Wit Beer Seasoning Questions

[DZzero15]

Brewed a wit beer using a partial mash yesterday and I think it turned out OK. I wanted the beer to be spice subtle so I placed the coriander and bitter orange peel the recipe called for in a muslin bag and added it to the boil during the last five minutes and then removed it. I am beginning to think that the spice flavor may now be a little too subtle. Should I add some more when transferring to the secondary? I was even thinking of adding some fresh orange zest to the secondary to add a more "fresh" tasting citrus flavor. Any suggestions?

Also, I have a recurring problem burning malt extract. I think I got a little more burnt than normal during this brew. Usually it doesn't seem to impart many off flavors since I recognize the problem and start stirring quickly. Any suggestions for future brews? I don't think it should affect this one too much, but I think the caramelized malts may impart a darker color to the final product. Maybe I'll use brown sugar as a primer and embrace the darker color / caramelized malt flavor. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the input on my first ever post to HBT. If you have any good wit beer recipes, feel free to share--see mine below.

-Cheers

Wit Beer Recipe

6 lbs. wheat malt extract
1 lb. unmalted wheat grain
3/4 oz. coriander seeds (crush & add during last 5 minutes of boil)
3/4 oz. dried bitter orange peel (add during last 5 minutes of boil)
1 oz. Saaz hops (bittering)
3/4 cup corn sugar
1 pkg White Labs Belgian Wit
1 pkg. Bru-Vigor (yeast food)
O.G. - 1.046 -- F. G. - 1.011

 

[scinerd3000]

if you burnt the exctract bad you could get some burnt flavor in the beer- dont worry though, i did thay with my first batch and it turned out ok...just a little different. If it was me i would boil some water and then steep the coriander and orange peel in there and then add that to the fermentor. The downside to doin it that way is sanitation since your not actually boiling the water after the addition you could introduce pathogens but i havent had an issue yet. Adding fresh zest will give you flavor also- if your going that route i would add it at the end of primary and then rack off the zest after a week or so into secondary. Good luck

 

[brewjunky]

for the most part I think spices are added at like the last 10 mins of the boil. I just did an Orange pale ale that I used a hops sack to added the coriander and orange peel.

you can also add spices to the secondary but from what I here they should be soaked in vodka and then add the solution.

 

[DZzero15]

Both the vodka solution and the boiling sound like good ideas. I think I may just have a taste when I transfer. I guess it seems like common practice to remove the spices so I think it may end up being fine the way it is. I may try the vodka technique for my first recipe I develop... grapefruit IPA.

 

[Homercidal]

I boiled my stuff for 10 minutes as well. I had a problem scorching my beer too. I used to use a SS kettle that was pretty thin. The problem is that SS doesn't distribute the heat as well as Aluminum, and thin SS allows the heat to come right through and heat the wort almost directly.

My extract Wits' always seemed a bit darker, and the last one even more so, probably because I straddled two burners to get the boil going.

Now I got a Turkey fryer and when I do a Wit again, AG, we'll see how light it turns out.

 

[TheH2]

I usually place spices in the last minute or two of the boil. I don't really want to cook the spices.

As for adding more. I recently had a wit with way too much spice, tasted like I was eating straight coriander (Wolaver's I believe). So, I'd personally say take notes of what you put in and let the yeast do its thing. If it needs more spice add it to the next brew. You can get some good flavors from a Wit yeast, which I prefer. But this is why we homebrew so we can do a beer however we want.

Out of curiosity, How much spice did you add?

 

[DZzero15]

I used to use a SS kettle that was pretty thin. The problem is that SS doesn't distribute the heat as well as Aluminum, and thin SS allows the heat to come right through and heat the wort almost directly.

Now I got a Turkey fryer and when I do a Wit again, AG, we'll see how light it turns out.

Good thinking with the gas / kettle! I think the kettle is a big part of it (mine is cheap enamel) but the burner is an even big part. Gas heat is much more even and if my next apartment doesn't have it, I may get myself a Turkey frier as well.

Another thought: I may start adding the extract earlier and remove the wort from the heat when I do so... this will probably help some.

 

[DZzero15]

Out of curiosity, How much spice did you add?

Just .75 oz of coriander and bitter orange peel. I but them in a muslin bag and added them during the last 5 minutes of the boil and removed them. I wanted to be "less spicy" as I think some wit beers definitely overdo the spices and taste more like dishwater than beer. I was just worried if they weren't in the primary, I would be able to taste them in the final product. Sounds like I'm in the clear though. I still may add a little (and I do mean a little) fresh orange zest... we'll see if the mood strikes me.

 

[Scotty_g]

You can help lighten up your beers if you take the kettle off the heat when you add the DME. Also, the larger the volume you boil (closer to 5 gallons) the lighter the beer will be. Finally, if you do a split addition and put some of the DME in late you will reduce scorching.

I've made a clone of Blanche de Bruges (mmm!) that uses two additions of orange peel and coriander--1/4 tsp crushed coriander and 1/4 oz bitter orange @ 15 minutes and another 1/2 tsp and 1/2 oz at 3 min.

It also uses 1 tsp crushed grains of paradise and 1/4 tsp crushed whole cumin seed 15 min; these add a little more body and richness to the flavor.

 

[FxdGrMind]

I've been taking 1.5 gal of 170 deg water to wash the LME and DME (blend) together in a second pot (off the heat) then pour and stir into the 5 gal in the boil pot vigorously before the point of boil. I have no issues with burning on the bottom as my, Very Thin, aluminum pot on the turkey fryer shows no burning on the bottom.

Try it, you even get to wash the containers to get all the LME! =) I'm stingy.

 

[pericles]

I use a similar recipe for my Sarcasm and Dry Wit. Like you, I the add coriander and bitter orange at 5min; because I chill the wort using an ice-bath (which takes a while), I leave the spices in during that process, which adds a little extra flavor. I also add 2gm of seeds of paradise, which ups the spice flavor a little bit.