Summer Ale

2/3: Brewed the fourth batch for the Wheat Beer Competition. British-style Summer ale. Hugh Baird Marris Otter, Belgian Pils malt & malted wheat for 12.5P. Tangy, moderate bitterness from Columbus (I know, hardly tradtional, but I've got 'em on hand) and a touch of Gypsum in the kettle , finished with Goldings, fermented by the Safale S-04. Should dry out pretty well and with an effervescent condition be light and refreshing.

Kegged both the WIt and the Smoked Wheat. The Wit needs to drop a bit more yeast and clean up a bit. Should be pretty nice; good citrus peel flavor with faint pithy bitterness at the finish and very light coriander flavor. A bit too light. The Smoked Wheat on the other hand is a bit "not so much". Near spot on German Style Hefe yet smoke flavor and aroma just isn't there. Hm. We'll see what the club thinks about it as a competition entry. I really enjoy that heavy Schlenkerla Beech Smoke character, but to get that intensity I'll need to smoke my own malt.