Jockey Box 3.0

Equipment post! I ended up selling both of my previous jockey boxes (1.0 and 2.0) before we moved from Utah to Florida. The primary reasons were they were bulky and would take up too much space, and I figured they'd also get beat up traveling across country. I had one more brand new 54 quart Coleman cooler (same as 2.0) still in its original packaging, and I moved it with the intention of building a new jockey box at some point...and here it is.

This build is very similar to the previous two, but I figured I'd try to do a better job of documenting the process.  A couple changes, I'm using EVABarrier tubing and Duotight/John Guest push connect style connectors. This should make it much easier to swap out tubing if/when the need arises. Hopefully it’ll also make maintenance a little easier, like blowing out the lines between uses. Due to the added resistance of the cold plate, I'm using 8mm x 5mm tubing on taps 1-3 instead of the typical 8mm x 4mm used on my Komos Kegerator. Tap 4 uses a section of 4mm ID tubing for some additional resistance since it only makes a single pass through the cold plate.

Parts

• (1) 54 quart Steel-belted Coleman cooler - I bought this on clearance at Sam's Club years ago.
• (1) Seven circuit plate chiller - This is a used soda cold plate I bought off eBay. I’ve mentioned it in my previous builds, these things aren’t cheap if you buy them new, but you can find used ones pretty cheap. Make sure they include the types of fittings you need for your build.
• (14) 5/16" Nylon flare washers - These are used between the cold plate and the cold plate fittings. If you're buying a used cold plate, replace them. If you're buying a new one, it should come with them.
• (4) Stainless beer faucets - Trust me, don't even mess around with plated brass; you’ll just have to replace them at some point. Buy once, cry once. I'm using three of my beloved original Vent-matic stainless faucets on this build, plus one Intertap.
• (4) 3" Stainless beer shanks - 2" shanks might also work, depending on how thick the walls and PVC caps are. My shanks are 316 stainless, but 304 is totally fine if there’s a price savings going with 304. In my case I lucked out and found some 316 shanks that were about half the price of 304s.
• (4) 1/4" MFL x 1/4" MFL Stainless fitting - These are used for the supply line bulkheads for the incoming beer.
• (4) 3/4" PVC caps - These are used to make the spacer for mounting the shanks.
• (18) 1/4" FFL x 5/16" Duotight/John Guest fittings - These are used to connect EVABarrier supply lines to plate chiller, jumping plate chiller circuits, etc. 
• (4) 1/2" Beer thread x 5/16" Duotight/John Guest fittings. These replace the typical tailpiece used on standard beer shanks. These will allow me to connect EVABarrier tubing directly to the beer shank.
• 8mm EvaBarrier tubing - I used a combo of 5mm and 4mm ID tubing.
• (8) 7/16" Stainless washers - These are used on the supply line bulkheads (one inside, one outside).
• (4) Airborne containers - These are used to make the liquid bulkheads for the incoming lines. You could also use more PVC caps for this, but I’ve used the Airborne containers three times now and they work great. Combined with the stainless washers, it results in a very sturdy connection.

