Sub-1.040 wit recipe

[Failing_Ales]

Hi, I'm planning a small (even smaller) wit-like beer and welcome suggestions.

Half wit

10 gal
OG 1.032
FG ~1.008 (~3.2%)
IBU ~15

8# (66.7%) Wheat malt
2# (16.7%) Rye malt
1# (8.3%) Flaked rye
1# (8.3%) Belgian pale

Mash @ 156-158

1 oz tettnanger @60
1 oz tettnanger @20
2 oz tettnanger @0
1/4 c. fresh lemon verbena @0
2 g. grains of paradise @0

Wyeast 3944 Begian Witbier

1) Is the pale malt necessary for conversion or can I just replace it with more wheat/rye malt?
2) Would a saison yeast be better for perceived body due to the glycerol production?

My hope is that by mashing high with this grist that I won't be left with something insipidly thin. I don't have any experience brewing below 1.040. Thanks!

 

[daksin]

The wheat has plenty of diastatic power to convert itself, but you really don't have anything like a witbier there. Also, I hope you have plenty of rice hulls on hand, as neither wheat or rye have any hull- lautering is going to be a nightmare even with rice hulls. Rye will be out of place in a wit, but whatever you decide on, I would definitely increase the pale malt or pils to 40% or more. A typical witbier grist is 50/50 wheat and pils malt. Flaked oats can be used to increase the body of the beer, but your rye will accomplish something similar.

Also, it's very very hoppy for a witbier, which typically have no late additions at all, maybe a quarter or half ounce at flameout. Hop character is definitely unexpected in a wit. As far as glycerol/saison yeasts go, it may help lend a bit of body, but I think you're better off using a wit yeast to make a wit. That's not to say you can't make a with without one, but it takes practice to use Belgian strains to achieve different results.

 

[Failing_Ales]

Thanks for the advice. I guess wit is mislabeling, but I'm shooting for a spicy, low alcohol, wheat heavy ale. I do plan on using rice hulls, and possibly BIAB to avoid the stuck sparge. I thought the fruity and spicy flavor of rye would work well with the yeast and other additions. I may curtail the late hops and up the percentage of barley as you suggest.

 

[motorneuron]

Since you have an idea for what you want, rather than a style you are targeting, I have a few ideas you might consider.

I think you might consider changing from witbier to weizen yeast. Weizen produces more aggressive yeast flavors as a general matter (and I think of the flavor as "spicy," as in heavy on clove, at least when it's not fermented so high that it gets really bananay). That might help in a batch that has less malt flavor to draw on. You could also consider saison yeast instead, which has loads of yeast flavor and can retain good mouthfeel--but it might attenuate more than you want.

I think going essentially all rye and wheat is fine for this beer--they both provide mouthfeel through proteins that is otherwise lacking in a 1.032 beer (and you shouldn't have enzyme problems since almost all of it is malted). But be sure to use rice hulls and keep your sparge water hot, or you could have a disaster.

I'm okay with the late hops, too. I feel that it fits with the idea of non-malt sources of flavor.

 

[Failing_Ales]

Since you have an idea for what you want, rather than a style you are targeting, I have a few ideas you might consider.

I think you might consider changing from witbier to weizen yeast. Weizen produces more aggressive yeast flavors as a general matter (and I think of the flavor as "spicy," as in heavy on clove, at least when it's not fermented so high that it gets really bananay). That might help in a batch that has less malt flavor to draw on. You could also consider saison yeast instead, which has loads of yeast flavor and can retain good mouthfeel--but it might attenuate more than you want.

I think going essentially all rye and wheat is fine for this beer--they both provide mouthfeel through proteins that is otherwise lacking in a 1.032 beer (and you shouldn't have enzyme problems since almost all of it is malted). But be sure to use rice hulls and keep your sparge water hot, or you could have a disaster.

I'm okay with the late hops, too. I feel that it fits with the idea of non-malt sources of flavor.

Thanks for the suggestions. I considered Wyeast 3068, but would like to avoid the banana esters. I may go with a saison yeast after all. Glad to know I wasn't totally off base with the mostly barley-less grist. I've done batches with large percentages of oats, buckwheat, and other 'gummy' grains with rice hulls and haven't had problems with lautering on our system. We mash in a keg with a false bottom and it has worked pretty well.
I guess I'll need to think about the hops - I do like the aroma of tettnanger ...

 

[daksin]

A saison yeast would be nice, but I think a wit yeast would also work great. Let us know how this beer turns out!

 

[Failing_Ales]

Well, first time using BIAB to save time on a double brew day resulted in a hugely inefficient batch. Ended with something like a tafelbier, 1.022 to 1.004 with 3711. Dry and lemony, and suitable for drinking by the liter. Smaller than intended, but very pleasant for the last few weeks of warm weather.