Trigo Oscuro (Dunkelweizen)

Trigo Oscuro

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.056 (13.8 °P)  FG = 1.014 (3.5 °P)
IBU = 16  SRM = 17  ABV = 5.6%

Many people expect a darker beer to be bigger and richer, even though that is not always the case. This recipe is on the bigger end of the style, with a rich caramel note.

Ingredients
6.2 lb. (2.8 kg) Great Western wheat malt (2 °L) or similar
2.6 lb. (1.2 kg) Durst or Weyermann Munich malt (8 °L) or similar
1.9 lb. (850 g) Durst or Weyermann continental Pilsner malt (1.8 °L) or similar
5.3 oz. (150 g) Dingemans Special B malt (120 °L) or similar
5.3 oz. (150 g) Briess crystal malt (40 °L) or similar
2.6 oz. (75 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special II (430 °L)
3.36 AAU Hallertau pellet hops (60 min.)(0.84 oz./24 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3068 (Weihenstephan Weizen) or White Labs WLP300 (Hefeweizen Ale) or Lallemand Munich Classic yeast

Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash of around 1.5 quarts of water to 1 pound of grain (a liquor-to-grist ratio of about 3:1 by weight) and a temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold the mash at 152 °F (67 °C) until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (24.4 L) and the gravity is 1.043 (10.8 °P).

The total wort boil time is 90 minutes, which helps reduce the SMM present in the lightly kilned Pilsner malt and results in less DMS in the finished beer. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. I skip kettle finings in this beer. Chill the wort rapidly to 62 °F (17 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 10 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, two packages of liquid yeast or one package of liquid yeast in a 2-liter starter.

Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C) until the beer attenuates fully. With healthy yeast, fermentation should be complete in a week, but don’t rush it. The cooler than average ale fermentation temperature can extend the time it takes for complete attenuation. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2.5 to 3 volumes.

Trigo Oscuro

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.056 (13.8 °P)
FG = 1.014 (3.5 °P)
IBU = 16 SRM = 17 ABV = 5.6%

Ingredients
5.0 lb. (2.3 kg) wheat liquid malt extract (4 °L)
2.2 lb. (1 kg) Weyermann Munich Amber liquid malt extract (8 °L)
5.3 oz. (150 g) Dingemans Special B malt (120 °L) or similar
5.3 oz. (150 g) Briess crystal malt (40 °L) or similar
2.6 oz. (75 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special II (430 °L)
3.36 AAU Hallertau pellet hops (60 min.) (0.84 oz./24 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3068 (Weihenstephan Weizen) or White Labs WLP300 (Hefeweizen Ale) or Lallemand Munich Classic yeast

Step by Step
I have used a number of wheat and Munich malt extracts with good results. Always choose the freshest extract that fits the beer style. If you can’t get fresh liquid malt extract, it is better to use an appropriate amount of dried malt extract (DME) instead.

Mill or coarsely crack the specialty malt and place loosely in a grain bag. Avoid packing the grains too tightly in the bag, using more bags if needed. Steep the bag in about 1⁄2 gallon (~2 liters) of water at roughly 170 °F (77 °C) for about 30 minutes. Lift the grain bag out of the steeping liquid and rinse with warm water. Allow the bags to drip into the kettle for a few minutes while you add the malt extract. Do not squeeze the bags. Add enough water to the steeping liquor and malt extract to make a pre-boil volume of 5.9 gallons (22.3 L) and a gravity of 1.047 (11.8 °P). Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.

The total wort boil time is 60 minutes. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. I skip kettle finings for this beer. Chill the wort rapidly to 62 °F (17 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 10 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, two packages of liquid yeast or one package of liquid yeast in a 2-liter starter. Follow the remainder of the all-grain version of this recipe.