Planning an Icelandic White Ale. Ideas?

[GoodBookBrewer]

Got hold of a bottle of Einstok Icelandic White Ale a few weeks ago and LOVED it. All the Coriander and Orange zest of a classic wit, but much crisper and lighter bodied, which methinks would be perfect during the upcoming stupid-humid FL panhandle summer.

Looked around for a clone recipe, but no dice. So putting out the feelers to ya'll.

My initial thoughts are to simply take the grain bill for a Belgian wit and skew the ratio more towards the pale malt vs wheat. Not sure how far to push it. And open to suggestions on yeast. Figured Belgian yeast would keep the citrusy estery flavors strong, but don't want them overpowering. Trying to keep this crisp and refreshing rather than the delicious but heavy wheat feel of the typical Belgian wit.

Only have a couple all-grain batches under my belt, but looking forward to the challenge.

 

[TheBigLebrewsk1]

Got hold of a bottle of Einstok Icelandic White Ale a few weeks ago and LOVED it. All the Coriander and Orange zest of a classic wit, but much crisper and lighter bodied, which methinks would be perfect during the upcoming stupid-humid FL panhandle summer.

Looked around for a clone recipe, but no dice. So putting out the feelers to ya'll.

My initial thoughts are to simply take the grain bill for a Belgian wit and skew the ratio more towards the pale malt vs wheat. Not sure how far to push it. And open to suggestions on yeast. Figured Belgian yeast would keep the citrusy estery flavors strong, but don't want them overpowering. Trying to keep this crisp and refreshing rather than the delicious but heavy wheat feel of the typical Belgian wit.

Only have a couple all-grain batches under my belt, but looking forward to the challenge.

Belgian wits are suppose to be light and crisp, have you had a hoegarden lately? Brew one, mash at 150 F and use soft water.

 

[GoodBookBrewer]

Belgian wits are suppose to be light and crisp, have you had a hoegarden lately? Brew one, mash at 150 F and use soft water.

Been a while, I guess, but this one was different. Maybe I'm not describing it very well, but it didn't have the thick mouthfeel that I remember in the Belgians I've had lately.

I am taking down some notes for this brew, though, and I'll keep the 150 and soft water in mind for sure. Thanks.

 

[JKaranka]

It's a while since I last had it, but I thought the yeast character was cleaner (less sharp) than Belgian wit, that being the main difference. Maybe 70/30 barley to wheat? Spices with some less phenolic Belgian yeast? Something maybe a bit less attenuative?

 

[GoodBookBrewer]

Yeah. I need to find some more of the stuff. But for now, my memory is all I've got, and it was a while ago. Think I'll leave amounts of spices alone from a typical wit recipe, I remember those favors being pretty prominent.

 

[GoodBookBrewer]

Quick update to this thread:

I've been through a few iterations of this since I first posted. My most recent was by far the most successful.

I started from Schlenkerla's Hoegaarden White Beer Clone, which produced a delicious result that really is pretty spot on for Hoegaarden. But I wasn't trying to make Hoegaarden.

I've been fiddling with the grain bill and ended up with this:
4# Belg Pils (2-row)
3# Flaked White Wheat
2# Flaked Oats

The result was a much lighter feeling beer without so much of the breadiness of wheat beers. The oats also give it an improved beautiful lacey head and the color is much paler than previous batches, which is also on point for cloning the Einstok Icelandic White.

I will post the full recipe here when I get home to my "little green book."

 

[Amadeo38]

Sorry to necro this thread, but I’ve been searching for a clone recipe of this beer for a while now as well (even posted on another one a long time ago and never got a response).

OP, if you’re still around - did you further hone in this recipe? If so, care to share? I’ve got several strains of Kviek now and I think that would be a great yeast to use on this beer.

From your recipe above, I was thinking of subbing one pound of those oats with torrified wheat to make it a little silkier, and of course putting coriander at flameout. A spicy/floral hop for bittering and maybe a citrusy hop at 5’ or 0’?

 

[Soulshine2]

Got hold of a bottle of Einstok Icelandic White Ale a few weeks ago and LOVED it. All the Coriander and Orange zest of a classic wit, but much crisper and lighter bodied, which methinks would be perfect during the upcoming stupid-humid FL panhandle summer.

Looked around for a clone recipe, but no dice. So putting out the feelers to ya'll.

My initial thoughts are to simply take the grain bill for a Belgian wit and skew the ratio more towards the pale malt vs wheat. Not sure how far to push it. And open to suggestions on yeast. Figured Belgian yeast would keep the citrusy estery flavors strong, but don't want them overpowering. Trying to keep this crisp and refreshing rather than the delicious but heavy wheat feel of the typical Belgian wit.

Only have a couple all-grain batches under my belt, but looking forward to the challenge.

Love Einstok, try their toasted porter
Also - if you like white ales...find Allagash White

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I’ve got several strains of Kviek now and I think that would be a great yeast to use on this beer.

I don't see why - this is a Belgian-style beer that happens to be made in the middle of the Atlantic, it's got no connection with Norwegian farmhouse brewing.

I'd guess that the constraints of brewing in Iceland means that they probably use a dry yeast, so Lallemand Munich Classic or something similar?

