Wheat beers

[Ronald C Gregory]

Did a quick search of the recipe forum but was busy at work. I am just curious as to what are common specialty grains for a wheat beer recipe.
Going to be making a wheat beer in June for a family vacation to the beach and plan on making it my first recipe so starting to look at different ideas for the recipe
Any help is appreciated
Thanks in advance

Ron

 

[dmtaylor]

Nothing special required besides the wheat. Prost!

 

[rhys333]

Did a quick search of the recipe forum but was busy at work. I am just curious as to what are common specialty grains for a wheat beer recipe.
Going to be making a wheat beer in June for a family vacation to the beach and plan on making it my first recipe so starting to look at different ideas for the recipe
Any help is appreciated
Thanks in advance

Ron

The grain bills are usually pretty simple, but Vienna and Munich malts are sometimes seen (think dunkelweizen). You might find honey malt in very small amounts as well. As it happens, I'm brewing an American wheat beer this weekend that's 60% wheat, 20% 2-Row and 20% Vienna.

 

[North_of_60]

I just kegged this one two weeks ago. It’s Brad Smiths Wit Beer from BeerSmith, slightly modified. It’s a keeper.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

American wheat, wit, hefeweizen, dunkelweizen, weizenbock, or other?

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Going to be making a wheat beer in June
Ron

Nothing like planning ahead! Plenty of time for practice.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

American wheat, wit, hefeweizen, dunkelweizen, weizenbock, or other?

Most likely an American wheat, I was thinking something with some lemon and citrus aroma to it. And was thinking of carbonation from honey when bottling.

And yes planning ahead mostly as a good excuse to work some smaller batches leading up to it so I perfect the recipe by June

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Most likely an American wheat, I was thinking something with some lemon and citrus aroma to it. And was thinking of carbonation from honey when bottling.

That's important, otherwise most answers will relate to hefeweizen, which is most often just pils malt and wheat malt. I don't brew American wheats, so will bow out of the discussion.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Thank you for the help in pointing out I wasn't quite clear enough in the original post.

 

[hottpeper13]

One of my best beers period, was a wit recipe fermented with BRY97. Grain to glass was 21 days and it was crystal clear. That one used 50% malted wheat 45% Brewers malt, 5% toasted oats. For spices I use Penzeys coriander, lemon and orange peal. I have a love of Cascade and Centennial so those are my go to. Noble ones work but then it wouldn't be an American Wheat.

 

[Jtk78]

50% 2 row
50% wheat malt (I double crushed it)
1.050 OG
Centennial hops to to 15-20 IBU at 60 and a small flame out or whirlpool addition.
1056 yeast
Finished at 1.010
After 3 - 4 days of fermentation, added 1/2 gallon of "Simply Lemonade" to fermenter.

Easy drinking, relatively dry beer with good aroma and a lemon without tasting like a flavor bomb. Real crowd pleaser.

Dont remember the members name, but i got the idea from a lime Wit recipe on here (he used Simply Limeade, which I also tried for my father in law)

Lastly, I saw quite a few wheat beer recipes in the Ale Recipe section, most with multiple pages that are probably loaded with info.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

I'm on the mobile app currently so please bear with any grammar problems in this post.

I'm currently set up for extract brewing so I was thinking
6 lbs of wheat malt extract
10 oz of honey malt
2 oz of citra hops
1 oz summit hops
I was thinking of adding orange and lemon zest as well just not
sure how much if each without an overkill.

1 oz of citra will be full boil the summit and other oz of hops will be added either at 10 minutes or flame out still trying to figure out exact schedule for them.

Would like suggestions and help with every thing above as well as for yeasts.

I am planning on carbonating with honey

 

[bleme]

Adding Citra for anything longer than 15 minutes is a waste. I'd use a cheap bittering hop instead.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Adding Citra for anything longer than 15 minutes is a waste. I'd use a cheap bittering hop instead.

Thanks for that info any suggestions on what bittering hop to use?

 

[bleme]

Magnum is the standard bittering hop, but I will often sub whatever I have extra of in my freezer. For American wheats I aim at 25 IBU's or less. If I am fruiting it for my wife, I'll go 10-15 IBU.

 

[hottpeper13]

I like the hop choices ,but be careful on that honey malt, it's powerful. I make a Kolsch with it and started with 8 oz and am currently using 4 oz in a 5 gal batch. I find that honey malt tastes more like honey then adding honey. I use it in some of my lagers instead of doing a decoction, but only 2-3 oz.

