Help with a Chili Wit Bier

[staticjacket]

Hey all. Im intrigued by this recipe I've got and wanted to know if you have any critiques.



Beer Style: Witbier (16A)
Recipe Type: extract
Yield: 5 gallons
Witbier
Description:

Taste is creamy with "Blue Moon" like flavors. Goes down real nice. Creamy head that lasts. Overall GREAT beer. Vanilla is good addition.
Ingredients:

3 lbs 4.8 oz - LME Pilsen Light (Briess) (2.3 SRM) (Grain)
3 lbs 4.8 oz - LME Wheat (Muntons) (8.0 SRM) (Grain)
0.8 oz - Tettnanger [4.5%] - Boil 60 min (Hops)
0.8 oz - Saaz [4.0%] - Boil 30 min (Hops)
0.2 oz - Saaz [4.0%] - Boil 15 min (Hops)
0.25 oz - Coriander Seed (Boil 15 min) (Misc)
0.25 oz - Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 15 min) (Misc)
1 pkgs - Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) (Yeast)
1.00 - Chili Pepper (Bottling 0 min) (Misc)

Additional Instructions
Boil: 75 Minutes

Beer Profile
Original Gravity: 1.048 (12.0° P)
Final Gravity: 1.012 SG (3.1° P)
Alcohol by Vol: 4.8%
Color SRM: more yellow than whitish (maybe boil?) cloudy as ex
Bitterness IBU: 17.6
Recipe Type: extract
Yield: 5.00 Gallons
printer icon Source: Tony Grier



I'm also planning on dry hopping with an ounce of Citra at 1 week.

What I really want to know how you incorporate the chili pepper? What kind of chili pepper would be best for this recipe, and it says "bottling"? The only method Ive ever heard of for putting a pepper in beer was after the boil just throwing one in your primary.

 

[porterpounder]

There are many ways to incorporate chili pepper. The real questions is whether or not you want the flavor of the pepper flesh or the heat. If you want the flavor, remove the ribs and seeds from a few peppers of your choice and add them to the end of primary or into a secondary. I you want the heat, either chop use a couple of hot peppers and just toss them in the end of primary or secondary, or chop them up, soak them for a week in a few ounces of vodka and add drops of the tincture to taste in the bottles at bottling.

 

[staticjacket]

There are many ways to incorporate chili pepper. The real questions is whether or not you want the flavor of the pepper flesh or the heat. If you want the flavor, remove the ribs and seeds from a few peppers of your choice and add them to the end of primary or into a secondary. I you want the heat, either chop use a couple of hot peppers and just toss them in the end of primary or secondary, or chop them up, soak them for a week in a few ounces of vodka and add drops of the tincture to taste in the bottles at bottling.

Great idea! I think this beer would be best with just the subtle taste of pepper flesh. Which, I'm having a hard time picturing a good kind of pepper for that. Also, should I get fresh or dried pepper? I think the recipe calls for just one "chili pepper". What I'm confused about is it says "Bottling 0 min". I find it hard to believe you add one pepper per beer. would be kind of obnoxious to have in your beer, not to mention it would be way too strong.

 

[porterpounder]

I have had beer where the brewer drops a tiny ghost pepper into the bottle at bottling. It's absolutely awful. Most people use a mix of peppers. If you want pepper flesh flavor then gow tih fresh jalapeno, minus ribs and seeds. Try about 3-4 oz of jalapeno peppers or 1/2-1 oz of habanero.

 

[staticjacket]

I have had beer where the brewer drops a tiny ghost pepper into the bottle at bottling. It's absolutely awful. Most people use a mix of peppers. If you want pepper flesh flavor then gow tih fresh jalapeno, minus ribs and seeds. Try about 3-4 oz of jalapeno peppers or 1/2-1 oz of habanero.

I was doing a little reading and found the kind of pepper that would give the flavor and low level of heat, would be an Anaheim pepper. Do you know how much I should use?

 

[porterpounder]

Anaheim is milder than jalapeno, so at least twice as much for heat, but about the same for flesh flavor