Which yeast for Belgian Wit?

[Oneflewover]

I bought some bitter oranges yesterday - going to give making marmalade a go - and thought about using them in a witbier. Started to research ingredients.

Grist and hops seem quite straightforward, but I'm undecided about which yeast to use. Anyone got any recommendations? Cheers

 

[BeerCat]

wyeast 3068 makes a great beer. Prefer that to all the dried wheat yeasts i have tried. If i couldn't get that would use 3942 or white labs.

 

[Oneflewover]

wyeast 3068 makes a great beer. Prefer that to all the dried wheat yeasts i have tried. If i couldn't get that would use 3942 or white labs.

Thanks for that, much appreciated. 3068 looks like a German wheat yeast. Really looking for that tart dry finish you get with a wit, will it give that? TBH was looking at WY3944 or WLP400?

 

[Sandimas]

If you fancy a dry yeast, I just made a Belgain Wit with MJ21. A real slow-burner of a yeast, took 3 weeks to fully ferment, others have reported the same but the result is good.

 

[Oneflewover]

If you fancy a dry yeast, I just made a Belgain Wit with MJ21. A real slow-burner of a yeast, took 3 weeks to fully ferment, others have reported the same but the result is good.

Many thanks. I did look at MJ21, and people seem to like it. I'm increasingly tending to use liquid yeast where yeast is star of the show.... might need to reconsider.....

 

[BeerCat]

Thanks for that, much appreciated. 3068 looks like a German wheat yeast. Really looking for that tart dry finish you get with a wit, will it give that? TBH was looking at WY3944 or WLP400?

I make a no boil wheat finishes at 1010. Slightly tart without any cloves. I have tried other liquid yeast but don't remember what it was like. Underpitching seems to help flavour

 

[dad_of_jon]

I liked my MJ21 Wit. I can vouch for it.

 

[Oneflewover]

I make a no boil wheat finishes at 1010. Slightly tart without any cloves. I have tried other liquid yeast but don't remember what it was like. Underpitching seems to help flavour

Was it what you used in the beer you sent in for the Jan comp? If so it contributed towards a really lovely beer. My notes refer to a refreshing tartness....

 

[Oneflewover]

I liked my MJ21 Wit. I can vouch for it.

Cheers DoJ

 

[matt76]

I used Wyeast 3944 when i made the GH Belgian Wit...

The yeast is fine but I believe you have to use unmalted wheat for Belgian Wit - I followed the GH recipe faithfully and used malted wheat, it's ok but tastes more like a German Weizen with bitter orange peel and coriander in it, which is a bit weird.....

(German Weizen by contrast, does call for malted wheat).

I have Belgian Wit v2.0 planned for my next brew day with what i hope will be a better grain bill.....

 

[Oneflewover]

I used Wyeast 3944 when i made the GH Belgian Wit...

The yeast is fine but I believe you have to use unmalted wheat for Belgian Wit - I followed the GH recipe faithfully and used malted wheat, it's ok but tastes more like a German Weizen with bitter orange peel and coriander in it, which is a bit weird.....

(German Weizen by contrast, does call for malted wheat).

I have Belgian Wit v2.0 planned for my next brew day with what i hope will be a better grain bill.....

Yes, I agree, unmalted wheat is an absolute must. A small addition of oats seems to be a thing too. Was planning equal parts unmalted wheat and pilsner, 5% oats and rice hulls to keep things moving.

 

[BeerCat]

Was it what you used in the beer you sent in for the Jan comp? If so it contributed towards a really lovely beer. My notes refer to a refreshing tartness....

No that beer was voss kveik but the beer style has some similarities. 50% wheat 50% pilsner mashed at 65c, fermented for 6 days, kegged and force carbed.

 

[chthon]

Surprisingly, I got a nice witbier last year with MJ44 US West Coast. That was a case of having by accident a sachet of this yeast due to a supplier error. I hadn't planned anything but wanted to use the yeast anyway.

 

[matt76]

Yes, I agree, unmalted wheat is an absolute must. A small addition of oats seems to be a thing too. Was planning equal parts unmalted wheat and pilsner, 5% oats and rice hulls to keep things moving.

Yep, that fits with what I read here:
https://beerandbrewing.com/make-your-best-witbier/

Damned if I know what acidulated malt is though!

Sounds good - best of luck with it

 

[MickDundee]

Surprisingly, I got a nice witbier last year with MJ44 US West Coast. That was a case of having by accident a sachet of this yeast due to a supplier error. I hadn't planned anything but wanted to use the yeast anyway.

I assume that will have turned out a bit like Blue Moon so without the characteristic tartness.

 

[AdeDunn]

I've used M21 Belgian Wit with good results too, but yeah it slows right down near the end, and can con you into thinking it's finished. No biggy though, just means you might end up with extra fizzy beer, which still works for the style. The grain bill I used is in my brew day thread, something like 40% flaked wheat, 40% Belgian Pilsen then bits of malted wheat and flaked oats, and I used Mandarina Bavaria instead of Saaz for bittering for even more citrus yumminess (sounds bonkers when it's only in the bittering, but did actually work).

Not tried any Belgian Wit liquid yeasts yet to compare though to be honest, I still have a few bottles let from the M21 one so no need to...

 

[dv12]

I pitched MJ21 at 25C on Saturday evening into my witbier. Still no sign of any bubbles tonight on Monday evening. Is this normal? Im sure the bucket seal is fine.

 

[Rodcx500z]

If you fancy a dry yeast, I just made a Belgain Wit with MJ21. A real slow-burner of a yeast, took 3 weeks to fully ferment, others have reported the same but the result is good.

Hi Darrell, i pitched m21 saturday og 1056 today its at 1012 it took off like a rocket, looks like i have a bit of wait for final points

 

[dad_of_jon]

I pitched MJ21 at 25C on Saturday evening into my witbier. Still no sign of any bubbles tonight on Monday evening. Is this normal? Im sure the bucket seal is fine.

I pitched re-hydrated yeast at 23.5 and it displace the airlock in about 2 hours and was bubbling 6-8 hours later. I did notice I'd not in my haste fully snapped the lid on, but that was soon sorted. .

17/02/2020 brew 56 - blue monday - belgian wit
100g tettnanger 10 min boil - 30 mins flameout
2.5 kg wheat malt extract
750g gs
2 litres orange juice asda from concentrate
mj belgian wit yeast.
21.5 litres pitched at 23c
1.060-1.012 = 6.3%

all those who've tried a bottle have loved it. (more than me in fact - I wanted more orange again). It is very drinkable even my lager fan enjoyed it.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I pitched MJ21 at 25C on Saturday evening into my witbier. Still no sign of any bubbles tonight on Monday evening. Is this normal? Im sure the bucket seal is fine.

Thats the top end of its range 18-25c i pitched at 22