The inspiration for this beer came from a night several years ago when I was working as a bartender. Myself and a few others headed to an American-style bar across the road on our break, for some food and beers. I ended up getting a Blue Moon on tap, not knowing what it is and expecting it to be a thin, watered down American lager. I was surprised to receive the opposite, a full-bodied, rich, citrusy and spicy Belgian-style ale with a slice of orange in it. It was fantastic, and that is the style and moment I’m trying to recreate with this beer.
After my research, I concluded on using additions of fresh orange peel, dried chamomile flowers and crushed coriander seed. I also chose to use Saaz hops for the bittering addition, as these are fairly old noble hops and true to the style with the spice character. I chose to go with Lallemand’s Belgian Wit yeast, as it’s an accessible and neutral dry yeast.
Witbier
4.7% / 11.4 °P
Recipe by
Luke Ryan
All Grain
BrewZilla 35L - March 2020 - GASH (copy)
72% efficiency
Batch Volume: 23 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Mash Water: 20 L
Sparge Water: 14.4 L @ 76 °C
Total Water: 34.4 L
Boil Volume: 30.08 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.041
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU (Tinseth): 17
BU/GU: 0.36
Colour: 5.9 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.5 °C
Temperature — 67 °C — 60 min
Malts (4.8 kg)
2.2 kg (45.8%) — Gladfield Pilsner Malt — Grain — 3.7 EBC
1.2 kg (25%) — Wheat Flaked — Grain — 3.2 EBC
1.1 kg (22.9%) — Gladfield Wheat Malt — Grain — 4.2 EBC
300 g (6.3%) — Oats, Flaked — Grain — 2 EBC
Hops (34 g)
34 g (17 IBU) — Saaz 4.5% — Boil — 60 min
Hopstand at 98 °C
Miscs
1.3 g — Gypsum (CaSO4) — Mash
6 ml — Lactic Acid 88% — Mash
30 g — Coriander Seed — Boil — 5 min
5 g — Dried Chamomile Flowers — Boil — 5 min
40 g — Orange Peel, Sweet — Boil — 5 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Lallemand (LalBrew) Wit Belgian 80%
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 5 PSI — 14 days
Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol
Water Profile
35 Ca2+
15 Mg2+
44 Na+
73 Cl-
47 SO42-
117 HCO3-
1 - Start with RO water. Adjust salts using your preferred program. If using distilled, adjust appropriately
2 - Stir before sparging to suspend starch. Do not vorlof.
3 - Do NOT cold crash or cool at all
4 - Package fresh.
Resources:
https://youtu.be/o-Si_TtD3oU
https://youtu.be/ixlBgRYBHM8