Belgian? You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
It all started in an attempt to create a Belgian White beer. I did a little bit of homework, and even crafted a recipe somewhere, but then I misplaced it. And when you go to the homebrew store with kids in tow, you often forget what, exactly, you came there for. So I did something a little different.
What I ended up with was a wheat wine hopped with Sorachi Ace, New Zealand Pacific Jade, and Citra. The color is a deep amber, and there's a noticeably wheaty flavor with a bit of a kick that the hops help mellow out a bit. Weighing in with an ABV of 9.5%, this is not a beer for wimps, and the ABV is likely to increase as the beer ages.
The beer pours a dark amber, with little head. Citra hops provide a refreshingly cool flavor reminiscent of melon. The aftertaste is quite smooth, with subtle notes of lemon, black pepper, and coriander in the background.
The taste is inconceivable.
Here's the recipe I used: (2 gallon batch)
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| I would not say such things if I were you!! |
What I ended up with was a wheat wine hopped with Sorachi Ace, New Zealand Pacific Jade, and Citra. The color is a deep amber, and there's a noticeably wheaty flavor with a bit of a kick that the hops help mellow out a bit. Weighing in with an ABV of 9.5%, this is not a beer for wimps, and the ABV is likely to increase as the beer ages.
The beer pours a dark amber, with little head. Citra hops provide a refreshingly cool flavor reminiscent of melon. The aftertaste is quite smooth, with subtle notes of lemon, black pepper, and coriander in the background.
The taste is inconceivable.Here's the recipe I used: (2 gallon batch)
- 5lbs wheat malt extract
- 1 vial California ale yeast (white labs)
- .5 oz Sorachi ace (bittering)
- .5 oz NZ Pacific Jade (bittering)
- .25 oz of each above (flavor)
- 2 gallons water
The malt and bittering hops were put in at 45 minutes. The rest of the hops were added around the 10 minute mark. OG was 1.090.
Dry hop after about 4 weeks in fermenter (I don't transfer to a secondary). Gravity should hold steady around 1.014.
- .5 oz x2 Citra whole leaf hops
- approx 1 tbsp combo black pepper, coriander, ground lemon peel, and star anise (Experiment with exact amounts to find a mix you like)
Add 1/2 of the hops for 2 days. Remove hops & replace with the other half + spices. Allow 2 more days. By the 4th day, all hops should be removed (keep the spices though). If the sample tastes like a flat version of the beer you want, bottle immediately.
If bottle-conditioning, bottle for at least 2 weeks, then test. If it doesn't taste right, let sit for another week or two.
Like barleywines, wheatwines can age for quite a while. By now (early October), this beer is only about 2 months old. I'd suggest giving it another 3-5 months to mature (although it's quite drinkable right now). If you're really patient, give it a year and let me know how it changes!
Like barleywines, wheatwines can age for quite a while. By now (early October), this beer is only about 2 months old. I'd suggest giving it another 3-5 months to mature (although it's quite drinkable right now). If you're really patient, give it a year and let me know how it changes!
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| Here is the final label. They are somewhat customized: there are six different labels, each with a different quote from Humperdinck himself, or Princess Bride in general. |
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