Weissbier Vixen Weizen Bavarian Hef - 1st place German Wheat 2011 HBT contest

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Zen_Brew

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
27
Location
Seattle
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 3068
Yeast Starter
1000 ml
Batch Size (Gallons)
6 Gallons
Original Gravity
1.052
Final Gravity
1.009
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
13
Color
5.8
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
12 days @ 63 deg F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
N/A
Tasting Notes
Nice clove and banana balance, not overpowering
OK. Nothing earth shattering here. A fairly traditional Bavarian Hef grist. This beer did very well in competition getting a first in style in a local contest with 650 entries, then going to a mini BOS at the regional NHC, and advancing and taking 1st in the HBT contest. In the HBT contest in the finals the beer was about 10 weeks old and the final round got one of the last 2 or 3 bottles before the keg kicked so the beer was definitely getting a bit old at that point.

Recipe follows.

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 4.17 %
7 lbs Red Wheat Malt, Ger (3.6 SRM) Grain 58.33 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 29.17 %
1 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 8.33 %
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.70 %] (60 min) Hops 7.3 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.70 %] (30 min) Hops 5.6 IBU
1 Pkgs Weihenstephan Weizen (Wyeast Labs #3068) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Wheat

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.051 SG (1.040-1.056 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.052 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.012 SG (1.010-1.014 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.009 SG
Estimated Color: 5.7 SRM (2.0-9.0 SRM) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 13.0 IBU (10.0-20.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 4.7 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.04 % (4.30-5.60 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.34 %
Actual Calories: 220 cal/pint

Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Acid Rest Add 12.96 qt of water at 123.4 F 112.0 F 10 min
Saccrification Add 1.92 qt of water and heat to 152.0 F over 20 min 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 1 min

Carbonation and Storage Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Carbonation Volumes: 2.6 (2.4-2.8 vols)
Estimated Pressure: 12.3 PSI Kegging Temperature: 38.0 F
Pressure Used: - Age for: 1.0 Weeks
Storage Temperature: 38.0 F

pitched yeast @ 62
Ferment 62-64
FG 1.009
Final 2 days of fermentation ramp up to 70 for d rest

The mash profile may look a bit confusing. The beer was done all grain on a HERMS system. Initial mash step was an acid rest at approximately 112 degrees. This helps acidify the mash and lends an acid bite to the finished beer. I have been told it also makes the flavor profile lean a bit more towards cloves over banana.

After the rest at 112 the temperature was ramped up to 152. On my system while ramping at full power and recirculating I move about 1.5 to 2 degrees per minute. So the temp basically went through all the protein rest and high fermentability ranges on it's way to 152 which took about 20 minutes. The temp was then held and recirculated at 152 for an additional 60 minutes, then moved to the boil kettle for a 90 minute boil.
 
I ghetto mash in a rectangular cooler, so multi-stap mashes aren't exactly the easiest thing to do in the world. I've looked at your recipe, and the Bee Cave Hefe. He does a single-temp mash. Is the acid rest absolutely necessary with the grains you're using?
 
Thanx Andymi. Let me know how it comes out.

TheBeerist: No I don't think the acid rest is absolutely necessary. There is some lore that it enhances the clove a bit more than the banana esters but I have not done any comparisons to confirm this. All I know is this beer in 3 batches so far has had a wonderful balance of clove and banana without either being over powering. It has taken 1st in several competitions including NHC first round. It did not place in the NHC finals though. I haven't gotten finals scoresheets, but I suspect it was edged out by some of the old gaurd brewers with a slightly better finish on theirs.
 
Brewday went pretty well it was my first time decocting so that was a bit rough, but it worked out. My gravity was a bit lower than I expected but that's likely due to running the wheat and barley together thru the lhbs mill. I'll hand grind them next time and use a smaller gap for the wheat.

I should mention they were almost out of red wheat so I used half red and half white. I also threw a small amount (6oz) of oats during the boil on a recommendation of a brewer friend.

Off to a quick and health fermentation. My looking forward to bottling this in 12 days. =-]
 
Glad to hear you got it brewed. I think you'll be fine with the half red wheat and half white. I don't normally pull a decoction as I'm lazy, but that should up your maltiness a bit. I'm curious how the oats will play in. They generally add a smoothness or creaminess to a beer, which could be interesting but may play against the slight acid bite traditionally in a Hef. I'll be interested what your impression of the beer with the oats is.

Cheers
 
The mash profile may look a bit confusing. The beer was done all grain on a HERMS system. Initial mash step was an acid rest at approximately 112 degrees. This helps acidify the mash and lends an acid bite to the finished beer. I have been told it also makes the flavor profile lean a bit more towards cloves over banana.

After the rest at 112 the temperature was ramped up to 152. On my system while ramping at full power and recirculating I move about 1.5 to 2 degrees per minute. So the temp basically went through all the protein rest and high fermentability ranges on it's way to 152 which took about 20 minutes. The temp was then held and recirculated at 152 for an additional 60 minutes, then moved to the boil kettle for a 90 minute boil.

