Wheat Beer + Wheat Malt

[mika]

Hi all,
I've got a wheat beer kit and some dried wheat malt extract and some wheat malt and some LME and some US-56 (not changing that) and some Saaz and Hallertau hops. Basically a bunch of stuff.
I want to make a nice wheat beer (my fav) and I'm wanting to use the wheat malt (500g) but I don't know how much to use in the brew. I'm keen to do the partial mash thing, but when I fire up ProMash according to my calcs 500g adds stuff all to the beer (SG wise) but I've seen other recipes only using 150-200g. So what's the deal, what's the best way to make use of what I've got ? :huh:

Cheers,
Mika

 

[MHB]

mika_lika

The recipes you see recommending small additions of Wheat Malt (less than say 250g) are adding it for head improvement, wheat malt (we are talking extract either dry or liquid here) contains compounds that reduce the surface tension in the foam. This makes the bubbles more stretchy and less likely to burst - so they hang around longer - you get a better looking beer.

If you are talking about wheat beer flavour, I think you would be looking at around 1Kg of Dry (wheat) Malt Extract or 1-1.5 Kg of Liquid (wheat) Malt Extract. This used with a good Wheat beer kit and an appropriate yeast will give you a ripper of a wheat beer.

US-56 is a great ale yeast but it wouldnt be your first choice if you are looking for those big banana and bubblegum flavours, more of a redback style of beer.
If you want the full effect try one of the liquid yeasts, there are lots available now, try culturing some bottle yeast (run a search for the options there have been lots of good threads on this) or try the Saf K-97, I some people dont like it but others love it, I think it gives the most wheaty results brewed around 25-27 C, sole like it even hotter.

Cooper have a 1.5 Kg can of LME
Morgan's have a 1Kg can in there Master Blend range
Muntons have a great Wheat DME - I get through about 25 Kg of this a month I understand that the Muntons is 60% wheat 40% barley and would be my personal favourite.

Your LHB should have or be able to get all of these; the Muntons is repacked under the Brewcraft badge in 500g bags.

MHB

 

[Weizguy]

m_l,

Have you treated the kit as 1.7 kg of malt extract in ProMash?

I'd say to add about a kilo of wheat DME and LME (combined total, to about O.G. 1.045 or above) plus your partial mash wheat, to the kit can. Add about 50/50 Saaz/Hallertau to a total of 10-14g in the ferment vessel as U top up with hot water to dissolve the other extracts. I'd mash the wheat at about 67-68C for a bit of body/ texture for the beer, or it'll end up too dry, with US56.

If you are doing a full boil, and good if U can, add the hops at about 10 min b4 the end of boil.

This will make a German hop-flavoured American-style wheat that you can be very happy with. Low bitterness and nice hop flava. Try to ferment cooler, if possible, say max 22C, in this heat.

Also good with yankee hops (recommend Cascade/Amarillo if available; have little familiarity with other Seppo hops for flava. Definitely not Chinook tho').

Should give U a nice beer and keep your tastebuds satisfied until it (quickly) runs out. Pls let us all know, or pm me with results. This beer is exactly what I'd do with the ingredients U mentioned. A top Summer guzzler , I reckon, that will be slightly tart, mostly dry and hoppy, and really easy to drink. What some may call a "disappearing beer".

Maybe other recipes use only 200g wheat coz they are not a wheat beer, but use it to foster head development for their finished beer.

Bestoluck.
Seth out

 

[bugwan]

If you are talking about wheat beer flavour, I think you would be looking at around 1Kg of Dry (wheat) Malt Extract or 1-1.5 Kg of Liquid (wheat) Malt Extract. This used with a good Wheat beer kit and an appropriate yeast will give you a ripper of a wheat beer.

MHB

I've done this exact thing recently. My AG setup just wasn't quite ready to throw together an AG wheat, so I went with a Malt Shovel Summer Wheat can and 1kg of dried wheat malt extract. I threw in an activated pack of Wyeast 3056 and, although it's not ready for drinking, early tastes are extremely encouraging.

A very easy brew to put down and just in time for summer sips...

