Seeking recipe advice - Engagement Wheat!

[Bricks41]

In celebration of my engagement with SWMBO :rockin:, I've formulated the recipe below. This is sort of a blend of what we both like - I like high ABV RIS/DIPA/Barleywine-type beers, she enjoys Hefes with Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier being her goto currently.

I've asked her for any twists she would like - looking at something like .5oz of sweet orange peel or something.

HELP! Going to the LHBS tomorrow and brewing Saturday!

Method: All Grain
Style: Weizen/Weissbier
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons
Boil Size: 6.5 gallons
Efficiency: 70%
Original Gravity: 1.094 Final Gravity: 1.022 ABV (standard): 9.47% IBU (tinseth): 25.13 SRM (morey): 8.92 Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
8 lb Vienna 35 4 43.2%
8 lb Red Wheat 38 2.5 43.2%
1 lb Flaked Wheat 34 2 5.4%
1 lb Maris Otter Pale 38 3.75 5.4%
0.5 lb Caramel / Crystal 20L 35 20 2.7%

Hops
Amount Variety Time AA Type Use
1.5 oz Fuggles 60 min 4.5 Pellet Boil
1 oz Tettnanger 5 min 4.5 Pellet Aroma
0.5 oz Fuggles 5 min 4.5 Pellet Aroma

Mash Steps
Amount Description Type Temp Time
23.13 qt Infusion 150 F 60 min

Yeast
White Labs - Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast WLP380
Attenuation (avg): 76.5% Flocculation: Low
Optimum Temperature: 66°F - 70°F Starter: Yes

 

[Bricks41]

Bump -- anyone?

 

[Bricks41]

Well I am going to move forward with this receipe... plan is to go to pick up supplies after work, come home and make a 1G starter. My hope is to have about 320-370 billion yeastie friends ready to go by Saturday evening!

Has me starting to think about a stir plate... always something else to purchase!

 

[billl]

I've been using some Citra to finish summer wheat/wit beers and I really like it. It definitely compliments the citrus.

 

[ludomonster]

The 8lb Vienna malt seems odd. Have you brewed with such a large amount before?

 

[Bricks41]

I think I like the idea of the Citra as a finish.

I have used higher quantity Vienna before, recipe was originally going to be 2-row and Red Wheat. Ultimately I'm at the mercy of the LHBS and what they have in stock.

 

[ludomonster]

It's strange that they don't have enough 2-row in stock. That's the basis of so many beers.

 

[Bricks41]

Sorry guess my typing was crazy.... they have TONS of 2-row... the mercy piece was aimed at the Vienna and/or Red Wheat.

Sometimes I have to troubleshoot on the fly based on what they have. Thankfully their weekly deliveries are Thursday!

 

[dcp27]

I actually really like the vienna choice vs 2-row. I 2nd the citra finish as well

 

[berebrando]

Hope it's not too late. I would probably opt for a yeast that has higher attenuation, or pitch two simultaneously to get it to dry out a little more. That finishing gravity is really high in your recipt and your IBUs should be bumped up to compliment this. I'm thinking you should approach this like a barleywine recipe that has a lot of wheat... a wheat wine, if you insist.

 

[berebrando]

Clarification - by pitch two simultaneously, i mean pitch two different strains, like your hef strain and maybe US-05 to dry it out a little more. And build a big starter, too.

 

[Bricks41]

I have some leftover WB-06 that I can use - about a half a pack in my fridge. Will that help? I'm doing a gallon starter at the moment. I actually had to get WLP300 instead. As far as IBU... I will put .5 oz of leaf Citra 15.6% for 60 min and the other .5 for aroma. This should up the IBU to approximately 47-50. What if I backed off the grain and pitched some sugar to help with the FG?

 

[Bricks41]

Here is the starter... still time to get an answer on the use of remaining WB-06 or reducing the grain bill and supplementing with sugar to produce a dryer FG.

 

[dcp27]

its really up to you. I would bet as is you finish drier than the predicted FG (probably 1.014-1.018), I don't see the WB-06 helping it in anyway. if you want it even drier, sugar will certainly do it.

 

[Bricks41]

What about if I flipped the hop additions... What if I did:

1 oz Citra 15.6% @ 60
1 oz UK Fuggle 4.8% @ 60
1 oz UK Fuggle 4.8% @ 0

 

[berebrando]

I hate to see citra used as a bittering addition. It just holds so many great flavor/aroma characteristics. As for the yeast, it looks like you have a big starter, so you should be fine with the hef yeast.

 

[Bricks41]

Well maybe I'll do a split to get some citra aroma... i like the idea that it would go well with the sweet orange peel. Only using about .25-.33 oz of peel - I don't want to over do it.

 

[Bricks41]

Here's the starter as of 3 minutes ago... what krausen was there has reduced quite a bit. Will put in fridge first thing tomorrow to cold crash before we're ready to go.

 

[Bricks41]

.

 

[Bricks41]

So activity less than 2 hours from pitch... LONG day, ended up 1.084 after boiling for 2 hours or more.... the grind wasn't the issue.... back to the drawing board....

 

[Bricks41]

Update: Pipeline is low so I plan to bottle this weekend. Took a gravity last Saturday, sitting at 1.016 - 9% ABV. Used the opportunity to have a taste since we had some friends from NJ in town. Tasted outstanding!! Can't wait to get these conditioned. Very present banana, nice tropical aroma from the citra and sweet orange peel, not overly sweet, nice color, yum....

"Accidently" purchased 1.25 lbs of hops so might have to experiment with a big IPA or barleywine. All for less than $1.00/oz which is a HUGE savings over the LHBS!! Have some really high %AA to make use of - Apollo, Bravo, Summit and Galena.

 

[ludomonster]

Glad to hear it worked out!

 

[Bricks41]

Thanks - Engagement Wheat was bottled today. It attenuated a bit more than expected, 1.012. This beast is about 9.3% with quite a bit of hotness that should mellow. Banana upfront with a subtle clove shroud - citrus pop from the citra hops and orange peel... delicious!!