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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Mexican Firing Squad

Another cocktail recipe. I made my own grenadine a while back and hadn't used much of it. I Googled for best cocktails with grenadine and this was one of the first ones that popped up. I tend to gravitate to booze-forward cocktails (Zombie, Old Fashioned, etc.), but I thought this one sounded interesting. Both my wife and I thought it was really good, not too sweet, and not too sour. I made it using half limes from our Key Lime tree, and half with store-bought Persian Limes.  I highly encourage making your own grenadine for this (or any cocktail). Real grenadine is easy to make and tastes soooooo much better than the cough syrup known as Rose's Grenadine.  

Here's how to make it:

2oz Tequila, Blanco

3/4oz Lime Juice

3/4oz Grenadine

4 dashes Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake well to chill. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.

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Loco Moco

Food recipe today! Loco Moco is a breakfast comfort dish that originated in Hawaii. It's surprisingly easy to make, filling but not nearly as heavy as I was expecting, and it's super tasty. 

Makes four servings. 

Start by cooking 2 cups of white rice

Gravy

2T Butter

1 Medium yellow onion, sliced

8oz Mushrooms, sliced

2 Garlic cloves, minced

2T All purpose flour

2C Beef stock

1T Worcestershire sauce

1t Soy sauce

1/2t Black pepper 

1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook to deep brown (about 10-12 minutes).
2. Add garlic and cook for one minute.  
3. Sprinkle flour in and stir constantly for one minute. 
4. Gradually add beef stock, Worcestershire, and soy sauce. Combine well then simmer for about 10 minutes.  

Burger Patties

1# Ground beef 

1t Kosher salt

1/2t Ground black pepper

1t Garlic powder

1t Onion powder

1. Mix ingredients well and form into four 4 ounce patties.
2. Cook over medium heat, 4 minutes per side. 

Eggs

1. Fry four eggs until whites are set but yolks are still runny. 
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Assembly

1. Spoon rice into a bowl.
2. Add burger patty.
3. Cover patty in a generous amount of gravy.
4. Finish with a fried egg on top and serve.

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