Beer Forum

While browsing my LHBS' website for hops to brew with, I noticed one called Sorachi Ace, a hop from Sapporo Breweries in Japan that has a lemon aroma.

In a marvelous example of serendipity, I was listening to Graham Sanders' last CraftBrewer Radio podcast for 2007 a day or so later, and someone had sent him an email asking how to use Sorachi Ace. Graham's reply was, "In a wheat beer."

And so, Hubert Wolters' West Texas Wheat was born. I am hoping the lemon aroma of the hops adds something to experience of drinking the beer. (Hubert Wolters brewed wheat beer in San Angelo, Texas, from about 1878 to 1888.)

Recipe: Hubert Wolters' West Texas Wheat
Brewing Date: Saturday February 09, 2008
Head Brewer: Jeff

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Grain (LBS): 7.25
Anticipated OG: 1.050
Anticipated SRM: 3.9
Anticipated IBU: 27.5
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.054

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Gravity SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
96.6 7.00 lbs. AHS Wheat Malt 1.035 2
3.4 0.25 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.25 oz. Sorachi Ace Pellet 14.00 17.2 60 min.
0.25 oz. Sorachi Ace Pellet 14.00 4.6 15 min.
0.50 oz. Sorachi Ace Pellet 14.00 5.7 5 min.

Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP320 American Hefeweizen Ale

Looks like a nice Amber Wheat! I didn't realize Soriachi Ace were such high alpha hops. I've gotta try some (IF I can get my hands on some).

Definitely report back to us on this one! I am very interested to hear how it comes out...

Thirsty Mallard wrote:Definitely report back to us on this one! I am very interested to hear how it comes out...

Ditto on that. I have a half pound of Sorachi Ace sitting in my freezer waiting to get used on something. I also want to know how happy you are with that yeast so I know whether to get that or a different strain.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

BugeaterBrewing wrote:

Thirsty Mallard wrote:Definitely report back to us on this one! I am very interested to hear how it comes out...

Ditto on that. I have a half pound of Sorachi Ace sitting in my freezer waiting to get used on something. I also want to know how happy you are with that yeast so I know whether to get that or a different strain.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

Will do. The hop aroma was promising, though I don't know I would call it "lemony," it was citrusy. As far as the yeast goes, I was just looking for something American to put in it. I have in mind a fairly clean beer. I suspect I should have used Cry Havoc, which I have been using lately.

I just got home from work and briefly thought about kegging the beer tonight, but finally decided it would be too much work. I'll save it for the weekend. But I did sample.

I fined it with some gelatin a couple of days ago because I want a clearer beer. It was cloudy amber and smelled good. I used Sorachi Ace which is supposed to have some lemon aroma, and I did detect some citrus in the aroma. But it was flat, and I have had a cold. . .

Tasted fine. I used American Hefe yeast which reduced the banana flavor. There is some fruit flavors, but the three little sips I had weren't enough to let me identify it. OG was 1.054, FG was 1.010 which is about 5.8% abv. It did ferment a bit warm (75F), and the alcohol is a touch hot.

The Sorachi Ace did add some nice betterness to the beer. I was and wasn't expecting lemon flavor from it, if you understand what I mean. But it's only about 20 IBUs, so it's hard to tell. Especially with a stuffy nose.

And no, Thirsty. I will not need your disposal services.

I'll let you know what I think after it's been kegged and carbonated.

I finally tasted the carbonated beer. Sometimes I say to myself, "Self, you're amazing!"

The beer is pretty good. To be honest, I don't know if the Sorachi Ace hops contributed anything to the aroma. It does have a bright bitterness at the back of the throat when I drink it. It is reminiscent of the way lemon has a bright finish.

Geez it's hard to describe this.

Overall, I'm impressed with the hop variety. I'm going to use it again.

sorachi ace sounds like something a samuri yells as he chops your head off