SMaSH Extract Wheat Beer Question

[GHBWNY]

I like wheat beers and I'm thinking of doing this all-extract SMaSH:

6lb. 60/40 Bavarian wheat DME
1.5 oz. Liberty hops @ 60 min.
1.0 oz. Liberty hops @ 30 min
US-05 yeast

This will end up ~26 IBUs. Style-wise, is this a little too hoppy for a traditional Am. Wheat?

 

[Ski12568]

Im seeing a range of 15-30 IBUs for an American Wheat in BeerSmith.

 

[GHBWNY]

Im seeing a range of 15-30 IBUs for an American Wheat in BeerSmith.

I realize the style can accommodate a fairly wide bitterness range. For instance, in "Joy of Homebrewing", Charlie suggests ranges for an Am. Wheat at anywhere from 10-25 to 15-35, mildly bitter to medium bitter, respectively.

I think I'm shooting for around 20-ish. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Calder]

Not exactly a SMASH, but probably the closest you will get with extract.

 

[GHBWNY]

Not exactly a SMASH, but probably the closest you will get with extract.

Oops, while I realize that SMaSH does not necessarily imply all-grain, the Briess wheat malt is 2 malts. So, I hereby disqualify myself from my own thread.
I guess this beer will qualify as a SHaME: Single Hop and Malt Extract.

 

[jangelj]

just my $.02 but I'd use a hefe yeast like wlp380. my basic, standard hefe recipe is 6# Bavarian wheat dme with .5 oz hallertauer at 60 at .5 hallertauer at 10 and wlp380. very basic, but with that yeast it is tasty.

 

[GHBWNY]

just my $.02 but I'd use a hefe yeast like wlp380. my basic, standard hefe recipe is 6# Bavarian wheat dme with .5 oz hallertauer at 60 at .5 hallertauer at 10 and wlp380. very basic, but with that yeast it is tasty.

That's a good $.02. I was following a recipe for an Am. wheat, but the Briess was the only wheat malt the LHBS had, so I bought it intending to use it with the Liberty and US-05. But I'm not interested in a no-particular-style hybrid. After reading your post, I'm tempted to switch gears. What are the IBUs for your hefe?

 

[jangelj]

hmm.. I replied to this earlier but it isn't here. weird.
Anyway, I do not know the IBUs of my recipe. It is low, as it should be for a Hefe. You want the yeast to shine through This is the most simple recipe imaginable. Drink it fresh, too!. I have kegged as early as 8 days before (when I had a beer emergency). Use wlp300 or 380 and if you like Hefes you'll like this.

 

[GHBWNY]

hmm.. I replied to this earlier but it isn't here. weird.
Anyway, I do not know the IBUs of my recipe. It is low, as it should be for a Hefe. You want the yeast to shine through This is the most simple recipe imaginable. Drink it fresh, too!. I have kegged as early as 8 days before (when I had a beer emergency). Use wlp300 or 380 and if you like Hefes you'll like this.

I switched gears. I'm having my s.o.l., who lives near the "local" LHBS (50 miles from me) and who is coming to visit on the weekend, pick up Hallertau hops and W/B yeast. But they don't carry WLP380. They do have Danstar Munich and Safbrew WB-06. Hoping he can get the Munich. It won't have the cloviness of WLP380, but it should get me in the ballpark.

 

[GHBWNY]

So, my hefe is in day 4 of ferm with WLP380. It went off like a maniac from 12 hrs thru day 2, but has settled down. Amb. ferm temp has been 63-64F. I can leave it at this temp, or put it in a closet at ~amb. 70F. I'd like it to finish at ~68F ferm, but I don't have that option right now. What would you do? Thanks.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

I guess this beer will qualify as a SHaME: Single Hop and Malt Extract.

This is fantastic, it should really be a thing!!!!

 

[jangelj]

So, my hefe is in day 4 of ferm with WLP380. It went off like a maniac from 12 hrs thru day 2, but has settled down. Amb. ferm temp has been 63-64F. I can leave it at this temp, or put it in a closet at ~amb. 70F. I'd like it to finish at ~68F ferm, but I don't have that option right now. What would you do? Thanks.

I'm not sure you'll notice much difference from 70 to 68 F. Either should be fine. Temp is most important during active fermentation, and yours is already done with that. At this point, you can leave it at 64 or put it at 70. give it a week or so and bottle/keg it.

 

[GHBWNY]

I'm not sure you'll notice much difference from 70 to 68 F. Either should be fine. Temp is most important during active fermentation, and yours is already done with that. At this point, you can leave it at 64 or put it at 70. give it a week or so and bottle/keg it.

Thanks. I'll opt for 64F. My understanding of WLP380 is that a ferm on the cooler end downplays the banana and lets the clove come through, which is what I'm hoping for. So far, it seems like a little more banana than I expected, but not objectionable. It gets less and less by the day, and I think by the end of ferm most of that will drive out.

 

[GHBWNY]

just my $.02 but I'd use a hefe yeast like wlp380. my basic, standard hefe recipe is 6# Bavarian wheat dme with .5 oz hallertauer at 60 at .5 hallertauer at 10 and wlp380. very basic, but with that yeast it is tasty.

I did this simple recipe and it is done fermenting @ 3 weeks. FG 1.016. I see that hefes are usually primed in the 3.5 to 4.3 vols CO2 range. Wondered if I should do the same? I'll probably be priming and bottling this weekend. Thanks.

EDIT: 3/19 --- I bottled, but before I did, I looked at NB's priming calculator and for 3.6 vols CO2, it called for over a cup of corn sugar. I checked Charlie P.'s book for his recommendation and he said that under no circumstances should a 5 gal. batch of ale be primed with any more than 3/4 C. of corn sugar. So, that's what I used. Not sure what to expect, but at FG, it was fairly carbed already, so I'm hoping it will be just right. I didn't want bottle bombs.

 

[GHBWNY]

Update update. This hefe is OUTSTANDING! It is more highly carbed than anything I've made before, but the extra carb really feels good going down. Even pouring slowly down the side of a glass, a 2" head is inevitable. With about 2" left in the bottle, I give it a spin between my hands to loosen the yeast so that it goes in with the rest of the pour. A really tasty, refreshing beer that has been a huge hit with everyone who has tried it. In fact, a relative has changed their lifelong go-to Blue Moon to this hefe. Now, THAT'S an endorsement!