 

[jimmyjusa]

I just did a wheat beer yesterday, throwing stuff together.
5 lbs malted white wheat
3 lbs pale 2 row
2 lbs light munich
4 ounces of crystal malt because i have an open bag from a brew last week
1 oz mandarina Bavaria at 60
1 oz mandarina Bavaria at f.o.
2 oz calypso at f.o.
Us05 yeast i top cropped from my other batch i just did
Nothing really traditional about it, but hoping it turns out good

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

I just did a wheat beer yesterday, throwing stuff together.
5 lbs malted white wheat
3 lbs pale 2 row
2 lbs light munich
4 ounces of crystal malt because i have an open bag from a brew last week
1 oz mandarina Bavaria at 60
1 oz mandarina Bavaria at f.o.
2 oz calypso at f.o.
Us05 yeast i top cropped from my other batch i just did
Nothing really traditional about it, but hoping it turns out good

please make sure to update us on how it comes out and what you would do differently if anything when its finished. thanks for the recipe ideas

 

[jimmyjusa]

please make sure to update us on how it comes out and what you would do differently if anything when its finished. thanks for the recipe ideas

Will do my best, smelling good from the airlock so far. My hope is orange from the mandarina to go with the fruit flavors that are supposed to come from calypso which can be quite sweet like candy i guess. The goal with the crystal malt is a little sweetness to accentuate those flavors a bit. I'm debating on a dry hop but I'll probably not this time so i have more of a reference to go from.

 

[jimmyjusa]

Quick update, pulled out a few oz to test gravity last night and its sitting at 1.004 or 1.005, starting gravity was 1.057. I think the light munich in the grain bill helps it with the mouthfeel. I'll know better after bottling and conditioning but i do believe this is a solid grain bill. I guess i didn't specify before but i used 4oz of crystal 40 since i have it on hand. I think I'll stick with this for a future batch but swap out the hops to jarrylo and try to get the banana flavors.

 

[charliethebum]

My wheat consists of 9# each marris otter and white wheat malt and 1# honey malt, mashed around 154f, 1oz centennial FWH and 1 oz centennial @ 5 min. fermented low with wlp008. My neighbor who isn't a beer drinker loves it. You could get away with any clean yeaat but the 008 adds a nice bit of tartness that plays nice with the citrus from the centennial 10 gallon batch btw

 

[jimmyjusa]

My wheat consists of 9# each marris otter and white wheat malt and 1# honey malt, mashed around 154f, 1oz centennial FWH and 1 oz centennial @ 5 min. fermented low with wlp008. My neighbor who isn't a beer drinker loves it. You could get away with any clean yeaat but the 008 adds a nice bit of tartness that plays nice with the citrus from the centennial 10 gallon batch btw

It sounds like a more flavorful base malt (maris otter with yours, the added munich with mine) seems like a good counterpart with the wheat, at least with an american wheat beer, maybe less so with hefeweizen or a wit.

 

[charliethebum]

It sounds like a more flavorful base malt (maris otter with yours, the added munich with mine) seems like a good counterpart with the wheat, at least with an american wheat beer, maybe less so with hefeweizen or a wit.

Yeah I definitely prefer a richer maltiness in my American wheat. Never been a huge hefeweizen fan

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Just an Update on my end after talking to one of the brewers at my LHBS. I am going to do 2 different 2 gallon batches between November and December. one will be with magnum hops the other with Warrior hops. I am going to use lemon drop over the summit hops. This is because he felt the summit would be over powered by the citra. going to start with 2lbs of DME and if he body is to light I will add a third for preference on the second 2 gallon batch. I will then compare with my wife which we like better for a full 5 gallon batch to take on vacation.

Ill update after the first brew day in a few weeks.

 

[jimmyjusa]

Sounds like it will be good, the lemondrop should give some good lemon notes, using it for flameout? Dry hop? Definitely interested in how it turns out.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

It's not exactly American, but Edelweiß would give you "something with some lemon and citrus aroma to it...."

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

It's not exactly American, but Edelweiß would give you "something with some lemon and citrus aroma to it...."

thanks for the heads up on this. reading up on the post/thread now

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Sounds like it will be good, the lemondrop should give some good lemon notes, using it for flameout? Dry hop? Definitely interested in how it turns out.

likely right at flame out or just before. no more than 3-5 minutes of the boil. i was planning on 10 minute boil for the citra. and if I dont get enough aroma im going to zest a couple of lemons and oranges when I do a 5 gallon batch

 

[cacp]

My fav so far is a 2.5gal batch (scale to suit)

3lbs 2row
2lbs flaked wheat
0.5lb flaked oats
0.5oz Saaz at 60 min
0.5oz Saab at 10 min
0.5 oz coriander and bitter orange peel at 5min
2 bags of camomile tea at 5min

30 min protein rest
90 min mash at 147
90 min boil

T-58 dry yeast cause I’m lazy

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

My fav so far is a 2.5gal batch (scale to suit)

3lbs 2row
2lbs flaked wheat
0.5lb flaked oats
0.5oz Saaz at 60 min
0.5oz Saab at 10 min
0.5 oz coriander and bitter orange peel at 5min
2 bags of camomile tea at 5min

