Is Crystal/Caramel Wheat Malt fermentable?

[JonBrew]

Hi,

I was planning a weizenbock style beer but when I visited my LHBS they were totally out of wheat malt. In it's place the guy recommended Crystal Wheat. It is obviously a much darker malt but that wasnt really an issue seeing as i was brewing a weizenbock anyway. I was, however, concerned about the level of fermentables i could extract from this kind of malt. The guy at the LHBS assured me it would be fine and would produce a rich and full bodied beer. I am relatively new to brewing to, in the moment, i bowed to his superioir knowledge and took the crystal wheat.

However, this is playing on my mind. when i put the numbers into my recipie software it looks fine but surely this malt will not produce the same level of fermentable sugars? Bearing in mind that this makes up over 50% of my grain bill i am concerned this is going to screw up my beer.

Can anyone advise?

Thanks

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

There is an diastatic enzyme additive you can use, comes in sachets and you add it into the fermenting vessel when cooled before you pitch the yeast, it changes more of the starches you extract from grains into sugars so should all be good.

Whats your recipe and ingredients ?

 

[wezil]

Hi, the enzyme is called amylase, mine came in a small tub and cost a couple of quid from the lhbs. It's used in wine making when making a veg must to allow fermentation of the usually unfermentable sugars. I have read of it's use to make a strong but 'lite' beer (all the taste, less of the carbs)!:clap: