Rigel Ginger Lemon Wheat Ale

BATCH: GINGER LEMON WHEATBEER (6 gal)

TYPE: LEMON GINGER WHEATBEER

INGREDIENTS: 8 LBS. WHEAT MALT EXTRACT; PERLE HOPS (8.5 HBU); SAAZ HOPS 6.6 HBU; 4 WHOLE CLOVES; 2.0 OZ FRESH GRATED GINGER; ZEST AND JUICE OF 5 LARGE LEMONS; 5 TBLS RECONSTITUTED LEMON JUICE; 1\2 TSP IRISH MOSS; 1\2 TSP GELATIN FININGS; 1 1\2 CUP EXTRA LIGHT DRY MALT EXTRACT (CONDITIONING); WYEAST WEITZEN LIQUID YEAST

DESCRIPTION OF BREW PROCESS: PRESTART YEAST IN 16OZ OF WATER AND 1/2 CUP OF DRY MALT EXTRACT. BRING 4 GAL WATER TO BOIL, TURN OFF HEAT WHILE YOU ADD EXTRACT, MIX WELL AND RETURN TO BOIL. AFTER 5 MIN BOIL THEN ADD PERLE HOPS AND CONTINUE TO BOIL FOR 30 MIN. ADD 1\2 SAAZ AND THE CLOVES AND BOIL FOR ANOTHER 30 MIN. ADD IRISH MOSS, AND REMAINING SAAZ AND BOIL ANOTHER 5 MIN. ADD GINGER AND LEMON ZEST, BOIL 15 MINUTES. ADD LEMON JUICE, BOIL 5 MINUTES. POUR HOT WORT INTO FERMENTER CONTAINING 2.5 GAL VERY COLD WATER. RINSE HOPS IN STRAINER WITH ENOUGH WATER TO BRING TO 5 GAL. COOL WORT, AERATE, & PITCH YEAST AT 80 DEGREES OR LESS. AFTER 3-4 DAYS, WHEN FERMENT HAS SLOWED DRAIN YEAST FROM BOTTOM OF FERMENTER, & SOAK FININGS FOR ONE HOUR, ADD FININGS. PRIME AND BOTTLE IN ABOUT 10 DAYS.

DATE BREWED: 5-8-04
START SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.055 @ 80 DEGREES F., CONVERTS TO 1.057 AT 60 DEGREES F.; 1.021 on May 10, 2004; 1.012 on May 17, 2004

DATE BOTTLED: 5-28-04
END SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.011

COMMENTS: BREWING PROCESS WENT VERY WELL. INITIAL TASTING PRIOR TO ADDING YEAST LEFT SLIGHTLY SWEET MALT FLAVOR WITH INITIAL LEMON TASTE AND AROMA, FOLLOWED BY GINGER “BITE” IN THE FINISH. HOP TASTE IS PRESENT, BUT NOT PROMINENT. MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THE BEER WILL BECOME MUCH DRYER AS THE FERMENTATION PROCEEDS. WE COOLED THE WORT IN THE BREW KETTLE BY IMMERSION IN AN ICE BATH… THIS BROUGHT THE TEMP DOWN A BIT SO THAT ONCE WE SPARGED WITH NEAR FROZEN AERATED WATER THE TEMP WAS 80 DEGREES AND THE YEAST COULD BE IMMEDIATELY PITCHED. SPECIFIC GRAVITY HAS GONE DOWN TO 1.021 ON MAY 10TH, TASTED, QUITE DRY, PRONOUNCED CITRUS FLAVOR FROM LEMON ZEST… MIGHT BE TOO STRONG, MUST WAIT TO SEE IF MELLOWS DURING FERMENT. TASTING ON MAY 17TH INDICATED THAT THE LEMON ZEST HAD MELLOWED SOMEWHAT, BUT STILL PRONOUNCED, AS IS THE GINGER. MY IMPRESSION AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF BOTH COULD BE REDUCED CLOSER TO LAST YEARS EFFORT. BOTTLING WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. TASTING AT THAT TIME INDICATED A CLEAN CITRUS/SPICE FLAVOR. FIRST BOTTLE WAS OPENED ON 6-16-04, WITH GOOD CLARITY AND CARBONATION. EXCELLENT TASTE, BUT A BIT MORE LEMON THAN I WAS TRYING FOR.


FLAVOR PROFILE: 50 POINT SCALE

a: HEAD RETENTION AND APPEARANCE: 1-6 PTS 6
COLOR (2)
CLARITY (2)
HEAD RETENTION (2)

b: AROMA AND BOUQUET: (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-10 PTS 10
MALT (3)
HOPS (3)
OTHER FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS (4)

c: FLAVOR: (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-19 PTS 17
MALT (4)
HOPS (4)
BALANCE (5)
CONDITIONING/CARBONATION (3)
AFTERTASTE (3)

d: BODY (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-5 PTS 5

e: OVERALL IMPRESSION & DRINKABILITY: 1-10 PTS 8

TOTAL POINTS: 46
(scale: excellent 40-50; very good 30-39; good 25-29;
somewhat drinkable 20-24)

COMMENTS: ANOTHER EXCELLENT EFFORT WITH THIS TYPE OF BEER. MY ONLY CRITICISM IS THAT IT IS THAT THE LEMON IS A BIT OVER STATED. NEXT TIME I WILL CUT BACK A BIT ON THE LEMON… PERHAPS 4 LEMONS INSTEAD OF 5, AND 4 TBLS LEMON JUICE, AND KEEP THE GINGER AT 2 OZ.

Brewer:	Peter Schloss		Email:	pmslaw@kc.rr.com
Beer:	Rigel Ginger Lemon Wheat Ale		Style:	Weizen/Weissbier
Type:	Extract		Size:	6 gallons
Color:	3 HCU (~3 SRM)		Bitterness:	34 IBU
OG:	1.050		FG:	1.010
Alcohol:	5.1% v/v (4.0% w/w)
Boil:	minutes	SG 1.074	4 gallons
	8 lb. Wheat extract
Hops:	1 oz. Perle (8% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 30 min.)
Carbonation:	2.5 volumes	Dried Malt Extract: 9.40 oz. for 6 gallons @ 72°F

Recipe posted 07/27/04.