Belgian Wit Recipe

[archthered]

OK so I've been doing all grain long enough to start creating my own recipes. I am now making my first recipe with any significant amount of adjuncts and I would like comments on a few things. Here is the recipe:

5 Gallon batch, final volume
Malt: 5 lbs Wheat, Unmalted
3 lbs Pilsner (2 Row)
1 lbs Pale Malt (6 Row)
1 lbs Oats, Flaked

Hops: 0.60 oz Cascade =5.50% Boil for 60 min
0.50 oz Crystal =3.50% Boil for 10 min

Spice: 1.00 tsp Cumin, 0.50 oz Coriander Seed, and 0.50 oz Orange Peel Boil 5 min
Yeast: Wit Omega #OYL-030

Other: 1 lbs Rice Hulls

Process: Infusion at 122 for 20 min (Protein rest), decoction and let sit at 144 for 20 min (first Sac rest), decoction and let sit at 155 for 20 min (second Sac rest), Mash out at 168, add rice hulls before sparging, then boil.

Thoughts: 1# six row is to add enough enzymes to deal with the large amount of adjuncts. I'm doing a protein rest because I feel like with this much unmalted wheat it will be needed so it won't be so gummy so I can actually lauter, and so I can actually get starch conversion, but I'm only doing it for 20 min because I still want that wheat haziness and head retention. Rice hulls in just before mashout because they are not really functional until then and adding them thickens the mash and saccrification does a bit better when thin so add just before using it. I don't want a ton of orange on it.

Questions: Do I really need the six row malt? (It's not a part of traditional recipes so maybe it's not needed)
Am I using too much adjunct? I know 50% wheat is pretty standard for Wit but is it usually less if you add oat as well?
Has anyone tried Cumin in a Wit and if so how much and what were the results? I've heard of it being used and like the idea but only want a touch of it and mostly on the nose.
Will this really work with so much adjunct and so little barely?

Comments:
Oh wait that's your part

 

[jmcquesten]

Cumin??? No thank you. No chili flavored beer for me. I'd stick with the orange and coriander.

 

[thisone]

I've had cumin beers with mixed results. I've had it taste earthy and lemony, and I've had it taste like BO. I've only had it in commercial examples though, so I don't know how to get the good flavor out of it.

 

[archthered]

Maybe I'll back off the cumin a bit and use a 1/2 tsp. I don't really want much flavor, just more for aroma.

 

[z-bob]

Looks like too much adjunct; I don't think you'll have enough enzymes to convert it all. Replace a half pound of the oats with wheat malt and you might get there.

I'd probably go something like 5 lbs pilsner, 1 lb wheat malt, and 4 lbs unmalted wheat flakes.

The hops, spices, and yeast look fine -- except the cumin, I think that sounds awful but maybe that's just me

 

[griffi]

I think with a 30 min protein rest before the sacch rest it's going to be fine - I did this in a recent witbier and I got all the conversion I needed for my full OG. After doing several witbiers, however, I would say using the unmalted wheat is not worth the extra step (even though BJCP styles specifically mentions its use). I've had better results from some wheat malt and a couple lbs of flaked wheat. I also like a little oats in there but not much - probably .5 - 1 lb. I absolutely would not put cumin in there (again BJCP says OK but I'm not familiar with whole cumin, just the ground spice used in curry, chile, etc.). Citrus and coriander (cracked not ground) or maybe seeds of paradise. I ground my coriander once and I believe it was a little overwhelming. The peppery spice complements the tartness from the wit yeast and citrus. The earthiness of ground coriander just muddled it and gave it a funkiness which was out of style...
I would do 5lbs pils, 3lbs wheat malt, 2lbs. Flaked wheat, .5 oats (Quaker quick oats)

 

[mmahu]

I would not add cumin, but I would keep a bit of coriander and orange/lemon peel and freshly squeezed zest. My latest witbier has 55% flaked wheat, 22% Belgian Pale Ale malt, 11% Vienna and 11% naked oat malt.

 

[bolus14]

No sense in reinventing the wheel, IMO, as far as the malt goes. I have made a few different Wit's but more or less stick wiht the grain bill The Mad Fermentationist used for his Galaxy Hibiscus Wit, http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2013/03/hibiscusgalaxy-wit-recipe.html.

The use of Vienna in @mmahu's post might be a nice touch!!

I'll change it a little to hit the ABV i'm looking for, but for the most part that's the base I start with.

As far as cumin goes as other's have stated I wouldn't do it unless you're looking for a "Southwestern" Wit Cumin reminds me of tacos so if that's what you're looking for go for it, definitely off the beaten path though.

 

[z-bob]

Here is the witbier recipe that's in my brew queue. (Not tested yet)
The recipe mmahu linked also looks like a good one. I wonder how hibiscus would do for acidifying the sparge water? Hmmm...

Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 5.26%

5.5 lb - Belgian pilsner malt (56.4%)
2 lb - American wheat malt (20.5%)
1 lb - Torrified wheat (10.3%)
6 oz - Quaker oats (3.8%)
10 oz - Wheat flour (6.4%)
4 oz - Acid malt (2.6%)
0.5 oz - Coriander seed, Boil time: 10 min
0.75 oz - Bitter orange peel (dried), Boil time: 10 min

Aramis hops at 60 and 10 minutes, about 15 or 16 IBU's total
Wyeast German Wheat yeast #3333

Start with a cereal mash; cook the flour, oats, and a handful of the ground malt in a gallon of the mash water.

 

[krebs119]

My wit (40+ points, a few golds) is a single infusion - I don't bother with the multiple, and i don't use unmalted wheat.

I don't remember the recipe off hand, but I want to say it was basically 55/45 2-row/wheat, and then 4oz or so of acidulated.

I've never used cumin in a beer. It sounds off for this style to me.

I would suggest some acid malt to tart it up a bit.

The coriander looks good. I usually use more orange peel, but to each their own.

I've never used Omega yeast, so I couldn't comment there.

I believe mine has Liberty hops? I don't think Cascade would be a bad choice.

I typically use a lemon peel in mine as well, or at least part of it. I've toyed around with other citrus fruits other than just orange (tangerine, dragonfruit, blood orange), and I've done well with it.

 

[archthered]

Thanks for all the comments so far. I really want to try to make this as the BJCP says is traditional with the 50% unmalted wheat, though I may use some of your suggestions with malted and flaked wheat etc to compare it to later. I just want to make sure I can hit my target gravity.

I will probably cut back a bit more and only use 1/4 tsp of cumin, I really think it will add if I can get it on the nose but not too much flavor, and add more right into the keg if needed/to experiment with. I like the idea of a touch of lemon zest.

Thanks again and feel free to continue to comment. I will be keep checking this until I actually get the supplies for the beer, it may still be several weeks until I make this

 

[IslandLizard]

I've performed Eric Warner's double wheat decoction a few times (recipe and decoction schedule in the drop down under my avatar, or here), and must say it is the best malt backbone for a wit one can brew, possibly prize winning! The mash also takes 3.5 hours, so it's a long brew day. I would never brew less than 10 gallons of it, making it at least worth some of the effort.

Please drop the cumin, it really doesn't belong in a Witbier.
If you want to taste the effect, add some cumin powder to a glass of your Wit, and enjoy it with your curry.