Dunkel Weissbeer - Dark Wheat Beer

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Tue May 22, 2012 6:37 pm

This weekend I am hopefully heading to the lhbs with the intention of getting the bits for a couple more kit brews.

One of the styles I want to make is a Dunkel... As a base I intend to use a Coopers Wheat Beer kit. Has anyone done a similar beer with said kit?

I am thinking of using 500g of Dark DME to darken the kit. Would you suggest doing so rather than steeping some dark wheat malt ?

Any suggestions are welcome...

hommebru · Post by **hommebru** » Wed May 23, 2012 10:46 am

do both.
mini-mash some munich malt as well maybe.

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Thu May 24, 2012 1:12 pm

Still thinking on this...

Now thinking:

500gms Dark DME
500gms Wheat DME

Will that be enough or should I also include any Brewing Sugar ?

Also should I stick with the kit supplied yeast or swop for another dry yeast ??

Barticus · Post by **Barticus** » Thu May 24, 2012 1:18 pm

Hope you keep this updated as this is something I would love to have a go at shortly. Good Luck.

zgoda · Post by **zgoda** » Thu May 24, 2012 1:38 pm

Wheat and Munich extracts plus stepped chocolate malt for colour should get you there. Target OG of about 1.050.

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Fri May 25, 2012 1:09 pm

OK so just looking at the website for my LHBS I see they have Chocolate Wheat Malt.
So now thinking....

TC Wheat Beer Kit
500g Wheat DME

Say 50g - 100g of the Choc Wheat Malt steeped - would that be too much or too little ?

Anyone else got any suggestions ?

hommebru · Post by **hommebru** » Fri May 25, 2012 6:50 pm

well,

according to the cooper's site the EBC of the kit is 70 for the kit. divide that by your brew length for an estimated EBC, so with a 20ltr brew you'll have an EBC of 70/20 = 3.5 EBC. 100g of Wheat Chocolate malt will add approx 21 EBC giving you a total of 24 which should be around a reddish copper colour plus whatever the DME adds (if anything)

with that in mind maybe 150g for a good brown colour.

AnthonyUK · Post by **AnthonyUK** » Sat May 26, 2012 1:02 pm

Hi Alton_Bee.
I'm also in Alton. By LHBS - Are you using the one in Aldershot are are there any others?

Cheers

Anthony

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Sat May 26, 2012 1:31 pm

Yes Anthony I an meaning the lhbs in Aldershot.

Went this morning and got the bits to do the following after reading all the advice above ...

1 x TC Wheat Beer kit
500gm of Wheat DME
150gm of steeped Choc Wheat Malt
250gm of Brewing Sugar

Need to keg a Milestone Black Pearl stout and then will do this brew

hommebru · Post by **hommebru** » Sat May 26, 2012 1:44 pm

not sure what the flavour impact of that chocolate wheat malt will be mate so i would approach with caution. go ahead and steep that 150g but what you add it to the wort, add it gradually to make sure you don't end up with something too dark.

good luck

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Sun May 27, 2012 7:35 pm

Made this beer up this afternoon to the recipe as above.

I ended up with about 22 litres in the FV.

Quite possibly it will turn out too dark for some but time will tell.

I imagine the chocolate wheat will give it a slight chocolate taste ......

Alton_Bee · Post by **Alton_Bee** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:36 pm

Yesterday after about 14 days in the FV I transferred it to a keg.

Took a hydrometer reading of 1.012 which means allowing for the brewing sugar used for priming this will come in at about 4.4%...

Taste wise this was a very pleasant drink - quite light which should mean an easy summer drink.

With regards to the colour I was a little surprised as it was a light brown - I was almost expecting a near black colour.

Now to leave it alone for 10 plus days to condition......

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