Cardamom-Lemon Wit beer

[Scotty_g]

I have made plenty of wits using different recipes (and occasionally even following them!), but I had some cookies over Christmas spiced with cardamom and figured that would make an interesting wit. I have read a lot of cardamom horror stories and know to go very lightly with the stuff; it seems like about 1 gram of seeds per gallon is right. I simmered up a tea at approximately this strength and it has a nice but not overpowering nose, and while you can clearly taste it I think the rest of the beer will show through.

It also made me think of lemons, and I've brewed a singel with lemon peel before so I'm confident I can handle this. So, I decided to take the recipe for the last wit we made, simplify it a bit, and sub in lemon peel and cardamom for the late adds of orange peel and coriander.

I'm curious to hear if anyone else has experience with a similar recipe - particularly the spicing rates. I was tempted to toss in some Citra instead of the late Cascade (which I did in the last batch), but I don't want the hops to cover up the spice.

As written, I am pretty sure this will make beer. I'll be happy to post the results when it's ready.

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Cardamom-Lemon Wit
Witbier

Type: All Grain
Date: 1/12/2013
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Brewer: Natural 20
Boil Size: 6.250 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: keggle
Brewhouse Efficiency: 74.00

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 5.41 %
4.25 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 45.95 %
3.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 37.84 %
1.00 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 10.81 %
0.75 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 14.4 IBU (homegrown whole-leaf)
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 2.4 IBU (homegrown whole-leaf)
0.50 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Coriander Seed (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Lemon peel (Boil 3.0 min) Misc
5.00 gm Cardamom (Boil 3.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Wit Ale (White Labs #WLP400) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Wheat

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.047 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.66 %
Bitterness: 17.1 IBU Calories: ~200 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.6 SRM Color: Color

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 9.25 lb

Single Infusion, Medium Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 12.03 qt of water at 163.2 F 152.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 6.01 qt of water at 211.1 F 170.0 F
10 min Sparge Add 12.00 qt of water at 170.0 F 170.0 F

 

[Scotty_g]

I'm curious to hear if anyone else has experience with a similar recipe - particularly the spicing rates. I was tempted to toss in some Citra instead of the late Cascade (which I did in the last batch)...

Reply to my own thread: the 5 grams of cardamom plus the lemon peel seemed to be about the right amount based on the aroma (it wasn't quite the same as a good pilsner or a healthy dose of Willamettes, but I've seldom smelled anything so delightful coming from the brew kettle!)

=-=

Tasting the hydrometer sample from the previous (more traditional) wit I dropped the Citra into, I get an absolute buttload of papaya taste and aroma. It's pretty tasty, but not like any other wit I've had. The overall % wheat in the grain bill is definitely on the high side (48% wheat malt, 11% flaked wheat), but I wouldn't think that would create so much fruitiness.

 

[PhelanKA7]

Having drank some of Bruery's "Orchard White" beer I can say it must be very easy to overboard with it and is hard to get right. Orchard White dances on that line I think and doesn't quite cross it unless you try and drink the beer ice cold in which case all you can taste is the damn cardamom.

As for the lemon notes, might I suggest lemongrass in the future? That's a great addition to any wit IMHO.

 

[Scotty_g]

I continue updating because I never found *definite* information on how much cardamom to use in a batch of beer. I think I got it pretty close @ 1 gram per gallon.

Today was racking day after two days in the cool laundry room (50 F). I got better flocculation of the yeast which was nice, but there was still a little kraeusen on top. I think that's a characteristic of the yeast; I have another batch of wit with the same yeast that shows a similar (but lighter) foam and creamy yeast on top of the secondary.

OG was 1.054; FG was 1.016 which is a little high for a wit, but there was a buttload of unmalted grain that may not ferment quite as well. Color and haze were on style, if not a little lighter than other wits I've made.

The aroma was very nice, and 5 grams of cardamom is just about right. It's there but not overpowering. The 1 tsp of dried lemon peel may be too heavy, though...I get a little more bitterness than I expected (although that will fade some after the secondary). I did not get a lot of coriander, mostly because of the lemon I think. Coriander, cardamom, and citrus are close enough in flavor (and all pretty potent) that it may not be necessary to use all three.

It's going to be a different take on the style but definitely promising. If I was brewing it again tomorrow I'd leave the cardamom alone but cut the lemon peel in half or possibly use fresh instead of dried.

 

[Psych]

Good info to have, love the Indian spices in food so this sounds interesting to add cardamom to beer!

 

[Lazersgopewpew]

I've made a cardamom beer.
Some of the only advice I can give you is: Don't use 14 pods in a 6 gallon batch.
For citrus notes, try grapefruit zest in the secondary. That's what I did anyways. I found the lemon in the secondary came out too...sweet? Didn't have the citrus zing I was looking for so maybe some kind of combination. Lemon for the flavor and grapefruit for the citrus zing, you know, if thats what you're looking for.

 

[Scotty_g]

I apologize for the super-late reply (to my own thread) but to update the world, I cracked one of the last bottles this week. The cardamom is still pretty potent. At 1 gram/gallon, the beer is cardamom first and foremost. It's not quite overpowering though. If I were to make it again, I'd probably step back to 0.6 or 0.7 grams of cardamom seed/gallon.

 

[rdeunamuno]

Any last words on the Cardamon-Lemon Wit beer?

 

[Scotty_g]

Yes...I thought it was good, and a lot of my friends (some of whom are kind of foodies and not all huge beer fans) liked it a lot. It's definitely interesting, that's for sure.

I won't have this in the regular brew rotation, but it was definitely tasty (and it was a year ago so my memory is starting to fade a little bit). I will make it again.