# Using Czech Saaz In A Wheat Beer



## WarmBeer (2/2/11)

I'm thinking of brewing a wheat beer this weekend, my first ever (so sue me, I like English ales...)

Having a large stock of hops in the freezer, I would prefer to use what I currently have, rather than buy more unnecessarily. I've currently got about 250gm of Czech Saaz just sitting there, and was wondering how this would go in a fairly standard Hefeweizen style recipe:

50% JW wheat
25% JW vienna
25% JW pils

15 IBU's of Saaz @ 60 mins
10gm Saaz @ 10 mins

Single infusion mash at 66 degrees for 60 mins, batch sparge

Ferment at 18 degrees with T-58 , or maybe 3068 Weihenstephan if I'm feeling flush when I get to Grain & Grape.

Any thoughts on appropriateness of the hops selection or recipe?


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## shavey147 (2/2/11)

WarmBeer said:


> 15 IBU's of Saaz @ 60 mins
> 10gm Saaz @ 10 mins
> 
> 
> Any thoughts on appropriateness of the hops selection or recipe?



WarmBeer,

While I haven't done an AG wheat beer, I've just started drinking an extract Weizen that was brewed using Les the Weizguy's RE Weizen recipe from the database that only has 25g addition of Czech Saaz @ 60 minutes. Has ended up being a great beer and would quite happily do this one again with just the Saaz, the additions that you've got should end up with a good quaffer. I used the WB-06 yeast, only because I couldn't get my hands on any T58 at the time (haven't used T-58 before so can't comment on any difference in flavours that you may get)


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## manticle (2/2/11)

WarmBeer said:


> I'm thinking of brewing a wheat beer this weekend, my first ever (so sue me, I like English ales...)
> 
> Having a large stock of hops in the freezer, I would prefer to use what I currently have, rather than buy more unnecessarily. I've currently got about 250gm of Czech Saaz just sitting there, and was wondering how this would go in a fairly standard Hefeweizen style recipe:
> 
> ...



I think any noble hop would work. I'd get the 3068. If you want standard hefe then I'd just stick with the single [email protected]

My vote also goes for decoction step mashing with a ferulic acid rest to start.


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## Pennywise (2/2/11)

Recipe looks good IMO WarmBeer. I have to agree with sticking to a 60 min addition though, even more so if you are going to use the 3068 (and you really should, because it's an effin' mad yeast). I've found anything under 18C with 3068 is quite clovey, so I like to ferment at 20 for massive bannana hit.


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## WarmBeer (2/2/11)

manticle said:


> I think any noble hop would work. I'd get the 3068. If you want standard hefe then I'd just stick with the single [email protected]
> 
> My vote also goes for decoction step mashing with a ferulic acid rest to start.


Thanks for the advice, guys.

Be nice if the RecipeDB were searchable by decent criteria, say entering "Saaz" and "Wheat" as ingredients. h34r: 

Might try the ferulic acid rest, will depend on time available.


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## Nick JD (3/2/11)

2c, but if it were me I'd save the Cz Saaz for a recipe where you can taste it and bitter the hefe to 15 IBUs with something high AA%. 

I gave up using large amounts of noble hops to get 12-15 IBUs due to them being such low AA that a lot needs to be used ($$) and with the banana and cloves and low IBUs it really doesn't matter which hop is used as the style shouldn't exhib any hop flavour or aroma. 

I usually use PoR for 60+ minutes. That Saaz late in a Pils would be :icon_drool2:


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## Pennywise (3/2/11)

I use 10g Warrior in heaps of my beers @ 60 mins, can't taste it, and bumps the IBU up a lot at times. Sorry for furthur :icon_offtopic:


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## beerbrewer76543 (3/2/11)

Depending on style you may want to use certain hops for bittering to get some hints of flavour / aroma coming through in the final product, like Spalt for an Alt for example. Getting 50 IBU from a 4%AA hops takes a lot of hops though!


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## Pennywise (3/2/11)

Agreed, there's some beer styles that this method prolly wouldn't go well in, and would be noticable. I'm just lucky I rarely/never brew these


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## schooey (3/2/11)

I find that bittering with a low AA german hop in a Hefe gives that nice subtle background bitterness that compliments the tartness of the wheat. Admittedly, never done it with Saaz; only Hallertau, Tettnang and Perle. The Perle had the most noticable bitterness and slightly out of balance of the three, and since then I've only stuck with the first two.

You have 350gr of Saaz... it's only going to take ~40gr/23L to get it to 15 IBU. Hardly breaking the bank and I reckon it'll give you that nice subtle zesty bitterness you want in yur Hefe. I'd forget the late addition too.... Grain bill looks great to me also. I'd also go with a step mash and if it were me, I'd ferment it at 18C with 3068 and feed it 500gr of Dex on day two... 

Using some of that Saaz in a Pils would also be a great idea... :icon_drool2:


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## WarmBeer (3/2/11)

schooey said:


> I find that bittering with a low AA german hop in a Hefe gives that nice subtle background bitterness that compliments the tartness of the wheat. Admittedly, never done it with Saaz; only Hallertau, Tettnang and Perle. The Perle had the most noticable bitterness and slightly out of balance of the three, and since then I've only stuck with the first two.
> 
> You have 350gr of Saaz... it's only going to take ~40gr/23L to get it to 15 IBU. Hardly breaking the bank and I reckon it'll give you that nice subtle zesty bitterness you want in yur Hefe. I'd forget the late addition too.... Grain bill looks great to me also. I'd also go with a step mash and if it were me, I'd ferment it at 18C with 3068 and feed it 500gr of Dex on day two...
> 
> Using some of that Saaz in a Pils would also be a great idea... :icon_drool2:


Managed to get the Saaz as part of an import with a bunch of other hops, my main motivation with these was to brew up some Pils or Helles style lagers.

However, as I am about to buy my keg system, I want to brew something quick to fill my second keg, and the lead time on a Pils puts it out of contention for now. It's definitely on my "brew queue".

Will drop the late addition, try and acquire some 3068, and hopefully go 10 days from grain to brain


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## Nick JD (3/2/11)

WarmBeer said:


> Will drop the late addition, try and acquire some 3068, and hopefully go 10 days from grain to brain



3068 is a supurb yeast - you will love it. One thing though - _fermenter headspace! _At least 1/3; 1/2 if you have it.


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## WarmBeer (3/2/11)

Nick JD said:


> 3068 is a supurb yeast - you will love it. One thing though - _fermenter headspace! _At least 1/3; 1/2 if you have it.


Good to know, thanks Nick.

I have some experience with yeast monsters :lol:


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## Nick JD (3/2/11)

WarmBeer said:


> I have some experience with yeast monsters :lol:



Ewww. Lance that boil.  

3638 is also nice, but is more subdued in both esters, phenolics and crazy krausen monsters - but it's got a bit more citrusy tang, I found.


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