Fruit Beer Lemon-Lime Hefe Weizen

MarkJ said:

Thank you. Sorry if I repeated a question, I came in late on the thread and 27 pages was a lot to read through. Can't wait to get this beer done

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lol dont be sorry i just meant that alot of people thought the same thing that it would up the abv by alot more than it did ..... it should be in the last 5 or so pages someone did a break down with math i didnt under stand explaing how much it increases abv
ill see if i can find it

here is the link mark

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/lemon-lime-hefe-weizen-255659/index31.html

I've decided this will be my first all-grain brew that I plan to make next week. Too many great reviews to pass it up, and just sounds awesome! I plan on making a double batch as I've ordered a 15 gallon setup, and drink plenty of beer ;-). Guess the only question I had was, should I get 2 vials of yeast, and make 2 starters? I will be ferrminating in two 7.9 gallon buckets. Pretty sure that would be the optimal route, just better safe that sorry. Thanks All!

I just made a 12 gallon batch and bought two vials to make two 2L starters. It's just easier than making a 4L starter and splitting it up into each fermentor...

Stoner said:

I've decided this will be my first all-grain brew that I plan to make next week. Too many great reviews to pass it up, and just sounds awesome! I plan on making a double batch as I've ordered a 15 gallon setup, and drink plenty of beer ;-). Guess the only question I had was, should I get 2 vials of yeast, and make 2 starters? I will be ferrminating in two 7.9 gallon buckets. Pretty sure that would be the optimal route, just better safe that sorry. Thanks All!

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That's a question of finance and timing, if you don't mind spending an extra $6 then go with two...if you want to save the money and can wait a day or two, then step up one yeast vial...regardless of the route you take, I hope it all turns out well and you make an amazing beer...also once you go all grain, you realize it's easier and cheaper than you thought, it also gives you more control on the recipe! Happy Brewing!

I just got my ingredients in today and will be brewing this in about a week. What temp did you ferment at and did you make a starter or just pitch the vial? Any other suggestions?

I was walking through the grocery store today with my wife when out of the corner of my eye I saw Simply Limeade... as soon as I put it in the shopping cart my wife said I guess that means you're brewing this weekend

KeyWestBrewing said:

I just got my ingredients in today and will be brewing this in about a week. What temp did you ferment at and did you make a starter or just pitch the vial? Any other suggestions?

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Assuming you are using White Labs Hef IV, the manufacture recommends between 66-70 degrees....as for starters, it's not nessecary with these vials, due to the fact that manufactures have dramatically increased the amount of yeast cells in everyone...however if you are an experienced brewer, then it's never a bad idea to do it, it will ensure that your pitching rate is high enough and the yeast are violable....summary, do a starter if you have the equipment/knowledge and feel comfortable doing so, if you don't your beer will still be fine.

Sweetness...my beersmith said 300 billion cells so I figured I had to step up a 2L starter. How much viable cells are in a vial?

KeyWestBrewing said:

Sweetness...my beersmith said 300 billion cells so I figured I had to step up a 2L starter. How much viable cells are in a vial?

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Actually I have to correct myself...the vials from white labs only contain 150 billion cells, so you will need either 2 vials or 1 vial and a 2 liter starter.

Slim. I cracked open a bottle last night. Thanks so much for this recipe.

Man I gotta get this bottled its been about 5 weeks. Hope I don't loose too much lime flavor

bottled mine last night...patiently waiting to carb and drink

Ive never used this much wheat before in a recipe. I should be fine without rice hulls right?

KeyWestBrewing said:

Ive never used this much wheat before in a recipe. I should be fine without rice hulls right?

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I don't use them, but I know my equipment and it's ability to handle grains...so if your nervous, or have gotten a stuck sparge or two, it might not be a bad idea to throw some in

KeyWestBrewing said:

Ive never used this much wheat before in a recipe. I should be fine without rice hulls right?

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there's only 4lbs of wheat...and 7lbs of barley (6lb pale 1lb Vienna) you should be fine with no hulls, but like slim said, if you're nervous toss them in.

For extract what grains would you steep? Also is there a partial mash recipe?

I think i should be fine. Prior to this I've never used more than .5# in a batch so I wasn't sure.

I'm about 20 minutes into the boil right now. I have a feeling this one will be a favorite around here this summer.

whoops... got MUCH better than my normal 75% efficiency.. got 83.8%... hit 1.060 for my SG

to anyone making this and using the suggested Hefeweizen IV yeast... USE a blow off tube. This thing ferments like crazy. mine decided that last night was the time to go nuclear and it hit the blow off tube hard enough that I had blow off coming out of my blow off jug! Can't wait to see how active it gets when I add the Limeade!

Brewed this beer a week and a half ago and since I couldn't find the right hops in time to brew I went with cascade, centennial and Amarillo, us-05 repitched yeast and the lime aid after two days of fermentation. Just tasted it out of the primary! Omg that's a great beer!

Mysticmead said:

to anyone making this and using the suggested Hefeweizen IV yeast... USE a blow off tube. This thing ferments like crazy. mine decided that last night was the time to go nuclear and it hit the blow off tube hard enough that I had blow off coming out of my blow off jug! Can't wait to see how active it gets when I add the Limeade!

