West Riding Wheat

[Russ]

iGoing to do this Brupacks kit this weekend as per Daab's instructions for Brupacks kits.......

However never made a Wheat beer so not sure what to expect (Infact the only one I can recall drinking is Hoegarden which I enjoyed).

It has Brewferms larger yeast which quotes a ferm temp of 12-15oc (I was going to use this yeast) would you brew this beer at that temp? (I brew in garage so should be OK this time of year, will have heater in it to steady if it gets too cold)

Is this going to be a cloudy beer?

How would you go about this this one?. 10 days in Primary, move to secondary to condition, prime and bottle just before it clears ? (assuming it will clear!) is what I was thinking......

Suggestions appreciated

Cheers

[tubby_shaw]

I am not sure what kind of wheat beer this kit emulates but apart from Krystal Weiss all wheat beers are served cloudy.
If you want to try a generic Type wheat beer try to get hold of an Erdinger Weiss beer, they are definately for sale in Morrison supermarkets.
The yeast choice is essential for wheat beer and I don't think that lager yeast would be suitable as bannana and clove esters from the yeast are a desirable characteristic in this type of beer.
I would replace it either with the Breferm wheat yeast if you can get it or a good ale yeast and ferment at 20º C.
Wheat beer is I think one of those love it or hate it thing, but if you like Hoerggarden I thin you will like most wheat beers

[Russ]

Thanks

I have Safale 04, not planning a trip to HBS so would like to use what I have. Would I get the esters at 20oC? thought high temps were required for this?

Cheers

[tubby_shaw]

With safale being a fairly neutral yeast flavour wise you could probably up the temp to 22º C fairly safely, but much above that and you will start producing the undesirable esters
A wheat beer yeast strain is pretty essential to get the full effect but using Safale will give good results, it is definately preferable to lager yeast

[Russ]

Thanks Tubby_shaw

bugs me that they provide a larger yeast Instructions are just the same as other brupack kits, ferment at 18-20oC

Is their thinking that fermenting the provided larger yeast that should perform at 12-15 oC at normal temps (18-20)will produce the esters?

Cheers

[pongobilly]

my next brew is fixby gold, but when that is done i want to do a wheat beer for the summer, so can anyone reccomend a good wheat beer kit, and advise me of any ammendments i would need to make to it if need be for example if i would need to replace the yeast

[tubby_shaw]

my next brew is fixby gold, but when that is done i want to do a wheat beer for the summer, so can anyone reccomend a good wheat beer kit, and advise me of any ammendments i would need to make to it if need be for example if i would need to replace the yeast

I cannot reccomend a kit as I have never brewed wheat beer from a kit, but IMO yes changing the yeast will make a massive difference to the finished beer as the major characteristics of this beer come from the yeast.
I have successfully used Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Wheat which produces a true tasting weiss, White labs HEFEWEIZEN ALE YEAST -WLP300 is also reccomended.
If you do not want to go to the expense and trouble of liquid yeast BRUPAKS WHEAT YEAST comes highly reccomended by those that have used it

[SiHoltye]

How is this progressing for you?

I have West Riding Wheat and the Breferm Wheat Beer yeast and am hoping it will be cloudy and refreshing. I'm putting it on tomorrow - did you do the same prep as all Brupaks kits (i follow Daab's now) how did your's go, and what temperature are/did you ferment at. Ta, I'm hoping for a Hoegaarden cloudy refreshing beer, but who knows what this is meant to be anyway!

[Russ]

Hi

I've just (finished about 10 mins ago) bottled my West Riding Wheat. OG was 1040 FG is 1010.
It looks darker than Hoegarden, more like a pale ish beer like Great Eastern.
Followed DaaBs instructions as normal
I fermented mine at 20oC. My kit had Brewferms Larger yeast which I used, but I would reccomend swapping yeast to use Brewferms newly available Wheat Beer yeast, after all it's the one for the job. My kit was older stock (but still in date) I believe the new kits have the Wheat Beer yeast in them.

So far taste isn't very promising IMO, hoping this will improve when its carbonated and matured a little. Using the Wheat Beer Yeast could well have helped.

Cheers

[SiHoltye]

Thanks Russ, and welcome back to the walking wounded. No laughing, coughing or sneezing Daab.

I ordered the Brewferm Wheat Yeast after seeing my pack too like yours had the lager one in it.

I'll put on tomorrow and keep posted.

[SiHoltye]

It's on now, and bar one disaster ish and odd colouration all went well. Got caught up watching kenyan wickets fall and burnt the wort to the bottom of the pan. Eek, so transferred to two smaller pots via a sieve to continue. Think I got away with it though. The starter I made with first boiled and cooled water to re-hydrate and then wort and boiled water to bring on looked considerably 'browner' than ale starter in this way. This one was with Brewferm Wheat beer Yeast. I wonder if others noticed the cholcolaty colouring? Any thoughts others, damn it Shepherd Neame Xmas 2006 still available at local shop, hazy weekend night for a while still yet! Happy though!

[SiHoltye]

All bubbling nicely despite a little burning on the hob. Pan took ages to scrub, you can really smell the difference with an orangey fruity nose about the ferment now. Quite distinctive when used to aley smells. Looking forward to it already.

[SiHoltye]

I bottled this last night and it tasted great (if flat). It got down to 1010 and still had a small crust on it and was passing CO2 thru the airlock. Can't wait to enjoy this one, they do say drink it young!

[SiHoltye]

Am drinking WRW now, and wondering if it should be chilled? It tastes a little reminicent of warm lager! Not unpleasant, but perhaps would have more of a bite at a lower serving temp?

Will chill a bottle for tomorrow - purely research - drinking on a Monday!?!

[SiHoltye]

Humble apologies for not posting sooner.

Have all but finished the WRW now, and I'm sorry to say not too soon. This is not the kit's fault but is for 2 reasons:

1) Lack of research.
This beer is not meant to be anything like Hoegaarden, it's clear and not as fruity in my experience. I am not so keen on this style.
2) Liquor Quality.
I think I have now ascertained that my tap water is cack. I added ½ crushed campden to this brew and one before and they both still (the earliers had it worse) had a medicinal twang to them spoiling or rather overbearing any intended flavours.

My latest efforts are conditioning now and the Midas Touch doesn't taste medicinally at all (used bottled water). WooHoo!

In conclusion this was the wrong beer for my taste, and I didn't make it right (using cack water) anyway. So please disregard any comments I might have made on the quality of this kit.

Live and learn.