Very little base malt. Will I have conversion problems?

[guildofevil]

I am going to do a leftovers brew while waiting for my next sack of pale malt to arrive.

I have 1.9kg of pale malt left for a 20 litre batch.

Now I know this doesn't seem like much, but I also have 3Kg of wheat malt, 600g of crystal and most of a kilo of chocolate malt hanging around (Not to mention lots of hops of various varieties, but that's not the issue here).

What I would like to do is make the strongest beer I can, with the ingredients available, but I am a little worried about whether I will have enough enzymes in the mash to be sure of conversion.

I was thinking of something like this, for a Belgian Dubbel:

1.9Kg Pale malt
2.25Kg Wheat malt
250g Crystal malt
150g Chocolate malt.
500g Sugar Crystal (Start of Boil)

Start of boil: 500g Sugar Crystals
60 Minutes: Tettnang (4.3% AA): 30g = 18.9 IBU
15 Minutes: Irish Moss 1tsp.
20 Minutes: Tettnang (4.3% AA): 5g = 1.1 IBU
7 Minutes: Tettnang (4.3% AA): 5g = 0.6 IBU

I intend using Wyeast 1388 at about 22C.
Promash has this coming out at 1.063 assuming 75% efficiency.

Do you think I will have conversion problems?

[PieOPah]

DaaB has done mini mashes before and been successful. I don't think that it matters how much grain you use.

I have never used wheat in a beer yet, but that seems to be an awful lot. Should you really be using that much? Surely you would want your base malt to have the majority amount.

[guildofevil]

This would be a full mash for a 20 litre batch.

The reason I am using so much wheat is that it has diastatic power of it's own, so it will help with the conversion. Weiss biers have been known have a grist of up to 70% wheat.

[steve_flack]

The only potential problem I can see is with that much wheat in the mash is that it could end up with a stuck mash more easily.

[guildofevil]

Hmmm... a good point there.
I might chance it anyway though. Batch sparge and hope for the best.

[Seveneer]

I reckon you'll be fine but if it was me I'd ditch the dark grains and sugar and do a smaller batch.

/Phil.

[oblivious]

Give it a longer mash, Belgian’s are usually well attenuated beers, just my two cents, I would leave the sugar in

[steve_flack]

Weiss beers are German. You're thinking of Wit beers - they would generally use unmalted wheat.

[guildofevil]

The reason I mentioned weiss bier was to illustrate the amount of malted wheat it is possible to use in a brew, as it brings its own enzymes to the party.

I'm just shooting for a dark Belgian style beer and while I know that all that wheat malt is not to style. What the hell, it's what I have on hand to make up the fermentables.

[Orfy]

I'd look at doing a smaller session ale and reduce the wheat. Save some of it for next time.

[deadlydes]

well it doesnt seem like you will have diastatic problems.
if you like the recipe just go for it!
let us know how it goes

[oblivious]

You could do a Belgian pale ale or wheat beer and when your other grain arrives re pitch a big ol’ Belgian dark ale on to the yeast cake of the first, avoids the need for a starter!

[Seveneer]

You could do a Belgian pale ale or wheat beer and when your other grain arrives re pitch a big ol’ Belgian dark ale on to the yeast cake of the first, avoids the need for a starter!

Now that's a great idea.

/Phil.

[mysterio]

Wheat malt has enough enzymes to convert itself I thought

And Crystal and Chocolate malts dont need converting as far as I know.

The only time I have conversion problems is when I use 50% unmalted grains when my efficiency drops to 60% or so.

[Orfy]

Wheat malt has enough enzymes to convert itself I thought

And Crystal and Chocolate malts dont need converting as far as I know.

The only time I have conversion problems is when I use 50% unmalted grains when my efficiency drops to 60% or so.

Beersmith suggest for ger/bel wheat malt a max of 60% and 40% for dark.
Yes Crystal and Chocolate do not require mashing. They are steeping grains/adjuncts.
.