First Extract Wheat Beer

[arogers]

Hey guys!!

Well the time has come, we are taking the plunge into extract brewing...

Bought a huge tub of wheat malt extract and a tonne of herbrucker hops pellets.


Wanted some opinions on a recipe for our first go... We came up with the following:

(50lt batch) :super:


7.7kg Liquid Wheat Malt Extract
500gm Light Dried Malt Extract

20gms Hallertau Hersbrucker 60 mins
20gms Hallertau Hersbrucker 30 mins
35gms Cascade 10 mins

and some hefeweizen yeast (K-97,WLP300 etc)

We want something different to the standard Redback type wheat beer (which i reckon tastes like water with some weizen stirred in )

So thanks for taking to time to offer your suggestions!!

 

[0M39A]

dunno bout the 35gms Cascade @ 10 mins... thats going to give quite a bit of cascade flavour, which may be a bit strange in a wheat beer which arent traditionally very hop driven...

 

[arogers]

Maybe we can try an ale yeast instead, so the hops are more fitting..

 

[bconnery]

Hey guys!!

Well the time has come, we are taking the plunge into extract brewing...

Bought a huge tub of wheat malt extract and a tonne of herbrucker hops pellets.


Wanted some opinions on a recipe for our first go... We came up with the following:

(50lt batch) :super:


7.7kg Liquid Wheat Malt Extract
500gm Light Dried Malt Extract

20gms Hallertau Hersbrucker 60 mins
20gms Hallertau Hersbrucker 30 mins
35gms Cascade 10 mins

and some hefeweizen yeast (K-97,WLP300 etc)

We want something different to the standard Redback type wheat beer (which i reckon tastes like water with some weizen stirred in )

So thanks for taking to time to offer your suggestions!!

I would also say skip the cascade. If you really want to use it, change it to bittering, and use the hallertau elsewhere. Overall I would say you are very light on the hops for a large batch though.

Have you tried using a calculator like beersmith or an online one like beertools or tastybrew?

I get less than 2 IBUs there, even for a wheat that's light on. You want at least 8 or so minimum I believe.

Hallertau is a relatively low IBU hop so you need to use a lot more...

If you want weizen taste you will need a liquid (at least until dry weizen yeast arrives in Aus...), K97 won't do it.

 

[hughman666]

definitely need to be punching around the 15 IBU mark for a good wheat IMHO, preferably with hallertau instead of hersbrucker (personal preference, although hersbrucker is nice). again, ditch the cascade and save it for a nice APA....

and for yeasts, WLP300 is OK, but i've found great results recently with Wyeast 3068

 

[danman]

definitely need to be punching around the 15 IBU mark for a good wheat IMHO, preferably with hallertau instead of hersbrucker (personal preference, although hersbrucker is nice). again, ditch the cascade and save it for a nice APA....

and for yeasts, WLP300 is OK, but i've found great results recently with Wyeast 3068

second that reply,definately worth using 3068

 

[arogers]

Okay, the HBS suggested the herbrucker hops so we got 100gms or so to use..

Can anyone suggest a better hop schedule for us?

 

[clay]

I think all you need is one 60min addition to around 15 IBUs. And 3068 is a great wheat yeast. I Used K97 for my last wheat and am disapointed with it.

 

[Brooksy]

I'm rather diappointed the cascade hops got the axe. I like 'em a lot but have no experience with wheat malt, so I'll crawl back behind the sofa.

:lol:

 

[arogers]

Yeah, I was thinking it would give it a grapefruity tang to go with the standard banana notes of a wheaty.

But I am a n00b lol....

 

[PostModern]

I've made an all extract wheat beer with US-56 and US hops. Was OK, but a little dry. Maybe steep some very pale crystal or carapils for body.

 

[Weizguy]

You can add the Cascade if you want to make a Yankee Wheat beer. Add it late for flavour or at any time in the hop schedule, actually.
In that case, I'd prob change the bittering hop to a high alpha US hop (e.g Magnum) at 20-30 IBU and use a dry US56 yeast.

