Brü It Yourself | Hi, How Are You? Hoppy Wheat Beer

Author: Steve Thanos

The fine folks at Yakima Valley Hops recently began an initiative intended to shine a light on the very important topic of mental health, one goal being to destigmatize it by encouraging folks to honestly ask those they care about one simple question:

Hi, how are you?

Although starting such a conversation may feel really weird, making the courageous effort to do so can be incredibly beneficial to those struggling with issues including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. As Yakima Valley Hops points out, asking this awkward yet crucial question may be the catalyst to helping a loved one get the help they need.

With 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiencing some form of mental illness, there’s little question everyone has been impacted by it, whether directly or indirectly, which is certainly the case for me. When I learned that Yakima Valley Hops would be leading this initiative, I felt a sense of pride being affiliated with them through Brülosophy and immediately knew I would be participating with the hope of generating the awareness that’s so desperately needed about this important issue.

Given the fact Yakima Valley Hops is spearheading this campaign, I knew I wanted to make a hoppy beer for it, though I wasn’t interested in having yet another batch of standard Pale Ale or IPA on tap. Having enjoyed a number of commercial examples of wheat-based IPA, I settled on brewing a moderate strength hoppy American Wheat Beer for this meaningful project!

| Making Hi, How Are You? Hoppy Wheat Beer |

I’ve always loved the sweet citrus character Amarillo imparts and felt it would pair beautifully with bready wheat malt, so I designed a single-hop American Wheat Beer recipe featuring all Sugar Creek Malts.

Hi, How Are You? Hoppy Wheat Beer

After collecting the full volume of filtered water and adjusting it to my desired profile, I lit the flame under the kettle then proceeded to weigh out and mill the grain.

Once the water was adequately heated, I incorporated the grains then checked to make sure it was at my target mash temperature.

While the mash was resting, I prepared the kettle hop additions.

Once the 60 minute mash was complete, I removed the grains then boiled the wort for 60 minutes before rapidly chilling it with my JaDeD Brewing Hydra IC.

A refractometer reading showed the wort was at my target 1.054 OG.

After transferring the chilled wort to a fermenter, I placed it in my chamber for a couple hours to finish chilling to my desired fermentation temperature of 66°F/19°C, at which point I pitched a pouch of Imperial Yeast G02 Kaiser.

After 4 days of fermentation, I added the dry hops then left the beer for another 4 days before taking a hydrometer measurement confirming FG had been reached.

At this point, I cold crashed the beer to 36°F/2°C and left it for a few days before pressure transferring it to a sanitized keg. The filled keg was then placed in my keezer and left to condition for a week before it was ready to enjoy!

| IMPRESSIONS |

Full disclosure– I really only like wheat beers that are hoppy, as there’s just something about the flavor of wheat that doesn’t sit well me. That is, unless it’s combined with a more aggressive hopping regimen, which can bring everything together to form a gestalt that leaves me with a sense of pleasant fulfillment. That’s exactly how I felt about my Hi, How Are You? Hoppy Wheat Beer, the wondrous sweet citrus from the Amarillo hops pairing gorgeously with the slightly sweet malt flavors contributed by the blend of wheat, Vienna, and Munich malts.

Initiating meaningful conversations can be difficult, though when used in moderation, beer can be a useful tool for opening lines of communication. One of the things I love so much about brewing is the community, and as likeminded as we may be, it’s important to recognize that we all have our own personal experiences. The truth is, living isn’t getting any easier, especially since the pandemic, which continues to have negative repercussions on many, leading to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.

This is why the Hi, How Are You? campaign resonated so much with me, as it reminded me that sometimes asking a simple question can be just the nudge somebody needs to open up about their pain. In the time I’ve been involved in brewing and beer, it’s become clear that we are a strong and caring lot, and my hope is that through projects like this, we can create a culture of compassion where asking the questions that matter becomes less awkward, made all the better when done over a tasty beer, of course.

If you have thoughts about this recipe or experience making something similar, please feel free to share in the comments section below!

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