[scrapsmac]

Hi folks,

looking to do a Belgian/American wit. Here's what I have at my disposal:

a few kg of maris otter
500g flaked oats
1kg extra light malt extract
1kg wheat flakes
400g wheat malt extract
EK Goldings

Corriander seeds
Orange zest

Safale us-05

Im looking to do something similar to blue moon, hence the safale us05 as I read it used a neutral strain and other brewers have had good results using it.

To date I have only done extract brews, steeping etc. I would quite like to move into partial mashing. I've read many different methods to reproduce blue moon but would appreciate some advice from fellow boardsies?

[mayto]

A partial mash with wheat flakes and oats might be very sticky and could get a stuck mash. But you just stir it up again, let it rest for 10 min and strain again. You will have to mash the flaked wheat and oats with a base malt like your maris otter to add enzymes for conversion. Do you have a mash tun or a container to do the mash in? Going all-grain with a mash tun really is great and probaly a lot easier to make up a recipe than parial mashing.

[scrapsmac]

no i don't have a mashtun yet

I had planned on using a pot and regulating the temp with a towel. I might scale the brew down also just as a trial run.

[oblivious]

Originally Posted by scrapsmac

no i don't have a mashtun yet

I had planned on using a pot and regulating the temp with a towel. I might scale the brew down also just as a trial run.

Here is a great way to do a Partial-Mash in your oven

http://www.byo.com/stories/technique...rtial-mash-way

[lordstilton]

Alot of the flavour in wheat beer is from the phenols the yeast produces.. the banana and clove flavours all derive from the yeast..You'll get a perfectly good beer from what you have but don't expect it to be like a wheat beer you use too..Do yourself a favour and get some liquid wheat yeast. It will make a big difference to your beer.

[scrapsmac]

thanks for the tips lads!

I've been playing around with beersmith and beer tools but I'm getting mighty confused with water quantities.

Can anyone give me some help or advice if I'm looking to do a standard 23litre batch?

[mayto]

I did up a recipe using some of the ingredients you have. Mash the grains using the method oblivious posted from byo site. Mash the grains in about 8L water at about 68C. Add all the wort you get from the grains to your boiler and top up with water to 26L. When the water in boiler is near boiling, turn off the heat to your boiler and add your malt extract, stirring well. You turn off the heat when adding the malt extract so you will not scortch the extract. Turn the heat back on and wait for a rolling boil before adding hops.

Category: Belgian and French Ale
Subcategory: Witbier
Recipe Type: Partial Mash
Batch Size: 23 L
Volume Boiled: 22.71 L
Mash Efficiency: 72 %
Total Grain/Extract: 3.80 kg
Total Hops: 25.0 g
Calories (12 fl. oz.): 145.3
Cost to Brew: $37.39 (USD)
Cost per Bottle (12 fl. oz.): $0.58 (USD)

Ingredients
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.4 kg Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
1 kg Dry Extra Light
.4 kg Wheat Dry
.5 kg Wheat Flaked
.5 kg Oats Flaked
25 g East Kent Goldings (Whole, 5.00 %AA) boiled 60 minutes.
15 g Corriander crushed (not included in calculations)
35 g Orange zest (not included in calculations)
Yeast: Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05

Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Vital Statistics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Gravity: 1.044
Terminal Gravity: 1.009
Color: 3.89 SRM
Bitterness: 16.0 IBU
Alcohol (%volume): 4.6 %

[scrapsmac]

Thanks mayto! You've helped me out big time. The sooner I learn to use beersmith properly the better lol

I'll be sure to let you all know how I get on.

On a side note, I have an experimental vimto/apple cider brewing. Only 4 litres using a 5 litre water bottle.

[scrapsmac]

Mayto, What volume of water would you recommend for sparging? I plan on simply pouring it over the grains in a colander!

[mayto]

Only guessing but about 8 to 10 litres of water at about 80C. Ideally you do not want any bits of grains in the boiler so maybe try putting something like a hop bag in the collander to catch the grains. You can rinse out the grains too much to exract tanins so really do not want to over sparge either. You finally want about 26L of wort in the boiler including your added malt extract, to end up with 23L after an hours boil.

[scrapsmac]

Right lads, im going to give this a go when I get a free day next weekend!

I have decided to do a smaller brew however, roughly half so 11.5 litres. My oven is on the small side unfortunately. It also means I won't have wasted a heap of ingredients if i mess up

I take it I just half all the quantities outlined above? Time remains the same though?

[mayto]

Half the quantities and it should be fine for a 11.5 litre batch alright. You should be looking at about 13L of wort for the boil.

[scrapsmac]

One last question, what strike temperature should I be looking to hit before I add my grains? Also, as I am now doing a smaller batch, do I only need to pitch half the packet of safale us-05? I'm going to try this brew today! Wish me luck!

[mayto]

Preheat the vessel you are using for the mash with some boiling water first. Leave for a minute or two, then empty. Add strike water at about 75C to your mashing vessel and then mix the grains well avoiding dry clumps(doughballs). Have some boiling water and some cool water ready to add if mash too cold or warm. You usually aim for about 67C and keep within the 65C to 69C range. Its hard to judge what temperature to have strike water for first brew as it depends what temp mash container absorbs and the grain temp.