I want to brew something hoppy with pilsner and wheat. Recipe feedback/suggestions?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

EdmontonBoil

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2022
Messages
20
Reaction score
7
Ok -- so I wanted to try brewing pilsner, but my local homebrew supply shop is having trouble getting yeast for any kind of lager or pilsner, so I'm looking to improvise. I'd like to make something like a Belgian blond ale, but with a pretty high wheat content (say, 30%?), and since I've got a bunch of cascade left over from my last brew (American IPA), I'd also like to make it nice and hoppy (and possibly dry hop). I'm thinking something like this... but any suggestions?

8# Pilsner
4# White wheat
.5# ...something else? Crystal? Munich?
.5# dextrose

Straightforward mash @ 152F... and I batch sparge, since that's what my equipment allows.

60 min boil with these hops... because they are the hops I've got.

1oz cascade (60)
.5oz cascade (15)
.5oz cascade (5)
1oz cascade (dry hopped)

Yeast is S-33.

Is this going to make something weird? I've also got some saison yeast...

I may ease up on the grain bill, since this is a bit stronger than I would like for July-August.
 

BeerAndTele

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
342
Reaction score
883
Location
Pittsburgh
Instead of crystal, I added a little light Munich and a little honey malt to my last American Wheat. You don’t need much. Loved it. Nice easy-drinking summertime beer.
 
OP
OP
E

EdmontonBoil

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2022
Messages
20
Reaction score
7
Thanks for the feedback! This is helpful. I'll flee the crystal malt and toss in a bit of vienna, and shift my BrewSmith profile to American wheat.

Should that work with the S-33?

Also, any mash recommendations? I can't do anything too complicated, since I'm working with a cooler, but...
 

Wiratoma

New Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Messages
3
Reaction score
2
Location
Orefield, PA
Ok -- so I wanted to try brewing pilsner, but my local homebrew supply shop is having trouble getting yeast for any kind of lager or pilsner, so I'm looking to improvise. I'd like to make something like a Belgian blond ale, but with a pretty high wheat content (say, 30%?), and since I've got a bunch of cascade left over from my last brew (American IPA), I'd also like to make it nice and hoppy (and possibly dry hop). I'm thinking something like this... but any suggestions?

8# Pilsner
4# White wheat
.5# ...something else? Crystal? Munich?
.5# dextrose

Straightforward mash @ 152F... and I batch sparge, since that's what my equipment allows.

60 min boil with these hops... because they are the hops I've got.

1oz cascade (60)
.5oz cascade (15)
.5oz cascade (5)
1oz cascade (dry hopped)

Yeast is S-33.

Is this going to make something weird? I've also got some saison yeast...

I may ease up on the grain bill, since this is a bit stronger than I would like for July-August.
If you are looking to dry it out, don't use s-33. Id pitch a french Saison and call it a day. Also, the 15 and 5 minute additions will work better as whirlpool. Id combine them and do a 20 minutes at 80 degrees C.

Another option would be to do a german ale and go down a Koelsch-ish route.

That might work nicely, too.
 

Zambezi Special

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
373
Reaction score
296
Location
In the hot Zambezi Valley
Doesn't look very Belgian, but tasty.
I brewed a saison recently with just pilsner malt and cascade.
A bit on the bitter side for me (but I'm not a hop-head).
Might be an option?
 

z-bob

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
4,218
Reaction score
2,196
Location
Rochester, MN
I'm looking at brewing something using 2/3 Vienna malt and 1/3 unmalted wheat. Make it fairly hoppy but not too bitter, and ferment on the yeast cake from a lager I'm about to bottle (W34/70). No orange peel or coriander. I have no idea what the style would be called, 😂 I can't find anything in BJCP that matches that. I guess I could just call it "beer". Or maybe "half-wit"
 

HM-2

Brewing by the seat of my pants
HBT Supporter
Joined
Jun 17, 2022
Messages
318
Reaction score
948
Location
UK
I'd move half the 60 minute Cascade, and all of the 15/5 minute additions to a zero minute or whirlpool personally.
Rather than crystal, something like amber, honey, Munich, biscuit or melanoidin would be great.
 
Top