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Lemon Zest Weizen Recipe

Apr 26, 2017

Lemon Zest Weizen (22 Litres)

If it weren't for the “lemon twist”, this recipe might nearly fit into the Weissbier style 15A of the BJCP style Guidelines. The lemon aroma and flavour imparts a particularly refreshing up-front character with softer esters and rounded wheat flavours layered underneath. Lemon Myrtle leaves (Backhousia Citriodora, a tree native to S/East Queensland) may be sourced from gourmet food stores, which carry Australian herbs and spices. Once broken up, the leaves release a uniquely pungent lemon character. However, in the absence of Lemon Myrtle leaves, other sources of lemon may be used.

Ingredients

1 x 1.7kg Thomas Coopers Preachers Hefe Wheat
1 x 500g Light Dry Malt
500g Brew Enhancer 1 (half a pack)
3 x Lemon Myrtle Leaves (or zest a lemon)
1 x Fermentis WB-06 Yeast (or Wheat yeast of your choice)
1 x 250g Dextrose Corn Sugar or Carbonation Drops

Features:

Colour: Straw
Body: Medium
Bitterness: Medium
Approx. Alcohol Level: 4.7%
Naturally Carbonated: Natural

Instructions:

STEP 1: Mix

Place the Coopers Light Dry Malt into a sanitised, drained fermenter, add 2 litres of hot water. Immediately pick the fermenter up and swirl the contents until dissolved (approx 15 secs) - this method minimises lumps. Add the Preachers Hefe Wheat plus half a pack of Brew Enhancer 1 and dissolve. Fill with cool water to the 18 litre mark, stir vigorously and check the brew temperature. Top up to the 21 litre mark with hot or cold water, as required, for a brew temperature as close as possible to 21C. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the surface and fit the lid.

STEP 2: Brew

Try to ferment the brew at 18C-22C, if possible. On about day 5 of fermentation, make a lemon infusion by breaking up the lemon myrtle leaves and steeping in 1 litre of ‘just boiled’ water for about 15mins. Add the strained infusion into the brew – do not stir. Fermentation has finished once the specific gravity is stable over 2 days.

STEP 3: Bottle

We recommend the use of PET bottles or reusable glass bottles designed for storing beer. Bottles need to be primed so that secondary fermentation (producing the gas in the bottle) can take place

Priming

Add carbonation drops at the rate of 1 per 330ml/375ml bottle and 2 per 740ml/750ml bottle. Sugar or dextrose may be used at the rate of 8g per litre (approximately 6g of sugar to a level metric teaspoon). Store the bottles out of direct sunlight at 18C or above for at least 1 week while secondary fermentation occurs. Your beer can be consumed after 2 weeks.

STEP 4: Enjoy!

While we recommend leaving your bottles to condition at or above 18C for at least 2 weeks - you may find that your brew benefits from further conditioning. The final alcohol content should be approximately 4.7% ABV. This brew is intended to be served cloudy.