livin up my recipe

[pfranco81]

I am planning of brewing up two Wheat beers this week. One is BierMuncher's Belgian Wit, and the other is a run o' the mill Honey Wheat. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how I can spruce up the Honey Wheat.

Recipe is-

4lbs Wheat LME
2lbs Wheat DME
1oz Cascade (5 min)
1lb Honey
Anonymous Yeast

Even though I am an extract brewer, opening up a can and a bag and dumping them in isn't interactive enough for me.

Any ideas on how to liven up the recipe? Preferably something that doesn't require a trip to the LHBS that I don't have.

 

[NYeric]

You could jazz it up with a specialty yeast. Many of which add nice flavors.

 

[MashStirBrew]

I had a NBB Sunshine wheat over the weekend that seemed to have an apple juice flavor that I liked. Maybe use a half gallon of juice as top off water?? Or add .5oz of honey malt or carmel10/20?? I am brewing a wheat this weekend and may try that. I also have some leftover carmel 80 that might get added. Some times simple is better though...

 

[Bosh]

You could boil in some coriander or dried orange peels for flavor or do a short boil of hops for some flavor/aroma without too much bitterness.

 

[Yooper]

What do you have planned for bittering hops?

 

[pfranco81]

Hmm it appears this kit doesn't come with bittering hops. Man I really should have gone through this thing before I bought it. The all-white, non-descript yeast packet really irks me.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I agree with the honey malt, if you really want that honey flavor to shine, steep some before the boil!

 

[Moonpile]

Hmm it appears this kit doesn't come with bittering hops. Man I really should have gone through this thing before I bought it. The all-white, non-descript yeast packet really irks me.

Check to see if either of your extracts is already hopped. If not, you'll probably want some! ~1oz of hops around 4% AA for the full boil will do the trick for a recipe like that. Maybe Hallertau?

I have to admit, the all-white, non-descript yeast packet is probably a crapshoot. Try WLP300 or Wyeast 3086?

 

[pfranco81]

I was planning on brewing this sometime this week, but screw it, there is too much wrong with it. I'll just use this one's Primary as a Secondary to clear my Nut Brown Ale. Plus, My Belgian Wit and Apfelwien should distract me enough.

 

[olllllo]

Hmm it appears this kit doesn't come with bittering hops. Man I really should have gone through this thing before I bought it. The all-white, non-descript yeast packet really irks me.

IS the Malt extract pre-hopped? Better check that.

 

[pfranco81]

The can is unhopped.

 

[pfranco81]

Do all beers use bittering hops? Will aroma hops alone be alright? Could I just throw the cascade in a few minutes earlier?

 

[MikeRLynch]

Most beers have some kind of bittering hop addition, the lack of which will result in a rather malty/sweet flavor in the beer, or a one dimensional flavor. The hop addition at 60 min adds a level of complexity that you might not immediately notice if you use it, but will certainly miss if you don't.

mike