Messing around with writting a recipe

[BlainD]

So I got this idea.... It's pieced together from other recipes and some reading I've been doing. I know it's got lots of honey... and I'm not too sure about the biscuit malt. I'm also not to sure about using Belgian wit yeast.I hope my noobness isn't too offensive.

Big Wild Flower Honey Wheat(Mini-Mash)

batch size:5 gallons
Est Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.009 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.2 %
Bitterness: 19.9 IBUs
Est Color: 8.8 SRM


4 lbs Wheat Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract

1 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain

0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 8.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 5 8.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 6 11.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 11.5 IBUs

4 oz chamomile -boil at 60 min
4 oz rose petals -boil at 60 min
2 oz lavender -boil at 30 min

2 lbs Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar

1.0 pkg Belgian Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1214) [124.21 ml] Yeast

Crazy or cool?

 

[dezman]

just curious what are the rose petals for. Never seen them in a recipe before, what are they supposed to do?

 

[rebelproud]

To me, it doesn't seem like the ingredients go together well or compliment each other. It sounds as though you like a little bit of this flavor, a little bit of that flavor, etc. and you're just throwing them all into one big mix.

Every time I've ever done that, it has come out horrible.

 

[Gunrunner]

I would agree with that has a lot of what seems to me to be odd ingredients in it. I like to try diferent things too. That is how new things are found. It might be the next great beer or like it said above it might be horrible. It is all about what you like. So would say that red wine served cold is wrong but if that is the way you like it then drink it that way. Same goes for beer or anything else. Make it for you, if you like it then drink it. It is worth a try to me.

 

[badbrew]

Those three flowery things turned me off. The rest sounds good to me. You definitely need a big starter for this.

 

[JLem]

If you like the idea of the flowery elements then I say give it a try. My concerns though are whether the late hops will clash with the flowers. I might consider just some bittering hops and then the flowers at the end of the boil. Also, I wonder if you have enough base malt in the mini-mash.

Edit: I just noticed too that you are using a Belgian yeast strain - again, I wonder how all the flavors/aromas will work together.

 

[BlainD]

just curious what are the rose petals for. Never seen them in a recipe before, what are they supposed to do?

They are used in tea so I figured they could be used in beer.

I would agree with that has a lot of what seems to me to be odd ingredients in it.

What ingredients aren't normal for a honey wheat? I didn't think it was too far off but I'm really new to all this.

I might consider just some bittering hops and then the flowers at the end of the boil. Also, I wonder if you have enough base malt in the mini-mash.

Will do on the hops that makes perfect sense. What base grains would you add to the mini mash?

Edit: I just noticed too that you are using a Belgian yeast strain - again, I wonder how all the flavors/aromas will work together.

Should I use a cleaner American yeast strain like an American ale yeast?

 

[Hatchbrew]

writing

 

[plumbob]

That is a lot of honey! This'll be dry and mead-y with 20% of the fermentables as sugar; if that is the kind of beer you like great (and there is nothing wrong with that, far be it from me to be a snob, nothing better than a Miller after mowing the lawn IMO). BUT, since you are mashing anyhow, go bigger, it is no more work on your part! I would make the grain bill look something like this:

4lbs Wheat LME
3lbs Pale 2-row
2lbs Wheat Malt
1lbs Honey Malt
1lbs Torrified Wheat
0.5lbs Biscuit Malt

This is 6.5% ABV, not quite what you wanted, but close.
You can add 0.5lbs of honey to that to get it up over 7% ABV if you want; but I'll almost guarantee you'll be happier with more grain and less adjunct. 5% sugar is a lot better bet than 20%.

The Beligan yeast might kill what ought to be pretty subtle flavors from the flowers (an idea which I like and will steal from you btw ). I think american ale might be an option, and as suggested before, give it a big starter so it ferments fast and clean. I also have a feeling those flowery notes will get killed off with age, which means this might be young at it's prime.

Your IBU measurements are also off from what I can see, you won't get the same bitterness from a 60min boil as a 30min. I would definitely skip the Saaz (though I like Saaz a lot) it is too assertive for a wheat beer of any sort IMO.

If you wanted to go with a low AA hop for a late addition I would pick Willamette in this brew or Pacifica if you wanted something a bit more exotic. Otherwise just take your pick of high AA hops for the 60 min and get the bittering done with quickly and cheaply. 0.5 oz Chinook for 60min will do the job nicely and you'll have enough left over for another brew.

I like the Biscuit and Honey malt idea, the flowers seem like a really interesting direction. It is a good idea all around, just the hops and the honey needs some working on.

 

[JLem]

As is, I find your recipe reminiscent of a big Belgian/Trappist ale - basic pale grist (though a lot of wheat in you case), upwards of 20% sugar (honey in your case), German/continental hops, Belgian yeast. Like plumbob mentions though the subtle flowery element will be potentially lost with the Belgian yeast - I'd say either use a clean American yeast or not use the flowers. Since I assume you really want to try the flowers, then I say use a clean yeast like WLP001.

I like the base recipe, though you are at the upper level of how much honey I would ever want to use in a beer. You might cut that down to 10%. I'm not sure how much you can mini-mash, but I would want to have the amount of base grain (the pale malt) be equal to the total of the other malts in the mash - do you have room to mash add another pound of the pale malt?

 

[BlainD]

Yeah... I got a little carried away with the honey I guess..... Add a pound of 2 row, drop the honey to half a pound, drop the Saaz hops....

4 lbs Wheat Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract

2 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain

1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 11.5 IBUs

4 oz chamomile -boil 15 min
4 oz rose petals -boil 15 min
2 oz lavender -boil 15 min

0.5 lbs Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar

 

[JLem]

Yeah... I got a little carried away with the honey I guess..... Add a pound of 2 row, drop the honey to half a pound, drop the Saaz hops....

4 lbs Wheat Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract

2 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain

1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 11.5 IBUs

4 oz chamomile -boil 15 min
4 oz rose petals -boil 15 min
2 oz lavender -boil 15 min

0.5 lbs Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar

Now, this looks like a nice recipe. Not sure how the flowers will turn out, but at least now you have a good base recipe to experiment with. Have you searched around for any info about brewing with these flowers? (amounts? when to add? etc.). If not, you might try looking for some gruit recipes.

Good luck and be sure to report back here with how it turns out.

 

[BlainD]

Now, this looks like a nice recipe. Not sure how the flowers will turn out, but at least now you have a good base recipe to experiment with. Have you searched around for any info about brewing with these flowers? (amounts? when to add? etc.). If not, you might try looking for some gruit recipes.

Good luck and be sure to report back here with how it turns out.

I am concerned about the flowers..... Seems like it will probably take messing around with to get right. There are a lot of posts here on rose, chamomile and lavender. Amounts and techniques vary it seems. From my knowledge of each not involving beer (use to be a chef and I drink tea) Chamomile I am not worried about being too strong, Rose I am a little worried, Lavender I am really worried will be overpowering. I am just guessing how much I will use. Will probably go buy each from a bulk section at whole foods. When I actually see 2 oz in a bag I might decided to scale it back....Will Let you know how it turns out.


And Thanks to everyone for your input!