Grain question?

[afoster]

Im preparing to do a blue moon clone recipe and it calls for a light wheat specialty grain. My question is, What is the difference between specialty grains and base grains? Im also having a hard time finding a Light Wheat specialty grain? If anyone can help me out that would be much appreciated.

Thanks Andy

 

[BradleyBrew]

I'm going to take a stab at this but I might be wrong or partially right. Probably not a clear definition between the two. Some "specialty grains" can be used as base malts like vienna or munich. Base grains usually make up around 80 to 90% of your grain bill and have the power to convert themselves when mashing. Specialty grains typically have limited or no diastic power, contribute specialized flavor (that you wouldn't want to much of), and are kilned at higher tempertures.

 

[chickypad]

It might be referring to flaked or torrified wheat rather than wheat malt, which would make sense for a wit. What is the recipe?

 

[helibrewer]

The Wit recipes I have seen call for flaked wheat and some also call for flaked oats. Using these will require a partial mash with some 2-row.

 

[badhabit]

I'll bet that it wants White Wheat

 

[afoster]

I got this from one of SlipGates posts here is the recipe.

Blue Moon Clone Extract Recipe
5 gallon batch

6.6 pounds of Coopers Wheat liquid Malt Extract (any light wheat extract will do)
2 pound of Light Wheat specialty grains in muslin bag
1 pound of corn sugar (or light DME)
1 ounces of tettnanger hops (10 min)
2 ounces of styrian golding hops (30min)
1 ounce of sweet orange peel GROUND (2 min) (or bitter)
2 ounces of corriander seed GROUND (2 min)
1 bottle of Valencia orange peel (1.5 oz McCormick bottle at the grocery store)
1/2 bottle of grated lemon peel (1.5 oz McCormick bottle at the grocery store)
1 pkg of white labs Belgian wit yeast
55 minute total boil time

 

[BradleyBrew]

Disregard my explanation. It was obviously off base lol

 

[Draken]

I'll bet that it wants White Wheat

This. It's just referring too them as "specialty" because you are steeping with them. That and they are not base malts...

 

[Pie_Man]

Here's a few resources that might help:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/blue-moon-clone-65328/
http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=basic-brewing-radio-2007, podcast from August 9th, 2007.

The recipes are mostly all-grain, but there might be an extract recipe contained somewhere in the thread if use the "search this thread" feature. You'll need to use a variety of oat that can be steeped. The basic brewing podcast doesn't give the complete recipe, but you can gain some insights from listening to the brewer.

Going off what I've read about the beer, Blue Moon doesn't have any lemon peel, your recipe probably has too much orange peel, there's no corn sugar, and Blue Moon doesn't use a Belgian yeast. Your recipe will probably make a decent wheat beer, it just wouldn't be a Blue Moon clone. I hope this helps, good luck on your brew.