Comments on: Judging wit beers http://brewingwithwheat.com/judging-wit-beers/ Now available at a book store near you Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:37:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kevin Pratt http://brewingwithwheat.com/judging-wit-beers/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Kevin Pratt Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:09:11 +0000 http://brewingwithwheat.com/?p=27#comment-27 Two comments: As a judge, one of the most common errors is to look for too much yeast character. The spicing should be present, but not "hot" and dominant in mouthfeel. The yeast character is tart, but not terribly spicy on its own. Often judges look for a trappist character and many American imitations utilize trappist/abbey yeast. Brewing it, I find that it does not have to be 50% unmalted wheat. However, the expected turbdity is diminished or missing without it. I use whole grain wheat, rather than flake and get better color and turbidity results that way. Malted white wheat adds silkiness and toastiness, so I use a blend of the two. The recipe comes out to 30% Pilsner, 45% malted wheat, 22% unmalted wheat and 3% acid malt. The acid malt gives a brighter flavor and helps lower mash pH. It comes out surprisingly light and delicate for 13.6P. I'm excited about this book, Stan! I brew many wheat beers in a year and have always wished I knew more about them. Kev Pratt Brewer, Greenhouse Restaurant Roseville, Ca BJCP Grand Master I Two comments:

As a judge, one of the most common errors is to look for too much yeast character. The spicing should be present, but not “hot” and dominant in mouthfeel. The yeast character is tart, but not terribly spicy on its own. Often judges look for a trappist character and many American imitations utilize trappist/abbey yeast.

Brewing it, I find that it does not have to be 50% unmalted wheat. However, the expected turbdity is diminished or missing without it. I use whole grain wheat, rather than flake and get better color and turbidity results that way. Malted white wheat adds silkiness and toastiness, so I use a blend of the two. The recipe comes out to 30% Pilsner, 45% malted wheat, 22% unmalted wheat and 3% acid malt. The acid malt gives a brighter flavor and helps lower mash pH. It comes out surprisingly light and delicate for 13.6P.

I’m excited about this book, Stan! I brew many wheat beers in a year and have always wished I knew more about them.

Kev Pratt
Brewer, Greenhouse Restaurant
Roseville, Ca
BJCP Grand Master I

]]> By: Andrew Korty http://brewingwithwheat.com/judging-wit-beers/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Andrew Korty Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:54:33 +0000 http://brewingwithwheat.com/?p=27#comment-21 Freshness seems more important than usual with Witbiers. I once tasted a Wit that had won first place in its category. It tasted great at the time of the competition, but when I tasted it again a few months later, it had gone way out of balance. It had developed a strong fruity sweetness and lost any spice character it once had. Freshness seems more important than usual with Witbiers. I once tasted a Wit that had won first place in its category. It tasted great at the time of the competition, but when I tasted it again a few months later, it had gone way out of balance. It had developed a strong fruity sweetness and lost any spice character it once had.

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