BeerBorg

I saw a recipe for a 2.5 gal batch on the Brew Demon site that used 2 cans of HME and 1 lb of DME yielding a high ABV (I don't remember the exact number).

Since I always dance to the beat of a different drummer no matter who is drumming, I decided to try this similar but uniquely mine recipe:
1.8 kg 40 pint Munton's Connoisseur's Wheat HME
1lb of Munton's Sprayed (DME) Extract 55% Wheat 45% Barley
11g Lallemand Munich Wheat Beer Yeast

This is for a 2.5 gal batch which fills the BD Conical pretty full.

Is that too much? Will I explode my Conical?

Using QBrew you can see what that would make. I suspect it would not be very good.

RickBeer wrote:I suspect it would not be very good.

What about leaving out the DME? Still too much?

That Muntons HME is hopped to make 6 gallons of beer, not 2.5. So it will be much more bitter then a wheat beer is supposed to be. If that floats your boat then that's ok, but it's something you should be aware of.

Half a can of it plus 1# of wheat extract would probably make a good LBC wheat beer.

Then you can use the other half to make another batch.

Something like that's is what I'd do.

mashani wrote:That Muntons HME is hopped to make 6 gallons of beer, not 2.5. So it will be much more bitter then a wheat beer is supposed to be. If that floats your boat then that's ok, but it's something you should be aware of.

Half a can of it plus 1# of wheat extract would probably make a good LBC wheat beer.

Then you can use the other half to make another batch.

Something like that's is what I'd do.

Thanks. I guess I'll try that. I have a lb of Muntons Wheat extract. I guess I'm kind of a "if a little is good more is better" kind of guy. I am slowly learning that is not the case in brewing beer.

The up side is the Wheat LME/HME can was the price of one Brew Demon or Mr Beer can so it's basically half price.

That's why using software like QBrew, available free from www.screwybrewer.com, is so helpful. You can put the ingredients in the way they are supposed to be brewed, then change it to the way you want and compare the difference. It's easy to use, and then you'll have your answer.

Note that IF you use 1/2 can, put a small layer of vodka on the remaining HME and cover with saran wrap or a lid. This will keep it until you're ready to use it.

Or, get two LBKs and make two batches, dividing the ingredients equally and then topping off with more water.

RickBeer wrote:That's why using software like QBrew, available free from http://www.screwybrewer.com, is so helpful. You can put the ingredients in the way they are supposed to be brewed, then change it to the way you want and compare the difference. It's easy to use, and then you'll have your answer......

OK. I had started working with QBrew just before your post. I think I have it all input correctly. It looks to me like the things that I want to look at in QBrew are the ABV and the Bitterness. Bitterness for taste and ABV for.....well, you know.

When you say compare the difference do you mean compare the bitterness?
What range should bitterness be in for a wheat?

I am thinking I should just go NMCWB, save my recipe in QBrew and then see if it is in fact too bitter for my taste. If it is too bitter I'll adjust. If I keep notes and use QBrew then eventually I'll find my sweet spot between bitterness and ABV.

I've brewed some good batches and some bad batches, but I'm proud to say I drank them all.

Thanks!

I'm saying you're questioning what happens if you make the beer twice as strong as intended. So, you put it in QBrew (hops first) as 5 gallons. See what you get. Then, change it to 2.5 gallon. See the change.