Help with my first "original" batch

[spaullba]

Hey guys,

I started brewing very recently and have completed two successful batches of beer; one an Amber Ale Brewers Best kit, and another a grapefruit IPA with the help from the nice people at the local homebrew supply store.

I now want to make my own beer with ingredients I choose on my own (obviously with research behind it). I am looking to make a slightly hoppy, hybrid wheat beer. Here are the ingredients I have entered into beersmith and the specs it gave me:

60 minute boil
4lbs liquid wheat extract (60 minutes)
3 lbs dry wheat extract (30 minutes)
0.5 oz Centennial (boiling hops)
0.5 oz Sorachi ace (30 minutes)
0.5 oz Sorachi ace (aroma)
0.4 oz Coriander
1.5 oz bitter orange peel
White Labs 320 American Hefeweizen (or 300 for more banana flavor? suggestions?)

According to beersmith I get:
OG:1.055 IBU: 26 Color: 7.8SRM ABV: 5.45%

How does it look? From what I have read I think this will give me a nice citrusy, spicy wheat beer with a decent bitterness to it

I feel like I should I add some specialty grains to help with head retention but am unsure which kind an how much. Any help there?


Is there any difference between putting the LME in at the beginning of the boil and the DME with about 30 minutes left versus DME first and LME half way?

Thanks!

 

[two_one_seven]

You could use carapils (aka dextrin malt) This will add a slight sweet note and aid head retention. The 30 min hop addition I would move to 15 or so and the aroma addition I would do around flameout. I really like the WLP 300 it is super tasty (IMO). Not sure on the extract question as I have been all grain brewing for too long to recall the best strategy for adding this to the boil.

 

[sptaylor70]

The only think I'd add to 217 is that Sorachi Ace is strong juju. I have a brewing friend who used it to make a beer that he refers to as liquid lemon pie. Tasty, but you need to be ready for the lemonocity.

 

[two_one_seven]

It is considered a substitute for citra........I haven't played with it any but I have had a couple of beers with it and would agree that it is pretty citriusy.

 

[Beernik]

Sorachi strikes me as lemon-pepper.

Between the Sorachi, Centennial, corriander, & orange peel, I don't think I'd worry about trying to accentuate banana flavor of the yeast. Otherwise, I say go for it.

 

[spaullba]

Should I be concerned that it will turn out too citrusy between the sorachi, orange peel, and coriander? Thanks for the replies and happy 4th!

 

[Beernik]

I think you're fine. I think you are going to get a beer that blends characteristics of an American Hefeweizen and a Belgian Wit.

It's creative. Try it.

 

[drainbamage]

Sorachi as an aroma addition gives a lemongrass character with a little bit of dill. Even though this doesn't fit in any BJCP categories, it sounds like a good summer beer. The WLP 320 gives a cleaner fermentation than the Belgian wheat or German hefe yeasts, so you won't get quite as many esters out of it, but it should work well with the hops you've got.