Jared Rouben, brewmaster at Chicago’s Moody Tongue Brewery, had his aha moment when he decided to apply his culinary training to the beers he was making. And he’s been brewing complex, layered beers ever since. His Belgian wit teases the eyes and the palate with its dark color that implies heaviness. Instead, the first sip introduces savory spices of mustard seed and green coriander that are cut with citrusy orange peel and yuzu. And the second sip reveals how this beer got its name with Thai chilies that tingle the tip of the tongue.
ALL-GRAIN & EXTRACT
OG: 1.052–1.057
FG: 1.010–1.012
Estimated IBUs: 17
ABV: 6%
EXTRACT
EXTRACT/SPECIALTY GRAINS
5 lb (2.27 kg) Muntons Light Dry Extract
2 lb (0.91 kg) Muntons Wheat Dry Extract
1 lb (0.45 kg) Rye malt
0.25 lb (113 g) Chocolate rye
0.5 lb (227 g) Special B
Peel of 2 oranges
2 Thai long peppercorns
1 oz (2 g) Mustard seed (toasted)
1 Thai chili pepper (stem and seeds removed)
2 oz (57 g) Yuzu juice
ALL-GRAIN
MALT/GRAIN BILL
9 lb (4.82 kg) Pale ale malt
2.5 lb (1.13 kg) Wheat malt
1 lb (0.45 kg) Rye malt
0.25 lb (113 g) Chocolate rye
0.5 lb (227 g) Special B
1 lb (0.45 kg) Rice hulls
Peel of 2 oranges
2 Thai long peppercorns
1 oz (28 g) Mustard seed (toasted)
1 Thai chili pepper (stem and seeds removed)
2 oz (59 ml) Yuzu juice
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.25 oz (7 g) Citra hops (11.1% AA) at 60 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Irish moss at 15 minutes
0.75 oz (59 ml) Citra hops (11.1% AA) at 5 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Extract
Place the rye malt, chocolate rye, and Special B in a mesh bag and submerge in 2 gallons (7.6 liters) of cool water. Heat water to 160°F (71°C), then remove the grains and drain well. Add the dry malt extracts to the steeping water, stirring until fully dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for 60 minutes.
Pour 3 gallons (11.3 liters) of cold water (52°F/11°C) into a sanitized fermentor. Pour the hot wort through a sanitized strainer into the fermentor with the cold water. If the wort has not cooled to 70°F (21°C), place the fermentor in an ice bath and chill until the temperature is reached. Pitch the yeast and place in a cool (70°F/21°C), dark place for 2 weeks.
All-Grain
Mash in with 3.5 gallons 13.2 liters) of water for 60 minutes at 166°F (74°C). Boil for 60 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow the wort to settle, then transfer to the fermentor. Cool to 70°F (21°C) and pitch the yeast. Place in a cool (70°F/21°C), dark place for 2 weeks.
Extract & All-Grain
A couple of days before the end of the second week, toss the orange peel, toasted mustard seed, and peppers in the freezer to sanitize them. At the end of the second week, put the frozen orange peel, peppers, and mustard seed in two sanitized mesh bags and submerge the bags in the fermentor. Also add the yuzu juice. Ferment for another week or until final gravity is reached. Bottle when the beer reaches final gravity.
YEAST
White Labs WLP410 Belgian Wit II or Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier