Brewing my first Witbier

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by briggssteel, Apr 17, 2012.

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  1. briggssteel

    briggssteel Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2010 Ohio

    Ball valve. That's what it's called.
     
  2. DaveJanssen

    DaveJanssen Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2008 Germany

    That sounds reasonable. John Palmer's How to brew has a good discussion of different mash tun designs, advantages and disadvantages of each, what they are and aren't suited for, some efficiency info and such. Do you have this book? If not this won't be too helpful because the online version doesn't have this info. I'm not sure It sounds to me like your setup is most similar to Design 8 on page 293.

    Back to the grain as a potential source of lost efficiency, what does the crush look like?

    Hope the wit brew days goes smooth. Do you have a planned date yet?
     
  3. briggssteel

    briggssteel Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2010 Ohio

    I do not have that book. Might be worth looking into though. You know the crush seemed fine but I wasn't looking all that hard because I assumed it was good to go. I'm going to start paying more attention to how it's crushed from now on though. We're not brewing it until next Saturday so I've got some time.
     
  4. sergeantstogie

    sergeantstogie Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2010 Washington

    www.howtobrew.com
     
  5. DaveJanssen

    DaveJanssen Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2008 Germany

    The part I was talking about isn't in the online version.
     
  6. porcelli426

    porcelli426 Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 Colorado

    Yep, I have a Wit stalled at 1030 (from 1051) in the primary so I have been going through old post to see what I may have done wrong. Mashing at 154 must be it. I had a good starter, aerated with O2, and used pretty solid temp controls. I pitched a little cooler, 66 and let it warm up to 67-68 and when I saw the fermentation slowing too early I warmed up the carboy. I don’t think I had enough fermentables. That’s what I get for trying to brew a beer I don’t even like that much
     
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I don't know why your wit stalled at 1.030. But just mashing at 154F would not have had that profound an effect.
     
  8. chianski

    chianski Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2008 Canada (AB)

    What yeast did you use? i came here to warn the OP that wyeast 3944 can take a while to ferment. it just goes slow and steady. i brew a witbier about 3 weeks a go, OG 1.053. after the first week was still around 1.030. After two weeks got just below 1.020 and by the third week got down to 1.008!!! 86 % attenuation!!. going to bottle this weekend, the samples are tasting great. pitched at 66 ,F left in a room at 70 F. probably fermented at 70-73 F most of the time. so just give it some time. and this was mashing at 153 F with a healthy starter.
     
  9. porcelli426

    porcelli426 Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 Colorado

    I used WLP400 with a stirplate starter. I am going into week three, still at 1.030. Haven't given up, temp around 76 and I give it a good shake every other day. I hope its going very slow..
     
  10. porcelli426

    porcelli426 Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 Colorado


    I don't know what else it would be. I accidentally milled the flaked wheat, my first time using it. maybe bad grain bill?
    2Row- 40%
    Flaked Wheat 40%
    C10 10%
    Wheat Malt 10%
     
  11. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Nope. Well, that wouldn't be the way I'd build a wit, but it doesn't explain the low (or slow) attenuation either. If it's really stuck, I'd suspect a yeast issue.
     
  12. koopa

    koopa Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2008 New Jersey

    If you keg your stalled wit and pitch some brett into the keg, you will have a more properly attenuated and delicious funky wit in 6 months :slight_smile:

    The brewer/owner of Rushing Duck Brewing did that and I loved it.....

    http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29800/85356
     
  13. porcelli426

    porcelli426 Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 Colorado

  14. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

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