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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> American Wheat

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chino_brews
Charter Member
Eden Prairie, MN
301 Posts


What is your opinion on whether American Wheat should have a crisp finish? I don't necessarily mean what the BJCP guidelines allow, but rather what makes an outstanding American Wheat (because I am sure we can agree that American Wheat is one of the worst-abused styles out there).

If yes, how crisp should that finish be? And how do achieve that?

I've heard a couple conflicting theories:
  • controlling mash pH and having high(er) sulfate levels, which is definitely a way to achieve that in hoppy styles
  • soft water and high mash pH (maybe 5.8-6.0)




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


See, I usually don't enjoy American wheats, as I think they are just boring.  A crisp finish would be a nice feature, I'd think.



Posted 34 days ago.

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


For non Wit and non Weizen wheat beers, what I've likes so far is bottom fermenting and splitting the wheat between malted and unmalted (flakes) so that at least 50% of the wheat is unmalted. If you like to push it in a somewhat grainy direction use the lightest distillers barley malt available, or even a part unmalted barley (flakes).

For me most of the american styles are just old world beers with "couleur locale" added, yeast and hops. The Cali Common yeast would be a fitting one here, but don't use it too warm. All this together gives a nice base to play with hops, keep the IBU's relative low without going to the sweet side and play with aroma (about half of what you put in an APA?).

A variation I realy like is to use the same grist with the newer German hops (Blanc, Opal, Smaragd, Saphir etc.) and an expressive Belgian yeast (Achouffe, Kasteel etc.).




Posted 34 days ago.

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