Advice on honey weiss

[plays_with_fire]

Hi all,

I am trying to develop my own recipe loosely based on leinenkugels honey weiss for the wife. I am not looking for a full on clone but something light and slightly sweet that we will enjoy during the summer heat so please look over my recipe and give me your opinions.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: wyeast 2112 or wyeast 2272pc
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010ish
IBU: 14
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 4.8 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): ?


4.5 lbs 2-row
3 lbs white wheat malt
1 lb torrified wheat
.25 lb honey malt

.5 oz Cluster 7% FWH

I put in the cluster hops and lager yeast because that is what I could find were used in the honey weiss recipe originally but that is about all that I could determine. I added the honey malt because I wanted a little sweetness in the final result and I have a suspicion that the amount of honey in the real thing is negligible.

I have not decided on if I need rice hulls or not but my suspicion is that they cant hurt. I am also kicking around the idea of a decoction mash with the main sacch rest at 148. I think I may do the decoction for no other reason than I enjoy it.

Please let me know your opinions on this recipe as it is the first one I have put together myself even if it is using a preexisting brew as a framework. And also someone please talk me out of trying a 12 to 24 hour sour mash because while some part of me wants to try it for some added complexity I fully acknowledge that I am one of those people that can never leave good enough alone.

 

[Oldsock]

Looks fine to me, although I'd probably make my life easier and just go with a clean ale yeast strain. So you aren’t adding any actual honey? I’d add a small amount (.5-1 lbs) after primary fermentation to give it some aromatics. If you go that route you may want to up your conversion rest to counter the highly fermentable sugars.

Rice hulls and a decoction certainly wouldn't hurt, but I don't think either is necessary. Although I’m the same way, I enjoy brewing so unless I have somewhere to go I don’t mind spending extra time on a brew day (last weekend I did a turbid mash for a lambic, next weekend will be a triple decocted pils).

Good luck, welcome to the board etc…

 

[plays_with_fire]

I was under the impression that honey ferments out completely making it no different from corn sugar in small quantities. That was the reason for the honey malt since I have been told it can leave a greater impression of honey than actual honey can in the finished beer. I think I am going to keep the lager yeast since I have a CAP planned in a few weeks that I plan on re-pitching this cake for. Also I am still thinking about doing a sour mash for a little tang since no one has talked me out of it yet.

Thank you for your comments and I really enjoy your blog. I hope to someday to do a spontaneous lambic myself in the future and you are a real inspiration.

 

[Oldsock]

Honey malt adds sweetness, but it doesn't add the floral/waxy honey aromatics. When using honey the character you get depends on the honey variety and when you add it. Adding supermarket clover honey to the boil would give you a contribution pretty close to refined sugar, but adding raw orange blossom after primary fermentation will leave a lot behind even though the sugars ferment out. That said, I have no idea how much Leinenkugels adds, you may get closer just leaving it out.

Haven't tried a true sour mash, just seems too risky if you can't get all of the oxygen out of your mash tun. Glad you've enjoyed the blog.

Good luck.