Super Banana and clove flavor

Rhymenoceros · 03-27-2009, 02:58 AM

So I brewed up a 3/4 gallon batch of a wheat beer that used chocolate malt

. I used WLP 380 (I'm not entirely sure what temperature it was at because I didn't have a thermometer on the jug I was using) and I got a ridiculous amount of banana and clove

. So I was wondering if there was anything I could do next time to tone those flavors down. I needed more hops for sure, but is there anything else? It didn't really taste like beer, more like a clovey banana soda

.

Here is the recipe:

2 oz caramel 60
2 oz chocolate
1 lbs wheat LME
1/8 tettnang
WLP 380

p.s. the amount of

is indicative of the taste.

**Deuce** · 03-27-2009, 03:00 AM

What temp did you ferment at?

Got Trub? · 03-27-2009, 03:06 AM

The warmer you ferment those wheat yeasts the more esters they produce. You need fermentation temperature control.

GT

**Scotty_g** · 03-27-2009, 03:14 AM

Whatever temperature you fermented at, find a cooler place. Higher temperature will tend to mean more ester formation.

Also, did you use a starter? I think I recall that healthy active yeast are under less stress and will make less ester flavors. Underpitching will also increase ester formation.

I've made a dunkelweiss twice and it was excellent; it fermented in my kitchen (which is a nominal 66 F). I used Wyeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat. Your recipe calls for .83 oz Tetts per 5-gal batch, and my recipe used 1 oz (although I did a late DME addition which bumps the bittering). That may be an option for you as well (more hops, like you said).

**Pappers_** · 03-27-2009, 03:16 AM

+1 on the fermenting at a lower temperature. You might also try using the WLP300 yeast, its a good Hefeweizen strain that I've used with good success, for a subtle banana and clove aroma and flavor. The low end of the optimal temperature range for this strain is 68 degrees.

Jim

Rhymenoceros · 03-27-2009, 03:40 AM

I did make a starter, and I don't think I under pitched. Because it was a small batch I made a starter with a whole packet of yeast and pitched about 1/4 of it.

My understanding (this could be wrong) is that lower temps. would give me more clove and higher t. would give me more banana, but I got both very prominently

Either way, I'm going to lower the temp for the next round and add more hops. That should make it more like a beer. Don't get me wrong though, I enjoyed drinking it, it was very interesting.