Wit Beer Haze

[nick_lavender]

Hey,

I'll be brewing a wit beer (all grain) this coming weekend and had a question concerning the haze that is usually apparant in these beers.

I heard that you can add a tablespoon of flour to the boil?

Is that true, any other suggestions? (I'm culturing a yeast from commercial examples)

Cheers

 

[joshuahardie]

Yep that is true,
I recall it being mentioned in the Jamil Show's episode on Witbiers. you can download the podcast from the brewing network website.

However you might get the haze you are after from the yeast you use.... ?

 

[Inge]

Yep that is true,
I recall it being mentioned in the Jamil Show's episode on Witbiers. you can download the podcast from the brewing network website.

However you might get the haze you are after from the yeast you use.... ?

Don't use whirlfloc - the proteins will form a chill haze, . The Wyeast witbier yeast is a fairly poor flocculator also so it will laso help cloud things up. Are you using raw wheat?

 

[KillerRx4]

Which commercial wit are you culturing yeast from?

If its Hoegaarden you might find they now use a bottling strain. (I suspect)
I found out the hard way a few batches ago when I cultured from a recent bottle, had to dump 25lt.

I have a culture from an older bottle that I propogated a couple of years ago that appears to be the primary strain. I backed up tha failed batch with another with the old culture. Have this beer tapped & its great.

So if you plan to culture from hoegaarden maybe do a small test batch/starter.

Oh yeah, mine got a good dose of flour, maybe 200g (would have to check recipe) & has a good haze. I suspect I even used whirlfoc.

 

[nick_lavender]

I used the dregs from four bottles of 'Witte Trapist'. I bought them from a coles bottle shop. It has a blue and white lable.

The beer claims to be the only trappist white beer in the world that is unfiltered and undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle (5.5% ABV).

I wouldn't say the starter has taken off that well. It does have a thin layer of yeast on the bottom, but its a darker colour not white, I'll make a second starter with it tomorrow and see how it goes.

The recipe I will be using is from Jamil's book and uses flaked wheat.

Cheers,

 

[nick_lavender]

Do you use normal plain white cooking flour?

 

[gap]

Do you use normal plain white cooking flour?

You could but may have trouble with a stuck sparge. A Belgian Wit should have a good proportion of raw, unmalted wheat in it. I used 30% in one just brewed and is drinking very nicely.

Regards

Graeme

 

[matr]

You could but may have trouble with a stuck sparge. A Belgian Wit should have a good proportion of raw, unmalted wheat in it. I used 30% in one just brewed and is drinking very nicely.

Regards

Graeme

What do you do with the raw unmalted wheat? I just got 40kgs of wheat grain from a mate (only asked for a couple of kgs!!). I was thinking of just cracking it and steeping then adding to the mix??? I'm only just new to this so Kits only at this stage.

Cheers, Mat.

 

[PostModern]

What do you do with the raw unmalted wheat? I just got 40kgs of wheat grain from a mate (only asked for a couple of kgs!!). I was thinking of just cracking it and steeping then adding to the mix??? I'm only just new to this so Kits only at this stage.

Cheers, Mat.

Raw wheat needs to be mashed with a base malt, otherwise you're just adding starch to the brew. Not good.

 

[Dave86]

You'll also need to boil the wheat or do an adjunct mash with any large proportion of raw grain. Over 10% sounds familiar from somewhere? Someone else may have a better idea. raw grains need to be gelatinised before they go in the mash, otherwise the starches won't convert properly

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Do you use normal plain white cooking flour?

Did you mean as the spoonful into the kettle to provide haze?

If so - yes, or whatever is in the cupboar. You are just adding a dash of unconverted starch to give the beer a starch haze. So anything powdery and starchy would do the trick.

 

[KillerRx4]

Do you use normal plain white cooking flour?

Yeah I did, in the kettle not the mash. Only for the haze.

I checked the recipe & it was only 14g plain flour @ 60min.


Also see > http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;hl=wheat+wit