Weizen - Wheat vs Pilsner

[Walshi99]

Hi,

I’m looking to make a weizen and most of the recipes show more or less a 50:50 split between Pilsner malt and wheat.

Is there any danger / reasons why the % of wheat cannot go as high as say 70% of the total grain bill?

Also will more wheat result in it being more orange than yellow in colour?

Regards

 

[chthon]

I brewed a weizen with 70% wheat and 30% pilsner, without much problems, not even BIAB.

Wheat is lower in colour than pilsner, your wheat beer will be lighter in colour. I use wheat in a Duvel clone to get a lighter colour.

 

[Jack Arandir]

The only danger I know of using too much wheat is getting a stuck mash and not having enough enzymes to convert the starches. I brewed a weizenbock with 60% wheat and had no issues. I have heard of 70% wheat beers. Try it and see how you like it. Worst case, toss in some rice hulls to improve your sparge.

 

[Sammy86]

You can definitely go 70-30 wheat-pils. Personally, i like the flavor profile 50/50 split gives...but as many here before have said:

It's your beer, do what YOU want!

 

[Bassman2003]

I like the higher percentage of wheat. Adds a little more twang (not to be confused with homebrew wang!)

 

[AlexKay]

The only danger I know of using too much wheat is getting a stuck mash and not having enough enzymes to convert the starches. I brewed a weizenbock with 60% wheat and had no issues. I have heard of 70% wheat beers. Try it and see how you like it. Worst case, toss in some rice hulls to improve your sparge.

Malted wheat has a ton of enzymes. Grodziskie is 100% malted wheat. If you BIAB, stuck mashes are not a problem! (Though the bag can take quite some time to drain.)

 

[Protos]

Also will more wheat result in it being more orange than yellow in colour?

The more wheat you use, the paler colour you get.
A 100% wheat Grätzer is paler than a traditional (50/50) Weissbier.
No orange hues whatsoever.

I brew 100% Wheat Grätzers and Wheatwines. With BIAB, there's no such thing as stuck sparge.
I like my 100% Wheatwines much more than classic Wheat-and-Barley Wheatwines.
I was thinking of brewing a 100% Wheat Lager once but didn't try thinking it might come out too tart to my liking.

 

[Walshi99]

I brewed a weizen with 70% wheat and 30% pilsner, without much problems, not even BIAB.

Wheat is lower in colour than pilsner, your wheat beer will be lighter in colour. I use wheat in a Duvel clone to get a lighter colour.

Thank you very much for your reply. What would give some of the Weizens I try the orange colour / tones? Bit of Munich / Vienna perhaps?

 

[chthon]

Thank you very much for your reply. What would give some of the Weizens I try the orange colour / tones? Bit of Munich / Vienna perhaps?

Yes, I think that is also what is done commercially.