Sorachi Ace

[brahn]

Anyone here familiar with Sorachi Ace? I know someone at the fest had a Sorachi Ace wheat beer and I'm planning to make something similar for my next batch. I'd like to emphasize the lemon flavor that I've heard this hop has and make it a little hoppier than the one I tried at the fest. Any tips for this hop and bringing out that lemon flavor? Anything to avoid?

This is what I'm currently planning to go with:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Nelson's Wheat

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Wheat or Rye Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 11 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 13.75 gallons
Efficiency: 80% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 4.56%
IBU (tinseth): 15.06
SRM (morey): 3.01

FERMENTABLES:
8.5 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (50%)
8.5 lb - American - Wheat (50%)

HOPS:
22 g - Sorachi Ace for 60 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 10, IBU: 15.06)
150 g - Sorachi Ace for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Whirlpool (AA 10)

MASH STEPS:
1) Temperature, Temp: 150 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 21 qt, Sacc

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp - Yeast Nutrient, Time: 10 min, Type: Other, Use: Boil
1 each - Whirlfloc, Time: 8 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
White Labs - German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast WLP029
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 65 - 69 F
Fermentation Temp: 62 F
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Tustin, CA
Ca2: 110
Mg2: 27
Na: 80
Cl: 127
SO4: 155
HCO3: 134
Water Notes:

This recipe has been published online at:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/r ... on-s-wheat

Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-05-13 20:14 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-05-13 20:12 UTC

[ArrogantDan]

Heah Brent, I brought a Sorachi Wheat beer to the camp sites. I'm assuming it's the one you tried. I think it's an excellent summer time beer because of the clean, crisp malt profile and the nice lemon bite it gives. My recipe looks a lot like yours with a few exceptions:
* I use Columbus hops for bittering
* I add 2 oz of Sorachi each at 10 min and whirlpool giving me a total of 45 IBU's for 10 gallons
* I also add 1/4 oz of coriander at 10 min to enhance the lemon zest
* I use US-05 dry yeast because I like the way it brings out the hops. I've considered using the White Labs Hef strain, just never got around to it.
* The only water treatment I do is use 5.2 pH stabilizer

Good luck with the brew, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

[brahn]

Thanks for the info Dan, that is the beer I was thinking of. I'm fresh out of Columbus, but I was thinking of using Magnum for the bittering. I may just do that for a cleaner bittering addition.

I struggle with the IBUs from my whirlpool additions, I'll be whirpooling for about 20-30 minutes before I start chilling. I believe the IBU's will actually be around 35 based on the recipe I posted. What's your OG?

I've got slurry of WLP029 (or I will soon...) and it's a great clean yeast that accentuates hops like US-05, that's why I was going with it.

I've never tried 5.2, but that's another post...

[ArrogantDan]

The OG is 1.054 and the IBU's are actually 35.

[brahn]

I tweaked this recipe to get to ArrogantDan's OG and used Magnum for bittering. I just kegged this and the hydrometer sample tasted incredible! Lemon and a bit of herbal spiciness pairs perfectly with the american wheat beer. I can't wait to get this carbed up!