Preparing the Cooler

1. Remove the Lid - Not absolutely necessary, but it'll make it easier and helps reduce the risk of damaging things.
2. Remove Bottle Opener - Simply remove the three screws. In my 2.0 build, I mounted the right-most tap in this spot, so the flange covered the screw holes. This time I decided to mount the taps a little higher so the bottle opener was removed and the screws were screwed back into the existing holes to plug them. 
3. Make Holes for Taps - Height and position is mostly personal preference. I tend to like them high enough that I can fit a normal sized glass/cup under them. I measured down from the top edge of the cooler body.  This is about 12.75 inches up from the bottom of the cooler.  Standard spacing between taps is usually 2-3". If you want something more roomy, 3-4" could be used but anything over 4" is a little too much spacing. I have large hands so I went with a spacing of 3.25" between taps 1 and 2, as well as taps 3 and 4. Taps 2 and 3 are about 7 7/8" apart due to the latch and lid handle clearance. All these measurements are on center.
   1. I drilled small pilot holes from the outside of the cooler, all the way through the outer skin and the plastic liner.
   2. I then stepped the hole size up until the drill bit on my 1 3/8" hole saw fit through the hole (I believe it was 5/16"). 
   3. I then used my 1 3/8" hole saw on the inside of the cooler to make a hole in the plastic liner. Only drill deep enough to cut through the liner; not into the outer metal skin.
   4. Remove the foam insulation down to the metal skin. A flathead screw driver works well for this.  A small plastic scraper or even a popsicle stick would also work well.  
   5. Now use a 7/8" chassis punch to make a perfectly round burr-free hole. I would not recommend using a step bit here, just because the metal is fairly thin and I think it could deform trying to drill that large of a hole. 
   6. You should now have a 7/8" hole through the metal skin, and a 1 3/8" hole through the plastic liner. 
4. Make the Holes for the Incoming Draft Lines - Same process as above with some minor differences. I use 1/4" flare fittings for the bulkheads. So instead of a 7/8" hole, I only need a 7/16" hole through the metal skin. On the backside, I need a 1.135" hole. I used a 1" hole saw and it ended up slightly over 1" in diameter. Additionally, I made these ~1.5" down from the top edge of the cooler, and about 1.25" from the edge of the carrying handles.
5. Prep the Holes - Use some kind of paint to touch up any bare metal in the metal skin. Basically you just want to reduce the chance of rusting. I ordered a small bottle of appliance touch-up paint for this. It's easy to apply with its included brush, doesn't require you to mask off anything, it dries quick, and it's pretty durable. Here are a few pictures of the process:

Cooler exterior

Shank hole 1

Shank hole 2

Test fitting PVC cap

Make the Bulkheads

In my opinion the bulkheads are one of the most important parts for a really clean DIY build. We need two different bulkheads. Fortunately they're easy to source and fabricate.

1. Shank Bulkheads - I made these using 3/4 PVC caps. The outside diameter on these is 1.25" so they'll fit nicely inside the interior hole you made while also allowing a little bit of play for alignment. These caps will act as a spacer to prevent you from crushing and deforming the cooler when you mount the taps and tighten them down. 
2. Drill a 7/8" hole through the end of the cap. Some caps will have a casting mold mark that makes it easy to find the exact center. Mine didn't, so I drilled them as close as possible with a 1.25” spade bit, then cleaned it up a bit with my Dremel tool.
3. Supply line Bulkheads - Like my previous two builds, I'm making these out of old Airborne tubes. They give you a really clean recessed type of fitting. 
4. Dry fit them into the hole on the inside of your cooler, and mark the depth on the tube. I like them to stick out about 1/8" so that the caulking has a place to bond to the tube when I do final assembly. Use the tool of your choice to trim them to length. I'm using my chop saw so that I get a nice even cut.
5. Drill a hole in the bottom of the tubes. Just like the metal skin, I drilled them out to 7/16".

Install Bulkheads

Once your touch up paint has fully dried/cured, it's time to install the bulkheads. For the previous two builds I believe I used silicone and some epoxy to fix and seal the bulkheads. The epoxy didn't work all that great, but the silicone worked well. Earlier this year I had a slow leak in my pool's skimmer box and I used a product called 3M Marine Fast Cure 5200 to seal cracks. This product remains somewhat flexible but has very strong holding power, much stronger than silicone (it's considered a permanent adhesive) so I thought this would be a good use case for it. It's not food grade, but it won't be in direct contact with the beer, just the cooler and bulkheads. 

Note: Fast Cure 5200 is messy and as I said it is intended to form a permanent bond between materials. Wear rubber gloves when applying and do your best to clean up any messes ASAP. It also moisture cures, meaning it uses humidity in the air to cure. You really want to use a tube of it in in one shot or you risk coming back to a fully cured tube.

1. Install shank bulkheads - Mount the shank bulkheads with the drilled cap end facing the inside of the cooler. Apply caulk/sealant to the opposite end and carefully install the bulkhead into the hole. Do your best to make sure it's aligned with the holes and clean up any adhesive the squeezes out. 
2. Repeat for the remaining shank bulkheads.  
3. Next, I put a small bead where the edge of the bulkhead meets the hole you made on the inside of the cooler. 
4. Install supply line bulkheads - The process is basically the same here except we're mounting the bulkhead with the bottom of the tube against the inside of the metal skin. Sealant might squeeze out, so remember to clean it up while it's still wet.
5. Just like the shank bulkheads, apply a small bead where the tube meets the cooler wall.
6. Repeat for the remaining supply line bulkheads.
7. Leave all the bulkheads to cure for 24 hours. Note: I used a couple fender washers, a 2" machine screw, and a nut to hold the bulkheads in place while they cured (~24 hours). Masking tape might also work. You just want to make sure they don't shift out of position before they've cured.

