Xmas Weizen advice

[euge]

I've brewed a couple Hefe's and they turned out pretty good. The last one was an AG in 2008 with 70% wheat malt. Used WB-06 and it was consumed very quickly.

I want something fun on xmas so picked up some extract to mini-mash with some grain laying around. Yeast is two packs of WB-06 with best by date of Sep 09.

For 6 gallons of Dunkel Weizen:

4# wheat DME
2# Caravienna
1.5# Munich
1.25oz Hallertau 3.8aa for 60

1.053- 1.013
19 IBU
5.2 ABV
10 SRM

Or

For 6 gallons of Hefe Weizen

6# wheat DME
1.25oz Hallertau 3.8aa for 60

1.055- 1.014
19 IBU
5.3 ABV
3 SRM

Ideas? Which should I do? Suggestions? I limited the poll for 2 days so it should close this time on xmas am.

Thanks

[tschmidlin]

Make a wheat dopplebock instead

Go with:
8# wheat DME (or 6# if that's all you have)
2# Caravienna
1.5# Munich
a little chocolate malt?  What else do you have on hand?

Is that a typo on the yeast?  BB date from 2009?   Better make some starters and step it up.

[euge]

I got chocolate malt. Special B. Various crystal malts (10,60,90,120) and roast malt.

edit: and a total of 7# of wheat malt. And it isn't a typo.

[tschmidlin]

Cool . . .

An ounce or two of chocolate then, maybe a couple of ounces of special B.  I'd leave out the roast malt., and you've already got caravienne so I'd skip the crystal too.  And just for fun, do a decoction

[euge]

Cool . . .

An ounce or two of chocolate then, maybe a couple of ounces of special B.  I'd leave out the roast malt., and you've already got caravienne so I'd skip the crystal too.  And just for fun, do a decoction

I was thinking about that. Mash first then boil it so I get conversion. And with the addition of 2 oz each of the choco and spec B the SRM is now up to 16.

[euge]

OK I added Weizenbock to the poll since Dopplebock isn't in the category range but fits the profile as I envision it. Sound like a good compromise Tom?

And I have 0.75oz of Hallertau to play with.

[tschmidlin]

Cool euge, I want to change my vote from dunkel weizen to weizenbock.   It won't let me though.

I like the recipe as is, but of course you'll have to brew it and taste it

[majorvices]

Definitly a weizenbock. Won't be ready by Christmas though.

[redbeerman]

Definitly a weizenbock. Won't be ready by Christmas though.

+1  Or even a weizen eisbock!

[EHall]

doppleweizenbock?

[bonjour]

or a doppleweizeneisbock

[euge]

Snap! Just realized this was started in the pub! Could one of you admin types move it to the appropriate category?

[euge]

Alrighty then. I'm doing another taste test. Sipping on an Optimator. Not in the category but I'm trying to hone in on some flavors. This beer is different than what my memories serve. But that's another topic. Some of the lightly sweet burnt caramel I like. Effervescent.

If I up the extract to 5.5 pounds it puts me in at 1.067 which is Weizenbock territory. But the percentages worry me a bit. The Munich weighs in at 16.2% and the Caravienne 21.6%. Ray Daniels' Designing Great Beers is fairly concise with the Wheat family so there isn't much data but specialty grains are 15-25% of the grain bill for a Wiezenbock.

So I've halved the two grains and increased the extract to 6.5# ending up with this:

OG   1.069
FG   1.017
IBU   25
ABV   6.7 %
SRM   14

62.5 %    1.25    Hallertau    Pellet    3.8    4.8    60    0.237    16.9
37.5 %    0.75    Hallertau    Pellet    3.8    2.8    30    0.182    7.8

That brings me to about 23% with all four grains.

I haven't voted yet so no idea about the poll. Taking all suggestions for the simpler Weizens too. There's about 24 hours left. I can get more ingredients at the LHBS.

[euge]

Well, I'd like to thank everyone. I'm underway with a Weizenbock. The vote has it. Reduced the recipe to do 2.5 gallons and will do a decoction with the grain.

I may do the same brew tomorrow but pitch WLP029.

[euge]

Bottled the batch Sunday. I'm enjoying a force-carbed 8 day old sample. Nice brew to taste. Tart. Soft hint of banana, a little bit of clove. A decent bitterness. Aroma is clove and faintly reminiscent of bubblegum. Tan head. Poor clarity as expected. SRM is a bit off. I think it was Munich light instead of dark.

It'll be better in a few weeks.