Brewing Belgian Wit

[cannondale]

I'm trying to design a recipe for a wit, and was wondering if anyone who has experience with this style has any tips, or perhaps a tried and true recipe. Which factors have you found need to be taken more into consideration when brewing a wit as compared to other styles (i.e. water pH, use of rice hulls, etc.)?

For example, in looking through a number of recipes I see that there is a wide range of options in terms of grain bill. barley malt (2-row or pilsner), unmalted wheat, wheat malt (pale or red), flaked wheat, oats (flaked or steel cut), etc. in a variety of proportions. Any thoughts on what some of these components (besides the obvious) brings to the table and therefore why to use more, less or none of that component?

In terms of mashing technique, when would step mashing be necessitated?

What do vinegar and lactic acid (both of which I've seen included in some recipes) contribute to the end product?

Anyone have experience using Safale WB-06 for wit?

Obviously lots of questions here that obviously depend strongly on what characteristics I would like the beer to posess. Are there any books or other publications that specifically deal with the topic of brewing Belgian Wit?

[The_Jester]

I've done a couple of Wits, but I am far from an expert.

I used 20% torrified wheat, and 10% oats, and these grains pretty much require a protein rest.

I also used honey in one batch, which (I think) gave the beer a slightly drier finish.

I've never even heard of using vinegar and/or lactic acid. I did use honey in one batch, which (I think) gave the beer a slightly drier finish.

I used Wyeast 3944, so I can't help you with that.

I did find that even small adjustments of the coriander and orange peel make a big difference in the final product, so you'll probably end up doing some tinkering there to get it where you like it.

[Guybrush]

I've used the SAF WB 06 yeast in my wheat beer recipes, and i've used a regular ale strain as a comparison, and you can really notice the suspended cloudy yeast character that the SAF WB 06 brings to your beer, you shouldn't use any finnings or irish moss though, they could cancel each other out.

I've found the tinkering of dried sweet orange peel does come out quite strongly in the end if you like, say... mulitply the suggested amount by 2 or 3, you basically end up with orange flavoured beer, which some people may not enjoy... but screw them, i made it, i'll drink it!!

never added vinegar or lactic acid to a brew, i would assume it brings some sort of vitamin to the wort that the yeast feed off of, and ferment better because of, or just the pH balance....

Some people add white peppercorns to their wits, as well as orange peel, and corriander, and also 'grains of paradise'... to each their own....

[cannondale]

http://brewingtechniques.com/library/st ... style.html

I found this very brief yet comprehensive run-through in case anyone else is interested.

Anyone know of a good source for raw wheat?

[jcc]

http://brewingtechniques.com/library/st ... style.html

I found this very brief yet comprehensive run-through in case anyone else is interested.

Anyone know of a good source for raw wheat?

You could try whole wheat flour.

[cannondale]

You could try whole wheat flour.

5 lbs of flour in the mash? How about you try that out and let us know how that works out for you.

I have heard of adding a small amount of flour into the boil for cloudiness however..

[jcc]

You could try whole wheat flour.

5 lbs of flour in the mash? How about you try that out and let us know how that works out for you.

I have heard of adding a small amount of flour into the boil for cloudiness however..

I have not added flour directly to my mash before, but I have seen others do so with excellent results. Stuck mashes certainly could be a problem, but I would imagine rice hulls would help some, though perhaps not enough. I'm not really looking at brewing a wit anytime soon, but when I do I'll give the flour route a try and let you know if it worked for me or not. It is certainly a cheap option for getting unmalted wheat into your brew and certainly worth a try once.

Have you tried a bulk store or health food store for unmalted wheat?

[Derek]

I don't know anything about brewing wits... but would you want to use Torrified wheat? Puffed wheat cereal without preservatives?

[cannondale]

I don't know anything about brewing wits... but would you want to use Torrified wheat? Puffed wheat cereal without preservatives?

Did some reading up on the torrified wheat, and I think I'll give it a whirl. In terms of grain bill, I'm thinking something like:

5 lbs. Pilsner Malt
5 lbs. Torrified Wheat
1 lb. Flaked Wheat
1/2 lb. Flaked Oats

with

1/2 lb. Rice Hulls

[markaberrant]

I use flaked wheat in my wits, plus 5% flaked oats. Buy them at a health food store. I don't use rice hulls. This is my recipe:

5 lbs 2-row
4.5 lbs flaked wheat
.5 lb flaked oats

150-152F 60 min

Sterling @ 60 minutes (enough to hit 20 IBU or so)
.5oz Sterling @ 5 minutes

Also add spices @ 5 min
.75 oz Coriander seed
.5 oz Sweet Orange Peel
.5 oz Bitter Orange Peel
15-20 peppercorns - I've used black, white, pink, blends, whatever, this is a subtle amount, so it doesn't really matter
(run the peppercorns and corriander through a spice grinder before adding)

I've used all sorts of different belgian yeasts with good results (3942, 3944, 3522, 3787, 3724).

This will give you a wit with lots of orange "essence," but still has the spice to back it up. I've toyed with halving the amounts of coriander and peels, just to see how a more subtle version would turnout, I've also thought about going with fresh peels, but frankly, I like the way it tastes as is.

[The_Jester]

...I'm thinking something like:

5 lbs. Pilsner Malt
5 lbs. Torrified Wheat
1 lb. Flaked Wheat
1/2 lb. Flaked Oats

with

1/2 lb. Rice Hulls

You've pretty much maxed out the torrified wheat. BeerSmith recommends not going over 40% of your grain bill. (I think you're a bit over that.) I'm not sure why.

[markaberrant]

You've pretty much maxed out the torrified wheat. BeerSmith recommends not going over 40% of your grain bill. (I think you're a bit over that.) I'm not sure why.

I wouldn't worry about what Beersmith says. I like the software, but most of their recommendations/descriptions are questionable at best.

[cannondale]

I use flaked wheat in my wits, plus 5% flaked oats. Buy them at a health food store. I don't use rice hulls. This is my recipe:

5 lbs 2-row
4.5 lbs flaked wheat
.5 lb flaked oats

150-152F 60 min

Sterling @ 60 minutes (enough to hit 20 IBU or so)
.5oz Sterling @ 5 minutes

Also add spices @ 5 min
.75 oz Coriander seed
.5 oz Sweet Orange Peel
.5 oz Bitter Orange Peel
15-20 peppercorns - I've used black, white, pink, blends, whatever, this is a subtle amount, so it doesn't really matter
(run the peppercorns and corriander through a spice grinder before adding)

I've used all sorts of different belgian yeasts with good results (3942, 3944, 3522, 3787, 3724).

This will give you a wit with lots of orange "essence," but still has the spice to back it up. I've toyed with halving the amounts of coriander and peels, just to see how a more subtle version would turnout, I've also thought about going with fresh peels, but frankly, I like the way it tastes as is.

I see that in your recipe that you do not perform a protein rest. Do you feel there would be any advantage to doing one with a grain bill containing 50% unmodified grains?

[iguenard]

My friends at a very good QC microbrew have told me that a single-step mash for a wit / weissbier is very sufficient, and I've tried it shortly thereafter to great success.

I believe the reason they gave me had something to do with having access to today's highly modifiied malts.

I guess it's traditionally done in Belgium via step mashing, but hey, we're not your traditionnal old belgian brewers.

[Derek]

A glucan rest would make it less sticky.

But with a good tun & some rice hulls, maybe it's not a problem?