Beer Recipe of the Week: Zingibier

Category 21: Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer

Sam Firke, Ann Arbor, Mich., Ann Arbor Brewers Guild

Gold Medal

"Zingibier"

Belgian Strong Wheat Ale with Ginger and Spices

Ingredients for 5 U.S. gallons (18.93 L)

4.0 lb (1.81 kg) dry wheat malt extract

3.79 lb (1.72 kg) Belgian Pils

2.0 lb (0.9 kg) flaked wheat

1.25 lb (567 g) sucrose

1.0 lb (0.9 kg) American six-row pale malt

8.0 oz (227 g) flaked oats

1.5 oz (42 g) fresh grated, peeled ginger root (10 min)

0.5 oz (14 g) dried bitter orange peel (5 min)

0.5 oz (14 g) coriander seed, crushed (5 min)

2 chamomile teabags cut open (5 min)

1/2 tablet Whirlfloc (10 minutes)

1.0 oz (28 g) Centennial whole home grown hops (~20 IBUs) (60 min)

Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier yeast (starter or slurry)

5 oz + 2.5 tsp of dextrose for 2.75 volumes of CO2

Original Specific Gravity: 1.085

Final Specific Gravity: 1.021

Boiling Time: 90 minutes

SRM: 7

Primary Fermentation: 2 weeks at 68° F (20° C)

Secondary Fermentation: 3 weeks at 68° F (20° C)

Directions

Mash at 152° F (67° C) for 60 minutes. Do not oversparge—a smaller pre-boil volume than normal is fine given the small grain bill. Boil for 60 minutes. Add DME at end of boil. Top up with cold water if necessary to reach target volume/gravity. Ferment two weeks at 68° F (20° C) in primary, then transfer to secondary and condition for three weeks at 68° F (20° C). Bottle prime with 5 oz + 2.5 tsp of dextrose for 2.75 volumes of CO2. Rest bottles in cellar for at least 2 months.

Brewer's Note: I used homegrown hops with unknown AA% (lower than commercial Centennial hops). Because of the smaller boil volume and the fact that a strong boil is not needed for the style nor to boil off liquid, this recipe is ideal for a 5 gallon pot on a stovetop. I have not tried an extract-only version, but it seems that 8 lbs of Wheat DME and 1.5 lbs table sugar would do it. Boil maybe 3 lbs of the Wheat DME and the 1.5 lbs sugar for 60 minutes, then add the rest of the DME at the end of the boil.

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