First Time Recipe - Belgian Wit

[CeeTee]

Hi all, this is the first time I have put together a recipe, and I would like to know if anything stands out as horribly wrong... I have a smaller stove, so 2-3 gallon boils are where I max out at... Other than that, any insight or tips would be appreciated!!!

Method: Extract
Style: Witbier/Hefe Hybrid
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.017
ABV (standard): 6.3%
IBU (tinseth): 17
SRM (morey): 4

5 lb Dry Malt Extract - Wheat 66.7%
2 lb Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light 26.7%
0.5 lb Carapils (grain)
0.5 lb Honey Malt (grain)
.5 oz Tetnang (bittering) 60 min
.5 oz Tetnang (flavoring) 5 min
4 Orange zest (add at flameout)
1 tbsp Coriander (add at flameout)
White Labs - Hefeweizen Ale Yeast WLP300

Directions:
Steep grains for 30 minutes at 155°F
Remove grains, and bring to boil, add .5oz Tetnang Hops
Boil for thirty minutes
Remove from heat and stir in 2 lbs. Extra Light DME
Boil for 15 minutes
Remove from heat and stir in 5 lbs. Wheat DME
Boil for 10 minutes
Add .5oz Tetnang Hops
Boil for 5 minutes
Remove from heat
Add Orange Zest and Coriander
Cool wort
Pitch Yeast @ 70degF
Ferment at 74-76degF for 14-21 days (or until FG)

 

[CeeTee]

:bump:

 

[motorneuron]

It looks good, and you could definitely do this. I sort of doubt you need the carapils, given that it's got a ton of wheat, which gives a lot of body and head retention on its own. But I don't know--maybe because it's extract, it would be helpful? It might be better to do a mini-mash with a few pounds of wheat, pilsner malt, and flaked oats--a traditional ingredient--if you feel like doing that. Or even just a light malt and oats as a mini-mash, which is what Randy Mosher recommends in his partial mash wit in Radical Brewing. Oats are traditional for the style.

My only other comment is that you might want to use a yeast specific for wit, rather than a hefeweizen yeast. They have somewhat different flavor profiles--hefe yeast can be more about esters (banana), and wit is more about spicy and phenol notes. Try WLP 400 or 410 or Wyeast 3944.

 

[Cordane]

I'm not sure exactly because I'm not looking at a calculator, but I think that 3 oz of Tettnang at 60 minutes is going to produce a LOT more than just 19 IBUs. Be careful with high bitterness in a wit.


Also, go with WLP400 Belgian Wit rather than the hefe strain you selected there.

 

[billl]

I'd nix the carapils and go with a more traditional wit yeast. Nothing wrong with a Hefe, but it just won't taste like a wit.

Definitely add most of the extract at the end of the boil.

If you are going to add the orange and corriander at flameout, make sure you have a good 10 minutes where the wort is going to be hot. If you are using the "cool in the sink" method, you don't have to worry. If you are using an immersion chiller, you might want to move the addition up to @10 minutes.

 

[CeeTee]

Awesome thanks for all the tips. I would agree with the wit style yeast, but the S.O. loves hefe's so I thought I would make a bit of a hybrid. I suppose I shouldn't call it a "Belgian Wit" unless its a traditional wit. Not sure if I want to use a WLP300...but she definitely loves the cloves and banana touches of a hefe yeast.

I believe the lack of IBUs is because i'm only partial boiling and then adding water at the end to bring it up to 5.25 but I'm not an expert on that at all... its just what the calc told me LOL.

and yes, I did put the carapils in there for head retention... You think I may not need any with all the wheat? If I put it in, is there any reason it could hurt the recipe?

Thanks again for all the comments. I hope this turns out as well as I envision it!

 

[motorneuron]

No, I don't think there's any particular reason that the carapils would hurt your beer. I guess it's possible it could make it TOO thick--consider exactly how much body you want. Carapils doesn't contribute to flavor really.

 

[46andbrew]

I would add the coriander and orange peel at 10 or 15 minutes and go with a Belgium wit yeast I just did a black wit it's still fermenting but I used safbrew t50 a dry yeast

 

[CeeTee]

Thanks Motor. I am a big fan of a full bodied beer, but I suppose too much body could be a bad thing... As far as flavor goes, I wasn't really looking to get any flavor out of it, just great head retention...

46andbrew, You would suggest boiling them for 10-15 instead of adding at flameout? I was under the impression steeping them at flameout hinders the bitterness coming out of the peels... Also awesome name! LOL :rockin:

 

[motorneuron]

A note on the peel--you should be using just the ZEST, not any actual PEEL. Zest doesn't contribute bitterness, just aromatic oils; only the white pith underneath it is bitter.

For this reason, don't use the dried peel from LHBS. You're much better off with any fresh citrus (including any old orange, rather than the fancy Seville/sour/bitter/Curacao kind if you can't get that fresh). That's because dried will have a lot of pith attached, and that is the source of the bitterness.

The only reason to add the citrus at any time before flameout is if you're worried about sanitation. But you can let the hot wort sit for a few minutes if you're concerned about that--it will still be hot enough to kill anything. You can also scrub your citrus and then let it sit in sanitizer until you use it.

 

[CeeTee]

Great! I will definitely take your advice and use fresh zest rather than the dried sweet peel from the LHBS. Thanks again!

 

[CeeTee]

Okay, so I updated the recipe and I like how it looks. I tweaked the hops to bring down IBU and I added the process I'll be using. Thanks for all the help and I will post pics once its been conditioned!

 

[CeeTee]

Okay! So I brewed this last night and the orange and coriander smelled like a fruit loop bomb! I made a 500ml starter the night before and I awoke this morning to the gentle CO2 flatulence of the WLP300 gurgling through my blow off tube. Thanks to everyone for the tips and I'll be sure to post some pics after it's bottle conditioned.

 

[CeeTee]

I cracked one of these today to test and it is amazing!!! The coriander and orange peel came through and the body is fantastic!!!! Will be keeping this for future brews! Thanks for all the tips!

 

[CeeTee]

This brew turned out great! Next time I will use more orange zest. Maybe 8 oranges instead of the 4.