wheat middle

[Cellar_Rat]

I have just tasted my first wheat beer. Nice start, nice finish. But a bit watery in the middle.

Any ideas please?

[Delmonteman]

Do you mean watery like a 'taste' of water or just lacking in body? Wheat beer (weizen) doesn't have much in the way of body anyway... Although I do find all that wheat sits quite heavy in the stomach...

[Cellar_Rat]

Yeah lacking in body.
I was thinking of mashing at 68 next time and softening the water?!? What do you think?

[NorthernWiner]

I think light body is one of the characteristics of wheat beer because I've had several and most seem to be that way. I don't know if it's the same in the UK, but over here they are typically advertised as summer beers - as in they go down easy on a hot day. If you want something just a bit heavier, try a Hefeweizen.

[Cellar_Rat]

I should perhaps wait until it has matured before getting carried away.
You raise a good point. This is my first, and my preferences are big reds and rich IPAs.

Might be an idea to buy some research in a supermarket....

[NorthernWiner]

I wonder if wheat beers might be considered the "white wines" of the beer world?

[fatbloke]

I wonder if wheat beers might be considered the "white wines" of the beer world?

No.....that'd be any lager

[Cellar_Rat]

Looking back at the mash program, 63c was probably a bit low too.

[Abervin]

Looking back at the mash program, 63c was probably a bit low too.

The recipie I quoted before says to mash at 65c, so its maybe 63c is ok for a wheat beer! (I did add the method to the recipie later)

cheers
Adam

[rjb222]

I have to ask if you are doing a Iodine test before washing the grains. Doing a iodine test will prove the conversion of starch to sugar. With out doing this we are just guessing whether or not the process is complete. Incomplete conversion will result in beers that are low in alcohol, flavor and body.

[Cellar_Rat]

Good question. The answer is no I don;t do the iodene test. But I did do the OG which was as expected.

[rjb222]

Just because you get the og in a mash does not mean the process was complete. body of a beer as a whole comes from un-fermentable sugars. These are sugars that come off at higher temperatures. This is why temperature is crucial and amylase when using un-converted grains such as wheat. Most malted barley these days are converted by the maltster so amylase has been dropped out of the laughtering tun for quite a while now. It is why originally there was a step to temperature during mashing to convert the starches into the different sugars the amylase helps with this conversion process particularly with a grain like wheat.

[Delmonteman]

Wheat beer is best drunk young and fresh. The younger the better... Get it necked... It's a summer drink really...

[Cellar_Rat]

Wheat beer is best drunk young and fresh. The younger the better... Get it necked... It's a summer drink really...

Absolutely - the reason for this batch is a tester for the summer. I got a bit sick of ginger beer last year, but I'm not a fan of lager. it is just finishing priming, I will take your advice.

Does anyone use a spoonful of flour and mash?

[Cellar_Rat]

body of a beer as a whole comes from un-fermentable sugars. These are sugars that come off at higher temperatures. This is why temperature is crucial and amylase when using un-converted

I think we are thinking along the same lines - 63° C was too low - perhaps 67° C?