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Brevity Wit #2


Vital Statistics:

Batch Number:15
Style:Witbier
Brew Date:7 February 2010
Original Gravity:1.039 (9.75 °Plato)
Final Gravity:1.004 (1.03 °Plato)
ABV:4.6%
ABW:3.6%
Calories per pint:166
Estimated IBU (Rager):17.6
Estimated IBU (Tinseth):17.4
Mash Temperature:152°
Mash Efficiency:70%
Days in Primary:20 (into secondary on 27 February 2010)
Days in Secondary:7 (kegged on 6 March 2010)
Yeast Used:3944 Belgian Witbier
Apparent Attenuation:90%
Real Attenuation:73%
Rating:3.90
Entirely Consumed:Yes (finished 3 April 2010)
Availability:28 days
Recipe:

4 lb 2-row pale malt
4 lb wheat malt
1 lb flaked wheat

5 AAU (28g @ 5% AA) East Kent Goldings @ 60 min

1 oz ground coriander @ 5 min
Zest from 2 oranges @ 5 min

Wyeast 3944 - Belgian Witbier
General Notes:

One of first two kegged beers.
Tasting Notes:

Notes taken 3/18/2010. Poured from a keg into a tulip. Serving temperature about 45 degrees. Keg was tapped at about 8 psi but beer was originally carbonated to about 30 psi, or about 3 volumes.

Appearance: hazy pale white/straw color with three fingers of compact white foam head. Retention is not half bad, but there is so much head it's hard to really say how fast it's dissipating. I like the effect. (4)

Smell: sweet aroma of coriander plus a little orange. Wheaty, citrusy malt is well-complemented by the aroma of the spices. I quite like the effect -- a solid witbier. (4)

Taste: bitter orange, coriander and wheat. I think it is a very solid witbier, though it could use more body, more unctuousness, more alcohol -- in short, better mash efficiency. The goal of BW #2 was to get better efficiency and thus better body than #1; again, it turned out like a tasty beer but it could be so much more. (3.5)

Mouthfeel: first kegging experiment: an unmitigated success. The body may be a light-medium, but the carbonation is exceedingly well integrated (this beer was kegged about a week and a half ago). Creaminess abounds and makes the drinking experience highly pleasurable. (4.5)

Drinkability: drinkability is very high. I'm sitting here with a tapped keg and see no reason to stop drinking this delicious brew. I feel like it is a tad bit watered-down, but that is not surprising considering its 1.039 OG and its 4.6% finished ABV. If you define drinkability as sessions-strength, tasty enough at least, and just a general joy, then this bad boy takes all the tricks. I've no doubt that there's a bias here due to it being my first oft-consumed kegged beer, but really, I think it deserves the extra points commensurate therewith. (4.5)

Overall score 3.9 (B+). Just shy of the first Brevity Wit, which clocked in at 3.95. Most of this is due to the flavor score, which was below par and well-deserved of this distinction. I feel like flavor was compromised by the lack of malt contribution: if I can hit 80% mash efficiency with this exact recipe, I feel that body and flavor will be improved by enough to bring this beer into A/A- territory. Still, BW #2 should be considered a distinct, if qualified, success.
Hops Table
Hop Variety Addition Time AAU AA% Quantity (g) Type IBU (Rager) IBU (Tinseth) Notes
East Kent Goldings 60 5.00 5.0 28 Whole 17.6 17.4