Belgian Wit Bier

What's everyones Wit experiences?

I brewed one three weeks ago and I'm just tapping it today - It tastes amazing IMO, maybe one of the best I've made. I was a bit anxious as most people say that wits are a difficult style to brew.

Here's the recipe if anyones interested. I recommend giving it a go if you like Wit. It's basically a combination of Wit recipes I've read online and in books. It's quite silky, with a very slightly tart aftertaste that doesnt linger. The spices are quite subdued, with only the coriander really noticeable in the aroma (smells like lemon & lime zest). I would probably up all of the spices and maybe mess around with some others if I were to brew it again.

My set up only really allows a single infusion but I got away with it, with predictably low efficiency (60%). If you can, I'd maybe include a beta-glucan rest at 40C (104F) to break up the gummy oats. Sparging was easy with the oat husks.

Based on 5 Imp Gallons (6 US gallons)
OG 1.053

7Lb Pilsner Malt
7Lb Crushed Unmalted Wheat
4oz Rolled Oats
~8oz Oat Husks (to improve sparging)
(wheat and oats pre-gelatinised before mashing, by simmering for 20mins)
Mashed @ 66C/151F for 90mins
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1.7 oz Czech Saaz 3.2% AA (whole) 60min
0.6 oz Czech Saaz 3.2% AA (whole) 5min
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0.6 oz Ground Coriander Seed 5min
0.5 oz Sweet Orange Peel 5min
0.5 oz Curacao Bitter Orange Peel 5min
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WLP400 Belgian Wit Ale Yeast @ 20C
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Primary for 3 weeks then kegged.

I've tried it once. I think mine is a good summer wheat beer, but a total failure as a Belgian Wit. I used a full oz of orange peel, but you can't detect any orange in it when you drink it.

I also doubled up on the corriander, using twice what my recipe included simply because I could not taste it at all with the original amount in it. Now I can smell/taste the corriander fine... just missing the orange taste.

I had a couple of them last weekend and squeezed a wedge of fresh orange into the glass. It was pretty good. I think I want a little more hop bite in it next time, but that's just a personal preference.


-walker

I've made two 5gaal EG wit kits... same yeast with roughly the same amount of coriander and orange. I steeped the first kit for 20 minutes, then boiled. This time I steeped the bag in a seperate pot while I boiled the wort. It steeped for a good 45 minutes, then dumped it into the boiling wort for 5 minutes to sterilize it.

I used 1cup corn sugar when bottling last time, but this one will see 1-1/4. I really enjoyed a thick creamy head on this beer. The aroma is great, and its very full bodied for having used half wheat and half extra light extract. I used 1oz Saaz at 50 minutes of a 50 minute 3 gallon boil.

I QUICKLY went through two cases of it... the next batch is on deck for bottling!