 

[mika]

MHB I'm a fan of Redback, I've tried K97 in the past but wouldn't rate it as a much better thing. I mostly use US-56 as it suits everything (being so neutral). I've got some liquid yeasts in the fridge but can't be stuffed starting them up for this brew, I'll take my time.

Weizguy, I analysed the wheat malt by itself...seemed to come to 1.004 or something ridiculously low for a 23L batch, but then I'm a serious noob with Promash.

Checked stocks, I've only got 500g of wheat malt, 1 kg of Light DME, 500g of Wheat malt and a 1.7Kg can of Morgan's Gold Sheaf Wheat Beer.
Looks like that's how it's going down, I don't mind a lighter beer.

I've got Cascade and Amarillo (and Chinook ) in the freezer. think I'll stick with the Saaz and Hallertau for this one though, just think the American's are for pale ales more than wheats (personal opinion).

Can't make the full boil, but am thiinking I'll add the hops to the wheat malt boil and filter out before it goes in the fermentor.
This one's going straight in the keg, not stuffing around with secondary.
But I've got a temp controlled fridge now, so 18degs ain't a drama.

Cheers for the advice guy's. Once it's in the keg I'll let you know the verdict.

Cheers,
Mika :beerbang:

 

[Weizguy]

Mika,

Redback was my target wheat beer when I started brewing, too

I checked in Beersmith and the contribution of 500g wheat malt is about 5 gravity points (using my average efficiency). This will, however, contribute wheat flavour and body to the beer.

A part boil is also good to get the flavour and aroma out of the hops.

The US-style wheat is a hybrid style anyway, so whatever hop U use would be OK, in my opinion.

I've done one recently (NSW comp) with US56, bittered with Cascade, plus 20g Cascade in the last 20 min and 14g of Amarillo at flameout in a 24 l batch. Very nice, and the judges liked it too. It certainly needs a gentler hand than an APA, re the hops, but many here may disagree. :lol:

I can see that your recipe, with traditional hop flavours, will taste much more like what U want.

Beerz
Seth

 

[PostModern]

I recently brewed an American Wheat. 1.7Kg can ESB Wheat Malt Extract, 1Kg can Morgans wheat extract, Hallertau for bittering and Amarillo for 20 mins, US-56 yeast.

I like it a lot nice and fresh. Pitched on 16th, drinking yesterday

 

[mika]

Cool, brews in the tub, got sick of it and wanted to go to bed, so pitched a little warm, but the fermenting fridge should bring it down fairly quickly.
Used Saaz and Hallertau, 50/50 30gms at 20mins, 30gms at 2minutes.
Found another bag of wheat malt (actually 2, don't know what I was going to do with those :huh: ).
If I had the Wheat malt extract, wheat malt and the brew can, was I meant to add a whole kilo of LME as well ?
I got 14 brix at 20 litres, is this possible ?

 

[JWB]

[

I brewed this one about 3 weeks ago and its now sitting in my lagering fridge ready to keg about a week before Xmas

2.8kg Coopers LME
250g Dry Wheat Malt
Saflager S/33 yeast

Bring 12 ltrs water to boil and add
30g Pride of Ringwood
20g Cascade After 30 Minutes
10g Cascade After another 10 Minutes and boil a further 10 minutes. Thats a 60 minute boil
Strain into fermenter with 4 or 5 ice blocks and add water to 20 ltr mark.
Check Temp is below 25 C and add yeast and seal .
Ferment at between 14 and 18 C for 7 days and rack into clean fermenter and put in lager fridge
for at least 2 weeks. then keg or bottle .

I have brewed this before and my mates got into it and drained my keg in one session :angry:

Try it , it is good


:chug:

JWB

 

[raoul]

Hey folks, First post WOOOOO!

Just recently back into brewing and had a craving to do a redback type beer for summer quaffing :chug:

Just picked up a similar lot here too.. Morgans Wheat kit + Coopers Wheat malt + saaz + US56

Putting it on tonight, will report back with results

Nice work with the excellent forum, its like listening to an old man talk homebrew X 1000