Wai Iti Wheat Ale & Wai Iti Wheat Saison - 5G split batch

[mashani]

Super simple 5 gallon batch to try out the Wai Iti hops in 2 different styles by simply using different yeasts and splitting between 2 fermenters.

This was done as partial volume as all of my 5 gallon batches are - simply as much volume as I can get into my 16Q Pot for the boil and not boil over, with a late extract addition and cold water top up in the fermenters to achieve 5 gallons.

6 1/2# Wheat DME (I did 3.5# early, 3# late addition)
1/2oz Magnum @60
1/2oz Wai Iti @15
1/2oz Wai Iti @5
1oz Wai Iti 20 minute hop stand starting @160 with the lid on the pot.
All hops except for the magnum went in commando and were not filtered out.

About 28 IBUs. 1.047 OG. Probably 4 SRM.

Split between 2 Brew Demon LBCs, topped up to 5 gallons.

Pitched a full pack of Nottingham into one of these.

Pitched a full pack of Bella Saison into the other of these.

Wai Iti is a New Zealand low AA (mine were 3.4%) hop that are described as having "intense citrus character of lemon, lime zest, and mandarin oranges".

To me that sounds awesome in an both an American Wheat Ale and a low gravity hop forward Saison for summer consumption.

I could not decide which to do - I've been procrastinating for 4 days trying to decide which... since I had 2 open fermenters I just broke down and made it both ways.

I went with Nottingham instead of S-05 because Nottingham will ferment out a bit drier and more tart. So closer to the Bella in that regards, but without the saison spicyness and with some residual malt sweetness still. I think this will give me the best idea of how the spices from the yeast play against the hops vs. a cleaner yeast.

[John Sand]

It is fun isn't it? The widest variation of yeast that I've tried in splitting a batch is Notty/US-05, or Munich/Brewferm Wheat.

[mashani]

I've actually never done it with that closely "related" yeasts. The closest would be lager vs kolsch, or two different Belgian strains, IE Westmalle and Chimay. But Westmalle and Chimay are much more different then Notty/S-05, because so much flavor comes from them.

In any case, both of these batches are going ape*$t...

I was afraid I'd have a hard time getting the Saison yeast warm enough. Instead I'm having a hard time getting the Nottingham cool enough.

[mashani]

Bottled the Notty version of tis at 1.011 tonight. I was a bit worried about it because it got up to 72, maybe even more at one point but it tasted fine with no off flavors. Maybe a bit of extra tartness but it's hard to say because the wai iti put a lot of mandarin orange and lime flavors in this thing. I didn't notice lemon, just orange and lime. The tartness was fine with this regardless because of those flavors. The sample was nice to drink, so it should be very nice when carbed up.

The saison version is done but I didn't have time to bottle it. It's sitting pretty at 0.9something or something stupid like that. I'll bottle it tomorrow or Monday. What I've tasted in the samples earlier was wicked.

[mashani]

Bottled the saison version. It tasted like I used bitter orange peel it, and it's really nice with the saison yeast spices. It is bone dry. 0.98ish does that to you.

Based on how this one tastes Wai Iti would be nice in a Belgian WIT beer, I think you could use it as a total sub for the coriander and orange peel and get a really nice beer out of it. This tastes like a super dry more intense WIT beer.

[mashani]

I'll post pics next pour, my camera is messed up right now.

Both of these beers are delicious. The wheat beer has a more "sweet orange with hints of other citrus" vibe to it, where the saison a more "lime/lemon zest/bitter orange peel" vibe. The saison is super dry and tart, the wheat beer has some residual sweetness which must help bring out the orange more vs. the "citrus zest" flavors.

This simple recipe will be made again I think.

I do think you could totally sub these hops for the spices in a Belgian WIT and have excellent results.

I've got a bunch of 3787 on the way, along with more of these hops. I think I am going to make a patersbier with Styrians or Santium and Wai Iti. I think that will be awesome. Santium would add to the orange. Styrians would add nice spice. Can't decide, perhaps I will do both. It will be just a simple as this, pilsner, hops, yeast, and similar gravity because that's how you make them, the yeast does the magic stuff, and I think the wai iti will enhance it even more.

EDIT and FWIW, I have no off flavors from the Notty even though it got "out of spec" by a few degrees. +1 for Notty, I will no longer fear using it if it might get over 70.