All-Grain Wheat with No 60 Minute Hops?

[delvec28]

I'm looking to make an American Wheat beer for this Spring with a good hop presence but not a ton of bitterness, so I thought about doing this recipe without any bittering hops.

This is what I put together, ends up being ~1.045 OG and 27 IBU:

4 Lbs Wheat Malt
4 Lbs 2-Row

15 min - 1 oz. Sorachi Ace
1 min - 1 oz. Sorachi Ace

I have a few questions. First, if I do this, is it necessary to boil for a full hour or can I cut this down to 30-40 minutes? Second, has anyone done this hop schedule with a wheat beer, and if so how did it turn out?

 

[gregpio85]

The full 60 minute boil is to drive off DMS which contributes to some vegetable-like off flavors. However, I've done a 20 minute boil and have finished up with a fine beer.

I've never used sorachi ace so I can't comment on that, but the gravity:IBU ratio looks good.

 

[delvec28]

I thought that might be a good reason for the full boil. I know this is definitely encouraged with Pilsner malt but I figured I MAY be able to get away with a shorter boil since it's plain 2-row.

I'd like to hear from any folks who have done a shorter boil with success.

This is my first beer using Sorachi Ace, too. I've had a few commercial brews using this, and from the description of lemon/lemongrass, it seemed like a natural pairing to a wheat beer.

The full 60 minute boil is to drive off DMS which contributes to some vegetable-like off flavors. However, I've done a 20 minute boil and have finished up with a fine beer.

I've never used sorachi ace so I can't comment on that, but the gravity:IBU ratio looks good.

 

[dcp27]

IIRC, most of the DMS is gone by the 45min mark, but when you're already waiting weeks is saving a few mins during the boil really worth the risk?

 

[thughes]

hops and boiling

 

[Just_Mike]

hops and boiling

That's actually a good read, short but shed some light on some other questions I had.

 

[tonyolympia]

hops and boiling

Very interesting article, thughes. And thanks to the OP for posing this question, because it's been on my mind lately. I would also like to do a shorter boil, for a few reasons:

1. I'm already limited to small batches by my stove's power and my kettle size, and less boil-off would translate into more beer in my fermenter.

2. I don't have great ventilation in my kitchen, so I'd prefer a 30 minute boil (e.g.) to an hour boil, if the wort was the same quality. (The smell and condensation get to be a bit much for the non-brewers in my family.)

3. I'm interested in making beers with the only hop additions at 15 minutes or less.

So, in the article linked above, it says that the important functions of the boil, outside of alpha acid isomerizarion, are accomplished in 30 minutes. Am I correct, then, in thinking that in a batch with hop additions at 15 minutes or less, I will produce a wort of the same quality by boiling for 45 minutes total as I would from a boil of 60 - 90 minutes?

In case it matters, I don't have the ability to brew with propane, or the interest. A primary goal for me is to stick with stovetop brewing, and to do the most that I can with the tools that are in my kitchen.

 

[discndyno]

I've done a similar hop schedule/recipe a number of times, except I do add about 33% of IBUs at 60 minutes (although one of these times I'm going to try without). It's turned out great every time. Plenty of hop flavor and aroma, clean bitterness. Haven't tried soriachi, but I love it with cascade. I'll keep you posted if I end up doing one without the 60 min. additions.

 

[delvec28]

Appreciate all the input, and thanks for that great article!

I'm about 99% sure I will be brewing this one up, although it might not be for another month or two. I'll probably just go for the full 60 minute boil, but keep the hop schedule with no bittering additions.

I just tasted a red ale that I brewed on Black Friday, which had a good amount of late hop additions, and it was delicious. I actually overshot my efficiency so it wasn't as hoppy as I would have liked, but you could still taste the hop flavor and there was minimal lingering bitterness.

 

[JaimeTheLimey]

I just started playing around with first wort additions, but for the most part I almost always hop after the 45 minute mark. Less (time) if I can. I think it lends a different type of bitterness and I just like to taste and smell my hops.
Especially for IPAs, I start bombing around 30-25 minutes.

 

[malkore]

Very interesting article, thughes. And thanks to the OP for posing this question, because it's been on my mind lately. I would also like to do a shorter boil, for a few reasons:

1. I'm already limited to small batches by my stove's power and my kettle size, and less boil-off would translate into more beer in my fermenter.

There's nothing wrong with doing a split boil on two burners to increase your volume.
Also nothing wrong with adding sanitized top off water in the primary to get you the volume you want.

I've done stiff mashes before, split boil on the stove top, resulting in a higher OG but less liquid, then top off to the gravity I was after (usually the goal is 3 gallons in primary and I only have 2.5gal of wort after evaporation in the two 16QT pots).

So you definitely have options besides propane and a full boil.

Don't forget partial mashes!

 

[tonyolympia]

There's nothing wrong with doing a split boil on two burners to increase your volume.
Also nothing wrong with adding sanitized top off water in the primary to get you the volume you want.

I've done stiff mashes before, split boil on the stove top, resulting in a higher OG but less liquid, then top off to the gravity I was after (usually the goal is 3 gallons in primary and I only have 2.5gal of wort after evaporation in the two 16QT pots).

So you definitely have options besides propane and a full boil.

Don't forget partial mashes!

Thanks for your suggestions.

I already do a split boil, and I'm happy with the results. It made me realize how beneficial a full rolling boil is to beer quality. I'm not really interested in partial mashes--I like to save my DME for starters and bottle priming.

The one suggestion I *haven't* yet tried is concentrated wort production. I had the belief--unjustified, maybe--that dilution resulted in a wort of lesser quality. Maybe I'll mess around with that. It would allow me to use my neglected larger carboy (5.5 gallons? 6? I don't even remember anymore) for a good session ale.

Now, if only I could deal with the ventilation issue. You brewers with a nice range hood are lucky.

 

[dcp27]

The one suggestion I *haven't* yet tried is concentrated wort production. I had the belief--unjustified, maybe--that dilution resulted in a wort of lesser quality.

it doesn't. I've done it with good results and so hasn't revvy and others
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/post-boil-dilution-251823/#post3438762

 

[tonyolympia]

it doesn't. I've done it with good results and so hasn't revvy and others
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/post-boil-dilution-251823/#post3438762

Thanks, malkore and dcp27! That looks like some solid info. I'll definitely give it a try.