Papal Indulgence

A Wheatwine

Imagine a marriage between a big German Hefeweizen and a traditional British Barleywine. The offspring of that union might yield something like the Papal Indulgence.

Though relatively new and not well-defined, this "Wheatwine" is an exciting and challenging style. My version leans heavily on the traditional idea of the Hefewiezen, but borrows key elements from the Barleywine. The high original gravity is a characteristic of the latter, but I replaced half of the barley with wheat. Then, I added a little more than 100 pounds of local wildflower honey to contribute flavor, aroma and fermentable sugars. I kept the hops at a minimum -- only 6.66 lbs of low-alpha German hops -- to accentuate and not overpower the banana flavors given off by the German-style Weizen yeast. Midway through fermentation, our house ale yeast was added to help supplant some of the banana esters and balance the sweetness of the beer with the hops – basically to revisit some British characteristics.

The Papal Indulgence pours a hazy amber color and boasts a large, lacy white head that will last the majority of the time the beer remains the glass. The aroma is a blend of banana, honey, and alcohol with a touch of fruit and hops. The first sip will produce a rush of wheaty sweetness, followed by a long, smooth, thirst-quenching variety of flavors: honey, mild hops, alcohol, banana, fig, raisin, clove and perhaps a hint of bubblegum. As you swallow, alcohol, light hops and a trailing sweetness will warm your insides and leave you wanting more.

Enjoy, but indulge cautiously. With its high alcohol content and smooth flavor, this beer should be drunk slowly and carefully. It will pair nicely with hearty appetizers, more substantial dinner salads and pasta dishes, and will work well with fruity desserts and ice cream.

Cheers and high-fives,

M

The Vitals:

Grain: Wheat Malt, Pale Malt, Pilsner Malt, CaraFoam, Melanoidin, Honey

Hops: Vanguard, Tettnang

OG: 23.6 / 1.094

IBU: 30