American Wheat Beer Recipe

[John Spiegel]

Recently brewer an American Wheat Beer. Recipe Below.

Ended up with a slightly lower efficiency that I wanted. Forgot to ask the homebrew shop to double crush. I know my PH ended up being just slightly high as well—about 5.6. Might add some acidulated malt next time to compensate.
First couple pours were aggressive and a bit more bitter than I expected. I thought that maybe I needed to scale back the hops, but after a few days, it mellowed out really nicely. Maybe just some sediment leftover. Light and crisp; great wheat flavor. Almost no orange/citrus aroma like I was hoping for, though. So either I need to add more citrus or change it to perhaps an addition in primary. Thoughts on adding fresh citrus flavor more effectively?
Only other thing I might consider is switching the yeast to something that's more tailored to wheat bears. Maybe SB-06 or K-97? Maybe those yeasts would give it a stronger finish. Right now it tastes great and h as good mouth feel, but disappears almost instantly after you swallow. Thoughts there?

Malt:
5 Lb. 2-row
5 Lb. Wheat
8 Oz. Flaked Corn

Hops:
.5 oz Northern Brewer @ 60 min
.5 oz Northern Brewer @ 15 min
.5 oz Cascade @ 15 min
Whirlfloc Tablet @ 10 min
1 oz Orange Peels @ 10 min

Yeast:
SafAle S-04

Water Profile:

Ca+2	Mg+2	Na+	Cl-	SO4-2	HCO3-
60	5	10	95	55	0

OG: 1.042
FG: 1.012

 

[Dland]

Perhaps replace N brewer with Cascade in second hop addition.

Other citrus hops include; Amarillo, kind of oarngy; Mosaic adds grapefruit hint. If you like lemon, Lemon Drop lives up to its name, I find it kind of strong, so start out with a little unless you want the lemon up front.

 

[Steveruch]

Steep some citrus zest for 20 minutes after the boil.

 

[Sammy86]

IMO you need to add more citrus hops...I used cascade and citra in one of my many renditions and always get alot of good citrus flavor!

Take a look here: Old Glory Ale

 

[BongoYodeler]

I make a mostly American style wheat beer that I really enjoy. I use:
59% wheat
37% 2-row
3% carapils
Centennial
Mittelfruh
Omega Lutra yeast

I flavor with apricot (Ithaca Beer Co. version was my inspiration, and I think it’s close), but it’s good on its own, unflavored. Great beer for the summer months, though i make sure I have some on tap pretty much year round.

 

[hottpeper13]

Voss will bring the orange but it needs to be under pitched and fermented at 96* or so. Mine lost that breadyness it gets with BR 97 or Notty. I use Penzy's sweet orange and lemon rind at 10 min left in the boil.

 

[Gilbert Spinning Horse]

I make a mostly American style wheat beer that I really enjoy. I use:
59% wheat
37% 2-row
3% carapils
Centennial
Mittelfruh
Omega Lutra yeast

I flavor with apricot (Ithaca Beer Co. version was my inspiration, and I think it’s close), but it’s good on its own, unflavored. Great beer for the summer months, though i make sure I have some on tap pretty much year round.

Your recipe sounds good, just what I was looking for. How and when do you add the apricot?

 

[friarsmith]

Back to the OP, I wonder if the combo of maize, SO4 and relatively high chloride is masking the desired orange flavor?

I’d nix the maize, reduce the chloride to 50-ish ppm, bump up the sulfate 10-20 ppm, ferment with US-05 or WY1010, and increase the orange in one of the ways already recommended. Perhaps use 3-5% CaraPils or C-10 depending on mash schedule.

To me, American Wheats should be simple, sexy and refreshing.

Edit: Oops, just realized OP was several months ago

 

[BongoYodeler]

Your recipe sounds good, just what I was looking for. How and when do you add the apricot?

Note: I do BIAB and with that much wheat I need to squeeze the bejesus out of it.

For the apricot I've only used Apex/Silver Cloud flavoring so far, just rack 5 gallons of beer over 1/2 -3/4 tsp. But next time I brew this I'm going to try the canned apricot concentrate. puree.

