As in unconverted starches from the mash? I don’t see how that is possible unless they use straight unmalted wheat berries without any conversion (ie turbid mash, which I don’t think witbier producers do, although I could be wrong).
The standard recipe is 50/50 pale malt and raw wheat. I’m not sure what kind of mash is used, but wiith that much adjunct you’re not going to get full conversion.
It is unclear to me from the link whether the flour and fruit puree is used in the tired hands IPA or some other beers in their line.
As a northeasterner myself with easy access to the originators of the “style”, I really doubt that the haziness is necessarily the intent in say, Heady Topper. I think the intent is to not allow fining or other clarification methods to diminish the hop flavor and aroma of the beer. By design the intent is to keep as much hop in the flavor and aroma as possible and it is likely that some of that flavor is stuck on the yeast in suspension. The side effects of this intent is a haziness and softer, fuller mouthfeel than a clear IPA.
Unfortunately, what I get (at least in experiences with heady that makes its way down here through friends) is poor shelf stability. It must be nice to tell consumers that they need to come to your brewery to get the beer the day it’s released or else it won’t taste like it’s supposed to and have them lap it up. It’s a feature, not a bug!
The Heady Topper Brewers were in Tampa for Hunahpus Day this year and I enjoyed their beer, but in truth, I drank it out of the can. I know. I was bad, but the beer was pretty good. If I had seen it I may not have enjoyed it as much.
I have gotten very close to sending back beers that were murky before I knew it was a “thing”. It is definitely not my thing.
I buddy sent me some Heady a couple years ago before I had ever heard of the NE IPA thing. I didn’t pay attention to the can and gently poured 7/8 of it into a glass. It was only moderately hazy and certainly not murky or opaque the way others are now. I found it enjoyable and almost grapefruit “juicy”, but I would have been disturbed if it was murky or opaque…I drink with my eyes.
Not sure what all the fuss is about. I recently brewed this “New England Pale Ale”:
OG: 1.051, FG: 1.009
75% MO
25% Flaked Oats
60 IBUs of Magnum @ 60 min
1 oz each of Centennial, Citra and Simcoe @ 0 min
2 oz each of Centennial, Citra and Simcoe for 20 min whirlpool @ 150F
WY1318 (Boddington’s) open fermented @ 68F for 2 weeks.
100ppm each of Ca, SO4 and Cl.
Bottled it, let it carb for a few weeks @ RT, 2 days in the fridge and it pours damn near commercial clear out of the bottle. Nowhere near hazy let alone turbid. Absolutely delicious beer - maybe one of the best APA/AIPAs I’ve ever made but I’m not getting the look nor the “juicy” mouthfeel everyone talks about with these beers. I’m confused but love the results nonetheless. 
You forgot the special “incantation” which helps to set the proper haze in this style. 
Yeah, I think at the end of the incantation you sprinkle wheat flour into the kettle. 
I didn’t have those pro brewing notes in front of me.
+1; However, later the notion of “the more hazy, the better came up” and that’s where I draw the line. Check out Brewtan’s nearly identical twin brother Tanal B. Flour and oats are for amateurs. ;D
Are you maybe referring to Tanal A?
From Wyeast website:
“Tanal A is a 100% natural, medium- to high-molecular weight tannic acid extracted from renewable plant materials specifically for the brewing industry. It can be used to enhance yeast and colloidal suspension (permanent haze) in beer. It is ideal for Hefeweizen, Witbier, and other styles where a cloudy appearance is desired.”
Yep, A. LOL, I first typed Brewtan A…
Fix’d
Oops, forgot to add that I did put 5 oz total of Citra, Centennial and Simcoe in at the tail end of fermentation. Still no haze.
No, it’s not fixed. We both know there’s more than just lots of dry hopping that produces that milky haze. My IPAs would look like whole milk if that were the case. This link let out some of the ‘secrets’ from the brewers themselves. Regardless of my thoughts on deliberate haze, everybody should drink what they like.
http://beergraphs.com/bg/973-two-brewers-admit-their-methods-for-haze/
There are brewers taking short cuts because they don’t understand how to do it. Crappy brewers aren’t new to this world unfortunately. There are lots of well reputed brewers both (professional and home brewers) who are making these sans flour. If you read any of the more well known blogs out there you will see exactly how it is done. No flour. No flour in mine either. It’s all in the yeast you use, when you dry hop and under what conditions. Quantity of dry hop is a secondary contributor. But, in response to the recipe given by the brewer above. There has to be dry hops. Also, in response I have my doubts about bottle conditioning these beers. My guess is that they won’t turn out right even with the dry hop.
All good. Wasn’t trying to rehash the whole NE IPA thing. No doubt that lots of dry hopping produces haze, but at the very least, lots of flaked grains (if not flour) definitely boosts that. If I ever get ahold of a fresh, good example, I’m open enough to say I like it if it’s good.
Flaked grain is one way to help it along. I wouldn’t doubt if the aforementioned Tanal A has been used by some brewers as well, but I have no knowledge of that. I cant get fresh examples on the regular either so I had to make my own. Hope you get ahold of one sometime.
I recently made a wheat pale ale that I think tasted juicy. I used Wyeast 1010 yeast. The beer was quite cloudy at first and delicious; lots of citrus. After a few weeks in the keg the yeast started to floc and the beer had less hop flavor and tasted more dry. I shook the keg to get the yeast back in suspension and low and behold the fruity/juicy citrus flavor I liked came back.
I thought that beer had way more citrus and juicy flavor than craft beers I get locally. I think the juiciness was from the yeast based on the difference in taste when the yeast was in suspension and when not.
I normally prefer clear beer, but, I have find memories of that wheat pale ale.