 

[Amadeo38]

I don't see why - this is a Belgian-style beer that happens to be made in the middle of the Atlantic, it's got no connection with Norwegian farmhouse brewing.

Because I have several strains of it on hand, some of which can put out esters reminiscent of the style at the high temp range, so it seems like a logical thing to attempt. Especially if I do a protein or ferulic acid rest.

 

[cmb4642]

Thoughts. 1052 pils with touch of oats and wheat. Coriander orange. I’m having trouble nailing the yeast. Not a true wit profile when I’ve tried the Einstock. Might try Kolsh yeast. To me it’s somewhere between a lager and a wit. I thought KOLSH warmish ferm. Thoughts?

 

[tennesseean_87]

I used Hornindal in a wit grist without the orange and spice and loved it.

 

[passedpawn]

Sorry to necro this thread, but I’ve been searching for a clone recipe of this beer for a while now as well (even posted on another one a long time ago and never got a response).

OP, if you’re still around - did you further hone in this recipe? If so, care to share? I’ve got several strains of Kviek now and I think that would be a great yeast to use on this beer.

From your recipe above, I was thinking of subbing one pound of those oats with torrified wheat to make it a little silkier, and of course putting coriander at flameout. A spicy/floral hop for bittering and maybe a citrusy hop at 5’ or 0’?

I know, old thread. Thought I'd put down some info I found, in case of future searches for Einstok Icelandic White Ale.

Einstok uses S-05 for their yeast. I asked them directly on their facebook page and this is what I was told.

These are the raw ingredients based on info directly from Einstok. In parenthesis are my amounts. NOTE: this is for a 10g batch.

• ABV = 5.2%
• Pilsner malt (50%)
• Wheat malt (40%)
• Oats (10%)
• Noble hop (tettnanger, 14 IBU )
• Coriander ( 1 oz, boil, 5 min)
• Bitter Orange Peel ( 0.5 oz, boil, 5 min).
• S-05 Yeast

 

[ThenFalcon]

Interesting. Except for the US-05, this resembles a Witbier, which they do mention on their website.

 

[passedpawn]

Interesting. Except for the US-05, this resembles a Witbier, which they do mention on their website.

Try the real thing. It's very good.

 

[MaxStout]

Unfortunately, it's not distributed in my state.

I likes me a good Witbier and might have to try this variant. Anybody have OG/FG numbers or mash temps on this? Is mashing similar to that of a Belgian Wit? Inquiring minds want to know.

Interesting they use Chico yeast, rather than a Belgian strain. Maybe shooting for a more neutral version?

 

[passedpawn]

Unfortunately, it's not distributed in my state.

I likes me a good Witbier and might have to try this variant. Anybody have OG/FG numbers or mash temps on this? Is mashing similar to that of a Belgian Wit? Inquiring minds want to know.

Interesting they use Chico yeast, rather than a Belgian strain. Maybe shooting for a more neutral version?

Def more neutral. Wit fans might not appreciate. I like it a lot.

I'm making a clone this weekend. Might try a few times. If I get close, I'll post a recipe.

 

[ThenFalcon]

I have some Vermont Ale (Conan) yeast ready to use, so I might try brewing this one with that.

 

[passedpawn]

I have some Vermont Ale (Conan) yeast ready to use, so I might try brewing this one with that.

I brewed a batch this morning. 10 gallons. Half is getting S-05, the other half Kolsch yeast. 2nd batch (pale ale) boiling now.

 

[WonkyDonkey]

I brewed a batch this morning. 10 gallons. Half is getting S-05, the other half Kolsch yeast. 2nd batch (pale ale) boiling now.

Really interested to see how this turns out. I had this on my wish list but was struggling to find any info on it, looks like the brewery has been very kind with the recipe they gave to you.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I know, old thread. Thought I'd put down some info I found, in case of future searches for Einstok Icelandic White Ale.

Einstok uses S-05 for their yeast. I asked them directly on their facebook page and this is what I was told.

These are the raw ingredients based on info directly from Einstok. In parenthesis are my amounts. NOTE: this is for a 10g batch.

• ABV = 5.2%
• Pilsner malt (50%)
• Wheat malt (40%)
• Oats (10%)
• Noble hop (tettnanger, 14 IBU )
• Coriander ( 1 oz, boil, 5 min)
• Bitter Orange Peel ( 0.5 oz, boil, 5 min).
• S-05 Yeast

View attachment 761351

That's almost identical to the recipe posted by @Wayne1 for Blue Moon

 

[Onthebrew]

I brewed a batch this morning. 10 gallons. Half is getting S-05, the other half Kolsch yeast. 2nd batch (pale ale) boiling now.

How did it go. I. Trying to brew a crisp white beer along these lines. It’s weird because as a rule I don’t much like witts ( too perfumed) but I absolutely love this one.

 

[passedpawn]

How did it go. I. Trying to brew a crisp white beer along these lines. It’s weird because as a rule I don’t much like witts ( too perfumed) but I absolutely love this one.

Great, it's on tap now. My youngest boy and his girl were house-sitting for me and texted me that if they bought it at a store, they'd be buying more. I made a second batch that is on tap now, doubled the coriander and orange peel (I just use orange peel from local oranges, didn't even measure haha).

Regarding wits, if you use a neutral yeast like S04 or S05, it won't have that funky wit flavor.