[madscientist]

So recently I brewed a partial mash witbier with some fresh citrus zest and I'm going to actually brew another batch for an event I am attending in October.  Everyone who had this batch said it was really good, but I think I can tweak it and make it that much better.

Here is the recipe:

1 lb flaked oats
1.13 lb. pilsner malt

Mash at 155 for 60min

3.3 lb Wheat LME
3.3 lb Wheat LME (30 min addition).

I was doing roughly a 3 gallon boil (+/- 0.2 gallons i would guess). 

Hallertauer Hersbucker (2.3% AA, 2 oz @ 60 min)
Liberty (4.3% AA, 0.5 oz @ 30 min).... This hop addition was in there to use up what I had leftover.

Normally when I do my batches, I take my pot off the burner (electric stove) and add the first addition of LME, get it to boiling, start timer and add hops.  At 30 min, I'll remove the boil kettle from the heat, pause the timer and add the remaining LME.  I'll put it back on the heat and get it back to a boil and begin timing again. 

With the above recipe, it comes out darker than a typical witbier.  If I go to Wheat DME will that lighten up the color?  Also what about adding some extra pale DME or extra pale LME into the recipe.

I added about 1 oz corriander and 1.5 oz fresh citrus zest (orange and lemon), with about 5 min left in th eboil.  These were on the subtle side.  I want a little more punch from the flavors.  Should I consider adding some bitter or sweet orange peel as well? 

Thanks!

[kramerog]

Adding zest/peel during secondary fermentation will give your beer more of a citrus flavor.  The citrus flavor decreases rapidly so don't worry too much about overdosing.  Note though 1 oz of zest in secondary is much more potent than 1 oz at the end of the boil.

[madscientist]

Adding zest/peel during secondary fermentation will give your beer more of a citrus flavor.  The citrus flavor decreases rapidly so don't worry too much about overdosing.  Note though 1 oz of zest in secondary is much more potent than 1 oz at the end of the boil.

I will definately try this!

[denny]

When and how did witbier come to be fruit punch?

[madscientist]

When and how did witbier come to be fruit punch?

Not trying to make it a fruit punch, just trying to bring out the citrus a little more.

[denny]

When and how did witbier come to be fruit punch?

Not trying to make it a fruit punch, just trying to bring out the citrus a little more.

I'm not dissing you or even specifically referring to you.  But IMO any "orange/fruitiness" in a wit should come from the coriander, the way it was intended, and not from fruit additions.  People seem to think that adding bitter orange peel should make the beer taste "orangey", when it's really for bitterness and any orange character comes from the coriander.  It's your beer and your tastes, but I'd rather have a wit the way it traditionally is supposed to taste.

[Hokerer]

With the above recipe, it comes out darker than a typical witbier.  If I go to Wheat DME will that lighten up the color?  Also what about adding some extra pale DME or extra pale LME into the recipe.

Since you're already doing a partial-mash, do you have the capacity to mash a larger amount of grains?  If you could mash enough to account for one of your extract additions, you could then only do the one late extract addition which would help keep things lighter.  Also, you can move that late extract addition later.  It only needs to be there long enough to pasteurize.

[Joe Sr.]

When and how did witbier come to be fruit punch?

Can we blame Blue Moon and the ubiquitous orange slice?

I can't think of another wit I've ever seen served in that fashion.

[madscientist]

When and how did witbier come to be fruit punch?

Not trying to make it a fruit punch, just trying to bring out the citrus a little more.

I'm not dissing you or even specifically referring to you.  But IMO any "orange/fruitiness" in a wit should come from the coriander, the way it was intended, and not from fruit additions.  People seem to think that adding bitter orange peel should make the beer taste "orangey", when it's really for bitterness and any orange character comes from the coriander.  It's your beer and your tastes, but I'd rather have a wit the way it traditionally is supposed to taste.

Ok, well thanks for clarifying.  I thought it was directed at me, but no worries.  I knew a  lot of the character comes from the corriander, but I wasn't sure what you got from the bitter/sweet orange peel.  Now I know. 

Horker, I may be able to do as you suggested, I have a small 2 gallon mash tun for partial mash batches at the moment.  I should be able to increase the grain though.