Summer recipe challenge

“The catch is we want it to be very crisp and American, so a traditional German Dunkelweizen would be too fruity and estery for us.”

It sounds like you want to brew with a highly attenuating and neutral yeast. The ultimate choice would be a lager yeast (with a cool fermentation a plus).

There are some ale yeast strains that will also provide a clean character: Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) and California Ale Yeast (WY1056/WLP001/US-05). The cooler you ferment the better.

Cheers!

 

Aside from what Jack said, wyeast 1098 might be a good option. Whatever you choose you probably want to use some simple sugar to dry it out & some Citra hops just because.

 

the light and crisp characteristic can be achieved with a liberal amount of rice.
Jack is correct too, you can't go too warm. if you aren't using a lager yeast (and you should) you want to be in the low 60s. some ale yeasts are going to sluggish at 62, but it can be done. consider a diacetyl rest. then some cold lagering, 2 weeks or more no matter what strain you use.

Noble hops. you put something new from the Northwest or heaven forbid New Zealand and it ain't going to be light and crisp. Saaz is classically crisp.
Cheers.

 

Saaz doesn't scream American to me?

 

why not?
it didn't originate in America, but that doesn't matter. it is very useful for the "crisp" characteristics the op mentioned. there are others, Cluster (blach!) or maybe Liberty that are American and can be used.
we specifically want to avoid "too fruity" and I would strongly discourage Citra. keep the hops restrained or the beer will quickly become floral or fruity.
Cheers.

 

Maybe a ‘compromise’ hop to feature would be Crystal hops?

“Triploid variety from German Hallertau mf., Cascade, Brewer's Gold and Early Green”

I believe they are grown in America and their aroma description of “Mild, spicy and floral” might be consistent with a clean/crisp character.

I have not homebrewed with this hop yet.

Jeff (@hopfenunmaltz), what do you think?

Cheers!

 

I like crystal hops, they do have a little American hop note along with the German parentage. A drawback is that they can be difficult to find sometimes.

 

I'd submit Mt. Hood as decent domestic hop option here too. Similar flavor/aroma to Hersbrucker IMO

 

I definitely see your point. I personally feel a beer can be crisp with the use of citra, simcoe, centennial , etc, etc. I wouldn't go nuts on hops, but a nice citrus bite and a light backbone would see to fit OPs bill

 

Define crisp. Ready....go!

 

Liberty and mt hood would be decidedly un-American American hops.

 

I guess I don't understand the concept of "American" in this usage.

Crisp is usually an attribute that is attached to a Pils, perhaps a helles. Niether are American, though Pils is definitely a style with long tradition in America. I read this as light and use the awkward description spritzy. some dryness, not overly bitter or floral. spicy, like Saaz can work. very drinkable, especially in summer. the dry finish requires a second and a third glass.

American hops, until the last 30 years, 20 even, were just hops grown in America. we can have west coast hops but that isn't going to be Crisp. floral, fruity, piney and a lot of other things. does it need to be an actual American variety? then ok Liberty is one of our closest American bred and grown noble style hops. and i like noble hops for their restrained characteristic. we want crisp and specifically not floral or fruity.
American Saaz is nothing like Saaz, it's believed to be a Northern Brewer derived hop and is not a replacement. but it is grown in America so it is American. it wouldn't work well. Cluster is a disaster, that's just me.

may as well add that wheat is going to have an effect on the body and not sure how that is American either.
Cheers.

 

BA 101 addresses the quality of “crisp”:

“Bottom-fermenting yeast
One of the two types of yeast used in brewing. Bottom-fermenting yeast works well at low temperatures and ferments more sugars leaving a crisp, clean taste and then settles to the bottom of the tank. Also referred to as "lager yeast".”

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/101/terms/

A lager yeast fermented cool will indeed provide a crisp quality to a beer.

Cheers!

 

That doesn't do a good job of defining crisp, but thanks for using bold text and underlines.

I'm looking for what people consider to be crisp, not what they can copy and paste from BA101.

 

When I think of American Red/Amber, I think of caramel/crystal malts and lots of NW style hops, neither of those make me think "crisp".

I think the OP needs to redefine what he is looking for in this beer. I also think the mention of dunkelweizen is likely throwing people.

 

instead of caramel malts just up the color with a touch of midnight wheat. Base malt, a little flaked wheat , table sugar and a couple ounces of citra in the last 15 should get the 30 ibu

 

Kolsch yeast and some flaked maize??

 

It's also not a very good definition of bottom fermenting yeast. (Sorry Bros.) Bottom-fermenting yeast ferments more sugars? Some lager strains attenuate more than some ale strains. And vice versa. I don't even think it's true on average.

To me, crisp means the combination of dry, fairly light (or at least not heavy) body, and (relatively) bitter.