American Wheat Beer Columbus Wheat

[rhys333]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

US-05

Batch Size (Gallons)

5.5

Original Gravity

1.049

Final Gravity

1.011

Boiling Time (Minutes)

60

IBU

28

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14

Tasting Notes

Creamy and dreamy

This wheat beer is a favorite of mine that uses just a few simple ingredients. It pours bright and hazy, with a creamy white head that stays and laces the the glass. The body is light to medium, with creaminess and body from the oats. The Columbus hops play off the grain bill really well, with an aroma that reminds me of cream soda. It's a delicate, easy drinker that looks like liquid sunshine, drinks smooth, and finishes clean.

COLUMBUS WHEAT (5.5 gal)
60% Wheat (6.2 lb)
32% 2 Row (3 lb)
8% Oats (0.8 lb)
0.1 oz Warrior @ 60
1 oz Columbus @ 10
1 oz Columbus @ 0
US-05

Mash at 150-152F for 75 minutes. Use a balanced water profile with mineral content between 50-75 ppm if possible. Adjust the 60 minute Warrior bittering addition as needed to achieve 25-30 IBUs. I like to do a short 10 minute hop stand after flame-out to help lock in the wonderful Columbus hop aroma. I've brewed it at 5% as per the recipe amounts above, and 6.5%. Both work well!

 

[JohnSand]

Looks great!

 

[rhys333]

Looks great!

 

[JohnSand]

I like Columbus. I'm drinking an IPA now that is primarily Columbus/Zeus.
I have two wheats fermenting too, but they are a Belgian and a Saison. The color will be similar.

 

[IMXELITE]

Looks good. How long you let this sit in primary and what temp?

 

[rhys333]

I like Columbus. I'm drinking an IPA now that is primarily Columbus/Zeus.
I have two wheats fermenting too, but they are a Belgian and a Saison. The color will be similar.

I'm really digging Columbus as an aroma hop. Its got such a clean, unique aroma. I'm not sure how others would describe it but I get this fresh, cream soda quality mixed with tropical fruit.

 

[rhys333]

Looks good. How long you let this sit in primary and what temp?

Thanks. I usually just go 2 weeks in primary. This last one went for 3 though. As for temp, mid to high 60s.

 

[Soyben]

Thanks for the recipe, I have brewed it twice. Was really popular with everyone who has tried it. It's now my summer lawn mower beer.

 

[rhys333]

Thanks for the recipe, I have brewed it twice. Was really popular with everyone who has tried it. It's now my summer lawn mower beer.

Awesome, I'm happy to hear it worked for you.

How's the IBU level working for you? I've since moved the 10 minute addition forward to 5 and shortened the hop stand a bit.

 

[Soyben]

The IBU level is about at the minimum level that I find interesting (I am a bit of a hop head) but it is still approachable for those that are not. I think it is pretty good balance and I will leave it that range for future brews.

 

[j4n3zz]

Seems fantastic! Is the orange color just from the wheat and 2 row ? Did you use flaked oats or malted oats ?

 

[rhys333]

Seems fantastic! Is the orange color just from the wheat and 2 row ? Did you use flaked oats or malted oats ?

Thanks, I just used rolled oats... the 1 or 3 minute kind. As for colour, that beer tends to glow in the sunlight due to haze. That said, I brewed it again recently and this batch looks paler in colour.

 

[rhys333]

I brewed this again a few weeks ago. The new batch of Columbus hops I have right now are different in character than before. Must be the whole CTZ variation thing. Anyway, decent but not the same pleasant cream soda notes from before.

I'm thinking though... This grain bill could go well with vanilla. I may try a future batch with bittering only to between 15-20 IBUs and then add vanilla to primary.