Recipe

Sunflower Seed Dark Hefeweizen

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.062  FG = 1.014
IBU = 26  SRM = 9  ABV = 6.3%

Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (2.9 kg) wheat malt
6.0 lb. (2.7 kg) German Pilsner malt
2 oz. (57 g) Carafa® I malt
5 AAU Magnum hops (70 min.) (0.35 oz./10 g of 14% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 5% alpha acids)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) toasted sunflower seeds
White Labs WLP380 (Hefeweizen IV) ale yeast (2.4 qts./2.4 L yeast starter)

Step by Step
Roast sunflower seeds at 450 °F (232 °C) for 15–20 minutes. Mash at 122 °F (50 °C) 30 minutes; Rest at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 70 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Ferment at 66–70 °F (19–21 °C). Rack to secondary after 10 days. “Dry seed” the beer in secondary. Remove seeds after a couple days, or when desired level of sunflower flavor is reached. Force carbonate to 3.2 volumes of CO2.

Sunflower Seed Dark Hefeweizen

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.062  FG = 1.014
IBU = 26  SRM = 9  ABV = 6.3%

Ingredients
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat malt
14 oz.. (0.40 kg) German Pilsner malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) Carafa® I malt
2.5 lb. (1.1 kg) dried wheat malt extract
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) liquid wheat malt extract
5 AAU Magnum hops (70 min.) (0.35 oz./10 g of 14% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 5% alpha acids)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) toasted sunflower seeds
White Labs WLP380 (Hefeweizen IV) ale yeast (2.4 qts./2.4 L yeast starter)

Step by Step
Roast sunflower seeds at 450 °F (232 °C) for 15–20 minutes. Steep crushed grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Add dried malt extract and water to make 3 gallons (11 L) and boil wort for 70 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract for final 15 minutes of the boil. Ferment at 66–70 °F (19–21 °C). Rack to secondary after 10 days. “Dry seed” the beer in secondary for 2 or 3 days. Force carbonate to 3.2 volumes of CO2.

Issue: October 2012

This recipe takes advantage of the head retention power of wheat to blend in some flavors of toasted sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are very oily, so toasting the seeds to get a large amount of the oils removed is essential.