It's a good recipe that stands up well even without a fruit addition.

 

[Gilbert Spinning Horse]

Note: I do BIAB and with that much wheat I need to squeeze the bejesus out of it.

For the apricot I've only used Apex/Silver Cloud flavoring so far, just rack 5 gallons of beer over 1/2 -3/4 tsp. But next time I brew this I'm going to try the canned apricot concentrate.

It's a good recipe that stands up well even without a fruit addition.

Thanks for the reply mate.

I'm a bit worried about using a flavouring as I doubt I'll be able to get hold of anything decent.

I'm also unsure about racking to a secondary too, which I know is the recommended method for fruit additions, but oxygenation worries me.

I've had a lot of success with adding ginger straight into the primary at the start of fermentation so I might well go with that method and some frozen puree.

I'll come back and let you know how it goes if and when I get round to it.

One more question, what IBUs do you shoot for?

Cheers bro.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Thanks for the reply mate.

I'm a bit worried about using a flavouring as I doubt I'll be able to get hold of anything decent.

I'm also unsure about racking to a secondary too, which I know is the recommended method for fruit additions, but oxygenation worries me.

I've had a lot of success with adding ginger straight into the primary at the start of fermentation so I might well go with that method and some frozen puree.

I'll come back and let you know how it goes if and when I get round to it.

One more question, what IBUs do you shoot for?

Cheers bro.

In my previous post I meant to write puree, not concentrate. May be the same but I corrected it..

I agree, I wouldn't use a secondary. I'd add the puree, (something like this), directly to the primary fermenter, after fermentation begins to slow down a bit.

I think most any neutral yeast would work with this as I'm not looking to get any banana or clove. The first time I made it I needed a quick turn-around so I opted for Lutra fermenting at room temperature, (67/19). I was happy with the taste so I stayed with it, though I may try different yeasts eventually. My hop choice was just based on what I had on-hand. They worked well so I figured why change...

I shoot for (approximate):
OG - 1.052
IBU - 25
SRM - 3.5
FG - 1.010

I'd be interested in what you end up doing and what you think of it.
Cheers.

 

[John Spiegel]

Back to the OP, I wonder if the combo of maize, SO4 and relatively high chloride is masking the desired orange flavor?

I’d nix the maize, reduce the chloride to 50-ish ppm, bump up the sulfate 10-20 ppm, ferment with US-05 or WY1010, and increase the orange in one of the ways already recommended. Perhaps use 3-5% CaraPils or C-10 depending on mash schedule.

To me, American Wheats should be simple, sexy and refreshing.

Edit: Oops, just realized OP was several months ago

Good call on cutting the flaked corn. I like to simplify the grain bill when I can, and that seems like a smart cut.

 

[beren]

If you want an orange flavor give this a try. It’s a little different than the current blue moon I think, in a good way: Blue Moon Clone

This is the ~original recipe from the brewer who worked there

 

[AlexKay]

Another approach is to use hops that bring the orange. Lotus or Bergamot (slightly hard to find) are fantastic for this.

 

[mashpaddled]

I would move those 15 minute additions out to flameout additions, swap northern brewer for a citrusy hop, and steep the orange peel like a whirlpool addition. Think of this more like a wheat heavy APA than a blonde ale with some hop flavor.

 

[OleBrewing]

T-58 or K-97 is what I use in my 40% almost wheat beer. Been using homegrown Columbus at 30 min bittering and at flameout. Of course now orangy flavor. One yeast is more peppery than the other. Did one with kviek at normal ferm temps which is also interesting compared to all other yeasts. I prefer 58 or 97 tho.

 

[lumpher]

Corn in a wheat beer??? No... just no...

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah, I'd also be disinclined to use corn in a wheatie.
But maybe that's "stick in the mud" thinking?
If there was a commercial example to sample....

Cheers!

 

[beren]

Can’t get more American than corn ;-)

 

[OleBrewing]

Corn in a wheat beer??? No... just no...

Hey let's lighten up a bit.