It come down to what you want from the beer... A quaffable German weizen or a guzzlable wheat ale?
Either way, you'll make nice brew.

For a weizen, I'd go with Hallertau (as mentioned above) or Saaz, and maybe a little Tettnang or Hallertau for flavour. Best just to bitter for 60 min though, for a first try. I usually throw in a 60 min bittering addition only, of about 12- 15 IBUs, and use a liquid wheat-beer yeast.

Happy to help via pm or here with anything wheat-related.

Beerz
Seth

 

[bayWeiss]

definitely need to be punching around the 15 IBU mark for a good wheat IMHO, preferably with hallertau instead of hersbrucker (personal preference, although hersbrucker is nice). again, ditch the cascade and save it for a nice APA....

and for yeasts, WLP300 is OK, but i've found great results recently with Wyeast 3068

i agree with the hop advice... but, I think the WLP300 and WY3068 are exactly the same strains... well, at least my taste buds tell me so.

 

[DJR]

WLP300 and WY3068 are both Weihenstephan 68...

I'd go for Wyeast 3333 or Wyeast 3638 (same as WLP351). W68 gets a bit, erm, full on.

3068 Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast.
Probable origin: Weihenstephan, Germany
Beer Styles: German Hefeweissen, Crystal weisse, Dunkel weisse, Weisenbock
Commercial examples may include: Ayinger Weissebeer, Tabernash Wheat, Sandwald, Erdinger Weisse, Schneider Weisse
Unique properties: Classic German wheat beer yeast, used by more German Brewers than any other strain in the production of Wheat beer. Properties dominated by banana ester production, phenols and clove like characteristics. Extremely attenuative yeast, which produces a tart thirst quenching finish. Extremely low floccing yeast remains in suspension readily with proteinacous wheat malt. Sometimes used in conjunction with lager yeast and kerausened to finish the beer and improve the overall dryness. High CO2 levels, typically at 2.7 - 3.2 volumes is desirable for best presentation. True top cropping yeast requires full headspace of 33%. Ester formation is significantly affected by aeration and pitching rates. Crystal weisse production typically requires DE filtration, may prove too difficult for Pad filtration only. Flocculation - low; apparent attenuation 73-77%. (64-75 F, 18-24 C)

3333 German Wheat Yeast. Subtle flavor profile for wheat yeast with unique sharp tart crispness, fruity, sherry-like palate. Flocculation - high; apparent attenuation 70-76%. (63-75 F, 17-24 C)

3638 Bavarian Wheat Yeast. Top cropping hefeweizen yeast with complex flavor and aroma. Balance of banana and bubble gum esters with lichi and apple/plum esters and cloviness. Flocculation - low; apparent attenuation 70-76% (64-75 F, 18-24 C)

If you want to use Cascade, make a US Hefeweizen, which basically means use a clean ale yeast. Wyeast 1010, Wyeast 1007, Wyeast 2565, WLP320, WLP001/US56, WLP036, WLP029 etc

But just a single charge of about 50g of 5% AA hops boiled for 60m will give about 15IBU which is what you want.

Oh, and Seth, Magnum was originally a German hop and derives from Hallertauer

 

[Brewer_010]

I've made an all extract wheat beer with US-56 and US hops. Was OK, but a little dry. Maybe steep some very pale crystal or carapils for body.

Me too, I added around 200g amber grain and it became a very tasty session beer with a nice finish leaving you wanting a bit more... It was 'fullish' from the wheat, but light too (does that make sense?). Hopped to about 30 IBUs I think...

 

[Mr Bond]

Yeah, I was thinking it would give it a grapefruity tang to go with the standard banana notes of a wheaty.

But I am a n00b lol....

Mate don't worry about the Noob factor!
You are a brewer who want's to experiment.Don't worry about guidelines too much.
You are brewing for you and your palate,and experimenting with new ideas that you think may work is what its all about.
Here is a link to a wheaty that I got hold of some years ago that used cascade in a traditional beer from a traditional brewery.was quite tasty as well.

Don't bother with K97! Use a true liquid starin like 3068 etc.......

dave