Who out there has made a nice wheat wine? Considering aging one in a maple bourbon barrel to create a beer similar to founders 2009 nemesis. Ill check out designing great beers to see what's in there. Basically 60% wheat malt and 40% base malt? Is wheat capable of self converting? If doing a blend of wheat and base malt would a more characterful malt like marris otter be of benefit? Any input is welcome and appreciated. Cheers.
Wheat malt up to 50% http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/60/ No worries about converting. Wheat has plenty-o-diastatic power (red - 165; white - 145)
I've brewed the same wheatwine three times: 45% Great Western Pale Malt (2-row; US), 40% Rahr White Wheat Malt, 5% Briess Torrified Wheat, 4% Gambrinus Honey Malt, 3% Carawheat, 3% Breiss Caramel 10 (US). 2 cups Riesling must concentrate (Alexanders) at whirlpool. Hopped to the bejeesus belt with Pacifica, Galaxy and Nelson in the boil (85 IBU; Hopbursted) and first dry hop, then a second dry hop with Citra and Amarillo. Beer is very hoppy, tropical fruit heavy. I tried lower IBU versions but didn't like them as much. I've had the pleasure of drinking Nemesis '09 twice. Compared to my WW malt bill, I think Nemesis is less bright and much more caramel heavy, meaning I'd drop the torrified wheat and honey malt and add back some kind of higher L crystal malt. I don't remember it being hoppy, so probably extract for bittering with some minor late additions, then go get yourself a maple bourbon barrel and you'll be good.
here's a picture of the beer for those who never had it. Thanks @Scumbag81 that's some great info. I'm not sure how much color pick up the barrel is gonna give us so I am almost leaning towards 50% MO, 45%wheat, and maybe 5% c40. I'm guessing the srm to be like 9 or 10 maybe? Firmly bittered to 80 or 90 ibus. I've never had this beer fresh so I'm not sure of its hop character if drank fresh but I tend to think less hop forward beers do better with barrel treatment.
I think that sounds great. Swapping MO in for the base malt should be good, although if you've never tried Halcyon malt, you might want to try that. Halcyon is another rich british base malt but doesn't have the big biscuity or cookie like (the floor malted warminster marries tastes like a peanut butter cookie to me) flavors MO does. I did a smash barley wine (5 hour boil, 50 IBU, plain and aged in a rum barrel) with Halcyon this year and loved it.
Yea maybe I'll give Halcyon a whirl. I've heard good things but haven't brewed with it yet. Thanks for all the input. Did you get much color pickup on the rum barrel version beside the non BA version?
Not really. Maybe 2-3 srm, but the beer was dark to begin with. Was shocked how much color it picked up from the 5 hour boil.
I once did a 3 hour boil on a BA wee heavy. I really like the results of an extended boil and may do something similar on this wheat wine.
Man, this is sounding good @psnydez86. Pull me off a gallon and age it with cocoa nibs and vanilla beans.. I've long wanted to do a "white chocolate" and just can't see myself getting around to it.
I'm thinking about using the Scottish yeast I used on my wee heavy from wyeast. Alcohol tolerant and quite clean letting the malt shine. I've only used it for one beer but it hides the 11.5% abv on my wee heavy really really well.