It's not a acid rest, that would be the protein rest. Acid rests are generally no longer used, those temps are much lower and poorly modified grains needed that acid rest. Buuuuut!! You are right, some time in the 112-113F range does lend a hand on those banana and clove flavor profiles. If possible in conjuction with that mash rest if you ferment in an open vessel oxygen lends a helping hand and increasing those levels too.
 
Glad to hear you got it brewed. I think you'll be fine with the half red wheat and half white. I don't normally pull a decoction as I'm lazy, but that should up your maltiness a bit. I'm curious how the oats will play in. They generally add a smoothness or creaminess to a beer, which could be interesting but may play against the slight acid bite traditionally in a Hef. I'll be interested what your impression of the beer with the oats is.

Cheers

Just wanted to say my beer turned out great! I entered into the Gnarley Barley brew festival and it took 1st for German Wheat and 3rd in Best of Show. Thanks for the recipe!
 
Congratulations on the contest placing Andy! This beer has been my most consistent placer in contests racking up about 5 or 6 1st places in the last year. Sadly it has yet to get any BOS awards, even once after scoring a 44 and the highest total in that competition. When it scored the 44 all the BOS beers were high gravity beers which I think reflects on what is popular in the brewing community these days.
 
I hear you on that. I lost out to two wood-aged beers in BOS. I was told by the brewery who was picking a 2012 Pro-Am (I'm friends with the guys there and they brew German styles) that it was on of their favorites, but they still picked a bourbon barrel stout for their Pro-Am.
 
I'm brew'n a 5 gal batch right now! Sounds great and will be my first wheat beer. But I'm using crystal hops in Lou of Hallertau as I have 10 oz and am out of Hallertau. We'll see how it goes!

Speak softly and carry a large beer
 
You should be OK with Crystal. Just try to keep the IBU's under 15 and you should be good. Hops are very subtle in a German Hef.
 
Zen_Brew said:
You should be OK with Crystal. Just try to keep the IBU's under 15 and you should be good. Hops are very subtle in a German Hef.

Cool, got the IBU's at 10.64 and the first gravity sample tasted great so it should be pretty yummy!

Speak softly and carry a large beer
 
Awesome. Now just try to keep the fermentation temp in the 63-65 deg range and you should be golden. Also Hef yeast is an aggressive fermenter, so best to rig a blowoff for the first several days till it calms down.

Cheers
 
Looks like a nice recipe. What do you think the # of Munich brings to the party?

Traditionally German brewers performed a decoction mash which among other things served to increase the melanoiden formation in the beer. This lent a slightly richer flavor and maltiness to the beer. The lb of Munich acts to increase the depth of flavor and maltiness in a similar manner. It basically simulates most of the flavors of doing a decoction mash. Some highly refined palates state they can still pick out a beer that has gone through a decoction, but most can not. For that reason the decoction mash, which lends considerable time to the mash process, has mostly fallen by the wayside and brewers add other malts to simulate the effect.
 
Interesting. I might give that a try on my next Hefe batch to see how perceptible the difference is. Thanks for taking the time to explain.:mug:
 
Hello,

Could I trouble you for a Partial Extract recipe for this excellent brew? I do not have the equipment just yet to perform a full AG brew. Thanks for your help - I can't wait to brew this award winner!

:tank:
 
I'm not sure what you mean by what scale is the recipe. The volume is for a 6 gallon batch as I leave a bunch of wort and trub in my boil kettle. The hop bitterness is Tinseth. Did I answer your question?
 
Oh yea see that now, sorry was reading for
Cracked iPhone screen did t look close enough
 
Zen, if i am to do a single temp mash what temp? 152 ??

thanks this looks awesome - also do you think a 90 min boil is necessary because of the pilsner? and why a 90 min mash vs a 60 min?

thanks again for your input
 
Here is a Picture of mine. Also won 2nd place in my local Homebrew Competition with this beer.

922748_10151670132558665_2145757692_n.jpg
 
Zen, if i am to do a single temp mash what temp? 152 ??

thanks this looks awesome - also do you think a 90 min boil is necessary because of the pilsner? and why a 90 min mash vs a 60 min?

thanks again for your input

I have the same questions, can someone please let me know what temp to mash at if doing a single mash? Is 90 minute boil necessary due to the small amount of pilsner malt?
 
I'm going to brew this one up tomorrow morning and gonna serve it at my father-in-laws 50th birthday party in 3 1/2 weeks. Thanks for the recipe!
 
Put together a partial mash of this last night, and hit the OG on the nose. Since I didn't use as much Pilsner malt, I did a 75 minute boil.

Looking forward to this one.
 
Did anyone ever convert to an extract/partial mash recipe?

I have some friends who want to start brewing and I want to demonstrate using an extract based brew....Would rather have someone who knows what they're doing convert it for me.

Thanks!
 
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