Cold Plate Rebuild

All the cold plates I've used have 5/16" FFL fittings, but double check yours to make sure it's not 1/4" as I've read that some can be. The cold plate consists of circuits of stainless tubing embedded in a cast aluminum block. Some have 1/4" MFL x 5/16" MFL fittings, but some have 1/4" barbed x 5/16" MFL fittings...or in my case, could have a mix of the two. If you're going to use EVABarrier tubing and push connect fittings, you'll need to replace any barbed fittings. After dealing with the pain of replacing all the lines on Jockey Box 2.0 before selling it, I can tell you barbed fittings kind of suck. You're dealing with limited clearance between fittings, so just removing a step-less clamp is a total pain. After using them on my Komos kegorator, I decided to try using Duotight fittings for this build. These push connect fittings make it a much easier job when it comes to replacing tubing. 

Note: I used a mix of John Guest and Duotight because I got a really good deal on the John Guest fittings. However, two of them ended up leaking and were replaced with Duotight. From what I could see, Duotight appear to have two o-rings whereas John Guest have a single o-ring. 

1. If needed, start off cleaning off any dirt or grime that you find on the outside of the cold plate. 
2. Next, remove all the flare fittings from the plate chiller.
3. Remove the old flare washers from the plate chiller. They will often just fall out if you turn the chiller upside down. If not, a small pick tool should help retrieving them.
4. Install the Duotight/John Guest fittings onto the 1/4" MFL x 5/16" MFL fittings you just removed. Clearance can get pretty tight with the cold plate, so it's usually easier to do this before reinstalling fittings. Make sure they're tight, but don't overtighten and risk stripping the threads. 
5. Install new flare washers into cold plate. Make sure they're not flipped upside down.  
6. Install the stainless flare fitting with the push connect fitting into the cold plate. I usually start at one end and work my way across. A crows foot wrench on a ratchet works well.  
7. Install circuit jumpers. Since I'm using a 7 circuit plate but only have 4 taps, I jump taps 1-3 to make a double pass, and tap 4 does a single pass.
• Tap 1 - Uses circuits 1 and 6
• Tap 2 - Uses circuits 2 and 7
• Tap 3 - Uses circuits 3 and 5
• Tap 4 - Uses circuit 4 (single pass)
8. After assembly is complete, clean your plate chiller by recirculating BLC. I do this after final assembly.

Cold Plate Stand

The last thing to build is the Cold Plate Stand. You don't have to build one of these, but if you travel with your jockey box it keeps the very heavy cold plate from sliding around inside the cooler. It also keeps the cold plate slightly elevated above the bottom of the cooler, out of the meltwater.  

Since the dimensions of cold plates can vary, I'm not including measurements for my build, but I've included pictures for reference. I used 1/2" PVC pipe and four 1/2 PVC cross tees to make a box and the cold plate sits on top of it. The bottom of most cold plates have a feet that are part of the aluminum casting. I try to make it so the inside dimensions of the box basically match the outer dimensions of the feet. Then I attach the cold plate to the stand using large zip ties. The pieces of PVC pipe extending beyond the box are sized to fit snugly in the cooler. The end result is neither the stand or the cold plate can shift more than a quarter inch or so. 

Final Assembly

Final assembly is pretty straightforward. If you've ever put together a keezer or kegorator, it's petty much the same, just a few extra plumbing connections.

1. Install the 1/4 flare fittings into their bulkheads and secure with the appropriate stainless nut.
2. Install the stand and cold plate. 
3. Install shanks and secure with the shank nut.
4. Install tailpieces.
5. Make draft line connections inside the jockey box.
6. Make the draft line connections for the outside of the jockey box (ball-lock disconnects --> tubing  --> swivel nuts.  Notice, I'm not using push connect fittings on the outside of the jockey box.
7. Reinstall the cooler lid. 

