Name: Bridge View Taverns W3 HIBISCUS ORANGE IMPERIAL WIT Recipe
Cook time: 16 h
Total time: 16 h
Yield: 48 servings
Cuisine: Belgian
Ingredients: 5 lbs Pilsner malt; 3 lbs Wheat malt (Wheat malt, not white wheat extract); 0.5 lbs Belgian aromatic or vienna malt; 0.25 lbs CaraMunich or light crystal 40L; 0.25 lbs Flaked oats; 0.5 oz Hallertau or Styrian Golding hops (4.5% AA); 0.5 oz Tettnang or Saaz hops (3.5% AA) - late hop; 1 oz Bitter orange peel (dried Curaçao or Seville orange peel); 1 oz Dried hibiscus petals (whole, edible); 1 tsp Irish moss (or Whirlfloc tablet); 1 pack Belgian Wit yeast (e.g., Wyeast 3944, White Labs WLP400, or Safbrew WB-06); 0.5 tsp Yeast nutrient (optional); 6.5 gallons Water (brewing water, adjusted to moderate mineral profile); 3.5 oz Corn sugar (dextrose) for priming; 0.5 cups Priming water (for dissolving sugar)

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Belgian style wit has subtle shades of pink and red from the hibiscus and a bright citrus flavor from the orange peel and hop additions.

Heat approximately 4.0 gallons of brewing water to 165°F (74°C). Pour into mash tun and add grains (Pilsner malt, wheat malt, Belgian aromatic/vienna, CaraMunich, flaked oats). Aim for a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold mash for 60 minutes, stirring to ensure even hydration and conversion.

Strike and Mash

Heat mash to 168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes (mash out) to stop enzymatic activity and improve lauter flow.

Mash Out

Sparge with enough water at 170°F (77°C) to collect ~6.0 gallons of wort in the kettle (adjust to yield ~5.0 gallons finished beer). Drain slowly to avoid channeling.

Sparge

Bring wort to a vigorous boil and begin a 60-minute timed boil. Watch for boil-overs, especially early in the boil.

Wort Boil

At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 0.5 oz Hallertau (or Styrian Golding) to provide a gentle, low bitterness appropriate for a Belgian wit. Also add 1 tsp Irish moss at 15 minutes remaining (or add whirlfloc with 10-15 minutes left).

Bittering Hop Addition (60 min)

At 10–15 minutes left in the boil, add 0.5 oz Tettnang (or Saaz) hops and 1.0 oz bitter orange peel. This will preserve aromatic oils and bright citrus character without adding harsh bitterness.

Late Hop and Orange Peel (10-15 min)

Turn off heat at end of the 60-minute boil and perform a 10–20 minute whirlpool. Add 1.0 oz dried hibiscus petals directly to the kettle at flameout or during whirlpool. The hibiscus will impart color (pinks/reds) and a light tart floral note. Steep in whirlpool for 10–20 minutes, aiming for a whirlpool temperature of ~180–185°F (82–85°C) for efficient flavor extraction without extracting harsh tannins.

Hibiscus Addition (Whirlpool/End of Boil)

Quickly chill the wort to 68–70°F (20–21°C) using an immersion chiller or counterflow chiller. Transfer wort to a sanitized fermenter, leaving most of the trub and spent hibiscus behind in the kettle.

Cool Wort

Aerate or oxygenate the wort sufficiently (e.g., shake, splash, or pure O2). Rehydrate or prepare the Belgian wit yeast according to manufacturer's instructions and pitch at 68–70°F (20–21°C). Add 0.5 tsp yeast nutrient if using.

Pitch Yeast

Ferment at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for primary fermentation. Expect active fermentation for 3–7 days; allow fermentation to slow for an additional 5–7 days to finish. Monitor gravity until stable for 2–3 days.

Primary Fermentation

If additional citrus or hop aroma is desired, you may add a small dry hop addition (0.25 oz Tettnang or citrusy hop) and/or 0.25 oz dried hibiscus in a sanitized hop bag after primary fermentation has slowed (3–5 days into fermentation). Leave on for 2–4 days to avoid vegetal or astringent extraction.

Optional Dry Flavor Additions

Measure final gravity to confirm fermentation is complete. Boil 3.5 oz corn sugar in 0.5 cups water for 3–5 minutes, cool, and add to sanitized bottling bucket.

Prepare for Bottling

Rack beer gently into the bottling bucket on top of the priming solution to mix evenly without excessive aeration. Fill and cap bottles.

Transfer and Prime

Condition bottles at room temperature (68–72°F / 20–22°C) for 2 weeks for carbonation, then cold condition for 1–2 weeks to reduce yeast haze and improve clarity and flavor.

Bottle Conditioning

Chill to 45–50°F (7–10°C). Pour gently to leave sediment in bottle. Expect a light straw to pale pink color with subtle hibiscus tint, bright citrus aroma from orange peel, and a soft, spicy Belgian yeast character. Serve in a tulip or Belgian-style glass.

Serving

Pilsner malt

Wheat malt (Wheat malt, not white wheat extract)

Belgian aromatic or vienna malt

CaraMunich or light crystal 40L

Flaked oats

Hallertau or Styrian Golding hops (4.5% AA)

Tettnang or Saaz hops (3.5% AA) - late hop

Bitter orange peel (dried Curaçao or Seville orange peel)

Dried hibiscus petals (whole, edible)

Irish moss (or Whirlfloc tablet)

Belgian Wit yeast (e.g., Wyeast 3944, White Labs WLP400, or Safbrew WB-06)

Yeast nutrient (optional)

Water (brewing water, adjusted to moderate mineral profile)

Corn sugar (dextrose) for priming

Priming water (for dissolving sugar)

W3 HIBISCUS ORANGE IMPERIAL WIT

Make W3 HIBISCUS ORANGE IMPERIAL WIT Recipe in just 16h . Belgian style wit has subtle shades of pink and red from the hibiscus and a bright citrus flavor from the orange peel and hop additions.

W3 HIBISCUS ORANGE IMPERIAL WIT

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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