#27 Classic American Wheat - Recipe

Recipe     -     Brewday     -     Tasting

It's funny, although I love stouts, the style I've brewed the most frequently is American wheat ale.  (Well, that's assuming you don't lump all pale hoppy styles together.)  They've mostly been citrusy, hop forward recipes inspired by Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin', but I haven't been happy with how the hops paired with the wheat flavor.  Lagunitas filters their beer, removing all the protein that's a key part of a fresh wheat beer's flavor and mouthfeel, so my versions came out tasting very different.  This time, I'm going to shift gears and just let the wheat do the talking.

The malt bill here will be pretty similar to my last batch of wheat: half wheat, half barley, with a touch of Munich for a richer flavor and a bit of depth.  The round, broad, wheaty flavor will take center stage with a couple ounces of Hallertau Hersbrucker to try something different, and because I have them on hand.  And again, like that last batch, I'll be using English yeast.  I really liked the Guinness yeast in the beers I used it in last spring, so I'm bringing it back to try it in something lighter, and to build up enough yeast for some upcoming high-gravity beers.

Classic American Wheat
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Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Estimated ABV: 5.3 %
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated FG: 1.010 SG
Estimated Color: 4.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 83.3 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt         Name                                      %/IBU
5 lbs       Red Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM)                  50.0 %
4 lbs       Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            40.0 %
1 lbs       Light Munich Malt - 6L (6.0 SRM)          10.0 %
0.50 oz     Columbus [16.10 %] - Boil 60 min          24.0 IBUs
1.00 oz     Hall. Hersbrucker [1.60 %] - Boil 20 min  2.9 IBUs
1.00 Tablet Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins          -
1.00 oz     Hall. Hersbrucker [1.60 %] - Boil 0 min   0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg     Irish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1084)             -

Mash: Single Infusion 148F, Mash Out 160F, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
Estimated Cost: $19.95