Using wheat flour for that NE Haze

My experience (2nd beer ever):

Bad idea.

Maybe I did too much (1tsp middle or boil) or too soon but this wort now tastes like toast w/ tropical fruit added (mosaic, Citra, Galaxy fwiw).

Should have done more research. Just wasted a bunch of good hops!

 

I would be extremely surprised if one teaspoon of wheat flour in the boil would have any flavor contribution at all. I've used a couple of tablespoons to ensure wheat beers remain hazy till the end of the keg and have had no flavor issues. Must be something else, how old is the sample you are evaluating? What is your recipe?

 

I'll get it shortly.

Maybe an early start of an infection? It's very bready-toasty.

It's about 2 weeks.

 

That doesn't seem like an infection. Usually those are more phenolic or estery tasting. I really don't think you need flour to promote haze, just use wheat in your grainbill and then others will also add flaked wheat and oats as well plus huge dry hops and a yeast like Conan or 1318 that don't clear as well will promote that haze naturally. Something to think about.

 

I used Conan from Gigayeast. I did 2x2.5 gallons w 1pk. Split the pack. 1/2 sat in the fridge in a sanitized mason jar for 2 weeks. I did a starter with it. It smelled bready but I figured that was normal - yeast after all.

I steeped with 2-row (.75lb) and a little briefs cara pils (.25lb).

3lbs golden light DME
1lb Pilsner DME
1.5 tsp flour

Distilled water with 1/2 tsp gypsum.

Galaxy
Mosaic
Citra
(Can get hop schedule if needed - all late additions or dry hopped)

OG = 1.091
Gravity today = 1.021

I didn't account for boil off so ended up with ~2gal when I pitched the yeast.

 

I did a Trillium clone recently and didn't need any flour. I dry hopped like they do (about 4 days after pitching). My beer was just as hazy as theirs.

 

I should have researched it more.

I'll draw another sample to look at it again.

Fwiw, I dry hopped 5oz of Galaxy and Mosaic 2days prior and there is only slight hint of those on the nose. I'll report back on the smell after I pull another sample.

 

Ok. Drew some. There's some fruit on the nose for sure. Also can tell this is quite boozy. There's also a some wet bread/ wet toast that's off putting. The fruit and booze are such that I can't say if there's some banana.

Taste is lots of bread and mineral. With some of the fruity hops showing up on the backend. Not s great combo.

As I said, this is my 2nd batch. Based in part off my first recipe which I think could have definitely used some more hops at the bitter end of the schedule. The tweaks that resulted in higher ABV here (maybe along with the addition of flour?) might be the issue. Just an awful recipe.

Live and learn!

 

Upon further reflection, I also likely stirred too aggressively when cooling the wort thereby introducing oxygen too soon.

Between the recipe and that...makes sense