What have i made now?

[Saffersa]

Hello all
Normally I come looking for ideas before I do a brew, but today I'm wondering if anyone can do a bit of forecasting on a made-up recipe.
I was given a bucket of various samples of malts and hops from friend who works at a restaurant with a brewery attached.
I managed to salvage 3.7 Kg of pale wheat, 2kg Vienna and 200gr of Carafa special type 2, and 40 gr Saaz and 20gr Smaragd.
In the spirit of adventure, I dropped all the malt into the mash for 1 hr at 64°C, with a batch sparge at 72°C for 30min.
I had some various hops left over, so put in 30gr Northern Brewer at 55 min, 20 gr Saaz at 25 min, 20 gr Smaragd at 20 min, 20gr Saaz and 20gr Saphir at 15 min, and whirlpooled 15 Citra and 15gr Mandarina Bavaria at 75°C for 25 min.
Pitched with 11.5 gr of S-33 .
Spec gravity was 1.054.
I'd never used Carafa, or any other really dark malts, before so I was interested to see how dark the 200gr would turn a 25L batch, and wow is it dark.
Is this in the vein of a brown ale?
I'd appreciate any insight.
Keep well.

 

[McKnuckle]

Like any kitchen sink brew, it's a mish-mash of styles. The grain bill of 63% wheat, 34% Vienna, and 3% Carafa II initially had the makings of a dunkelweizen with perhaps a bit more roast than usual.

But you then tossed in an absolute ton of hops, from all over the map flavor-wise at that. And you're fermenting with a neutral, high attenuation ale yeast. So those two major factors cancel out any traditional weissbier leanings.

It's a hoppy dark wheat ale at this point, not sure if there's a style name that would lend more clarity to the situation. Could be good of course!

 

[jrgtr42]

Don't know quite what you have, I'll go with Mc|Knuckle with, "Dark hoppy wheat"
But honestly, it doesn't really matter what it is unless you're entereing it into a competition.
Read Charlie Papazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing, and you'll see a lot of his recipes don't really fit comfortably into the style chart.
I don't know quite how all those hops are going to play together - some are citrus forward, others are more piney or grassy. It may work out great, it may not. I look forward to an update.

 

[Saffersa]

Like any kitchen sink brew, it's a mish-mash of styles. The grain bill of 63% wheat, 34% Vienna, and 3% Carafa II initially had the makings of a dunkelweizen with perhaps a bit more roast than usual.

But you then tossed in an absolute ton of hops, from all over the map flavor-wise at that. And you're fermenting with a neutral, high attenuation ale yeast. So those two major factors cancel out any traditional weissbier leanings.

It's a hoppy dark wheat ale at this point, not sure if there's a style name that would lend more clarity to the situation. Could be good of course!

Hi McKnuckle
Thanks for your input. Yup, a real mish-mash. Had no plans for this, as it was literally dropped on my doorstep by the neighbour. Sat on my workbench getting in the way, so I decided to make use of it over the weekend.
I did a Weiss with the wheat and Vienna a few months back, using just the Saphir and Northern Brewer, and that was hella tasty, so I thought I'd just see what happens if I add some of this and that- like drunken college cooking.
Also never used s33 yeast before, normally stick with us5 etc, so very much an experiment brew.
I think a " hoppy dark wheat ale" sounds pretty tasty, but I'll keep you posted when I crack 1 open.

 

[Saffersa]

Don't know quite what you have, I'll go with Mc|Knuckle with, "Dark hoppy wheat"
|But honestly, it doesn't really matter what it is unless you're entereing it into a competition.
Read Charlie P|apazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing, and you'll see a lot of his recipes don't really fit comfortably into the style chart.
I don't know quite how all those hops are going to play together - some are citrus forward, others are more piney or grassy. It may work out great, it may not. I look forward to an update.

Hi jrtr42
Thanks for the input.
I like McKnuckles description- works for me.
No competition, just me and my tastebuds, and whoever happens to pop in.
Will look for Charlie's book and have a read- is it available online do you know?
I'm new to brewing ( only started after Lockdown passed here in South Africa, and I think I'm onto brew 8 or 9 now, so I'm having a lot of fun experimenting and learning.
When I crack 1 open, I'll post up a pic.
Keep well

 

[jrgtr42]

Hi jrtr42
Thanks for the input.
I like McKnuckles description- works for me.
No competition, just me and my tastebuds, and whoever happens to pop in.
Will look for Charlie's book and have a read- is it available online do you know?
I'm new to brewing ( only started after Lockdown passed here in South Africa, and I think I'm onto brew 8 or 9 now, so I'm having a lot of fun experimenting and learning.
When I crack 1 open, I'll post up a pic.
Keep well

I don't know that Papazian's book is online. But the other essential book for homebrewers, John Palmer's How To Brew, is, though it's the first edition. There are many things he says in there that he's changed his mind over in the intervening years. I think he's at 5th edition. HOwever, it's still worth an online read, and I recommend buying the latest version. I've been brewing for almost 15 years now and I still refer to both of them.
Palmer is more of a numbers guy - explaining WHY to do certain things, while Papazian is more of a feel guy - he doesn't worry about styles or numbers and such.

 

[Saffersa]

I don't know that Papazian's book is online. But the other essential book for homebrewers, John Palmer's How To Brew, is, though it's the first edition. There are many things he says in there that he's changed his mind over in the intervening years. I think he's at 5th edition. HOwever, it's still worth an online read, and I recommend buying the latest version. I've been brewing for almost 15 years now and I still refer to both of them.
Palmer is more of a numbers guy - explaining WHY to do certain things, while Papazian is more of a feel guy - he doesn't worry about styles or numbers and such.

Hey hey
Read Palmers online book early on, before even buying my first batch of ingredients- oh the Joy's of an SA Lockdown ( all brewery supplies shut down, as did almost everything else), but yes would like to get an updated edition.
Got the idea for my copper manifold from Palmers book.
Will try to find Papazian book and give a read, cant hurt to have both the whys and the feels.
Many thanks friend.

 

[Saffersa]

Greetings all
An update, if you're interested:
McKnuckle called right- dark, hoppy, wheat ale is what it is.
It's good, but tbh the colour sets you up for a moment of ...underwhelming puzzlement. When you pour a bottle, the colour is very dark, not quite black but close, so you instinctively expect Porter, Stout etc taste. Instead you get a nice sort-of-wheaty taste that has a hint of something that you just cant name ( which I assume is the effect of the tiny amount of Carafa added in). Anyways, it good down a treat as a nightcap. Ps pls excuse the monster head, I cant remember why, but it looks like I threw it into the glass.