Hops for an "American" Wheat Beer

[Zephyr259]

Hi Folks,

I'm thinking it's time for a wheat beer to finish of my batch of wheat malt but the couple of weizens I've made over the past 6 months have been disappointing and I suspect I liked them so much when I was getting into beer because they have essentially no perceivable bitterness.

So going for a more american take, 50:50 wheat malt to base malt and some characterful hops, probably fermented with one of my kveik strains. Questions is, which hop?

Citra seems to be the classic for a wheat beer but something like Mandarina Bavaria appeals and I was thinking that mixing 2 (or more) hops might work, MB could go with Hull Melon or Hallertau Blanc?

Anyone got a good recipe or inclination for this beer?

Thanks

 

[MickDundee]

I’ve done 2 American wheats based on the Greg Hughes recipe. The Citra One was superb. I did one with Mandarina Bavaria and the hop fade on it was super quick.

 

[MrRook]

In American wheat the hops are generally not at the front like an American pale ale or IPA. Go fairly lightly with whatever American hop you like.

 

[MartinHaworth]

I have the very thing in my brew fridge just now. Based on the James Morton grain bill ( a little bit of oats added), fermented with Voss Kveik, I had to choose between Huell Melon and Citra.

The boys from the brew club suggested that the Huell Melon was easily overpowered and that the Voss orange character may overpower it. I went with Citra. They may well be correct as the orange is pronounced.

Recipe attached - its showing as a Weiss as I couldn't spot the American Wheat profile on Brewers Friend.

2 days from 1044 to 1010 (where it seems to have stuck). The mash ended up a bit higher than I planned, so that probably explains that.

My first outing with Voss, and the brew fridge could only keep a maximum temperature of 32C. Taken it down to 18C now for a very light dry hop (30g Citra) and will cold crash tomorrow before kegging Friday.

Best wishes

Martin

 

[Zephyr259]

I have the very thing in my brew fridge just now. Based on the James Morton grain bill ( a little bit of oats added), fermented with Voss Kveik, I had to choose between Huell Melon and Citra.

The boys from the brew club suggested that the Huell Melon was easily overpowered and that the Voss orange character may overpower it. I went with Citra. They may well be correct as the orange is pronounced.

Recipe attached - its showing as a Weiss as I couldn't spot the American Wheat profile on Brewers Friend.

2 days from 1044 to 1010 (where it seems to have stuck). The mash ended up a bit higher than I planned, so that probably explains that.

My first outing with Voss, and the brew fridge could only keep a maximum temperature of 32C. Taken it down to 18C now for a very light dry hop (30g Citra) and will cold crash tomorrow before kegging Friday.

Best wishes

Martin

Thanks, that's much the same recipe as I was going to aim for. Where did you source your kveik? I've never managed to get orange from my Voss strain, which is from Norway, more of an earthy character which may verge on spicy but it's actually very clean. That level of attenuation seems about right for my experience, I tend to mash then about 68c as that's what I was originally advised to do.

 

[dad_of_jon]

as you can drink wheats early they go well with bold hops IMO. amarillo especially

 

[MartinHaworth]

Thanks, got the voss from a man in a pub....a top Norwich brewer who generously gave me wet and dry....dunno it's pedigree, he told me about the Orange character

Anyway, kegged tonight and force carbing now.

Tastes fresh.

Martin

 

[matt76]

I did a split batch American Wheat using two different yeasts:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/ag-14-american-wheat-big-brew.81668/

It started off from the GH recipe but evolved somewhat into my own thing, including a load of flaked oats.

I used Simcoe, citra & Amarillo hops in the boil.

I divided it between two FV's and pitched Wyeast 1010 American Wheat into one and 1056 American Ale into the other.

Both are very pale and really drinkable and refreshing. The 1056 is like a very light APA. The 1010 is more interesting, less hoppy - the yeast plays off against the hops more so it has elements of Weizen yeastiness with more muted hops.

I drink the 1056 clean, but with the 1010 I'm happy to go full on yeast bomb and pour the lot.

Good luck with yours

 

[Zephyr259]

@matt76 - Thanks, that was an interesting read. I did a split batch recently between a saison and weizen strain but there were some other tweaks with sugar added to the saison and extra bitterness to the weizen. Might do a citra / amarillo blend, never used citra before but I did use amarillo blended with cascade and galaxy for a NEIPA when I was still doing 8L stovetop batches.