Rockit Cup American Weissbier Brewday

So no time like the present to get started on the new Rockit Cup, specifically since I plan on making at least a couple different versions. I’ll hold out on laying claim to any more yeast varieties until I am ready to brew the next one, however—I’m all about giving others a chance to choose. Can you feel the kindness, my friends? Plus, with all the yeasts options available, it ain’t like we’re gonna run out.

149. Rockit Cup American Weissbier with WLP510 Bastogne
Mash:
5 lbs. Breiss 6-row
3 lbs. Breiss Flaked Maize
2 lbs. Breiss White Wheat

Mash @ 152° F for 60 minutes w/ 3 gallons of RO water & 2 g. gypsum; collected almost 2 gallons @ 1.076
Batch sparge @ 166° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water & 2 g. gypsum; collected 4 gallons @ 1.032

Added ¾ gallon to bring to 6 ¾ gallons; brought to a boil (60 minutes) & added:
w/60 to go: 1 oz. Cluster leaf 7.6% AA

Chilled, racked to carboy, and pitched WLP510 Bastogne

Brewed: 6/16/2013 @ 66° F; slow rise to 72° F over first 48 hours
Secondary: 7/6/2013 @ 1.006
Bottled: 7/20/2013 w/ 3.5 oz. table sugar

OG: 1.048
FG: 1.006

Tasting Notes (12/12/2013): You’ll need to forgive the tardiness of these notes—I’ve been brewing enough that a few beers have fallen by the wayside. This is the third of four beers I made with 30% corn, and this one—via the yeast—is probably the most surreptitious of the lot. It pours a slightly hazy dull straw with a thin white head—it looks a lot like a lager, although that impression ends once you smell it, as the nose is quite Belgian. A subtle Belgian, but Belgian nonetheless. The nose is slightly phenolic mixed with fruit and floral—I get pear and apple, along with perfume-y bread crust and flowers. Oh, and a touch of creaminess behind the other aromas. Flavors start with bread dough, hints of bread crust, and sweetness; the apple and pear appear soon after, so it is a bit like a morning pastry, albeit in a good way. The middle has a bit of roughness to it via the Cluster—there is a bit of gritty, grainy bitterness that mixes with the sweetness and slight gumminess in the middle. There is a slight phenolic bite in the final third, although the body hides it a bit; while dry, there is some residual sweetness in the finish. The finish is a bit rough and rustic—I get some mineral grit and graininess, and more of the rough hop bitterness. While the carbonation is bright, the malt body still makes itself felt on the tongue. Even with the unevenness, this is a drinkable and enjoyable beer. I like the Belgian yeast character mixed with the American grain bill, and it certainly has a rustic feel to it, although not quite into the realm of farmhouse beers. This beer is further confirmation that corn is worthy of more experimentation next year, although I might still like the version made with Wyeast 1056 the best.