Belgian Witbier

Instructions

1. 1

   Mash In

   • Heat 4 gallons of water to 163°F (73°C). This will be your strike water.
   • In a sanitized mash tun, combine the crushed pilsner malt, flaked wheat, flaked oats, and acidulated malt.
   • Slowly pour the strike water into the grains, stirring continuously to prevent dough balls. Your target mash temperature is 152°F (67°C). Adjust with small amounts of hot or cold water if necessary.
   • Cover and let the mash rest for 60 minutes, maintaining the temperature as close to 152°F (67°C) as possible.
2. 2

   Lauter and Sparge

   • While the mash rests, heat the remaining 4.5 gallons of water to 170°F (77°C) for sparging.
   • After the 60-minute mash, begin the lauter. Recirculate the initial runnings (wort) by slowly drawing it from the bottom of the mash tun and gently pouring it back over the top of the grain bed. Continue for 10-15 minutes until the wort runs clear.
   • Once clear, begin draining the wort into your boil kettle. Simultaneously, slowly sprinkle (sparge) the 170°F water over the grain bed to rinse the remaining sugars.
   • Continue this process until you have collected approximately 6.5 gallons of wort in the kettle. This should take about 45 minutes.
3. 3

   The Boil

   • Place the kettle on your heat source and bring the wort to a strong, rolling boil. Watch carefully to prevent a boil-over, especially at the beginning.
   • Once boiling, add the 1 oz of Hallertau hops. Start a 60-minute timer.
   • With 5 minutes remaining in the boil, add the 1 oz of lightly crushed coriander seed and 1 oz of dried bitter orange peel.
   • When the 60-minute timer is up, turn off the heat.
4. 4

   Chill and Transfer

   • Immediately after the boil, begin chilling the wort. Use an immersion chiller or an ice bath to cool it down to 68°F (20°C) as quickly as possible (ideally within 20-30 minutes).
   • Once the wort is chilled, carefully transfer it into a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind the hop debris and protein break (trub) at the bottom of the kettle.
5. 5

   Pitch Yeast and Ferment

   • Aerate the chilled wort thoroughly. You can do this by sealing the fermenter and shaking it vigorously for a few minutes, or by using a sanitized aeration stone and oxygen tank.
   • Pitch the package of Belgian Witbier yeast into the aerated wort. Seal the fermenter and attach a sanitized airlock filled with sanitizer or vodka.
   • Place the fermenter in a dark, temperature-controlled area at 68-72°F (20-22°C).
   • Allow the beer to ferment for 10-14 days. Fermentation is complete when the specific gravity reading is stable for three consecutive days.
6. 6

   Bottle and Condition

   • Create a priming solution by boiling 4.5 oz of corn sugar in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
   • Gently siphon the fermented beer from the fermenter into a sanitized bottling bucket, being careful not to disturb the yeast sediment (trub) at the bottom.
   • Pour the cooled priming solution into the bottling bucket and stir gently with a sanitized spoon for 30 seconds to ensure it's evenly mixed.
   • Fill sanitized bottles, leaving about one inch of headspace at the top. Cap each bottle securely.
   • Store the bottles at room temperature (around 70°F / 21°C) for 2-3 weeks to allow for carbonation.
   • After conditioning, chill the bottles thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours before serving. When pouring, gently swirl the bottle for the last pour to rouse the yeast for the classic hazy appearance.