American Wheat by NB - Should I make some changes?

[pshankstar]

I have two extract kits left to make before I make the switch to BIAB (Wheat & SMaSH). So I'm going to brew the American Wheat I have from Northern Brewer this week. It's an easy brew, but I always feel like I should do some steeping grains or even a partial mash. I do want to make this into a Raspberry Wheat, so I will plan to add a pound of frozen raspberries to the secondary for 1-2 weeks. I may do a full boil with this kit too since I have the room in my keggle.

So my questions are:
* Does anyone think I should add any steeping grains or do a partial mash? If so, what would you add and how much?
* Should I add some more LME or DME for doing a full boil vs. a partial boil? Also, is it ok to increase the fermentables with an American Wheat and increase the ABV a little bit? I have the 21 day trial of Beersmith and I was tinkering with it and it seems like the OG would be at the very low end of an American Wheat, so I would assume increasing the OG would be ok.
* I have a packet of Safale US-05 yeast to use, but would it make that big of a difference to use the liquid yeast instead for this style?
* Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance everyone!

Ingredients:
- 6 lbs Wheat malt syrup

BOIL ADDITIONS:
- 1oz Willamette (60min)
- 1oz Cascade (15min)

YEAST:
- DRYYEAST Safale US-05 Ale Yeast
- LIQUID YEAST: Wyeast 1010 American Wheat

 

[Kharnynb]

if you are already adding raspberries in the secondary, i'd be careful to add much else, you could add a bit of honey or even sugar to dry it out, but it will likely get lost in the raspberry flavour.

 

[itchygomey]

I have nothing against a raspberry wheat, but I wouldn't put raspberries in that one. It's got a fair amount of citrus in it (I like that recipe a lot) and I honestly feel it would not be complimented by the raspberry - just my opinion.

 

[Kharnynb]

personally, i'd lose the raspberries too, add a pound or so of honey and keep it "easy drinking"

 

[pshankstar]

Thank you both for the suggestions. I guess this is a pretty good straight up extract recipe. Maybe some honey but thats it. I've never used honey before. When do you typically add it? With only a few mins of the boil left? At flame out? In the primary or secondary?

Thanks again for the input!

 

[Kharnynb]

I add at flame-out, honey is anti-sceptic, so you could technically add it later on, but I prefer not to risk infection from other sources if i don't have to open the fermenter for anything else.