First AG and First Modified Recipe

[JoshJoshua]

After only doing one extract, and one partial. I decided to make a mash tun and go all grain.

The recipe I've modified a bit in BeerSmith to try and work with what I have, which is going to kill my back by the end of the night.

So here's the recipe I'm going to be using. Raspberry Wheat

5# German Pilsner 2-Row
5# German Wheat Malt
1# Caramel Crystal 20L
1# Flaked Oats
2.5# Frozen Raspberries
1oz Hallertauer
WL California Ale Yeast

Originally got 5.5# of 2-Row and Wheat, but my SG was through the roof, so backed it down to 5# and decided to make it a 5.5Gal batch instead of 5. SG is still high around 1.054. I'll probably be looking at a 6.4ABV when bottled (this is just a wild guess but Im sure the sugars from the raspberries will make a big difference).

My equipment is a 10gal HomeDepot Jug Mash Tun, 2 5gal brew pots, and a rectangular sparge tank. Really wish I could do one brew pot, but I'm in a small apartment and dont have any GFI outlets in my kitchen (which scares me) to go with a heat stick.

Going to mash at 150*F for 60mins, and sparge at 168*F. Since Im doing two brew pots, I'll combine into my bottling bucket and equal it out into the two pots. 60min boil with hops.

Brew day is going to be this Saturday night. Hopefully just my girlfriend and I can handle all the dishes.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated, but I'm feeling confident about this recipe and looking forward to making some learning mistakes.

Happy Brewing!

 

[duboman]

I would add rice hulls to the grain bill with all the wheat and oats you may get a stuck sparge without them, maybe .75lbs

Why did you select a California ale strain for a wheat beer? Your grain bill, excluding the Crystal is a traditional German Hefeweizen recipe. I would suggest WY3068

With all the wheat and pilsner I would suggest a two step mash with the first around 122F for 30 minutes and then 148F for 30 and then mash out to get the most from the wheat and pilsner malts

Cheers!

 

[TopherM]

Is it Pilsner malt or two-row? They are different. Two-Row is pale malt, Pilsner is Pilsner. Much different flavor profile.

If it is Pilsner malt, you are really making a Hefeweizen, not a Wheat. Wheat beers typically have about 75%+ Wheat malt as the base. Traditional German Hefeweizens are 50% Wheat, 50% Pilsner malt, with a single 60 min Hallertau addition.

This will be a better beer if you use a wheat or hefeweizen yeast instead of the California Ale yeast. That CA Ale yeast is pretty neutral, while the wheat and Hefe yeasts add flavors that compliment the styles. You may even want to drop the crystal 20 addition. It is going to add a slight roastiness and caramel to the beer, which doesn't sound like a compliment to a Hefe or Wheat, IMO.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If the goal is an American type wit, the flavor does not come from the yeast, wouldn't a clean, nuetral yeast like chico probably work well. No?

 

[duboman]

Yes, an American style wheat would use a clean crisp yeast like 1056

 

[JoshJoshua]

The Recipe originally called for 1056, but the LHBS I switched to had WLP001 same strain is what I was told.

As for the actual style if 50/50 is Hefe then that looks like what it is, but from what Im understanding is this will turn out more like a American Wheat? My finished goal is a refreshing raspberry beer.

The original recipe was poorly written so I'm kinda just shooting in the dark. I'd assume the hallertauer would go in at the end of the boil then, not the beginning?

 

[smokinj]

If you are using pilsner, a 90 minute boil is recommended to limit DMS in your beer.

 

[TopherM]

A Hefeweizen is a type of wheat. The Hallertau is a German hop, you are almost spot on on the traditional Hefeweizen recipe, and the SRMs are at the very top end of the Wheat range, but in the middle of the Hefeweizen range.

I'd say you are technically making a Hefeweizen, but call it a Wheat if you want to. By the guidelines, an American Wheat must use an American hop, so this would be a German Wheat if you want to call it that.

Sorry to be so technical, but there are style definitions for a reason!

Oh, and the Hallertau DEFINITELY goes in at 60 min, not at the end of the boil! Both styles have slight bittering, but NO flavoring or aroma hops....just the 60 min addition!

 

[JoshJoshua]

Sorry if my post came out smarta$$ this morning. I was just restating that you were saying its a Hefe, and others say Im making it like a American Wheat. The recipe I got though does say Wheat though which I see as both ways.