Recipe Feedback, extract, Amber Wheat

[TheWeeb]

Greetings,

At the south side Rock Bottom the brewmaster does an annual (spring) Amber Wheat that is pretty darn good. I have searched this forum for something similar, and did not find any recipes, so I put this one together myself. Please provide feedback!

Goal: Create an amber variant of a Bavarian Hefe; that is, solid malty backbone with the flavors of a wheat (banana, clove) and minimum bitterness. Color should be a nice red.

Ingredients:

3 lbs wheat DME
3 lbs pale LME
1 lb Munich 10L
8 oz Victory malt
8 oz Caramel 60L malt
4 oz Biscuit malt
1 oz Hallertau @ 60 (bittering, used in many wheat beers)
.25 oz Warrior @ 60 to boost the IBUs
1 oz US Fuggles @ 10 (aromatic, earthy, woody)
Yeast: A Bavarian wheat

From the Hopville calculator that I use:

Actual OG 1.058 @ 75 degrees
Estimated FG: 1.015
SRM: 10
IBU: 19.7
ABV: 5.7%

Edit: Based on feedback, added half a pound of Caramalt 60L and increased final hop addition to 1 oz. A perfect 10 in color, a bit more bitterness to back up the additional malt, yet should still be in the high end range for a hefe.

Suggestions?

Many thanks!

 

[Justibone]

Looks pretty good! I don't know how Williamette will taste in a wheat but I guess you'll find out.

As for darker color, maybe some Crystal 60L? My LHBS suggests this:

http://www.greatfermentations.com/Muntons-Crystal-60L-lb/productinfo/1946C/

 

[DrawTap88]

+1 to adding some mid-range crystal/caramel malt. I used 70L in the caramel amber I just made and it has a really nice redish color to it.

I've never had the beer you're trying to recreate so I will not comment on recreating the hop schedule. I will say that in my hefes the Hallertau doesn't add so much to the bitterness or flavor (good thing as I wasn't shooting for bitterness/flavor), but you can tell it's there. If you're looking to get more bitterness add another ounce @ 60. I've also never used Willamete at the time you specified or at any time before the mark set in that caramel amber.

 

[TheWeeb]

Great input; should I use the Crystal 60 in place of some of the steeping grains, or in addition? As for the Willamette, some ambers use it (Moose Drool comes to mind) and some browns; but I guess I simply have never used the variety before and wanted to give it a shot. Some have described them as "dirt hops" but I think in such a small amount the earthyness would add interest to the malty banana clove profile.

 

[Justibone]

Great input; should I use the Crystal 60 in place of some of the steeping grains, or in addition?

Meh, crank up the G's!! MOAR AL-KAH-HAWL!!! Woot!

No, seriously, I'd say in addition would be good. It won't add that much sugar. Then again, if you're in CO, you're at altitude and get drunk faster... so...

 

[TheWeeb]

Awesome, punched in a half pound addition and hit SRM 10 dead on. Increased the hops a bit as well, modified the original post to show the changes. This should be a very interesting brew!

Edit: Can't wait, just ordered the ingredients, had to sub fuggle for willamante; and LME comes in 3.3 lb containers so when punched into the calculator I upped the volume to 5.5 gallons; all said and done, 5.7% ABV 10 SRM and 10.4 IBU. Since this will be bottled in traditional half liter bottles, the end cost per bottle is 93 cents; which now becomes the name. ....

 

[DrawTap88]

Fantastic! Looks good. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Justibone]

I like Fuggles better than Willamette. Does look good, though!!

 

[TheWeeb]

brewed today; had to sub the Fuggles for the Willa; added a 1/4 oz of Warrior @ 60 to up the IBUs to in between a Hefe and the range for American Amber. This should be interesting!