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Monkish Wit

Brewed: 03/27/2010   Kegged: 04/13/2010

monkish.jpgOne of the beer mixes I got from Christmas gift certificates was Mr. Beer's Witty Monk Witbier premium refill. I made it with a couple of minor changes.  I added about half a pound of DME and a little bit of saaz hops.

I also used some Wyeast Labs 3944 Belgium Witbier yeast that I dumped into a starter and then divided into 4 jars.  This is a method of "harvesting" yeast that I came across in a forum.  Of course, the harvesting of yeast I had done so far is from my fermenter after brewing a beer.  This method is interesting because it means I know I am not collecting anything in addition to the yeast (other than a bit of the starter beer).  This method seems to have worked well in this beer.

I was hoping the beer will be a blue moon type belgium white.  My first tastes were much closer to NB Mother Ship Wit, which I do not like.  But, as the beer conditioned only a few days, it moved more toward that nice non-funky, kind of touch of orange taste in blue moon.  Turned out real good after not much time in the fridge.

The first time the beer model tasted it, she said (and I quote):  "I like it.  I love it.  I want some more of it!"

MonkishWit_smallLabel.jpg


Monkish Wit --- cost 21.85

Style Witbier Batch Size 2.13 gal
Type Extract Boil Size   1.54 gal

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity 1.050 SG Estimated FG 1.012 SG
Recipe Bitterness 19.7 IBU (Rager) Alcohol by Volume 4.84 %
BU : GU   0.397        
Recipe Color 3.8 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:    1.050   Measured FG:  1.013  
ADF:    74%   Measured ABV:  4.82%  

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
2 lbs 6.7 oz Mr. Beer Witty Monk Witbier HME (3.0 SRM) Extract 82.88 %
8.0 oz Briess Pilsen Light LME (2.0 SRM) Extract 17.12 %
0.25 oz Saaz [2.60 %] (15 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.22 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Belgian Witbier (harvested) (Wyeast Labs #3944) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Wheat

Mash Profile

Recipe Notes
2 days before brewing, prepare yeast starter with 2 cups water and 1/2 cup DME, http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=69 ferment 1 day at 65, then remove from cooler and let it raise as much as it wants below 75. Ferment a total of 2 weeks.
Batch prime in 1.5 cups water and 2.5 oz priming sugar.
 
Brewing Notes:
03/25/2010 Harvested Yeast esheppy
Split up starter of the Wyeast 3944 into 4. Made a new starter with on of the 4. Hope to brew this tomorrow or Saturday.
03/27/2010 Mixed up the batch esheppy
Mixed it up. The orange smell was strong on the wort. No real issues except, my probe thermometer has apparently finally died. The wort was at 80 in Rutt, so I cooled in the fridge before pitching. Pretty much my whole starter went in because the yeast did not really flocculate well. Did not measure the OG again after pitching yeast because I did not want to waste beer.
03/28/2010
Fermentation seems to be going well. Removed from cooler to the spare room with a 2 liter ice bottle in it. Rutt was at 65 when I moved him.
04/13/2010 Bottled esheppy
Bottled up with 2.5oz sugar in 2 cups water. FG 1.013. Sample tasted like a thin blue moon. Would have liked a bit more body, but really was quite good. Orange come through pretty well ... more in the aroma, but can taste it as well. Ended up with 20 12oz bottles and 2 liter bottles. The beer model will probably be pleased.
04/27/2010 esheppy
Put some in the beer fridge and some in the conditioning cooler. This beer looks more clear than I usually a witbier to be. Hope to give it a taste by the end of this coming weekend. Will probably try to drink this up quick.
04/27/2010 esheppy
Tried a couple. Visually, it looks exactly half way between a nb mothership wit and a blue moon. The taste is also right between the two. Unfortunately the funky phenolic trappist yeast taste that I do not like is present here. Again, not as bad as MSW, but blue moon is better. Need to find out what yeast blue moon and/or shocktop use.
05/02/2010 esheppy
Did not notice the funk as much this time. Actually quite pleasant.
05/05/2010 esheppy
Ok ... this is really getting good. The difference between the beer I had last night compared to the first taste is night and day. My beer is moving in the right direction.
05/14/2010 esheppy
"I like it. I love it. I want some more of it," said my wife when she tasted it. This it certainly getting better as it ages. I saw on the Mr. Beer website a recipe that is very similar calls for a 2 to 3 month condition. Monkish wit will not last that long.
06/26/2010 esheppy
Had one of the liter bottles while brewing Dragon Spit II. This beer has really turned out nice ... especially after how much the first taste got that funky Belgium taste in it. This is definitely a style that can use some conditioning time. Keep that in mind for WWWII.
07/16/2010
Finished these up. WWWII is better, but this is a nice beer that I would be proud to share with anyone. But, I doubt I'll ever make it again. Oh well.
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