick through the available kits and recipes. My wife prefers a citrusy hefe like a Blue Moon, so I think this may be the next batch going in. I haven't seen any clone kits, but haven't looked all that hard

Any 'can't beat' American wheat recipes to try? I'm always open to suggestions. I've come to understand that wheats typically have violent fermentations, so I'll be picking up a Better Bottle or two from my LHBS this weekend.

Cheers,
Jason

I don't like wheat beers, but I know lots of people have raved about this recipe: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24978

(Extract recipe is about 5 posts down).

Thanks, but I think this is a PM recipe? Before I attempt any PM, I need someone to show me the ropes.

This should be a good base:
3.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM)
2.00 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)

1.49 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (60 min)

0.75 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
0.75 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 10.0 min) Misc

1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast #3944 or White Labs WLP400) Definitely want a Belgian Wit yeast though.

Mash your flaked wheat at 155 degrees for 60-75 minutes (the longer will up the efficiency and ABV%)

Strain the wheat grains out and bring wort to boil, add extracts and you know the rest...

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Oh, yes, but it's super easy! If you can steep grains, you can do this. You can put the grains in a large grain bag, and drop them in your pot when your water (use about 3 quarts) is around 162 degrees or so. Smoosh that around (the grains shouldn't be packed tight in there, but very loose so you can wet them well) and check the temperature. If it gets under 153, turn the heat back on and keep it at 153-155. You can cover it to keep in the temperature, and just lift the bag often like a tea bag and dunk it around. You can do it for as little as 45 minutes, since you're using extract for the fermentables. After your done mashing the wheat, you can rinse the grains by lifting them out of the pot (still in the bag) and putting them in a strainer and then pouring 170 degree water over them into the pot. (You can use up to a gallon of sparge water for this). Then throw the grains away. Bring the "tea" you made up to a boil just like for all the beers you've made.

If you decide you want to make us, let us know and we can give you more specific directions based on the amount of water you boil for your brewing. Many do 2.5 gallon boils.

flyangler18 said:

Thanks, but I think this is a PM recipe? Before I attempt any PM, I need someone to show me the ropes.

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Well, you could simply stick a large pot in your oven, mash the wheat, then transfer to your boil kettle. I know Austin Homebrew Supply has a new line of summer seasonal recipe kits which look good. Come summer, i'll have my blonde ale ready.

Life is full of tough choices...

Sounds like an easy process indeed, and well worth the effort I imagine!

I appreciate the explanation- and what an introduction to PM!

I'll take a peek at the AHS PM kits, and see what tickles my fancy.

Well, that was an easy choice!

Just placed my order for the Titania American Wheat along with some other sundry supplies- another adventure is starting...

PM is easy. I started with PM mainly because I did not know any better and I figured that if steeping was what the recipe said was good enough, then mashing them would be better. I started with a grain bag in a small water cooler holding the temp for an hour. Maybe it was just and extended steep, but it got me comfortable with the process.

Going AG is a long term goal, but I think I need to hang around the extract and PM scene for a time before jumping into the 'big show'. I'm a very kinesthetic learner, so I need to play 'fly on the wall' with some experienced brewers to understand the minutiae of the process.

Blue moon is a belgian wit, not a hefe. The recipe is simple use 6.6 lbs liquid wheat malt extract, about 1.5 oz hops (1 bittering, and .5 flavor) something with a low AA, talk to your local byo merchant to see what is available to you, use a liquid belgian wit yeast and add .5 oz coriander & .5 oz bitter orange peel with the flavor hops. I made this a few months back and it was awesome 2 weeks after bottling!

I'm currently drinking an American Wheat:

7lb wheat (I used Munton's)

bring 6.3 gal to boil, add 1lb wheat, and .8oz Amarillo hops
boil for 55 min.
Last 5 min, add 6lb wheat
Flame-out addition of 1.75oz Amarillo
Cool, pitch a packet of Danstar Nottingham yeast.

Ferment for 1 week, and add 1.5 oz Amarillo for dry hopping.

After 7 days, kegged (or bottled).

age for 2 weeks.

Awesome quick brew. Great hop flavor, not overpowering. I will do this one again, and probably won't change anything

flyangler18 said:

Going AG is a long term goal, but I think I need to hang around the extract and PM scene for a time before jumping into the 'big show'. I'm a very kinesthetic learner, so I need to play 'fly on the wall' with some experienced brewers to understand the minutiae of the process.

Click to expand...

For some reason I was apprehensive about all-grain as well, and afterward I couldn't understand why. It's easy. Next time I'm brewing I'll give you a heads-up, always glad to have a "fly on the wall".

That witbier recipe looks like a good one, think I'll have to try it.