Please give me tips on this wheat beer...

[Newton]

I'd like to try to brew my first wheat beer on saturday. I'm shooting for something like Boulevard Wheat except I want more of a citris hop characteristic, but not overpowering. Here's a recipe I made on BeerSmith:

6.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 68.42 %
3.00 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 31.58 %
0.25 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 12.0 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 2.0 IBU
1 Pkgs Belgian Wheat (Brewtek #CL-0900) Yeast-Wheat

Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.79 %
Bitterness: 21.7 IBU
Est Color: 3.9 SRM

Total Grain Weight: 9.50 lb
Sparge Water: 3.05 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

My Mash Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Single Add 19.00 qt of water at 162.4 F 152.0 F

What are your opinions of this recipe? How about the mash? Should this be a multi-step infusion?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I've never had boulevard wheat, but I can tell you that most wheat beers are close to 50/50 2-row and wheat. If it were me, I'd get rid of a pound and a half of 2-row and add flaked wheat to replace it. Also, no need for a step mash. YOu may want to add some rice hulls though.

 

[marc06]

YOu may want to add some rice hulls though.

+1. Never had what your trying to clone, but I've made 3 wheat beers, two with out rice hulls and had one stuck sparge. Made a brew day from the normal 4-5 hours to almost 6 and half hours.

 

[LexusChris]

+1

I'd go 50/50 or 60/40 pale malt to wheat and use at least 1/2 lbs of rice hulls to give your grain bed some structure and avoid the stuck sparge (cheap insurance IMHO).

Rest looks real good!
--LexusChris

 

[Newton]

Thanks for the tips everyone! What about the mash time? I've never done a wheat beer before, but I've heard that wheat can require of to a 90 minute mash for conversion. Any experience with this?

 

[smarek82]

You should be fine with 60 min mash. You don't want it to dry out too much.

I've never used the yeast you have chosen, but I'd be sure you are looking for the profile that yeast provides. From my understanding, most belgian wit strains produce a phenolic character with some tartness.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Is the Blvd Wheat a Belgian or American Wheat? I use 05 or Cali Ale yeast in my Americans. I do agree w 50/50 or 60/40 either way on your grain bill. If you don't have access to rice hulls just put 1/2 of your 2 row in your tun to start so you reduce the amount of wheat on your false bottom/SS tube/manifold. I normally use this method plus a slow runoff w no problems.

Good Luck

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Thanks for the tips everyone! What about the mash time? I've never done a wheat beer before, but I've heard that wheat can require of to a 90 minute mash for conversion. Any experience with this?

I like to do a 60 minute mash on my house wit at about 149-150F.

 

[Jmiltime]

Like others have said, you should probably be closer to a 50/50 (pale malt / wheat malt) ratio on your grains. Also, 21.7 IBU's is on the upper end of bitterness for this type of beer. Wheat beers, as a rule, are a little sweeter, with little hop bitterness and little to no hop flavor/aroma. I personally would eliminate the last hop addition at 5 min. This will put you just under 20 IBU's and won't cover the malt flavor/aroma with the hops.

Good luck!