Dunkelweizen

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-11-2006, 06:30 PM

okay, i was all ready to get my stuff for an Alt, but a brew bud wants to do side by side brews to compare my style (AG, starters, controled ferm temps) to his (extract/specialty grain, no starter, no controled ferm temps). so, we've decided on doing a dunkelweizen.

has anyone done a decoction mash for a weizen? any noticable difference compared to infusion mashing? i''ve done infusion on my past weizen's, but wanna blow his extract/grain away, so i want to try it to see if i can eek out every malty edge on him.

we're gonna use same yeast, hops, ect. mine will just be AG.

and, out of curiosity, what is your prefered weizen yeast? WL or Wyeast, and which strain? i've only used the WL Hefeweizen strain.....

**Baron von BeeGee** · 01-11-2006, 06:44 PM

I'm using the Weihenstephan strain at the moment, but I'm still a few weeks away so nothing useful to say. Wouldn't a lighter style such as a regular hefe be more instructional as to the differences than a dark style? Although a dunkelweizen isn't exactly a stout/porter, I suppose.

Oh yeah, the airlock smells like a bubblegum shop, though I've been 66-70 the entire time, and mostly towards 66.

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-11-2006, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGee

I'm using the Weihenstephan strain at the moment, but I'm still a few weeks away so nothing useful to say. Wouldn't a lighter style such as a regular hefe be more instructional as to the differences than a dark style? Although a dunkelweizen isn't exactly a stout/porter, I suppose.

Oh yeah, the airlock smells like a bubblegum shop, though I've been 66-70 the entire time, and mostly towards 66.

what do you mean by "more instructional" BeeGee?

the only difference in the dunkel as opposed to a regular hefe is some munich, crystal, chocolate, and maybe some special B. has more of a bready taste that balances w/ the clove/banana of the yeast. yummy yummy!

i think your in the perfect range for the Weihnenstephan yeast (from what i've read)...

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-11-2006, 06:55 PM

i also wanted to ask this:
if i do a decoction for the dunkelweizen, could i use 4 lbs. German pilsener malt rather than 4 lbs. 2-row for a more authentic flavor, or would that be too malty sweet?

**Baron von BeeGee** · 01-11-2006, 07:00 PM

I just meant that dark beers tend to obscure flaws and 'muddle' flavors sometimes, but then opined as I continued my diarrheal typing that perhaps the phenomenon wouldn't really apply as much to a wheat beer.

Yeah, I think I'm in the range, so hopefully it's just odor and the flavors will be well balanced. I used 5#pilsner and 5#wheat...as I understand it pilsner is the correct grain to use for the style, but I haven't tried a decoction mash so can't speak to that. When I've used melanoidin malt I've found it adds a "malty" sweetness as opposed to a sugary or cloying sweetness if that makes any sense to you...I'd go for it! Will you be doing protein and sacc. rests? Seems like I remember reading something about not letting the protein rest go too long as you do want the proteins for the style.

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-11-2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGee

I used 5#pilsner and 5#wheat...as I understand it pilsner is the correct grain to use for the style, but I haven't tried a decoction mash so can't speak to that. When I've used melanoidin malt I've found it adds a "malty" sweetness as opposed to a sugary or cloying sweetness if that makes any sense to you...I'd go for it! Will you be doing protein and sacc. rests? Seems like I remember reading something about not letting the protein rest go too long as you do want the proteins for the style.

yep, makes sense. i think maybe just a 20 min protein rest. i'm goona stick my nose in some of my books and see if i can find some specifics for the dunkelweizen decoction mash, times, temps, etc. may just go w/ a generaic single decoction? nice to know about the pils malt. i'll make that change for sure.....

**Baron von BeeGee** · 01-11-2006, 07:49 PM

Just kicking around on the web it looks like as many or more recipes use 2-row as pilsner malt. A few even used Munich in place of 2-row or pilsen, so who knows? For some reason I thought traditional hefes (not necessarily dunkels) were pilsen and wheat.

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-11-2006, 08:08 PM

i flipped through Designing Great Beers and he said a good hefe starts w/ good 2-row and wheat malt. but i think the pils or munich would make a better, more traditional brew (for the obvious reasons).

we need some of theses weizen-heads to post up!

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-12-2006, 03:47 PM

BeeGee, didn't find much else, but i did order the Classic Beer series book German Wheat Beers. don't know how goodit is, but i found it on amazon for $5 used. won't be here before i brew it, but another for the library. my HBS said it's out of print though?????

**Baron von BeeGee** · 01-12-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeRoux's Broux

BeeGee, didn't find much else, but i did order the Classic Beer series book German Wheat Beers. don't know how goodit is, but i found it on amazon for $5 used. won't be here before i brew it, but another for the library. my HBS said it's out of print though?????

Guess that's going to make you the resident weizen-head? That's a great score if it's actually out-of-print. Is it listed as a reference in Daniels' book for the wheat beer chapter? I'd be curious to see the side-by-side recipes when y'all get ready to brew. Your buddy may be limited in what types of extracts he can acquire (such as pils).