Fiver Weizen

Brewed in May, the fifth month, and not really a proper Hefe... therefore Fiver Weiezen. Grain bill and the Cascades come from Radical Brewing; that recipe called for Tettnanger @ 15, but Sterling's what I've got.

Recipe

Batch size: 5 gallons

Grain bill:

• 4 lb Organic wheat malt
• 4 lb Gambrinus ESB
• 1 lb Munich 10

Hops:

• 1 oz Cascade (7%) @ 60
• 1 oz Sterling @ 15

Yeast: Wyeast 1007 - German Ale

Prep

May 1, 2010: 2 litre starter: 2 l water + 1 cup/250 ml liquid malt extract.

Brew Day

May 2, 2010: Mashed at fairly low temperature: 142 F/ 61 C or so. OG was 1.052. Didn't squeeze the hops like I usually do, which may have contributed to the 3.75 gallon yield (!). Starter was overflowing by the time I pitched it!

Bottling

May 24, 2010: In honour of Queen Victoria, I bottled today. I got about 14 litres. FG was 1.005 -- so about 6.25% ABV. Considerably more than I expected! So much for a summer thirst-quencher. Tastes very nice, and a good citrusy aroma from the Cascades.

Reserved 2 x 500ml bottles of the yeast/trub; will use one of them for the Penticton Summer Ale.

Tasting

June 8, 2010: Okay carbonation, but had to pour aggresively and the head disappeared quickly. Cascades apparent. Fairly malty (wheaty, I guess) taste; hard to pick out the Munich malt or Sterling hops. Still green.

July 10, 2010: Has definitely carbed up more. Very good cold -- nice and crisp. Some wheat flavour, but definitely not a hefeweizen taste (natch, given the yeast). Malty, but with hop bitterness coming through too. Nice orange colour. Popular with the neighbours -- everyone quite impressed.

July 19, 2010: I recognize that flavour...it's malty! Hah! Kind of reminds me of an Oktoberfest beer I had last year, though not as strong. I wonder if that's the wheat or the Munich or what. Definitely a tasty beer.