By Eric Buist

A few years ago the only people using Buckwheat in beers were gluten free brewers. With a high amount of beta glucans and an enzyme package, Buckwheat provided many things needed for brewing without barley or wheat. Whispers of this unique grain started bubbling up through the market though and both wild and clean brewers started experimenting.

I first added it to my Hazy Pale Ale recipe after hearing about folks using it as a body builder in a stout recipe and soon fell in love with the pillow-y marshmallow-y mouthfeel it provided my beers. It is truly a grain unlike any you’ll find to increase the overall body in your beer. Since Hazy Pale Ales often have a thin body, this grain adds it back and gives you what you are looking for in a Hazy beer.

More info on Buckwheat here.

Here’s my Hazy Pale Ale recipe that was tweaked by the awesome folks at Bastion Brewing in Anacortes.

Hazy Pale Ale

5 Gallon Batch

Malt

7lbs (69%) Pilot Pilsner

2lbs (19.8%) Flaked White Wheat

1lb (9.9%) Buckwheat

2oz (1.2%) Munich (10 SRM)

Hops

Whirlpool - 2oz Citra

Whirlpool - 2oz Galaxy

Whirlpool - 2oz Idaho 7

Dry Hop - 2oz Citra

Dry Hop - 2oz Galaxy

Dry Hop - 2oz Idaho 7

Yeast

Imperial Yeast Loki (A43)

Process

Mash at 156 for 60 minutes. Boil for 60 minutes before dropping your temperature to 170 for whirlpool hop addition. Whirlpool hops can sit for 5-15 minutes before you continue to chill down to pitching temperature.

Target OG - 1.056

Ferment at 65º. Dry Hop addition on day 2 of fermentation. Transfer off of hops on day 7, crash/cold condition for 7 days before kegging or bottling.

This beer should end up around 1.013 hitting 5.5%.

Have you tried brewing with Buckwheat?

Read a writeup on Buckwheat and Hazy IPAs from Washington Beer Blog!