Weizenbock is not a complicated beer to brew, but it rewards attention to detail. Wheat Malt forms the base of the mash here, and Saaz 4.2% carries the hop character through to the glass.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Weizenbock |
| Batch Size | 5 gallons (19L) |
| Boil Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Original Gravity | 1.064-1.080 |
| Final Gravity | 1.014-1.020 |
| ABV | 6.3-7.5% |
| IBU | 20-35 |
| SRM | 14-30 (copper to dark brown) |
| Difficulty | Advanced (lager patience required) |
Brew Day, Step by Step
|
1
|
Mash · ~60 min Mash the grain bill, led by Wheat Malt, at a steady temperature to build the fermentable sugars this style needs. Sparge slowly so you do not lose efficiency. |
|
2
|
Boil · ~60-90 min Bring the wort to a boil and work through the hop schedule, starting with Saaz 4.2%. This is also where you will add any fining agent for a clearer finished beer. |
|
3
|
Ferment · 24C (75F) Pitch Wyeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat Blend once the wort has cooled to fermentation temperature and hold it steady. Primary fermentation is the most active week, do not rush it. |
|
4
|
Condition · 3 weeks at 12C (54F) Rack to secondary (or leave in primary if your recipe calls for it) and let the beer round out at a cool, steady temperature. This step does more for the final flavor than people expect. |
|
5
|
Package · 1 day, then wait Bottle or keg once gravity has held steady for a few days in a row. Give it time to carbonate and, for bigger styles, additional time to mellow before your first taste. |
That’s the shape of brew day and the weeks after it. For the exact grain bill, hop schedule, and full step-by-step instructions with amounts, use the recipe card below.
What You Will Need
Sourcing your own ingredients locally is always fine, but if you want to skip a homebrew store trip, here is what’s in stock in our shop right now:
- Base and specialty grain: Grains & Adjuncts (e.g. Briess BJ-5U8M-8RRM Chocolate Malt 1 lb., Brown)
- Bittering and aroma hops: Brewing Hops (e.g. Magnum Hop Pellets 1 oz)
- Yeast: Brewing Yeast (e.g. Safbrew T-58 (3 Count 11.5 g Packs))
- Secondary fermenter for conditioning: Fermenters & Carboys (e.g. FASTFERMENT Floor Stand for FastFerment 7.9 Gallon Conical Fermenter)
- Priming sugar for bottling: Priming Sugar (e.g. Mr Beer Homebrewing Carbonation Drops)
- General kit and tools: Homebrew Equipment (e.g. Monster Brew Home Brewing Supplies Home Brew Ohio Complete Beer Equi)
- Pour it right when it’s ready: a tulip glass shows off the color and holds the aroma better than a straight pint glass
Serve It Right
|
A Weizenbock is best served in a mug or goblet, it fits the body and carbonation of this style better than a straight pint glass. Here is one from our shop: |
Ingredients & Gear for This Batch
Grain / Adjuncts Brewmaster – 42931-MB Flaked Corn (Maize) – 5 lb Bag (Pack of 2) |
Hops LD Carlson company Mosaic Hop Pellets 1LB. Alpha:13.6% Beta 3.6% |
Yeast |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment Deluxe Bottling Kit Craft a Brew Homebrew Bottler Equipment Home Bre |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Weizenbock
Equipment
- 1 Brew kettle
- 1 Mash tun
- 1 Fermentation vessel
- 1 Airlock and stopper
- 1 Hydrometer
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Immersion chiller or other cooling method
- 1 Bottling bucket
- 1 Bottles and caps
- 1 Auto-siphon
- 1 Bottle filler
- 1 Capper
- 1 Sanitizer
- 1 Grain mill (if milling your own grains)
- 1 Propane burner or other heat source (if brewing outdoors)
- 1 Stirring spoon or paddle
- 1 pH meter or pH strips (optional, but recommended)
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 16 Litres (28 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°c/149 °F
- 8 lb Wheat Malt Quantity 3.6kg
- 5.5 lb Munich Malt Quantity 2.4kg
- 9 oz Carawheat Malt Quantity 250g
- 4¼ oz Chocolate Wheat Malt Quantity 120g
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47½ Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 15 mins
- 1⅔ oz (Hops) Saaz 4.2% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 19.8)
- 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil
To Ferment – 24°C (75°F) – Conditioning 3 weeks at 12°C (54°F)
- 1 Wyeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat Blend
Instructions
Mash the grains
- In a large pot, bring 16 liters (28 pints) of water to a temperature of 65°C/149°F. Add the wheat malt, Munich malt, Carawheat malt, and Chocolate Wheat Malt and stir the mixture thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour.
Sparge the grains:
- After 1 hour, remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the liquid through a strainer to separate the grains from the liquid. Reserve the liquid (known as the wort) and discard the grains.
Boil the wort:
- In a large pot, bring the wort to a boil. Add the Saaz hops and let the mixture boil for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add Protofloc during the last 15 minutes of the boil.
Cool the wort:
- After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and cool the mixture as quickly as possible to a temperature of 24°C (75°F). You can use an immersion chiller or a cold water bath to speed up the cooling process.
Ferment the beer:
- Transfer the cooled wort to a fermentation vessel and add the Wyeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat Blend. Cover the vessel and let the mixture ferment for 28 days at a temperature of 24°C (75°F).
Condition the beer:
- After 28 days, transfer the fermented beer to a clean vessel and let it condition for 3 weeks at a temperature of 12°C (54°F).
Bottle or keg the beer:
- After the conditioning period, bottle or keg the beer and store it at a temperature of 12°C (54°F) for several days before drinking to allow for carbonation.
Get the fermentation temperature right on Weizenbock and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Weizenbock the Style It Is
There is nothing exotic about the roots of Weizenbock, it grew out of practical brewing choices, local ingredients, and the tastes of the people drinking it.
What you get in the glass is a beer that leans on wheat malt and saaz 4.2%, with a finish shaped by Wyeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat Blend. Get the fermentation temperature right and the rest of the process is mostly patience.
Style Characteristics at a Glance
- ABV: 6.3-7.5%
- Bitterness: 20-35 IBU
- Color: 14-30 (copper to dark brown)
- Serving temp: 45-50F (7-10C)
- Glassware: a mug or goblet
- Food pairings: roast game, dark bread, aged cheese
Common Questions
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes, the grain bill and hop schedule scale linearly with batch size. Just make sure your equipment, mash tun and boil kettle both, can actually handle the volume you are scaling to.
What is the biggest mistake homebrewers make with this style?
Rushing the schedule. Pulling a beer off yeast too early or skipping conditioning time is the most common way to shortchange a recipe like this one.
Can I substitute a different yeast strain?
You can, but expect the flavor profile to shift. Stick close to the same yeast family (English ale, American ale, Belgian, lager, etc.) if you want a result close to what this recipe is aiming for.
Keep Exploring
Once you have this one down, here are a few more homebrew recipes worth trying next:
Browse the full homebrew recipe collection for more styles, or if you are just getting into the hobby, start with one of our homebrewing starter kits for new brewers.
This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age. Please brew and drink responsibly, and always sanitize your equipment thoroughly to avoid infection.
