Wanna run a wheat recipe by ya'll to critique

[orb]

Hey guys, I'm thinkin bout brewing up this Wiezen this week-end.
How does it sound:
6 lbs wheat DME
1 Oz Hallertau 60
1 lb rolled Oats (30 minutes 150 degrees)
1 lb Flaked Wheat ( 30 minutes 150 degrees)
Wyeast 3068 Wheat yeast

Two stage 7-10 primary
30 days secondary
Prime/bottle carbonate 2 weeks 70 degrees.....
Burning question is this....Should I prime with Wheat DME? I've heard pro's and con's. I've always used priming sugar with good results, but am curious if it's worth trying Wheat DME.....Hey, thanx for any and all input........

[Payson]

Recipe looks good. As for priming with DME, thats what the purist would advise. I've personally done both and my tastebuds can't discern a noticeable difference. Sugar seems to be quicker too.

[mmmBeer...]

I've used corn sugar for priming my wheats and never had a bad one!

Just remember to slightly over carbonate. Wheat beers are usually corbonated higher than standard ales.

[orb]

Thanks guys for the comments...I've decided to name this one BIG SHOULDERS WHEAT...what with the 1 lb of Rolled Oats and 1 Lb flaked wheat. Should have mouth feel.......I'm gonna crank up the ferm temp to 85 with WYEAST 3086 and anticipate a Wheat/Banana/Oatmeal chewy beer....Not bad for white trash...

[ray m]

Ummm, Orb? I would rethink your planned ferment temp. My understanding is that when ale fermentations get much above 78* or so, then the yeast produces a lot of off flavors and other by-products (I think fusel alcohol is another thing that gets produced with real high ferment temps) that you don't want.

May I suggest fermenting in the mid-70's, at the absolute highest?? You'll still get the banana esters you want.

[mmmBeer...]

I agree with ray on this one.

I have never used the Wyeast yeast, but the Whitelabs yeast at about 73* produced more than enough banana.

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by orb
Two stage 7-10 primary
30 days secondary
Prime/bottle carbonate 2

is the long secondary because it's your recipe or is that necessary with a wheat beer? my kit said 7-10 days in primary and then bottle. but it also has corn sugar in it?

sorry for so many questions!

[mmmBeer...]

A long secondary is not required for a wheat beer or hefe. Most people actually consider them to be one of the fastest beers to make from pitch to drinking. Since the beer is naturally cloudy from yeast in suspension you don’t really need to wait for it to drop bright (as it shouldn’t). Also, due to the low levels of hops there isn’t any need for the hops to mellow out.

That being said I usually have it 1.5 weeks in primary and 2 in secondary. But I guess you could bottle it once fermentation has stopped…7 to 10 days, but I like to let the batch condition as a whole for a little while.

[HarkJohnny]

i love this place.

ask dumb questions... get smart answers from experienced individuals.

THANKS!! ...again!

[BREWERDLUX]

I agree with Ray also on the fermentation Temp....72 at the max...Allot of good banana flavor at that range.

I am one of those who does not use a secondary on my weizens. straight to the corny and out the tap.

[BREWERDLUX]

Guess I should have read a little better...For those who are bottling your brews i would recomend a secondary of some sort, just to make sure you are done fermenting. No sense making wheat hand grenades.....as far as flavor goes it will not effect it and clarity is obviously not an issue.

[orb]

The reason for the long secondary is not for beer clarity....As a matter of fact, for a true Hefe, Irish Moss would not only be a waste of good dried Moss (which I suspect is more than plentiful across the globe , not to mention your own backyard) but contrary to the look of Hefe.....The reason for a long secondary is for quality. A beer does more than "clear" in the secondary...It becomes the beer you pay $10 a six pack for in Beer stores. It becomes the Beer worth $30 a six pack ( or more) when it bottle carbonates at 70 degrees for two weeks/cold conditions for 2 weeks-and is chilled and served at 5 weeks. If ya want a cheap buzz, buy a 12 of Pabst and a Pint of Peppermint Schnapps....If you want to be a craft brewer, ignore the flipping of the Calendar pages....and go for quality. If you ain't got enough beer,the solution is simple...brew more.

[mmmBeer...]

Agreed…but it will age in the bottle or keg as well as the secondary.

However, you will get more consistent bottle to bottle beer if you let it age in the secondary (and personally I think it is better to let it sit in secondary). Personally I don’t see the difference between aging in a keg and aging in a secondary, it is really a question of time the batch sits as a whole at 70*.

[BREWERDLUX]

I dont agree in this case. I am all for quality..... I think when you are talking about a Bavarian style Weizen it is at its best when its fresh. Probably the only style I would say that about. Quality has nothing to do with letting a beer sit in the secondary. When it is completely fermented it should be kegged/bottled and then enjoyed while it at its best, again that is my opinion of this style only. I use a secondary on every other brew I make. Has nothing to do with saving time or money....IMO