Recipe Suggestions - Honey Wheat (extract)

[iheartcraftbeer]

Going to brew this tomorrow. This would be my first attempt at straying from a written recipe. I'd like some feedback on the recipe and process.

Fermentables
6.6lbs Wheat LME (2 full cans)
1.5lbs Orange Blossom Honey
.5lb 20L Caramel Crystal Malt

Hops
.75oz Mt. Hood (6 AAU) pellet @ 60 min
.75oz Mt. Hood (6 AAU) pellet @ 20 min
.75oz Cascade leaf @ 5 min
.75oz Cascade leaf @ 1 min
1oz Cascade leaf dry hop in secondary @ 7 days

Yeast
US-05

Add half the extract at the beginning of the boil, then add the remaining in the final 10-15 minutes. Add the honey during cooldown once temp reaches 110 deg F. Was also thinking about adding some orange zest as a late addition for some citrus aroma and flavor, but am unsure of quantity and time. What does everyone think?

--iheartcraftbeer

 

[CrookedTail]

I brew a similar beer that comes out great. One suggestion: replace the crystal malt with honey malt.

 

[iheartcraftbeer]

Yes I know, I got the recipe from you! I replied to it on the original thread but nobody wanted to answer me. See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-balz-spring-wheat-244476/

Unfortunately I did not have access to honey malt. The LHBS guy suggested I up the amount of honey instead. I still wanted to use some specialty grain to get some color so I replaced the honey malt with crystal.

Do you think the increased LME and honey will make it cloying? Any ideas/suggestions on the orange zest or hop schedule?

 

[CrookedTail]

Yes I know, I got the recipe from you! I replied to it on the original thread but nobody wanted to answer me. See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-balz-spring-wheat-244476/

Unfortunately I did not have access to honey malt. The LHBS guy suggested I up the amount of honey instead. I still wanted to use some specialty grain to get some color so I replaced the honey malt with crystal.

Do you think the increased LME and honey will make it cloying? Any ideas/suggestions on the orange zest or hop schedule?

The honey malt is pretty crucial. The first version of my recipe contained no honey malt. It wasn't bad, but the honey malt really gave it something extra. If your LHBS doesn't carry it, look online. I get mine from northernbrewer.

Your hop schedule is worth trying. I tried to keep my version balanced. The late centennials in mine added just enough hoppiness to counter the sweet honey flavor. But that's my palate. I'm not a huge hophead.

I like the orange zest idea a lot.

Good luck!

 

[iheartcraftbeer]

Thanks for the input, sir. For the sake of time, I'm going to run with no honey malt this time. But if it turns out missing something, I will definitely seek it out next time.

I'll report back with my tasting results. Cheers.

 

[chrryghst]

How did this turn out? I'm about to brew a similar beer.

 

[iheartcraftbeer]

Not terrible, but not great either. CrookedTail was right about the honey malt being a crucial ingredient. If I brew this one again, it will be more in line with his original recipe.

I used the zest from two small oranges at the end of the boil, but it wasn't all that noticeable in the end. I think it would be a nice touch though, so next time I will use at least twice as much zest. There was a slight orange aroma from the orange blossom honey, but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.