Apfelweizen help

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BeerChef17

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So I have just recently started doing and have successfully made 2 beers from kits- an American Amber and an American Light. I also currently have a Dunkelwizen being bottled condition (from a kit as well). As we speak I am boiling a Pumpkin Ale from a recipe I found off line and all seems to be going well. So I figured I'd give a swing at trying my own recipe next and was just wondering people's thoughts on it. I want to make a Apfelwizen since I recently picked a whole boatload of fresh Apples from the orchard. Here is my proposed recipe:

8oz Red Wheat
4oz Honey Malt
6# Wheat DME
1oz German Perle Hops
Montrachet Yeast - 1 packet
5-10# fresh Apples

For procedures I would soak the grains in 3gal of water @155F for 1hr, then bring to a boil, add DME and stir until it begins to boil again. Finally Boil for 1hr, adding the hops 45m before the boil is terminated. Primary for 1 week, then rack to a secondary and add my apples at this point, then allow to sit for 2 weeks before bottling.

Does this seem like a viable recipe? Should I add the apples in the secondary or to the mash? or both?
 
You stated that you have been using kits so far, is this your first mini mash? I noticed that you want to boil the grains after a soak, no sparge? Ive never mini mashed myself as I jumped straight into all grain, but ive never boiled any of my grains. Sounds like a tasty recipe tho! I really have no input on when to add the apples as I too am just now beginning to mess with fresh fruit. Let me know how it turns out!
 
The recipe sounds good but I'm not sure if I would use a wine yeast. I think a hefe yeast (WLP300, 320, 380) would go well with your grain bill and not completely ferment out the sugar from the apples. A wine yeast would probably fully attenuate the simple sugars from the apples and leave you with zero apple flavor.
 
guess I should have stated i will remove the grains after the 1hr mini mash and then kind of drain them out. Would it be more effective if I place my grain bag in a strainer after the mash and sparge with 1gal of water @155?

I did the same basic process yesterday making my pumpkin ale using a mini mash consisting of 2# grain and 10# pumpkin.

Good call with the hefe yeast - I had that noted as a question on my recipe sheet but forgot to ask.

I was also thinking of adding 8oz carapils to my grain bill...Hopefully I can order my stuff tomorrow after I get paid and have it ready for Turkey Day. I'll keep you posted if it turns out or not
 
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