Monday 9 August 2010

Beer #5 - 'Handflache' Hefeweissen attempt #1

I'm not sure why but my original calculations weren't correct, so I ended up having to make a panic adjustment to the recipe I was using to make it all fit with the ingredients I'd ordered. Basically this meant plumping for a lower gravity and hence alcohol content - this is not necessarily a bad thing, given that I'm hoping for an easy drinking summer beer here. In order to keep it within tolerable levels I also cut down the brew length to 20 litres. So my super simple recipe is:

Handflache (#1) - 20 litre
  • 3kg Dried wheat malt extract (6-10 EBC)
  • 18g Saaz hops (3.5% alpha)
  • White Labs WLP380 Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast

So adjusted for a 6L partial boil and late extract addition:
  • Put the flame on 6L of water
  • Add 900g dried wheat malt extract
  • When boiling add 18g hops (in muslin bag)
  • Boil for 90 minutes
  • Pour into fermenting vessel and make up to 20L with cold water, aerating
  • Add the rest of the extract
  • When temperature is under 30c pitch yeast
There were issues with the extract powder clumping, but with a bit of a stir it all managed to dissolve. Somehow my hydrometer reading was way more than I had expected given the figures out of Beer Engine. I could be driving it wrong, or maybe the numbers for the extract are out compared to the batch I have (maybe the numbers are for liquid extract). In any case it's looking like I'm at an OG of 1.054 which will be about 5.5% if I get down to an FG of 1.012.

I wonder whether the next wheat experiment should include some pale malt extract?

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