Witbier... is it difficult or very difficult to brew?

[arkadiuszmakarenko]

I've tried one, but i didn't managed to filter thick mash.
I'm going to try again, but this time i will be prepared! So... where to start?

Recipe 20 liters.
2kg lager malt
0,5kg Pale malt
0,5kg wheat malt
1kg wheat flakes
0,5kg oats
0.05 melanoid malt
0.15kg golden syrop
130g orange peel
15g Coriander
and 10g marynka pellets hops.

Mashing it has to be long and start from 55C. Then at least 90minutes in 62-65C, then some time in 72C , and warm mashout at 78-79C. I will have to do iodine test to be sure that all starch is converted. Then filtration (... i assume it will be loooong one). Then boiling with hops at least 60 minutes then i would add spices, golden syrup and orange peel few minutes before flameout.
Cool down and add yeast. I was thinking to use dry yeast, but which one would give me best profile? Do you have any suggestions?

Theory always looks easy

 

[Aleman]

Wits are not particularly difficult to brew . . . I would forget your wheat flakes and just use wheat malt . . . also consider adding some oat hulls which will make the lauter (filter) much easier.

In theory you need to do a stepped mash . . . somewhere around 35-45C for 30 minutes (it is only the wheat that benefits from the ferrulic acid rest so there is nothing stopping you doing two mashes One at 65 for the lager/pale and a stepped one at 40C . . . then 62C then 72 and finally mixed together for the lauter.

Yeast wise . . . Danstar Munich, Safale WB06, Brewferm Blanche, Safale K97 are all possible, I'm playing with the Brewferm yeast at the moment

 

[arkadiuszmakarenko]

WB-06 i think would be too "hefe-weizen" for this style. But i heard blanche are quite good.

 

[micmacmoc]

I find them easy, but have had stuck sparges. i put a grain bag over the manifold now. wbo6 is nice.

 

[LeicesterLad]

Aleman can you provide more info on the stepped mash.. I am still somewhat of an amature to All Grain with only 4brews under my belt so far but im a real fan if witbier and fancy giving this ago sometime soon..

I have my infusion mash to a tee now but have not yet tackled a stepped mash, I have searched the forum of a how to guide but to no avail as yet...

I get the different temps for different set times ie 35-45C for 30mins but cannot work out if you draw off the wort from the mash tun reheat and add back to the mash to get to your required temp or add more hot water to the mash to raise the temp....The only problem with this is im thinking if you start with 12 litres of water on say 5kg of grain then by the time your finished mashing at the different temps your gonna have a hell of a lot of water or it simply wont fit in the mash tun :wha: ????

 

[tubby_shaw]

It seems to me that you are confusing stepped mashing with decotion mashing.
With a stepped mash I start with a liquor to grist ratio of 1 to 1.5l per kg to get my first rest temperature, then using brewing software I add sufficient boiling water to raise the temperature to the next rest temperature and so on.
With a decotion mash a portion of the mash is removed, boiled and returned to the mash tun to raise the temperature.

 

[Aleman]

Aleman can you provide more info on the stepped mash.

Sure . . . . Details Here

 

[arkadiuszmakarenko]

Tomorrow i'm going to brew something like this:

Grist
2kg lager malt
0,5 pale malt
0,3 munich malt (pale and munich is to add a little bit malt flavor)
1kg flaked wheat
0,3 flaked oats

Hops
10g marynka pellets hops

peel from 5 oranges
22g coriander

200-300g golden syrup

And us05 yeast So it makes it mixture between american wheat and witbier. :) I didn't get better yeast so i'm going to use what i have got at home.

Mashing. I will do protein rest, then long rest in 62C then some in 72C and mashout. I hope everything will go fine.

Any suggestions what to do?

 

[Farmbrew]

Arkadiusz

It's a really easy infusion mash.

If you're using wheat flakes there is no need for any kind of stepped mash as the wheat flakes (and the oat flakes) are pre-gelatinised i.e. they've been flattened between 2 hot rollers in steam. The only reason you'd pre-cook or have a low temp rest would be if you were using raw wheat or wheat malt. So there's none of that gummy stuff to stick the mash.

You can throw in more flakes if you like. 30% flakes is okay for an infusion mash even with standard uk pale malt - there's plenty of enzymes. You'll find the flakes kind of "dissolve" in the mash.

So the recipe you have is completely okay for a standard infusion - I'd probably keep it below 65C as the beer is usually dry and the munich will add some extra body.

Make sure that you wash the oranges thoroughly in warm water as supermarket oranges are covered in wax - it kills the head. Organic ones don't have the issue. Avoid putting in the white pith as this adds an acrid/bitter edge. Add some lightly crushed coriander seeds before the end of the boil (~10g) - it adds to the citrus body.

Important that you crash cool the wort add the end of the boil or it will end up tasting of soup...I've been there... :cry:

Enjoy your brew day :thumb:

Cheers

Aled

 

[Farmbrew]

Arkadiusz

Forgot to say...don't mill the flakes! :shock: Just mix them in to the grist so they are distributed evenly.

Cheers

Aled

 

[arkadiuszmakarenko]

Mashing and filtration went very well.

I can cool worth in 20-25 minutes, i hope it is quickly enough.

 

[LeicesterLad]

Aleman can you provide more info on the stepped mash.

Sure . . . . Details Here

Thankyou Aleman :thumb: