"There be wheat beers here!"

Wolters' West Texas Wheat -I fined it with some gelatin a couple of days ago. It was cloudy 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 brought the banana flavor down. 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. If we ever open a brewery, this might be a beer to make. It had been kegged and is in the fridge.

Skirt Lifter Imperial Hefe Weiss - Or, as I have thought about calling it: Banana beer! It fermented a bit hot, and so there was some very strong banana esters. So strong that it disguised the fact that it is about 8.3% abv. (OG 1088, FG 1026). It's muddy, though. I have racked it to secondary and will keg it this weekend. But when I racked it, I discovered the source of the muddiness: the spigot was an inch below the surface of the yeast cake!

Skirt Lifter Imperial Hefeweiss

I brewed Bub's Skirt Lifter Imperial Hefeweiss. But I anticipated an OG of 1072, and got 1088! What??

ProMash Brewing Session Printout
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Brewing Date: Sunday February 03, 2008
Head Brewer: Jeff
Recipe: Skirt lifter Imperial Hefeweiss extract
Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Extract (LBS): 12.00
Anticipated OG: 1.072
Anticipated SRM: 3.6
Anticipated IBU: 17.9
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Actual OG: 1.086
Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Gravity SRM
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100.0 12.00 lbs. Wheat Malt Extract North America 1.030 2*

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.33 oz. Horizon Pellet 10.90 16.0 60 min.
0.80 oz. Argentine Cascade Pellet 3.20 1.9 5 min.
0.20 oz. Argentine Cascade Pellet 3.20 0.0 0 min.
Yeast
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2 White Labs WLP300 Hefewizen Ale
Mash Notes
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Brought 1.5 gallons water to the boil. Add 12 lbs (1 gal) extract, and filled kettle to 3 gallons before bringing to a boil. I boiled 5 minutes before "starting" the boil. Put 1/2 bag of ice in sink and set kettle in it.

Skirt Lifter Imperial Hefeweizen

Frankly, I don't understand the whole "Imperial" thing. There are Imperial Stouts, Imperial Pale Ales, Imperial Pilsners, and Imperial Oktoberfests. I'm sure someone, somewhere is even toying with an Imperial Dopplebock.

Anyway, I ran across a recipe on the Brewing Network Forums a while back (can't remember who posted it, I think it was Bub), and added it to my list of things to try. Now, many months later, I think I am ready to try it.

Skirt Lifter Imperial Hefeweiss
12 lbs wheat malt extract
1/4 oz Horizon 13%/60
1/4 oz Argentine Cascade/5
1/4 oz Argentine Cascade/0
2 vials WLP300 Hefeweis yeast
Est. OG 1.072

Northern Brewer had the 60-40 Wheat malt extract I was looking for, but no European hops. I couldn't even find any hops below 12% AAU ! The Argentine Cascade, the site informed me, are not a substitute for American Cascadem but for Hallertauer. We'll see.

Update: It was Bub who posted the original recipe on The Brewing Network Forums.