Blood Moon Witbier

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loveofrose

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Nov 9, 2012
2,582
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38
Texas
8 oz Flaked Oats
Held at 160 F for 20 minutes.
Added 6 lbs Wheat LME and 3.3 lbs Pilsen LME.
Boil for one hour with the following hop schedule.
1 oz Hallertuaer for 1 hour.
0.25 oz coriander seed for 10 minutes.
Zest and juice of 1 blood orange for 5 minutes.
1 oz of Citra at flameout.
3/4 lbs of Orange Blossom honey at flameout.

Pitched 2 pack of Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier.
 
I would love to try an imperial wit where it's just a bog standard wit, then upping the gravity with honey (OB) in the fermenter. You might need to mash a bit higher than normal just to get the mouthfeel, but that would be a great beer/braggot.
Citra in a witbier should be interesting, that tropical flavor should go great with the orange and coriander.
 
I certainly hope it turns out. This beer is for the ladies in my life. They are not forgiving critics!
 
Nada on color. Mostly just to give a hint of flavor and to justify the name. I then reinforce the orange notes with OB honey and citra hops. The hope is that I will have a beer that doesn't need an orange slice!
 
Day 14
Bottled.
Finished at 1.004. 8.4% ABV is a lot stronger than I was going for, but I won't complain. Should make the mother in law more fun this Christmas!
 
Day 18
Fully carbonated. Pours with a short lived head. A very nice orange yellow hue. A bit darker than other wheat beers, but looks nice.

Nice complex flavor of spice, citrus, and wheat. Probably needs a couple of weeks to fully come together. Looks good for the holidays!
 
Around 2 months old now.

Drank a lot of this with family for the holidays. It was well loved by all. The reinforcement of orange flavor with orange blossom honey, orange peel and juice as well as citra hops really, really works well together.

This wheat beer doesn't need an orange slice! One of the most complex wheat beers I've ever tasted, but it all melds well together.
 
1 year + 7 months

Finally done packing. My father in law had a bottle of this hidden back. Perfect timing.

Nose: Slight oxidation in a sherry kind of way (good). Massive orange coming through with oats and malt.

Taste: Orange beer. Citra is gone but OB honey is extremely pronounced. Perfect when you've been working your ass off all day. Oxidation is barely detectable, but adds a nice character surprisingly enough.

Overall: Would I brew it again? Hell yes, but I would triple the IBU and pop the first at one year. This is a Braggot. The honey comes through wonderful. I think a bit on oak would be awesome as well.


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html