The last thing to do is pressure test all circuits. In my case I keep a 5 gallon keg of StarSan that I use for sanitizing and purging kegs. This works great for pressure testing as it allows you to check one tap at a time and watch for leaks. I ended up pressurizing each line to about 25 psi for 10-15 minutes while watching for leaks. I had a couple that were caused by the push connect fitting not being screwed down tight enough on their respective 1/4 flare fitting, but as I mentioned above, I also had two of the JG fittings that seeped around the tubing. 

After you’ve pressure tested everything, the next thing to do is to try it out. For cold plate jockey boxes, you want minimum water in the cooler. This is different than cooling coil jockey boxes where water will typically improve the cooling. So, fill the cooler with ice, then drain off water and replace ice as needed. That’s about all there is to it.  Below are a few more pics I took during the build process. 

Airborne bulkhead

Test fitting Airborne

Another view Airborne

Shank caps in place

Airborne sealed and caulked

Shanks sealed and caulked

Test fitting cold plate

Incoming line bulkheads

Starting to plumb lines

Interior all plumbed

Ready for leak testing

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Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago)

Food post! I love ramen, but my wife can take it or leave it. In her defense, she does enjoy it when we eat it, but she doesn't crave it like I do. Also, we do live in Florida now and I can't blame her for not having a bowl of hot soup at the top of her wishlist when it's in the 90s with 80+% humidity. 

In order to get my ramen fix, I've started taking dried ramen noodle packs and zhuzhing them up with frozen peas, frozen corn, sliced mushrooms, thin sliced and rolled brisket, and perhaps the best thing to push them over the top, marinated eggs.

The marinated eggs are surprisingly easy to make. I usually make about eight at a time.  For the eggs themselves: 

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. You want enough water to cover your eggs. 
2. Once boiling, carefully add your eggs to the pot and boil for 8 minutes. This will give you a soft jammy yoke and fully set white. 
3. After 8 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with ice and water. This will stop the cooking process.
4. After they've fully chilled, peel your eggs and they're ready for the marinade. 

Tip: If you have a bowl or some other kind of container with a tight fitting lid, you can use that to make peeling easier. While they're still in the ice water bath, shake the container. Shake it firmly, but don't go too crazy. The shaking will start breaking up the shell and make it much easier to peel.

Make the Marinade

Making the marinade isn't hard at all, but you will want to let them marinate for at least 8 hours before using them in your ramen, so plan ahead. They get even better and more flavorful the longer they marinate. 

Marinade Ingredients

This picture shows the brands I used, but you can substitute others based on your liking and availability.

0.5c Soy Sauce
0.5c Mirin
0.5c Sake
2t Granulated Sugar 

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. 
2. Heat to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir well to dissolve sugar.
4. After 1 minute, turn off heat and allow to cool.
5. Transfer to a suitable container and chill well before adding soft boiled eggs. 
6. Once chilled, add eggs and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours. The longer you go, the more flavor you'll get. 
7. Store eggs in the fridge in the marinade until ready to use.

Re suggestions for dried ramen packs, I'd recommend trying a few different ones to figure out what you like most. My recent favs have been Spicy Tonkotsu and Spicy Miso, both from Sapporo Ichiban. 

I simply prepare per the package directions, then add my frozen veggies, mushrooms, and brisket with 30 seconds left on the boil. Then I'll add the spice packet and transfer to a bowl with a marinated egg. Even straight out of the fridge, the egg tends to warm up in a matter of minutes due to the hot ramen. That's it, enjoy!

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Modded SS Brewtech Keg Washer

Cleaning is a big part of homebrewing. Sanitation is equally important, but as the old homebrewing adage goes, you can't sanitize something that isn't clean.

I've posted before about how much I hate cleaning draft lines. Kegs, on the other hand, never bothered me quite as much. My original process was to completely disassemble, clean, and sanitize each keg between batches. As my keg collection grew, that process became increasingly tedious.

My first purchase to assist with keg cleaning was a Mark II Keg and Carboy Washer. It worked so well that I eventually simplified my routine to recirculating PBW through the keg, rinsing thoroughly, and then recirculating sanitizer before filling. The Mark II also worked great for cleaning fermenters and dramatically reduced the amount of water I used in the process.

Fast forward a few years, and I spotted an Ss Brewtech Keg WaSsher for dirt cheap in the local classifieds. I figured having a second washer couldn't hurt, especially since it would allow me to clean two kegs at once.

