Rye Wit?

[LupulinMan]

I originally intended to brew a Roggenbier, but my homebrew shop was out of hefe yeast. I have all the ingredients (60% rye, 40% pils), and was thinking of using my favorite wit yeast (Wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit) in place of the hefe yeast. Basically I'd be making a Belgian Wit using rye instead of wheat.

Wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts/experience using rye in a Witbier?

 

[m00ps]

A belgian wit really needs a mix of flaked wheat and wheat

that being said, I think it would be interesting. Definitely more spicy, but be careful with a thickness from the rye. Do a protein rest in the mash or you may get a nyquil-ish mouthfeel to your beer.

I like forbidden fruit. Super fruity, mostly berries to me, with a bit of spice. It smells like a dirty sock full of farts when its fermenting though

 

[IslandLizard]

Actually, you'll be making a Belgian Rye. You may want to use hops to play into the spiciness from the rye or fruitiness from the 3463.

 

[user 224599]

A belgian wit really needs a mix of flaked wheat and wheat

that being said, I think it would be interesting. Definitely more spicy, but be careful with a thickness from the rye. Do a protein rest in the mash or you may get a nyquil-ish mouthfeel to your beer.

I like forbidden fruit. Super fruity, mostly berries to me, with a bit of spice. It smells like a dirty sock full of farts when its fermenting though

I'm going to have to use that one. It may prove more useful than "the urinal cake in a Tijuana asparagus factory."

 

[LupulinMan]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I know a wit is typically wheat, I have a nice one in the keg now, which where this yeast came from. Guess instead of rye wit, I should have said belgian rye -- that would be more accurate, as I don't plan on adding any corriander or orange peel to this beer.

My whole reason for wanting to make a roggenbier was to try a style I've never made before. Was going to wait until the hefe yeast came in, but then decided I wanted to see what kind of flavors I'd get from the rye with the forbidden fruit yeast.

And yes, your description of that yeast fermenting is spot on!

I do have some Citra and Simcoe hops in the freezer. Maybe I'll add some at the end of the boil, but I don't want this to turn into a rye ipa or belgian ipa.