Wheat

[cutarecord]

Putting together a Wheat recipe for a friends graduation party. needs to be brew in the next week to be done on time. any suggestions/critique?

5.5 Gal Batch (Steeping grains, sparging with 4 QT) = kinda a pseudo batch sparge

1LB 10.4 oz Pale 2 Row (2.0 SRM)
1LB 10.4 oz Wheat, Flaked (16 SRM)
4 LBS 6.2 oz Wheat Extract (DME)
0.5 oz Magnum Hops (60 Min Boil)
0.75 Saaz Hops (10 Aroma)
Whirlfloc
WYeast 1010 American Wheat Ale Starter (1200 ml 48 Hours 4oz Extract)

Beersmith Predictions:

OG: 1.050
22.4 IBU
5.7 SRM
5.1% ABV

PS. I will also be using this batch to measure, for the first time, Brewhouse Efficiency. Any tips about this?

 

[jwalker1140]

Afraid I can't offer much advice concerning your recipe, but this is how I determine my total efficiency using Beersmith.

I pour the wort into the fermenter, add my top up water, mix thoroughly and take a gravity reading before adding the yeast. Then I adjust the number in the "Tot Efficiency" box near the top of the recipe screen until the "Est Original Gravity" number below equals my hydrometer reading. Once the est original gravity number equals my reading, I have my efficiency number. That's how I do it, but I'm interested in hearing what more experienced brewers have to say.

 

[cutarecord]

Well I think that's part of it but there are a few more factors involved from what I understand. You need to know how much loss is from boil off, sparging, mash out, grain absorption, and fermentation loss. That's just how I understand it anyhow. It's basically the actual output of all those factors divided by the potential output.

 

[jwalker1140]

You may be right, but I don't see why you need to be concerned about all those other variables in this specific context when all you have to do is take a gravity reading at the end (i.e., measure the 'actual output' directly). Certainly, all those other things will have an effect on the actual output but it's all captured in that gravity reading (e.g., do a crappy spage and it will show in the form of a lower gravity reading). When I look at my phone bill I don't need to add up $10 for taxes, $20 for local and $30 for long distance to determine that I owe $60. Sure, I could. Or, I could just look at the 'amount due' line. I still believe that all you really need to measure accurately for this is your batch size and grain amounts, and your gravity of course. All that said, I'm very willing to be convinced otherwise. Anything to help me brew better beer!