The Ss Brewtech washer worked great—until the pump failed a couple of years later. I bought a replacement, and that pump lasted until about six weeks ago (~2-3 years) before suffering what appeared to be the exact same failure as the original. Based on my experience, the washer is great but the pump is a weak spot as it seems to fail after about 2-3 years of use.

Neither pump was ever run dry, and although I used hot cleaning solutions, I stayed well below the pump's 160°F maximum temperature rating. In both cases, something inside the housing appeared to swell, eventually causing hairline cracks in the case. I reached out to Ss Brewtech support after the first failure and they indicated that ceramic parts I'm the pump can swell and bind. I'm not sure whether those cracks allowed liquid into the motor or whether the internal swelling itself caused the motor to seize, but either way, the result was the same: a dead pump.

Rather than spend money on another replacement that will likely eventually fail the same way, I started looking for alternatives. That's ultimately what led to this project. Note: There was an announcement yesterday (9/10/2026) that parent company Middleby is shutting down SS Brewtech operations in the near future, so hopefully this post will help out other homebrewers that own this pump and are looking for a solution when their pump inevitably fails.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a true OEM-style generic replacement pump, and there wasn't much information online from other brewers who had modified their washers. There are plenty of inexpensive submersible pond pumps available, but I had concerns about their temperature ratings, flow rates, and chemical resistance. I found one that looked promising and had good reviews, but it cost about as much as another Ss Brewtech replacement pump, so I decided to keep looking.

After noodling on the problem for a few weeks, I realized I already had a better solution sitting in my brewery: one of my magnetic-drive brewing pumps.

I currently have three. My oldest is a March 809 fitted with a Blichmann RipTide head. It was mounted to my brew stand until about a week ago, and has been an absolute workhorse, and serves as my primary brewing pump. 

I managed to recently acquire a used (but by appearances, nearly new) Blichman RipTide pump from a buddy of mine in my brew club. I mounted this one to my brewstand as it has a sealed motor (like the Spike Flo) whereas my March 809 isn't sealed and I was always a little worried I might accidentally splash liquids into the motor.

I have a Spike Flo pump that I won as a Best of Show prize in a homebrew competition. It's also mounted to my brew stand and serves as a secondary pump.

Lastly, I have a Little Giant (LG) 3-MD-MT-HC. I picked this pump up brand new years ago for $50. I mounted it on a homemade portable frame and use it as an auxiliary pump around the brewery and occasionally around the house. This particular model is known for its chemical resistance, and it has been a great all-around pump. Once thing I really like about it is how easy it is to remove the pump head by simply removing four wing nuts. Considering this pump came out before the Riptide and Flo style with their tri-clamp-based pump head assembly, Little Giant's solution was pretty innovative.

As you can see, I have no shortage of pumps. They're all heavy-duty magnetic-drive pumps designed for handling hot brewing liquids, so adapting the Ss Brewtech washer to use one of them made a lot more sense than spending money on another light-duty replacement pump.

The biggest challenge was that the original Ss Brewtech pump is a submersible DC pump, while my brewing pumps are external and need to be gravity-fed and/or primed well.

In order to use the LG pump with the washer, I installed a bulkhead near the bottom of the washing bucket to provide a gravity-fed outlet to the external pump. On the washer itself, I installed a 3/8-inch stainless steel barbed elbow where the original submersible pump connected. A section of silicone tubing connects that fitting to the outlet of the external pump.

The flow path is simple: the washer bucket is essentially a reservoir feeding through the new bulkhead and into the pump inlet. The pump then sends it back through the washer's rotating spray assembly and into the keg, then the keg drains back into the reservoir. 

The modification is surprisingly simple, and I can now use a much more robust brewing pump that I already own instead of continuing to buy replacement submersible pumps—and if the external pump ever needs maintenance, I'm dealing with standard brewing equipment rather than a proprietary replacement part.

Parts List - If you're interested in doing a similar modification, here's what I used:

• (1) standard 5-gallon bucket
• Bulkhead:
• (1) stainless steel 1/2" MNPT x 1/2" hose barb
• (1) stainless steel 1/2"lock nut. Preferably a grooved one that will help retain an o-ring.
• (2) -211Silicone O-rings. These are from my spare parts stockpile. I used one on the inside, one on the outside.
• (2) Stainless washers. These are from my spare parts and are part of the bulkhead. There are probably better weldless bulkhead options nowadays, so consider using one of them. If you're like me and don't throw stuff away, use whatever you have to create a leak-free bulkhead. 
• 3/8" ID silicone tubing
• (2) female 1/2" camlock x 1/2" hose barb fittings. These are the basic versions, not the full flow versions.
• (1) stainless steel 3/8" barbed elbow

Building the Bucket

1. 
   
