- Recipe Type
- All Grain
- Yeast
- 1318 London Ale III or American Wheat (?)
- Yeast Starter
- Yes
- Batch Size (Gallons)
- 6.5
- Original Gravity
- 1.040
- Final Gravity
- 1.012
- Boiling Time (Minutes)
- 60
- IBU
- 22
- Color
- 3.5 SRM
- Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
- 12 days 65 up to 72
- Tasting Notes
- Bright, Crisp, Refreshing! If you are looking for all the hops and flavor of an IPA, but all of the lightness and drinkability of a blonde ale or american wheat - this is your beer. Low ABV (3.9-4.1%). Easy, easy drinking. Hop-flavored but not bitter. Definitely a crowd favorite - Might even trick a BMC drinker into enjoying an IPA.
I brew 6.5 gallons to account for loss going from Kettle to fermenter and fermenter to keg - I leave behind trub, hop material, yeast, etc. So, I end up with a full 5 gallons going into the keg at the end. I get about 84% mash efficiency. Adjust grain bill to fit your system, efficiency, etc.
Grain Bill:
I will include % of grain bill and amounts I use for 6.5 gallons.
Shoot for approximately 1.040-1.043 OG
Looking for 3.9-4.1% ABV or so
43% Rahr 2 Row (4 lbs)
43% Rahr White Wheat (4 lbs)
5.5% Flaked Oats (.5lbs)
5.5% Flaked Barley (.5lbs)
2.5% Cara 20 (.25 lbs)
Mash @ 155 for 60 minutes.
** You could probably even simplify this to something as basic as 50/50 2 Row and Wheat or Something like above but even drop the cara 20 altogether. I am sure you could sub in other base malts like pilsner, etc. I will probably play with it some more along the way, but I have brewed it 3 times as above and it is very good as is.
Hops:
30 minutes: 1 ounce Centennial (22 IBU)
Flame out: Start chiller and get wort down to 160 or below - 2 ounces each of Citra/Mosaic
Dry hop: On day 2-3..... 1 ounce each of Citra/Mosaic. Dry hops go in loose and remain until kegged on day 12.
** I would not add more hops, but I would consider going to 1 ounce each at flame out. Or, maybe going 1/2-3/4 ounce centennial at 30. If you want it a bit less hoppy, cut back a bit on first two additions. More hops might make it too harsh for such a low ABV beer though.
Water:
Use 100% RO Water for mash and sparge.
Shoot for around 50/50/50 on Calcium/Chloride/Sulfate
I add .3 grams/gallon gypsum and .3 grams/gallon CaCl to mash and sparge water.
I add .5 ml of Lactic Acid per gallon of mash water
I add .1 ml of Lactic Acid per gallon of sparge water
B'run Water Numbers for me:
Ca: 48
Mg:0
Na:8
Sulfate:45
Chloride:55
Bicarbonate:16
pH:5.30
Water - the simple version:
*Use 100% RO water
*Per 5 gallons of mash water and per 5 gallons of sparge water.
*Use a 1/4 tsp. for measuring.
*Add a heaping 1/4 tsp of both gypsum and CaCl to both mash and sparge.... This is approximately 1.5 grams of both gypsum and CaCl to both mash and sparge.
*Add lactic acid as listed above (or, add 2-3 ounces acidulated malt to grain bill.)
*That will basically get you right in the ball park
Yeast/Fermenation:
I use 1318 on this..... probably not "authentic" wheat beer, but looks, tastes, and works great. I might play around with a kolsch yeast, german ale yeast or american wheat yeast in the future.
I start it around 65 and let it free rise to 68-72.
I add dry hops on day 2-3, loose, and they stay in until I keg on day 12 or so.
Other Notes:
I have brewed this 3 times now and it is really a great beer. Quickly becoming a crowd favorite with the regulars in my basement. I made notes of a couple areas I will likely keep playing with, but this is a great session ale as it is. Going to be even better come summer....
Grain Bill:
I will include % of grain bill and amounts I use for 6.5 gallons.
Shoot for approximately 1.040-1.043 OG
Looking for 3.9-4.1% ABV or so
43% Rahr 2 Row (4 lbs)
43% Rahr White Wheat (4 lbs)
5.5% Flaked Oats (.5lbs)
5.5% Flaked Barley (.5lbs)
2.5% Cara 20 (.25 lbs)
Mash @ 155 for 60 minutes.
** You could probably even simplify this to something as basic as 50/50 2 Row and Wheat or Something like above but even drop the cara 20 altogether. I am sure you could sub in other base malts like pilsner, etc. I will probably play with it some more along the way, but I have brewed it 3 times as above and it is very good as is.
Hops:
30 minutes: 1 ounce Centennial (22 IBU)
Flame out: Start chiller and get wort down to 160 or below - 2 ounces each of Citra/Mosaic
Dry hop: On day 2-3..... 1 ounce each of Citra/Mosaic. Dry hops go in loose and remain until kegged on day 12.
** I would not add more hops, but I would consider going to 1 ounce each at flame out. Or, maybe going 1/2-3/4 ounce centennial at 30. If you want it a bit less hoppy, cut back a bit on first two additions. More hops might make it too harsh for such a low ABV beer though.
Water:
Use 100% RO Water for mash and sparge.
Shoot for around 50/50/50 on Calcium/Chloride/Sulfate
I add .3 grams/gallon gypsum and .3 grams/gallon CaCl to mash and sparge water.
I add .5 ml of Lactic Acid per gallon of mash water
I add .1 ml of Lactic Acid per gallon of sparge water
B'run Water Numbers for me:
Ca: 48
Mg:0
Na:8
Sulfate:45
Chloride:55
Bicarbonate:16
pH:5.30
Water - the simple version:
*Use 100% RO water
*Per 5 gallons of mash water and per 5 gallons of sparge water.
*Use a 1/4 tsp. for measuring.
*Add a heaping 1/4 tsp of both gypsum and CaCl to both mash and sparge.... This is approximately 1.5 grams of both gypsum and CaCl to both mash and sparge.
*Add lactic acid as listed above (or, add 2-3 ounces acidulated malt to grain bill.)
*That will basically get you right in the ball park
Yeast/Fermenation:
I use 1318 on this..... probably not "authentic" wheat beer, but looks, tastes, and works great. I might play around with a kolsch yeast, german ale yeast or american wheat yeast in the future.
I start it around 65 and let it free rise to 68-72.
I add dry hops on day 2-3, loose, and they stay in until I keg on day 12 or so.
Other Notes:
I have brewed this 3 times now and it is really a great beer. Quickly becoming a crowd favorite with the regulars in my basement. I made notes of a couple areas I will likely keep playing with, but this is a great session ale as it is. Going to be even better come summer....
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