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Honey Weiss


Vital Statistics:

Batch Number:71
Style:Hefeweizen
Brew Date:23 March 2013
Original Gravity:1.053 (13.10 °Plato)
Final Gravity:1.006 (1.54 °Plato)
ABV:6.2%
ABW:4.8%
Calories per pint:226
Estimated IBU (Rager):32.2
Estimated IBU (Tinseth):26.2
Mash Temperature:150°
Mash Efficiency:86%
Days in Primary:53  
Days in Secondary:0 (kegged on 15 May 2013)
Ferm. Temp. Notes:66-68°
Yeast Used:3068 Weihenstephan Weizen
Apparent Attenuation:89%
Real Attenuation:72%
Rating:3.50
Entirely Consumed:Yes (finished 17 August 2013)
Availability:94 days
 Recipe:

7 lb wheat malt
1 lb flaked wheat

1 lb 7⅜ oz wildflower honey, added at about 10 minutes

3 AAU (9g @ 9.8% AA) Belma @ 60
6 AAU (17g @ 9.8% AA) Belma @ 20
9.6 AAU (56g @ 4.8% AA) Glacier @ 5

Wyeast 3068 - Weihenstephan Weizen
General Notes:

 
Tasting Notes:

Tasting notes taken 15 August 2013, 92 days after kegging. Dispensed from kegerator into a weizen glass.

Appearance: medium yellow-gold hue with a moderate haze and moderate effervescence. Poured about a finger of white foam head which has dissipated somewhat quickly, but has left some wispy lace. Not bad, and I'm impressed how much cloudiness it has kept despite being in the keg for 3 months. Must be the flaked wheat. (3.75)

Smell: wheaty with plenty of clove; there is also what I think is a light contribution from the honey. Hop aroma is light and grassy; surprisingly low-key despite the bomb of Glacier right at the end. Undermining all this subtle character, however, is a bit of a hot alcoholic element from all the extra fermentables in the honey. I'm not a huge fan of this element -- time to go back to making simple wheat beers without all this extra crap in them. (3.5)

Taste: smooth at first, but then the rough alcohol elements hit. Perhaps 3068 is just not designed to ferment honey. There's a greaty wheaty flavor underneath, but all subtlety is lost with the extra sweetness and alcohol. That said, it's not a terrible beer, just a little too hot and cloying for me. (3.5)

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with an OK effervescence. Not particularly creamy, but not too bad. (3.5)

Drinkability: here's where I'm not a fan. See, I just can't quaff this stuff all day -- it just kind of gets to me. Definitely no more honey in wheat beers. (3)

Overall score 3.5 (B-). Not a fantastic beer, but it is not terrible, either. This beer actually makes a nice component in a graveyard with Troublesome Tripel and/or 24 Hour Common. But regarding honey in wheat beers: lesson learned. Overall, between Hot! Honey Blonde, Honey Saison and Honey Weiss, I think I'm done with honey-beer experiments for the time being.
Hops Table
Hop Variety Addition Time AAU AA% Quantity (g) Type IBU (Rager) IBU (Tinseth) Notes
Belma 60 3.00 9.8 9 Pellet 12.3 9.2  
Belma 20 6.00 9.8 17 Pellet 12.5 11.1  
Glacier 5 9.60 4.8 56 Pellet 7.4 5.9