   Drill the hole for the bulkhead - Drill a 13/16" hole in the side of the bucket near the bottom. Position the hole so there is approximately 1/2" of clearance between the bottom of the bulkhead fitting and the bottom of the bucket. This is important because the keg washer stand needs to sit flat on the bottom of the bucket. In my case, the center of the hole was approximately 1 7/16" up from the bottom of the bucket, measured on the outside of the bucket. I used a standard high speed bit to make a pilot hole, then a step bit to take it up to 13/16. That will give you a nice clean hole.  
   
   
   
2. Install bulkhead - Install the bulkhead of your choice and tighten fitting. In my case I used one o-ring on the outside, one on the inside. The washers are on the outside and help compress the o-ring and hold it in place for a leak-free seal.
3. Make the pump inlet hose - Cut approximately 18–24" of 3/8" silicone tubing. Push one end over the 1/2" barb on the bucket bulkhead and install one of the camlock/barb fittings on the other end.
4. Make the pump outlet hose - Make a second hose using the remaining camlock/barb fitting on one end and the 3/8" stainless barbed elbow on the other. I made mine approximately 22.25" long.

Note: The 3/8" silicone tubing fits very snugly over the 1/2" barbs and shouldn't require hose clamps under the relatively low pressures involved. However, you may want to add a clamp where the tubing connects to the smaller 3/8" barbed elbow.

Using the Modified Keg Washer - The flow path is: Bucket → pump inlet → pump outlet → keg washer → keg → bucket

• Connect the pump inlet - Connect the hose from the bucket bulkhead to the inlet of your brewing pump.
• Connect the pump outlet - Connect the second hose to the pump outlet.
• Connect the keg washer - Insert the 3/8" stainless barbed elbow into the blue fitting on the keg washer where the original Ss Brewtech pump was connected. 

• Add your cleaning solution - Fill the bucket with cleaning solution, water, or sanitizer. Make sure the the pump head is fully primed before turning it on. This is particularly important with magnetic-drive brewing pumps, which should never be run dry.
• Install the washer and keg - Attach the washer to the keg, invert the keg, and place the keg and washer assembly into the bucket.
• Start the pump - Turn on the pump and verify that you have good circulation through the washer before walking away from it.
• Clean, rinse, and sanitize - Recirculate the cleaning solution until the keg is clean. Drain the bucket and repeat the process with clean water to thoroughly rinse the keg. I normally run two rinse cycles. Finally, repeat the process using a no-rinse sanitizer.

A Note About Sanitizer

I generally use an iodine-based sanitizer in my keg washers rather than Star San. In my experience, Star San can generate a tremendous amount of foam when continuously recirculated through a keg washer. Eventually, that foam can make its way into the pump and interfere with circulation, and could possibly overheat the pump head. An iodine-based sanitizer produces much less foam and has worked better for me in this application.

That's about all there is to it. I've had a chance to use this a few times in the last couple weeks and I think the washer actually works better than with the original pump, which is somewhat expected given the LG pump is able to generate higher flow than the OEM pump. Hopefully this post helps other homebrewers to keep their Ss Brewtech Keg WaSher 

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Belgian Witbier

Back to back brew days! Today I'm brewing a Belgian Witbier. I've brewed a few in the past, but it's been a while. With their fruity esters, citrusy flavors and aromas, low ABV, and dry finish, Witbiers make excellent warm-weather beers.

I'm not a huge fan of examples with an over-the-top phenolic spice character. I was hoping to use WLP400 for this beer, but unfortunately my LHBS was out, so I'm using Wyeast 3942-PC Belgian Wheat instead. Based on the description of this strain, I think it may actually turn out a little cleaner than WLP400, especially if I start fermentation on the cooler side.

I'm also not a fan of heavy-handed coriander additions. I tend to prefer the football-shaped Indian variety, primarily because I get much more citrus character from it. In comparison, the round European coriander tends to come across to me as celery, hot dog, and ham.

