RCE Winter 2014, haerbob3 and philm00x Dunkelweizen

[philm00x]

Bob and I were paired for this RCE, and he usually brews strong Belgian ales, but he wanted to have a hand at some wheat beers. I have a fond love for wheat beers so I jumped right on board, picking a dunkelweizen as our style of choice since neither of us have ever brewed one. The aim is to get a nice malty wheat beer with stone fruit and caramel notes that would still be easy to drink. Bob's batch will be 5.75 gallons where mine will be 2.5 gallons, so here is both proportions:

5.75 gallon batch
=============

Recipe: RCE ~~ Dunkelweizen III
Brewer: Philm00x & Haerbob3
Asst Brewer:
Style: Dunkelweizen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 9.02 gal
Post Boil Volume: 7.02 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.75 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 18.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 84.5 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs Wheat Malt, Dark (9.0 SRM) Grain 1 48.8 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 34.1 %
1 lbs Munich Dark 30L (Gambrinus) (35.0 SRM) Grain 3 9.8 %
8.0 oz Crystal 120, 2-Row, (Great Western) (120 Grain 4 4.9 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Wheat (Weyermann) (415.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.4 %
0.66 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - First Wort 60.0 m Hop 6 11.1 IBUs
0.33 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] - Boil Hop 7 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Bavarian Wheat (Wyeast Labs #3638) [124. Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: Bad Kitty Recirculation HREMS PILS MASH
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
PROTETIN REST Add 15.38 qt of water and heat to 122.0 122.0 F 30 min
SACCHARIFICATION Heat to 149.0 F over 10 min 149.0 F 90 min
MASH OUT Heat to 168.0 F over 4 min 168.0 F 40 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 6.41 gal water at 168.0 F


**********************

and for 2.5 gallons
=============

Recipe: RCE Dunkelweizen
Brewer: Mr. Rufus Brewing Co.
Asst Brewer: haerbob3
Style: Dunkelweizen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 3.08 gal
Post Boil Volume: 2.60 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 18.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
2 lbs 3.2 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (4.0 SRM) Grain 1 49.1 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 33.4 %
7.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 3 9.8 %
3.5 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.9 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Wheat Malt (400.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.8 %
0.30 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - First Wort 60.0 m Hop 6 13.2 IBUs
0.15 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] - Boil Hop 7 1.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Bavarian Wheat (Wyeast Labs #3638) [124. Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 4 lbs 7.8 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 7.65 qt of water at 169.3 F 154.0 F 90 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.28gal, 1.65gal) of 168.0 F water

[Kealia]

Awesome. I've only had 3 dunkels but they were all delicious. Great choice!

[philm00x]

FINALLY able to grab the supplies to brew this tomorrow morning. Ahhhh I've been needing to brew for some time now. It's so therapeutic, and with some drama at work because I'm leaving my current job for a new one, I can definitely stand to relax some.

[Inkleg]

Here's to a great brew day Phil and all the best with the new job.

[philm00x]

Thanks, Jeff! So far, going alright. Expected preboil SG 1.035, measured 1.028. I have been using the graduations on the new pot to measure my volumes. Might have to start double checking again. I think it's not quite correct.

[Inkleg]

Ah yes, the joys of getting a new system dialed in

[philm00x]

Ok so I definitely need to start measuring with my measuring cup instead of the graduations on the pot. The wort is cooling down but my refractometer is showing an OG of 1.040, 8 points shy of where I was looking to be, giving me 60% efficiency, instead of 72 that I was accustomed to when I was brewing indoors with my 5 gallon pot. I can still get at least 4% abv on this, but the hops are going to be a little more pronounced than I wanted, I'm sure.

[Brewbirds]

Hey Phil if I can find it would you benefit from the ruling on brew day thread we had posted on the "Other Site"???
Sounds like you are coming to the conclusions we did in that the measurement marks on various vessels are not accurate.

[philm00x]

I had the same issue originally with the markings on the LBK, which obviously filling the fermenter doesn't affect OG, but filling the kettle definitely does. Next brew day I'm gonna fill my cooler with my accurate measuring cup one quart at a time, and fill the sparge water pot with the same one, so that I know my volumes are precise. I ended up with maybe .15-.2 quarts too much wort and final measured OG was 1.041.

If you find those conclusions, feel free to post them just at least to serve as reference for new brewers.

[philm00x]

Got a bunch of krausen visible in the LBK, and hoooooly moly this 3638 yeast stinks! First yeast I've ever used that gave off such a pronounced sulfur odor. Just gotta think to myself the beer will be awesome when it's done.

[braukasper]

sounds like quite the adventure there a lot of the lager yeasts are the same way. White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch always smells like a rotten egg when I brew with it. My favorite Kolsch yeast always gives me a very clean flavor profile with a nice crisp finish

[philm00x]

Bottling this today. Finished at 1.010 for 4.1% ABV.