Veteran weizen brewers, I need your input! This was my first hefeweizen, so I kept it simple - 50% wheat, 50% pils, single infusion mash at 152F, 1.050 OG, 15 IBU. I added Wyeast nutrient to the boil. Chilled the wort to ~58F, oxygenated with 60 sec of O2, pitched WLP300, and set temp control for 62F (per Brewing Classic Styles). My pitching rate might have been low by about 25% according to MrMalty numbers, but I didn't do a cell count.
I followed my normal ale fermentation schedule. I held it at 62F for a week, after which the gravity was ~1.012, then raised it to 68F over 3 days (gravity=1.010) and held it there for 3 more (gravity=1.010). For most beers I'd leave the beer in primary for another week but I needed the fermentation chamber space so I kegged it at this point, which was a mistake because that left a hint of sulfur in the beer.
But the sulfur isn't the main problem. The problem is the beer is really clean, almost like an American wheat - much much cleaner than any hefeweizen I've ever had. It's tasty and refreshing, but I'm disappointed in the total lack of hefe character. I knew the esters would be restrained with the cool fermentation (that's what I was aiming for) but there's almost zero banana or clove flavor. I was actually concerned the banana esters would be higher than I wanted because of the underpitching, but I got the opposite result.
This is my first time using WLP300. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I mostly followed what lots of people say they do with good results. But then, there's another set of people that say you want to beat the hell out of the yeast: under-pitch, under-aerate, ferment hot, call the yeast names, etc., and that's how you get a good hefe. Maybe I should try that next.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
I followed my normal ale fermentation schedule. I held it at 62F for a week, after which the gravity was ~1.012, then raised it to 68F over 3 days (gravity=1.010) and held it there for 3 more (gravity=1.010). For most beers I'd leave the beer in primary for another week but I needed the fermentation chamber space so I kegged it at this point, which was a mistake because that left a hint of sulfur in the beer.
But the sulfur isn't the main problem. The problem is the beer is really clean, almost like an American wheat - much much cleaner than any hefeweizen I've ever had. It's tasty and refreshing, but I'm disappointed in the total lack of hefe character. I knew the esters would be restrained with the cool fermentation (that's what I was aiming for) but there's almost zero banana or clove flavor. I was actually concerned the banana esters would be higher than I wanted because of the underpitching, but I got the opposite result.
This is my first time using WLP300. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I mostly followed what lots of people say they do with good results. But then, there's another set of people that say you want to beat the hell out of the yeast: under-pitch, under-aerate, ferment hot, call the yeast names, etc., and that's how you get a good hefe. Maybe I should try that next.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.