The BJCP guidelines put the color of a Witbier at 2–4 SRM. I prefer mine to be as light as possible, so I'm using Mecca Grade Gateway malt, which is only about 1.2 SRM. This might turn out to be a truly "white" Witbier.

Here's the BJCP description for the style:

A pale, hazy Belgian wheat beer with spices accentuating the yeast character. A delicate, lightly spiced, moderate-strength ale that is a refreshing summer drink with its high carbonation, dry finish, and light hopping.

Historical versions may have had some lactic sourness but this is absent in fresh modern versions. Spicing has some variety, but should not be overdone. Coriander of certain origin or age might give an inappropriate ham or celery character. The beer tends to be perishable, so younger, fresher, properly-handled examples are most desirable. An impression of sweetness is often due to low bitterness, not residual sugar. Most examples seem to be approximately 5% ABV.

Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today: 

Target OG: 1.050

Target FG: 1.010

IBU: 21

ABV: 5.2

4.25lb Mecca Grade Gateway 

1.6875lb Rahr Malted Red Wheat

1.6875lb Flaked Wheat

0.4375lb Flaked Oats

0.25lb Dextrin Malt

1g BrewTan B (Mash)

1ml Hopshot (60 min)

36g Crystal hops (10 min)

21g Czech Saaz hops (Flameout)

7g Bitter Orange Peel (Flameout)

9g Coriander (Flameout)

2g Grains of Paradise (Flameout)

Wyeast 3942-PC Belgian Wheat

Wyeast Nutrient (10 min)
4.66g BCAA (10 min)
Zinc Buddy

Mash at 151°F 

Collect 7.0 gallons.  90 minute boil.

Steep spices at flameout for 15 minutes then remove.

Chill the wort to 62°F

On Day 3, ramp temp up 2F per day for four days. 

Water Profile

Target Water Profile
Ca	Mg	Na	SO4	Cl	HCO3
57	0	0	56	59	0

To 11 gallons of RO/Distilled water, add:

• 4.2g Gypsum
• 3.9g Calcium Chloride

Brewing Notes - I'm trying out Primo Water from a self-serve water filling station for this batch. It's allegedly RO water without any minerals added back in (pre-bottled have minerals added).

Wheat is always a bit of a pain to mill because it's much harder than barley and doesn't have a husk. I've never had a really difficult time with it before, but this red wheat malt was a complete pain. I ended up having to open my mill gap for the first run, then tightened it up for a 2nd milling. I added a ton of rice hulls to the mash to hopefully eliminate any risk of a stuck mash.

I added 1.5ml of phosphoric acid before taking the first pH measurement. I added a second 1.5ml after the measurement of 5.64.

The pre-boil pH was a little low for such a lightly colored beer, so I added 2ml of phosphoric acid at the beginning of the boil.

Gravity was low nearing the end of the boil so I supplemented with .9# Pilsner DME. My guess is the undermodified malt plus high percentage of wheat, and flaked wheat led to lower efficiency. Compare this to yesterday's brew that was around my standard 83-84%. The addition of the extract results in 2 points below target, so not horrible. I'm going to brew this again and see if I can replace some of the flaked wheat with raw wheat and do a cereal mash,

 

 

Session Readings
Equipment used	10 gal MT
Strike water volume	3 gal
Strike water temp	166.5 °F
Mash thickness	1.44 qt/lbs
Beginning mash pH	5.64
Ending mash pH	5.54
1st running gravity	14.4 (1.057)
Volume into BK	7.0 gal
Pre-Boil gravity	7.6 (1.029)
Pre-Boil pH	5.59
Post-Boil gravity	12.5 (1.049)
Post-Boil pH	5.3
Aeration	0.5l/min for 2 min
Post ferm gravity	6.6 (1.012*)
Post ferm pH	4.39

*=Corrected

Update 9/14/2026

I ran a few bottles off for a competition. I'm a little worried the carbonation level could be a little lower than I wanted. Unfortunately I didn't have time to wait and needed to get it shipped off.  I bottled up a sample bottle for myself to try and will see what that's like tomorrow. I really need to brew Witbiers more often.  

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Belgian Single

Today I'm brewing a Belgian Single, sometimes known as a Patersbier. I brewed a Patersbier years ago and, while I don't remember many of the details, I do remember enjoying it.

