Brewing Recipe: Belgian Wit

A spicy, citrusy, refreshing Belgian Wit is the perfect beer for a warm spring or summer day.  Its finally starting to be not freezing around here and I can’t wait to spend a few afternoons out on the patio drinking too many pints of this tasty brew.

If you like Hoegaarden, New Belgium’s Mothership Wit, or even Blue Moon – then give this recipe a try.

You’ll need to do at least a partial mash to convert the oats – although you could probably get away with leaving out the oats and doing an all extract brew.  It wouldn’t be a wit per the guidelines, but it should still be a tasty beer.

If you use wheat extract, be sure to verify the percentage of wheat – usually it’s a blend of wheat and pilsner.  Try to get as close to 50% wheat and 50% pilsner as you can.   The homebrew shop should be able to tell you the percentages if the container is not labeled.

All-Grain Recipe

Recipe: Belgian Wit
Brewer: Jimmy
Style: Witbier
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 9.35 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 4.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------



Amount
 Item
 Type
 % or IBU


0.50 lb
 Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
 Adjunct
 4.26 %


5.00 lb
 Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)
 Grain
 42.55 %


5.00 lb
 Wheat, Flaked (1.0 SRM)
 Grain
 42.55 %


1.00 lb
 Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)
 Grain
 8.51 %


0.25 lb
 Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
 Grain
 2.13 %


1 oz
 Tettnang [4.50 %]  (60 min)
 Hops
 16.8 IBU


1/4 oz
 Sterling [8.70 %]  (10 min)
 Hops
 1.6 IBU


0.25 oz
 Black Pepper
(Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc




0.50 oz
 Coriander Seed
(Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc




1.50 oz
 Orange Zest, Fresh
(Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc




1 Pkgs
 Belgian Witbier Yeast

(Wyeast#3944/White Labs WLP400)
 Starter
 1600 ml




Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 11.75 lb
----------------------------
Double Infusion, Medium Body



Step Time
Name
Description
Step Temp


30 min
Protein Rest
Add 10.58 qt at 134.8 F
122.0 F


45 min
Saccrification
Add 9.40 qt at 200.5 F
154.0 F




Ferment at 70ºF (21ºC) then carbonate to 2.4 volumes.

Partial Mash Recipe

Brewer: Jimmy
Asst Brewer:
Style: Witbier
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 9.35 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 4.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------



Amount
 Item
  Type
 % or IBU


6.75 lb
 Wheat Liquid Extract (4.0 SRM)
 Extract
  75.00 %


0.25 lb
 Munich Malt Extract (3.0 SRM)
 Extract
   2.78 %


1.00 lb
 Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)
 Grain
  11.11 %


1.00 lb
 Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)
 Grain
  11.11 %


1 oz
 Tettnang [4.50 %]  (60 min)
 Hops
  16.8 IBU


1/4 oz
 Sterling [8.70 %]  (10 min)
 Hops
  1.6 IBU


0.25 oz
 Black Pepper (Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc



0.50 oz
 Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc



1.50 oz
 Orange Zest, Fresh (Boil 5.0 min)
 Misc



1 Pkgs
 Belgian Witbier Yeast

(Wyeast 3944/White Labs WLP400)
 Starter
 1600ml




Ferment at 70ºF (21ºC) then carbonate to 2.4 volumes.

Don’t forget to adjust the recipe for your specific equipment.  The best way to do that is with brewing software. I use Beersmith - because its freaking awesome – but there are many others.

Photo by James Cridland.

Tagged as: belgian, blue moon, hoegaarden, recipe, wit