Cloudy Wit

[Doc]

After listening to Dr Scot on the Brewing Network Style Show for Wit a couple of months ago, I had my first attempt at brewing a Wit in years.
Using the recipe guidelines from the show, plus some similar ingredients I put into my Saisons, I had a great brew day. Eff was slightly higher than normal, but no real dramas.
The Wit yeast however attenuated massively 1.060 down to 1.008 which turned it into an Imperial Wit. The balance is therefore slightly off, but still very drinkable.
The reason for the post though is I used the tip from the show to include a tblspoon of flour into the boil at 10mins for each 5 gals. The result is a great cloudy beer (one of the few times you want it like that).
A great tip, and here is a piccy to get you all drooling on a Monday morning.

Beers,
Doc

 

[warrenlw63]

Looks great Doc.

Just call it a Grand Cru now. :lol:

BTW The tablespoon of flour in the boil is a good one. Don't be surprised though if it still drops crystal clear over time.

Wits can be a little frustrating this way. <_<

Warren -

 

[Jye]

Nice one Doc... Is that your breakfast beer

Did you also follow his advice on the amount of zest to use? and what type did you use?

 

[Doc]

Nice one Doc... Is that your breakfast beer

Did you also follow his advice on the amount of zest to use? and what type did you use?

[post="125038"][/post]​

That is where I deviated a little and used Orange and Tangerine pellets as I would in a Saison, and also some Grains of Paradise. If I knew the yeast was going to attenuate like it did I would have used more.
I also didn't use Camonmile tea. I bought some and did a test brew, but I must not have had the right type and the taste was pretty bland.

Doc

 

[Ross]

Here's the recipe I brewed back in January, which I took some stick for using torr wheat instead of raw wheat - Beer though, is still as nice & cloudy as the day I kegged it

2.00 kg Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) (3.2 EBC) Grain 39.2 %
1.30 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (3.5 EBC) Grain 25.5 %
1.00 kg Wheat, Torrified (Thomas Fawcett) (3.9 EBC) Grain 19.6 %
0.45 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC) Grain 8.8 %
0.35 kg Oats Quick (3.9 EBC) Grain 6.9 %
40.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.20%] (60 min) Hops 17.7 IBU
15.00 gm Saaz [3.30%] (10 min) Hops 1.9 IBU
25.00 gm Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
35.00 gm Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (Wyeast Labs #3944) Yeast-Wheat

Must make another soon, as nearly gone...


Cheers Ross

 

[tangent]

did you cold condition that brew Doc?
i usually cc for 2 weeks (longer with lager styles)
my last wit that I cc'd turned clear. i might try the flour idea.

 

[Doc]

did you cold condition that brew Doc?
i usually cc for 2 weeks (longer with lager styles)
my last wit that I cc'd turned clear. i might try the flour idea.

[post="125068"][/post]​

I've got two kegs (no now one actually), with the first keg lasting two weeks and still cloudy. The second has only been a week and hasn't shown any sign of clearing as per the piccy. Will let you know if it clears.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Gulf Brewery]

used Orange and Tangerine pellets Doc

[post="125042"][/post]​

Doc

I haven't heard of these pellets. How about a pic and some info about them.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[JasonY]

Looks bloody tasty Doc, nice head on it!

Did you use any/much flour in the mash? I have only brewed one wit using a recipe from BigAl and from memory it had about 2kg of course semolina flour. Turned out nice and cloudy but did clear after about 4 - 6weeks in the keg.

Will remember the flour in the kettle trick.

 

[Doc]

used Orange and Tangerine pellets Doc

[post="125042"][/post]​

I haven't heard of these pellets. How about a pic and some info about them.

[post="125089"][/post]​

I get them from Asian supermarkets. They look like small hop pellets and usually go under the name Granulated Orange Peel and Granulated Tangarine Peel etc. Will take a photo tonight.

Did you use any/much flour in the mash? I have only brewed one wit using a recipe from BigAl and from memory it had about 2kg of course semolina flour.

[post="125093"][/post]​

No flour in the mash, just 2 tblspoons into the kettle at about 10mins.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Doc]

No flour in the mash, just 2 tblspoons into the kettle at about 10mins.

That was for 40 litres.

Here is the picture of the Orange and Mandarin (oops not Tanagrine as previously posted) that I use.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Kai]

My trick for cloudy beers is drinking them really early. Out of the fermenter if need be.

 

[Trent]

I actually use a grater and lightly skim it over a fresh orange, gives me all peel, and no pith, and it smells great. My wit's arent exactly to style, as I use torrefied instead of raw wheat, but thats the way I like em, and most of me mates love em (probably a bad thing!) I bottle, so I find a light tip up and down before opening, a-la coopers, gets it nice and cloudy again. Will probably try the flour trick in me next with though. Thanks for the pic, Doc, I am gonna have to go and have one of mine now.
All the best
Trent

 

[JLB]

Hello

Just thought while doc was showin us his wit i thought id show mine.

Love this style this is my third attempt at a wit always gotta have one on tap

 

[tangent]

a light tip up and down before opening, a-la coopers

i might start rolling the keg a few times at week 2

 

[Josh]

Here's the recipe I brewed back in January, which I took some stick for using torr wheat instead of raw wheat
<snip>
Cheers Ross

[post="125053"][/post]​

Why's that Ross? ESB only seems to have torrified. What is the advantage of raw wheat instead?

 

[Doc]

Update
Still cloudy

Doc

 

[Ross]

Here's the recipe I brewed back in January, which I took some stick for using torr wheat instead of raw wheat
<snip>
Cheers Ross

[post="125053"][/post]​

Why's that Ross? ESB only seems to have torrified. What is the advantage of raw wheat instead?

[post="125252"][/post]​

Josh, I don't think there's any advantage to using raw wheat, other than it's apparently true to style whereas torrified isn't.
to quote Briess malts:
Torrified Wheat has been heat treated to break the cellular structure, allowing more rapid hydration and malt enzymes to more
completely attack the starches and protein. Torrified Wheat can be used in place of raw wheat when making Belgian-style
White and Wit beers. Advantages over raw wheat include normal conversion time and higher yield.

cheers Ross

 

[Josh]

Cheers Ross. Sounds like I'll be right going on with the torrified for the time being. Got one ready to bottle using torrified.

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Cheers Ross. Sounds like I'll be right going on with the torrified for the time being. Got one ready to bottle using torrified.

[post="129048"][/post]​

Hi Josh

I have noticed that the wit beers I have done with a larger percentage of raw wheat seem to be dryer and tarter than those that use more torrefied / wheat malt. My efficiency drops to buggery as well when I use raw wheat.

One thing mentioned in the belgian ales book is to throw a handful of cracked raw wheat into the kettle to get the cloudiness (I haven't done this, but want to next time).


Cheers
Pedro