Weizenbock. Kind of.

[Lugsy]

I had planned on brewing a Weizenbock this coming weekend to utilise some of the yeast cake from my current Hefeweizen but a shocking oversight has left me without any Munich whatsoever

A quick chat with leedsbrew led to the following plan for a grain bill:

Wheat malt (Dingemans) 4300g
Pale malt (Dingemans) 3000g
CaraMunich type 3 (Weyermann) 500g
Wheat malt (Dingemans), toasted 500g
Oat husks 300g

Tettnang 4.3% AA 100g 90 minutes

Double decoction and infusion with rests at 43, 53, 66 and 75C

This will be fermented with approximately 300ml of WB06 slurry from the Hefeweizen.

I'm hoping that the Dingemans pale coupled with the CaraMunich will give the maltiness that should come from the missing Munich, the double decoction will add some melanoidin too. I'm guessing that the toasted wheat will come out around 60EBC and I should end up at the darker end of the style with around 50 EBC in the finished beer. OG will be around 1.090 and a bitterness of 25 EBU.

So what do you lot think? Will I get away with it? I know it won't be a true Weizenbock but it should come out in the right direction

Any thoughts greatly appreciated as always

[Barley Water]

Can you get your hands on any melonodin malt and maybe a smidge of carafa debittered malt (for color)?

[Lugsy]

I've got plenty of Carafa Special 3 but no melanoidin malt. I even used up all my aromatic malt the other day too

[seymour]

I probably sound like a broken record, but you could measure out the missing quantity in additional base malt, then slightly wet it, spread it on a baking sheet, and gently bake it at medium heat until it starts getting a bit golden and caramelly. It's not an exact science, but it'll loosely replicate a lightly caramelized malt like Munich, Biscuit, Aromatic, or Melanoidin. I guarantee it will contribute exquisite biscuity and aromatic qualities that will compliment the Weizenbock style.

You can do it, and this "necessity is the mother of invention" situation is the perfect excuse to try!

[Lugsy]

Seymour - that was in fact my thinking behind toasting some of the wheat malt, not only for some colour but also the flavour. I've read your discussions of it before and it sounded like a great way to help me get around my missing Munich.

[seymour]

Seymour - that was in fact my thinking behind toasting some of the wheat malt, not only for some colour but also the flavour. I've read your discussions of it before and it sounded like a great way to help me get around my missing Munich.

Ah, great! I skimmed right past that. Well, I can't wait to hear how it turns out!

[Lugsy]

Don't worry, I'll be posting it in brewdays so you can read all about it then