Suggestions for an extract hefeweizen?

Okay, so I am getting really impatient leaving my oatmeal stout in the secondary (it has only been 5 days...). I think I need to start my hefe to keep me from bottling my oatmeal stout too early. I am getting bored! I have been browsing some hefeweizen recipes, but I don't know what to go with. I think I want to do something with oranges, is that too difficult for a 2nd batch?

Any recipe suggestions (even without oranges)? Something simple and quick to get to drink? If it helps any, I had some Hoegaarden off tap the other night. I thought it was pretty good. Maybe something like that? I know the light color will be tough to replicate, but that's okay.

After it is done in the primary, a hefe doesn't really need a secondary, unless you have fruit right? If I do fruit, how long should it sit?

Also, on a side note, how long should I keep the oatmeal stout in the secondary? The yeast looks pretty settled and I am not getting bubbles very often.

My ultra-simple hefeweizen recipe is 3lbs of light DME, 3lbs of wheat DME, and 1 oz. of Hallertau for 40 mins. Pitch Wyeast Weihenstephan. As long as the yeast is fresh, you usually don't have to bother with a starter. That stuff is a rocket. With a starter and force-carbing it in the keg, I've had it ready to drink within a week before but YMMV.

Is there any advantage/disadvantage to using more or less wheat? Say... what would the difference be between 100% wheat and only 50% wheat be?

Here is a pretty simple one that is pretty good. You do not need to do the orange portion if you do not want to. This one is smooth, has a nice kick.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/orange-blossom-special-122554/

You can try mine...under "recipes" to the left...

homebrewer_99 said:

You can try mine...under "recipes" to the left...

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I read that thread a while back. I actually had just decided on using your recipe when I found Papazian's Who's In The Garden Grand Cru. Now, I am trying to decide between those two. I suppose I will have plenty of time to do both. I love how many possibilities there are with homebrewing. I can't wait until I start crafting my own recipes!

I used a Muntons wheat beer kit with 1kg Brewcraft Bavarian wheat DME. It turned out great.

rhulbert said:

Is there any advantage/disadvantage to using more or less wheat? Say... what would the difference be between 100% wheat and only 50% wheat be?

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Your "Wheat" extract will probably be about 40% Barley anyway so you'll never be using 100% wheat. I think German brewing laws require a Hefeweizen to contain at least 50% wheat malt.

Edit: I've made Homebrewer99's Paulaner clone and it's very good. I fermented it at around 62.

i got the bavarian heff kit from Northern Brewer Home Brewing and Winemaking

i added 4 oranges - cut them up, remove peel, zest the peels of 2 oranges.
boiled water with oranges then cut heat and let them steep for 20 min.

added wort and oranges, zest and steeped water to fermentor.

bottling tonight, it alread tastes so good!

Hanks Hefe kit from Midwest is awsome!! Its very easy and doesnt take long.

5gal extract recipe

6# Wheat DME
1oz Hollertau (60min)
White labs Heffeweizen yeast or 11g dry Wheat Ale yeast
2 weeks @ 70deg
bottle/keg

I don't think it gets much easier than that...

I have made the Midwest "Hank's Hefe" 4 times

the whitelabs liquid yeast is great

Arkador said:

5gal extract recipe

6# Wheat DME
1oz Hollertau (60min)
White labs Heffeweizen yeast
2 weeks @ 70deg
bottle/keg

I don't think it gets much easier than that...

Click to expand...

I just brewed this exact recipe on Sunday, except the home brew store told me to use 7lbs instead of 6lbs.

It fermented like crazy just 12 hours after pitching and seems to have settled down a bit now. Hopefully I can bottle it next week. The blow off in the water bucket smells delicious.

CessnaDriver said:

I just brewed this exact recipe on Sunday, except the home brew store told me to use 7lbs instead of 6lbs.

It fermented like crazy just 12 hours after pitching and seems to have settled down a bit now. Hopefully I can bottle it next week. The blow off in the water bucket smells delicious.

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That's how mine behaves also. It takes no time to condition, just give it 4-7 days after hitting final gravity and bottle or keg.

an extra # of DME will give you arround 6.5-7% ABV. I have done this recipe with LME also, and prefered the DME version.

Arkador said:

That's how mine behaves also. It takes no time to condition, just give it 4-7 days after hitting final gravity and bottle or keg.

an extra # of DME will give you arround 6.5-7% ABV. I have done this recipe with LME also, and prefered the DME version.

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I just was updating my log while eating my lunch and realized that I actually did use 7lbs of LME, NOT DME.

I can't wait to bottle it. This is my first batch in 4-5 years so wanted to do something easy to get my confidence back.

CessnaDriver said:

I just was updating my log while eating my lunch and realized that I actually did use 7lbs of LME, NOT DME.

I can't wait to bottle it. This is my first batch in 4-5 years so wanted to do something easy to get my confidence back.

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I kinda figured that was the case. 6# of LME = 5.6# DME Should still be very tasty.

Cool thanks, I can't wait. And my neighbors too!