The Other Michael Jackson (Black Witbier)

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052  FG = 1.012 IBU = 15  SRM = 24  ABV = 5.3%

Ingredients

5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt
4.0 lbs. (1.8 kg) flaked wheat
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) flaked oats
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Carafa® Special II
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) pale chocolate malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Caravienne malt
3 AAU Hallertauer hops (90 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.25 tsp. dried chamomile flowers zest of 2 tangerines
1 whole star anise, crushed
Wyeast 3944 (Belgian White Beer) yeast

Step by Step

Step mash Pils malt, wheat and oats starting with a 122 °F (50 °C) rest for 10 minutes followed by 148 °F (64 °C) for 60 minutes. Add dark grains during recirculation and sparge. Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L). Use a 90 minute boil. Add spices at knockout and steep for 5 minutes. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).

The Other Michael Jackson (Black Witbier)

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.052  FG = 1.012 IBU = 15  SRM = 25  ABV = 5.3%

Ingredients

1.5 lb. (0.68 kg) Pilsner dried malt extract
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) wheat liquid malt extract
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Carafa® Special II malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) pale chocolate malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Caravienne malt
3 AAU Hallertauer hops (90 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.25 tsp. dried chamomile flowers zest of
2 tangerines
1 whole star anise, crushed
Wyeast 3944 (Belgian White Beer) yeast

Step by Step

Steep specialty grains at 148 °F (64 °C) for 30 minutes. While grains steep, begin heating 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water to a boil in your brewpot. Combine water in brewpot, “grain tea” from steep and dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops at beginning of boil. Don’t let wort volume drop below 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) during the boil. (Add water, if so.) Stir in liquid malt extract during the final 10 minutes. Add spices when boil is finished and let them steep for 5 minutes prior to cooling wort. Cool wort, transfer to fermeter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L). See all-grain recipe for remaining instructions. Ingredient notes: Get chamomile flowers at a spice store, health food shop, tea shop or craft store. Google “buy dried chamomile flowers” to find online sources. Chamomile tea is usually pure chamomile flowers (check the ingredient list). Use only the orange zest of the tangerines. Do not use the white pith. Using broken pieces of star anise is cheaper; use the equivalent of one whole star.