Belgian Singles are generally pale, dry, highly attenuated beers with relatively low alcohol compared with the better-known Belgian Dubbel, Tripel, and Quadrupel styles. Despite the lower gravity, a good Single can still have plenty of character from the yeast, hops, and malt.

I'm primarily brewing this batch to enter into a Belgian beer competition. I also wanted to revisit the style since it's been a while, and obviously I don't remember much about that last one. Depending on how it does, I may enter it in other competitions as well, but we are getting towards the end of competition season, and I have a couple other heavy hitters (Florida Rum Barrel Imperial Stout, and MOAR Cherries! Fruit Lambic) that I will definitely be entering.

The BJCP Guidelines describe the style as follows:

A blond, bitter, hoppy table beer that is very dry and highly carbonated. The aggressive fruity-spicy Belgian yeast character and high bitterness is forward in the balance, with a soft, supportive grainy-sweet malt palate, and a spicy-floral hop profile.

Often not labeled or available outside the monastery, or infrequently brewed. Might also be called monk’s beer, Brother’s beer, or simply a Blond (we don’t use this term to avoid confusion with the very different Belgian Blond Ale style). Highly attenuated, generally 85% or more.

Here's the recipe as I'm making it today:

Target OG: 1.052

Target FG: 1.008

IBU: 30

ABV: 5.7

4.66# Solstice Pilsner Malt

4.5# Isaria 1924 Malt

4.8oz Weyermann Acidulated Malt

4.8oz Weyermann Wheat Malt

2.4oz Munich Malt

1g BrewTan B (Mash)

3ml Hopshot (60 min)

28g Sterling (10 min)

Wyeast Nutrient (10 min)

4.66g BCAA (10 min)

Whirlfloc (Flameout)

28g Sterling (Whirlpool @155F for 30 min)

SafAle BE-256

Zinc Buddy

Mash at 151F, 90 min boil, chill to 65°F then raise to 67°F over two days.

Water Profile

Target Water Profile
Ca	Mg	Na	SO4	Cl	HCO3
50	0	5	105	45	0

To 11 gallons RO/Distilled water, add:

• 7.7g Gypsum
• 0.8g Pickling Salt
• 1.1g Calcium Chloride
• 1.7g Magnesium Chloride

Brewing Notes
I was going to brew this beer last night (Friday evening) but I started recirculating my water for heating and noticed a big problem...chunky brown bits in the water. Apparently I forgot to rinse my pump or my RIMS after the last brew, and things had gotten funky. So instead of brewing, I did some intense cleaning and put off the brewing until today.

I added 1ml of phosphoric acid to the mash after the initial reading of 5.43. I used my hop spider this time after running into hop debris issues and kegging my recent NZ Pilsner. Whirlpool hops actually got dropped just shy of 140F.  

I ended up about 7 points over target, putting my brewhouse efficiency just shy of 84%. I ended up getting exactly 5 gallons in the fermenter. Given that this yeast is known to be pretty active, I'm hesitant to add any volume (messy blow-off) by diluting the wort, so I'm just going to let it ride a few points high.  

I was able to chill down to about 60F, but by the time I got the fermenter in the ferm chamber, it was closer to 64F. 
 

Session Readings
Equipment used	10 gal MT
Strike water volume	3.5 gal
Strike water temp	163.3 °F
Mash thickness	1.41 qt/lbs
Beginning mash pH	5.43
Ending mash pH	5.36
1st running gravity	18 (1.072)
Volume into BK	7.0 gal
Pre-Boil gravity	11 (1.043)
Pre-Boil pH	5.39
Post-Boil gravity	14.8 (1.059)
Post-Boil pH	5.27
Aeration	0.5l/min for 2 min
Post ferm gravity	7.1 (1.009*)
Post ferm pH	4.41

*=Corrected

Update 9/14/2026

I filled a few bottles for a competition. I think this beer turned out fairly well, so we'll see what the judges think. When I first tried it on draft, I felt like the bitterness was on the low side and the hop flavor and aroma were more subtle than I was expecting. I tried it again today and I felt like it had improved a lot. Hop flavor and aroma are floral and spicy. Bitterness is there for sure, but seems like it might be towards the lower end of the style guidelines. It's hard to say though because I don't drink commercial examples of this style very often.  

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