Monday, August 6, 2012

Belgian Wit Brewday (8/5/12)

For the third time in this blog/summer/year, I'm brewing a Belgian Wit.  Still hasn't come out exactly how I wanted, so I keep re-brewing

Recipe (5 gallons) 

1.046 O.G.
1.010 expected F.G
4.8% ABV

Malt:

4.5# German Pilsner (51%)
3.5# Unmalted Wheat (40%)
12 oz. Flaked Oats (9%)

Hops: (19 IBU's)

9 grams Nugget (15.1%AA) @ 90 Minutes

Yeast:


Spices (added at flameout):

1 oz. Grapefruit Peel
.75 oz. Crushed Indian Coriander
1 tablespoon flour to add haze


Mash/Boil:

Usually I've done a cereal mash when using unmated wheat, but since my grains were already crushed together, I decided to use a single decoction to break down the adjuncts.  I'm not going to pretend I really understand what "breaking down" the unmalted adjuncts means, but I know that adjuncts aren't modified enough during malting to be used in a single infusion mash.



1). I mashed in at 122 degrees for a protein rest at a 2 qts/lb ratio:

I'm using my kettle as a mash tun, so I can add heat directly if needed.

2.) After one hour of protein rest, I pulled the first decoction.  I used one quart of thick mash per pound of grain, which was 24 fills of this pyrex measuring cup:


Mostly grain is pulled from a decoction, but the small amount of liquid that comes along should be okay. 


3.) After my thick 30-40% of the mash was pulled into a separate kettle, I began the 30 minute decoction.  The schedule was:

122-150 degrees in the first five minutes
150-170 in the second five minutes
170-boiling in the third five minutes
boil for 15 minutes

The first video shows the beginning of my boiling decoction.  The second video is towards the end of the 15 minute boil, and you'll notice the grains are much darker and softened.





4.) After my 30 minute decoction, I slowly added the grain back until the mash reached my sacchrification temp of 150.  I actually needed to apply a bit of heat since I undershot my temp.

5.) After resting at 150 degrees for one hour, I applied heat to the brew kettle until I reached a mash out temp of just below 170. I poured the mash into my lauter tun (aka my cooler mash tun I use on most brews), rested for 15 minutes, then treated the mash just like any other batch sparge. Vorlouf, lauter, and sparge until I reached 7 gallons.

6.) Boil for 90 minutes, add hops and spices, chill, oxygenate, pitch yeast.  Ferment at 73 degrees ambient.







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Bristol, CT, United States