30 min protein rest
90 min mash at 147
90 min boil

T-58 dry yeast cause I’m lazy

I'm only doing extract brews right now. What would you use for the extract malts in this recipe.
I like the idea of camille tea interesting

 

[tgodsill]

Here is my take on what you said you would like to be the outcome. I would definitely recommend a southern German style wheat beer as opposed to an American version. The German being much more yeasty and full-bodied. This is very subjective so if you disagree just stop reading. You also mentioned a citrus and lemon character you would like to come out in the finished product. Instead of trying to get this from hops why not just add a lemon wedge or a splash of some good lemonade?? I like to mix 1/3 Simply Lemonade with my hefeweizen for a radler. This is especially refreshing in the summer month of June when you said you were going to serve this. I'm referencing an amazing article at the end of this rant. It is for all-grain versions of German hefeweizens, but there is software out there that will convert to extract. Best of luck!
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/hefe-weissbier-bavarian-style.561388/

 

[JimRausch]

Look on the forum for the multi-page thread on 'Bluemoon clone' featuring Nilo and Wayne (don't remember who started it, but those two guys have contributed the most) Simple recipe- 50% pale ale malt, 40% Wheat, 10% oats, 15-20IBUs, coriander and orange peel, clean American yeast. I switch out 1 lb of the 2-row for Vienna just to add a little complexity and color. Lends itself well to various fruit additions, as you can see by my signature.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Here is my take on what you said you would like to be the outcome. I would definitely recommend a southern German style wheat beer as opposed to an American version. The German being much more yeasty and full-bodied. This is very subjective so if you disagree just stop reading. You also mentioned a citrus and lemon character you would like to come out in the finished product. Instead of trying to get this from hops why not just add a lemon wedge or a splash of some good lemonade?? I like to mix 1/3 Simply Lemonade with my hefeweizen for a radler. This is especially refreshing in the summer month of June when you said you were going to serve this. I'm referencing an amazing article at the end of this rant. It is for all-grain versions of German hefeweizens, but there is software out there that will convert to extract. Best of luck!
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/hefe-weissbier-bavarian-style.561388/

I will look into that article later. I thought about adding in lemon and orange juice or even concentrate but wasn't sold on having that much of a fruit flavor to this specific beer. I may end up putting the wedges in as I'll be zesting the fruit myself since my wife has what I need in the kitchen to do so.
Thanks for the response. And I mostly going with an American wheat because most of my family isn't the craft beer crowd and I know they enjoy that style of beer.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Look on the forum for the multi-page thread on 'Bluemoon clone' featuring Nilo and Wayne (don't remember who started it, but those two guys have contributed the most) Simple recipe- 50% pale ale malt, 40% Wheat, 10% oats, 15-20IBUs, coriander and orange peel, clean American yeast. I switch out 1 lb of the 2-row for Vienna just to add a little complexity and color. Lends itself well to various fruit additions, as you can see by my signature.

Will do thanks for the tip

 

[jimmyjusa]

Update on my current wheat batch, nice and smooth. The mouthfeel isn't too thin to me even finishing at 1.004 or so. Hops are definitely mild tasting and not overwhelming. If i repeat the batch i would either add more at flameout or maybe dry hop, alternatively maybe a different hop along with the calypso to add more complexity would be good. Some sips i could taste caramel but I'll have to really sit with one to truly assess, to bad my better half enjoys them so much she gets all of them and I'm trying to drink up my last batch that was my least favorite so far.

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

Update on my current wheat batch, nice and smooth. The mouthfeel isn't too thin to me even finishing at 1.004 or so. Hops are definitely mild tasting and not overwhelming. If i repeat the batch i would either add more at flameout or maybe dry hop, alternatively maybe a different hop along with the calypso to add more complexity would be good. Some sips i could taste caramel but I'll have to really sit with one to truly assess, to bad my better half enjoys them so much she gets all of them and I'm trying to drink up my last batch that was my least favorite so far.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm brewing a 2 gallon wheat batch on the 17th of November. Will post the exact recipe when I brew it, as I'm tossing around a few hop choices after talking to the guys at my LHBS. Also need to remember to borrow my mother-in-laws thing for zesting the fruit. Going to add the zest of an orange and lemon during the boil. Seeing as I always have them in the house fresh as we can get I dont see the point in buying the zest from the shop

 

[Ronald C Gregory]

After some advice from a brewing friend I put off my first recipe a little longer. Just made this wheat beer today
2lbs wheat extract
1lbs light extract
0.4 oz crystal hops (60 min)
0.4 oz citra hops (15 min)
0.5 oz lemon drop hops at flame out.
Cara 10l 0.5lbs
Honey malt 0.5lbs steeped for 20 minutes
Us-05 dry yeast
For a 3 gallon batch