Witbier advice

[MrJay83]

Hi,

Hoping for a bit of advice or explanation for my poor brew today.

Grain bill: 5.6kg
2.7kg europills
2.4kg wheat
400g acidulated
370g torrefied oats
20l mash, 45C 15m (messed up and overshot to 55C & 68C 45m. 1 hour boil (30l).

My issues are that it looked like grimy white socks after the mash. Took a reading of 1.050 (I didn't stir it) and after the boil (40g Mandarina bravaria, coriander seeds & orange peel) it still looked the same. It's smells good, tastes sweet but the OG in the fermenter is only 1.036 (24l).

Any insight into how I messed this up would be much appreciated so I don't repeat it again.

Thanks,
J

 

[Slid]

Hi,

Hoping for a bit of advice or explanation for my poor brew today.

Grain bill: 5.6kg
2.7kg europills
2.4kg wheat
400g acidulated
370g torrefied oats
20l mash, 45C 15m (messed up and overshot to 55C & 68C 45m. 1 hour boil (30l).

My issues are that it looked like grimy white socks after the mash. Took a reading of 1.050 (I didn't stir it) and after the boil (40g Mandarina bravaria, coriander seeds & orange peel) it still looked the same. It's smells good, tastes sweet but the OG in the fermenter is only 1.036 (24l).

Any insight into how I messed this up would be much appreciated so I don't repeat it again.

Thanks,
J

There is not much by way of colour in any of your ingredients and short of adding ~2.5kg of frozen raspberries, there is unlikely ever to be.
Looks fine to me and I have done a few wheat beers.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Yeah, agree with slid, looks fine to me, it'll change quite a bit during fermentation i suspect!

 

[Jim Brewster]

The wort looks fine.
Total grain bill is 5.86kg btw
You're way off the target gravity though
Should be enough diastatic power in the pils to convert the wheat (if unmalted). Mash temps look ok even if they differed from the target temp.

 

[MrJay83]

It's strange because every other brew my efficiency has been pretty good and I done everything the same as I usually do. It is my first witbier though. Another strange one is that my gravity rised a bit when fermentation started.

 

[MrJay83]

The wort looks fine.
Total grain bill is 5.86kg btw
You're way off the target gravity though, surprised the post boil gravity would drop from 1.050 to 1.036 after boil off. Did you adjust for temperature?
Should be enough diastatic power in the pils to convert the wheat (if unmalted). Mash temps look ok even if they differed from the target temp.

I'll be checking the weights from the kit supplier in future.
I'm guessing there was some stratification in my brewzilla and I got a false reading after the mash. I drew a sample off the tap without mixing.

Didn't adjust for temp as I chilled my mash sample in an ice bath and my post boil after chilling the wort to 20C.
My OG should have been 1.054 so I was happy after the first sample.... But nervous after the second

 

[MrJay83]

Yeah, agree with slid, looks fine to me, it'll change quite a bit during fermentation i suspect!

To be fair, I bought a hoegaarden yesterday to compare and I have to admit that I forgot just how pale it is. Haven't had a witbier for some time now.

 

[Jim Brewster]

To be fair, I bought a hoegaarden yesterday to compare and I have to admit that I forgot just how pale it is. Haven't had a witbier for some time now.

Wit is Dutch for white after all
It's a very low efficiency though isn't it, about 50%, could it be the unmalted grist that is responsible perhaps. It's all I can think of!
Maybe a longer mash would help, just a single rest say 90 mins at 65C to remove variables. 45 mins at 68C perhaps a tad short and high.

 

[MrJay83]

Wit is Dutch for white after all
It's a very low efficiency though isn't it, about 50%, could it be the unmalted grist that is responsible perhaps. It's all I can think of!
Maybe a longer mash would help, just a single rest say 90 mins at 65C to remove variables. 45 mins at 68C perhaps a tad short and high.

Yeah but it was a dirty white sock grey. The pictures don't really show it well. It looked really strange to me but as I said it was my first wit.
I calculated it at 45% If I like the taste of it I'll try again at the longer mash time. Cheers.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I found that my efficiency took a beating when I used either flaked oats or wheat. I've started doing a beta glucanase rest that seems to help keep the mash free flowing and easier to recycle. Improved my efficiency but not totally.

 

[Agentgonzo]

When I've brewed wits, the foam on the top of the kettle as it comes up to brew have always looked grey. Then when it gets racked into a sample jar after the boil to measure the gravity there is a grey tinge to the wort that I assume comes from the trub.

The finished beer was the pale yellow as expected (just like hoegaarden) though, so I expect yours will be fine!

 

[MrJay83]

When I've brewed wits, the foam on the top of the kettle as it comes up to brew have always looked grey. Then when it gets racked into a sample jar after the boil to measure the gravity there is a grey tinge to the wort that I assume comes from the trub.

The finished beer was the pale yellow as expected (just like hoegaarden) though, so I expect yours will be fine!

Good to know and reassuring. Cheers

 

[Jim Brewster]

[deleted - misread]

 

[MrJay83]

Bottled today. Coming out at 4% (went down to 1.004) so I'm happy enough and doesn't look too bad.

 

[MrJay83]

Tried a sample after 5 days today. Seems to be carbing up well but there's a bit of a twang... I'll assume that the yeast needs to finish up with the priming sugar (that taste was not there before I added the sugar). Bit of a funny smell as well but I am getting those witbier notes. Zero head but I'm blaming the wife on washing the glass with fairy.
Do witbiers need much conditioning? I've read that they don't have much of a shelf life.

Cheers
J