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Wetta Blonde Ale (AG)

Brewed: 12/01/2013   Kegged: 12/14/2013 wetta.jpg
The first batch of beer I ever made was simply what came in the Mr. Beer Kit that my sister got me for Christmas of 2008. It was Classic American Blonde Ale

One night, we were visiting my in-laws and just happened to bring some of my early beers, including one bottle of the Classic American Blonde Ale. It was everyone's favorite of the beers I brought. My mother-in-law "Huera" in particular really liked this blonde. Of course by that time I had already decided that I didn't want to just add water to HME and booster for my beers, and at some point I promised I would design a recipe and name that beer after her. But, I remember clearly telling her "I'm going to spell it with a 'W'" (the way people pronounce it sounds like it should be "Wetta").

So I made Wetta Blonde Ale with Mr. Beer Ingredients. And people liked it. A lot. Still to this day, I think it is Huera's favorite of all the beers I have ever made. I believe part of that is because it is named after her, but it is also her kind of beer.

Even after I moved to all-grain brewing, but the one Mr. Beer recipe I continued to make the longest was this Wetta Blonde Ale.

And then, I stopped making beers with HMEs at all. I converted some of my other Mr. Beer recipes to all-grain, but never did with Wetta Blonde.

Until now.

Instead of the Mr. Beer HME, I am using standard American 2-row malt with a bit of Munich and some C40. I am hopping it with EKG as that is what I used in the original Wetta Blonde, and I am adding some honey like the original recipe had.

I have no idea if it will taste exactly the same, but I think it will be close enough for a first shot. I'll adjust after we taste the first batch. I think it should be good.

To see what I've written on my blog about Wetta Blonde, see http://blog.ericshepard.com/search/label/Wetta

wetta_globe.jpg


Wetta Blonde (AG) --- Batch 1

Style
Blonde Ale
Batch Size
5.50 gal
Type
All Grain
Boil Size   7.76 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency   75.00   Boil Time   90 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity
1.049 SG
Estimated FG
1.008 SG
Recipe Bitterness
24.3 IBUs (Rager)
Alcohol by Volume
5.4 %
BU : GU   0.492        
Recipe Color
4.8 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:   1.049 *    Measured FG:    1.007
ADF:   86%    Measured ABV:    5.5

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 84.6 %
6.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 3.8 %
4.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.6 %
0.250 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [17.60 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 4 18.9 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
0.500 oz Goldings, East Kent [6.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 3.3 IBUs
4.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 7 -
0.500 oz Goldings, East Kent [6.30 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 2.1 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 9 -
5.00 ml Clarity-Ferm (Primary 2.0 weeks) Fining 10 -
14.0 oz Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 11 9.0 %

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 11.09 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min

Batch sparge with 2 steps (2.17gal, 3.88gal) of 168.0 F water
Recipe Notes

Mash, sparge, and boil as directed. Remember first wort hops.
Honey gets added at flameout.
Pitch as close to 60 F as possible. Keep cold for first 24 hours, then let rise to no warmer than 68.
Carbonate to 2.5 volumes.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:
12/1 
Strike Temp:  
Mash Temps:
 156 ... brought down to 150ish. 
Pre-boil OG   1.036 (1.036 SG)   Pre-boil Vol   7.75 (7.76 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency
 
Pitch Temp    58
Fermentation            
Day 1: strong start 64
Day 2: 64  
Day 3: Still going strong 70  



Click here to see previous recipes
 
Brewing Notes:
12/01/2013 esheppy
Brewed this up today. Forgot to add honey to the pot. Ended up mixing to some water and added to 1.046 wort. Not sure what my of was. Probably pretty close to the 1.049.
12/04/2013 esheppy
Strong fermentation. Temperature was 64ish for the first two days. Last night it made it up to 70. Still going strong this morning.
12/05/2013 esheppy
The airlock was full.Added in a blow off tube.
12/07/2013 esheppy
Seems to be done with the active fermentation, although there is a ton of kraussen on the top still. Took a gravity sample. 1.009 puts this beer at 5.2 ABV. FG will probably be a point or two lower. Taste starts off with a nice malt backbone that finishes dry. Good EKG hop present comes off sort of flowery. Most of the honey flavor fermented away, but I do pick up a bit. Actually exactly what I remember the Wetta Blonde to be. Think I may rack away from some of this kraussen today.
12/08/2013 esheppy
I did end up racking to secondary yesterday. Not sure it was really as cloudy as I was thinking. The top sides just made me think it looked messy. Much nicer looking now.
12/14/2013 esheppy
Took a gravity sample. Nice blonde color. Clarity could probably be better, but pretty good. 1.007 ish on the FG makes this a 5.5 abv beer. Nice malt flavor finishes pretty dry with a touch of honey flavor. Success! Kegging today or tomorrow.
12/31/2013 esheppy
This beer has been a hit with family members. I like it too. More of a honey flavor in this beer than I remember from previous batches, but that might just be poor flavor memory. Plus, I think it adds a nice note to the beer. Can't think of anything I would do to change this recipe.
02/01/2014 esheppy
Killed the keg last night. Yummy beer. Too bad its gone. Will have to brew again.
Comments:
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