[Erik_Mog]

So today I embarked on my second attempt at making beer, my own recipe for a Blood Orange Hefeweizen.  All in all, I think it went pretty well.  I was very particular about sanitation, and making sure I measured everything as accurately as I could.

The pre-boil gravity was 1.064 (.001 higher than BeerSmith's estimate).  I did a 1 hour boil with 1oz of 5.2% Vanguard hops added with 15 minutes left in the boil.  I did not get the amount of boil off I was expecting.  I had used a spreadsheet from BeerSmith that estimates the boil off based on the kettle diameter and it estimated my boil off to be 1.12g/hr.  I ran a test on my kettle yesterday, and it showed I boiled off 1.5g/hr.  I think my test was flawed as I think about it.  Instead of cooling the water as I would if I was brewing, I just let it cool on it's own while I went and had dinner and a beer or two.

Today, at the end of the boil, I had 3 gallons left and not 2.6 gallons I had thought it would be.  It turns out that BeerSmith's spreadsheet was pretty accurate, as my actual boil off was 1.1g/hr.  I will be updating my equipment profile to reflect this.

My final volume into the fermenter after top off was 5.5 gallons with a SG of 1.053 (target was 1.049).  I'm guessing that this beer will come out just a touch sweeter with a slightly lower ABV.  Does that sound right?  The estimated final gravity would have been 1.016 and ABV of 4.3% if I had hit the 1.049.  What would be a good estimate of what I can realistically expect to see for a FG on this starting at 1.053?  It is an extract batch using Briess LME Wheat, Bavarian (65% Wheat, 35% Barley)?

I pitched 1 re-hydrated packet of WB-06 at 63F and have it in the chest freezer with a set temp of 65F.  Now it's time to have a brew and wait.

Even though I did not hit the target gravity, I think it was a much better brew day than my first, and I think this one is going to turn out pretty good (fingers crossed).

[69franx]

I would expect your yeast to perform as projected as far as percentage fermented around 67% attenuation. This would yield an ABV around 4.6-7% a little higher than expected, but likely not noticeable on the first beer, maybe after 3 or 4 though

[brewinhard]

Congrats!  Now when you get yourself an open fermenter, brew up another one!

[Erik_Mog]

I would expect your yeast to perform as projected as far as percentage fermented around 67% attenuation. This would yield an ABV around 4.6-7% a little higher than expected, but likely not noticeable on the first beer, maybe after 3 or 4 though

Thanks.  A little extra alcohol wont be a problem.  If that's the only thing that didn't come out as expected, I will be a happy camper.  It is hanging out at getting happy at 65F-66F in my chest freezer.  At 6:00AM yesterday it had good airlock activity and about 1" of nice creamy, tan kreausen.  This morning, it's still bubbling away and as soon as I opened the freezer, it was an instant rush of banana aroma.  As long as I prime it right this time, I think it's going to be a good beer.

[Erik_Mog]

Congrats!  Now when you get yourself an open fermenter, brew up another one!

That's the plan.  I was going to do a breakfast stout next, but I think it is going to be this Hefeweizen again.  I am doing this as a tribute to my brother's band, and named it after them.  They just cut their first EP, and are thinking about doing a release party, mentioned that if the Hefe turns out as hoped, they want it for the party as well.

[Erik_Mog]

Check the gravity yesterday and today, and was steady at 1.011, down from 1.053.  It has been racked to secondary on top of the 3# of puree, and I will let it sit for at least a week before checking gravity again. 

I tasted the sample, and it actually tasted pretty darned good.  It looked a little darker than what I was thinking, but that could be from the fact is was an extract brew.  It definitely tasted like a Hefeweizen to me, and had plenty of yeast in suspension.  It was a good balance between clove and banana, though I had hoped for a bit more banana to go with the orange, but I am not disappointed with how it is so far.  According to what I have read about the WB-06, the banana is more pronounced when fermenting above 73.4F.  I set my controller to 72F so I could hopefully avoid the temperature problems I had with my failed IPA.

As far as the WB-06 goes, the numbers in BeerSmith are definitely wrong.  It shows an attenuation range of 66%-70%.  With my OG of 1.053 and gravity at 1.011 now, BeerSmith shows an apparent attenuation of 80.3%, which is more in line with what Fermentis shows as a max attenuation of 86% under lab conditions.  ABV is at 5.6% instead of <5% that I was going for, but it's all good.

Planning to brew this again as my next batch, but as all-grain, but that will be another thread.

[Erik_Mog]

I took a sample and a gravity reading today after 5 days on the puree.  Gravity was 1.012, which is higher than what it was after primary.  I am guessing that it could be an error in my reading, or some unfermentable sugars left from the puree.  I plan to check again in 2 days before deciding to bottle or not.  The color was good, not to dark.  Aroma wise, there was definite blood orange present.  Taste wise, it was more banana/clove up front and giving way to mild blood orange in the finish.  Not bad at all.  I may add a bit of zest to the secondary as well the next time I do it, or maybe not, as it seems to have a good balance.  I can't wait to try it once it has been carbonated.  It should be a lot better, assuming I get my priming right this time.  Accounting for errors in my hydrometer reading and more attenuation from the WB-06 than expected, I should finish around 4.8%-5.4% ABV.