Weizen, hefe???? need some schooling

Ol' Grog · 11-21-2006, 08:43 PM

I guess I'm getting the hefe's and Weizen's confused. I brewed a kit Weizen from Brewers Best, and it was by far, my favorite. I think I'm about done with kits as I've narrowed it down to a couple of styles I and the Mrs. like.
However, I was looking at recipes here and there seems to be a difference, I tought they were all the same.
My kit weizen came with 6.6 LBS of wheat LME. I going to make a supply "beer" run to my LHBS and want to get some ingredients in bulk. I prefer DME. Can I make a good Weizen with DME?? I used Muntons dry yeast and it got pretty active in the primary. Any suggestions on the yeast?
What about grains? There were none in the kit for this particular style, is that the norm for Weizens?

Brewsmith · 11-21-2006, 08:48 PM

Weizen or weisse beers use wheat malt. The wheat extract is a combo of barley and wheat. Hefe in the name refers to the yeast that makes it cloudy. If you didn't use any wheat, you wouldn't have a weizen. If you filter out the yeast so it's clear, you'd have Kristal Weizen. Where's HB 99? Paging HB Bill...

**Baron von BeeGee** · 11-21-2006, 08:50 PM

A Hefeweizen is at least 50% malted wheat by definition, and is usually around 50/50 to 60/40 malted wheat to malted barley. Wheat DME is also usually around 50/50 to 60/40 wheat to barley so it is perfect for making a Hefeweizen and does not require any additional grains.

I don't know of a suitable dry yeast for making a Hefeweizen though it may exist. All of the strains I'm familiar with are liquid, such as Wyeast 3068. The Muntons dry yeast is a regular ale yeast and you would have made just a wheat beer with that, not a Hefeweizen.

Brewsmith · 11-21-2006, 08:51 PM

As far as the kit goes, the grain bill for a hefeweizen is very simple, with no crystal malts. An all grain brew can use just wheat malt and 2-row. The wheat extract is already a ratio of wheat and barley malt extracts, usually 50/50 or 60/40 wheat to barley, which makes it perfect for the hefeweizen without having to add anything but hops.

Brewsmith · 11-21-2006, 08:52 PM

Oops, you beat me BvB!

Brewsmith · 11-21-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron von BeeGee

A Hefeweizen is at least 50% malted wheat by definition, and is usually around 50/50 to 60/40 malted wheat to malted barley. Wheat DME is also usually around 50/50 to 60/40 wheat to barley so it is perfect for making a Hefeweizen and does not require any additional grains.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewsmith

As far as the kit goes, the grain bill for a hefeweizen is very simple, with no crystal malts. An all grain brew can use just wheat malt and 2-row. The wheat extract is already a ratio of wheat and barley malt extracts, usually 50/50 or 60/40 wheat to barley, which makes it perfect for the hefeweizen without having to add anything but hops.

That's a little scary how close these two paragraphs are!

**Baron von BeeGee** · 11-21-2006, 08:56 PM

I know! Then again, I feel like I've either typed or read it several hundred times.

**david_42** · 11-21-2006, 09:03 PM

A dried yeast for wheat ales.

Doric (wheat) (11 grams): This Canadian all-purpose yeast may be used in both ales & lagers, but works best in wheat beers. A quick starter but ferments slowly to produce a clean brew with complex flavor.

Midwest sells it with a hefeweizen kit. Haven't tried it, don't really like wheats.

homebrewer_99 · 11-21-2006, 09:25 PM

OK, I'm here.

I do not disagree with anyone's comments so far. So they all are telling you the truth.

I lived in Germany for 9 years. I prefer German Hefe Weizens. The malt bill is much like you stated earlier. No problem there. The problem starts with your yeast.

It was mentioned by one of the other guys that you can't make a weizen with a dry yeast. I agree...it's not true to style - it's important to me that a beer is within style. If not then you are just making a wheat beer, not a "Hefe Weizen". (One of my peeves).

In my mind a Hefe Weizen is a German ale that uses a German Weizen yeast (hefe). If you use anything other than that then you are just making a wheat beer. It PMO when Americans to call it a Weizen...it's a wheat beer!

For a true HW you need to use a German Weizen Yeast...pure and simple. Without it you cannot duplicate the subtle and not so subtle (sweet, tart, banana, etc.) flavors of a true Weizen beer.

I have used all of the true German yeasts. I prefer some over others. I mostly use WLP351, but it is only available in July and Aug...so I wash mine and reuse it many times. I also like the smak-pak Weihenstephan...I think that's 3058 as well as WLP300.

Always make a starter one to several days before you brew. If your yeast is not ready how can you expect your beer to be?

Did I answer your questions to your expectations?

I'm leaving work now so I can get back to this thread in a couple of hours...stopping off to try some pub Pumpkin beer...

**EdWort** · 11-21-2006, 09:59 PM

I'm with Homebrewer_99 on Weizen beer. Hefeweizen that is.

I used Wyeast's Weihenstephan 3068 and it made this lovely nectar of the gods.

I lived in Germany for 5 years and I travel back several times a year, so I'm partial to the German Hefeweizen or Weissbiers.

If you like German hefe's stick with German yeast. You can't go wrong.