Dunkelweizen Recipe Question

[balzern]

Hey everyone,

Please let me know what you think of this tentative Dunkelweizen recipe!


5 Gallon Batch 60 min boil:

OG 1.055
SRM 21
IBU 12.6
5.5 ABV

I was going to steep the grains at 150-155 F for 30 minutes then proceed with the LME at boil.

6 lbs Wheat LME
2 lbs Munich malt (grain)
6 oz Weyermann Chocolate Rye malt (grain)
4 oz Carafa III Dehusked (grain)

1 oz Hallertauer pellets 60 minutes

Wyeast Weihenstephan Weizen (3068)

Thanks and Cheers!

 

[Skyforger]

This looks pretty good! It has a pleasing simplicity. The two things I would look at are

1. Roughly 80% of fermentables are coming from wheat LME. If the LME you use is pure wheat, that may be a bit much....traditionally, dunkelweizens are made from 50-70% wheat. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, I suppose; judge according to how you like your dunkelweizens.
2. Careful with Carafa III! It's nice stuff, smooth, but will add a dark roasted malt character to the beer - a bit stout-like, maybe. Again, fine if you want that flavor, but not quite on-style.

Both of these thoughts come from considerations of how 'in-style' you are. How much they matter to you depends on how close to the classic dunkelweizens you want to be. Frankly, I think the recipe as-is could be really good - a sort of dunkelweizen in sharp profile, if you will. I quite like the idea of using the chocolate rye; it could complement the yeast's spiciness nicely. Kind of like the Quebecois beer 'Coup de Grisou:'

http://www.united-nations-of-beer.com/coup-de-grisou-beer.html

 

[indigi]

I've never seen a Wheat LME that had more than 75% wheat extract in it. He's probably safe in that department.

For a dunkelweizen I'd cut the Carafa III and try to use a darker Munich(in the 15-20L range). You'll get plenty of color and roast from the chocolate rye. I think the Carafa III would be adding too much roast and color. It'd probably taste good, but like Skyforger said, not exactly to style.