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Mine did the same thing. Luckily I switched to an old stock pot I partially filled with star san just in time. It was insane!

are you guys letting this hefe ferment out for 3 weeks? generally for me, my hefe is done in 3-4 days and the simply limeaide will be explosive and quick considering the increase in yeast density from the wort.

I'm just about to hit 1.5 weeks into fermentation so ill take a reading tomorrow.

Dhruv6911 said:

are you guys letting this hefe ferment out for 3 weeks? generally for me, my hefe is done in 3-4 days and the simply limeaide will be explosive and quick considering the increase in yeast density from the wort.

I'm just about to hit 1.5 weeks into fermentation so ill take a reading tomorrow.

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I'm at 1 week today and I took a gravity this morning and it was 1.009. Going to check it again tomorrow if it's the same I think it's done also.

Dhruv6911 said:

are you guys letting this hefe ferment out for 3 weeks? generally for me, my hefe is done in 3-4 days and the simply limeaide will be explosive and quick considering the increase in yeast density from the wort.

I'm just about to hit 1.5 weeks into fermentation so ill take a reading tomorrow.

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Yes in general it is a good idea to leave an ale beer in a primary for 3 weeks...you can take readings and see that within 10 days you have made beer, however if stopped now, you would stop the conditioning phase which allow the yeast to slowly eat bi-products and meld the flavor profiles together....so again you could stop the beer in 10 days, 2 weeks and drink it...or you can go three weeks and have a more well defined beer!

As for the introduction of limeade....its a must to wait for the primary fermentation to slow down, if not the yeast will go crazy...in most cases this is 3-4 days...and by slow down, I mean less than 4 bubbles a minute and or very little visible movement in the wort. Now the limeade will still kick it back up, because Hefe IV is designed to work with higher protein beers and the pulp from the limeade contains about 6% protein and 28% sugar...so it will be like taking a defibrillator to a failing heart!

I bottled mine and noticed I had a slight reaction to adding the priming sugar in the bottling bucket. A bit scary initially but it subsided.

Hey everyone. Love the thread and recipe. I'm planning on using rolled spelt instead of wheat. Anyone have any experience with this? Use the same amount? Any tips? Comments on using spelt?

Just to follow up on this one, I let it sit for 3 weeks (actually a couple of days past 3 weeks) and then got sent overseas on a quick trip to Afghanistan so before I left I dropped the temps down to ~40ish prior to leaving. After being gone 10 or so days, I came back home and racked this to keg and put on gas @20psi for 2 days then backed it down to normal range for an additional 2 days. Tasted last night and wow this is refreshing! Very prominent lime up front giving way to lemon sweetness but finishes very clean. I was worried it would have that lime bitterness aftertaste but none at all! For the next several months this will be a great brew to battle the Virginia heat. Way to go SLIM! 2 thumbs up!

MedicMang said:

Hey everyone. Love the thread and recipe. I'm planning on using rolled spelt instead of wheat. Anyone have any experience with this? Use the same amount? Any tips? Comments on using spelt?

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I havent brewed this beer with spelt, primairly due to the fact that I dont know anyone with wheat allergies and because spelt has fewer complex carbohydrates than wheat...which means you will need more grain in spelt to produce equivalant amounts of sugars from wheat. Spelt does have an interesting nutty flavor to it, and even though not that prominent...it may not fit with this kind of recipe, but who knows, it could also make it better!

Snafu said:

Just to follow up on this one, I let it sit for 3 weeks (actually a couple of days past 3 weeks) and then got sent overseas on a quick trip to Afghanistan so before I left I dropped the temps down to ~40ish prior to leaving. After being gone 10 or so days, I came back home and racked this to keg and put on gas @20psi for 2 days then backed it down to normal range for an additional 2 days. Tasted last night and wow this is refreshing! Very prominent lime up front giving way to lemon sweetness but finishes very clean. I was worried it would have that lime bitterness aftertaste but none at all! For the next several months this will be a great brew to battle the Virginia heat. Way to go SLIM! 2 thumbs up!

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I appreciate the review and glad to hear you loved it...the temps in Dallas/Fort Worth have been in the 90's, so I know exactly what you mean about battling some warm weather!

Can you pick it out of a line up Slim?



Maybe a close up

I'm going with farthest to the left...damn that's sexy beer!

I just bought 9lbs of wheat lme and was cirious if I used that and bought tge sorachi and motueka hops if that would effect the taste.

kegging on Monday! i already know this is going to be amazing based off of a sample taste earlier this week which is why i'm going to brew it again and throw it on top of the yeast cake.

Dhruv6911 said:

kegging on Monday! i already know this is going to be amazing based off of a sample taste earlier this week which is why i'm going to brew it again and throw it on top of the yeast cake.

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Post pictures...we love beer porn around here! Glad you liked the recipe, keep us updated if you find some tweeks to it!

will try to, i generally brew drunk... really drunk

Dhruv6911 said:

will try to, i generally brew drunk... really drunk

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Any other way to do it?

If all goes as planned I'll be brewing this up this weekend. I want to try the original first but I saw some simply lemonade with mango at the grocery store and that would be an interesting twist.

KeyWestBrewing said:

If all goes as planned I'll be brewing this up this weekend. I want to try the original first but I saw some simply lemonade with mango at the grocery store and that would be an interesting twist.

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Funny you mention that...I just brewed a version of this beer with simply mango...I changed the yeast to this one: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...brett-bruxellensis-trois-platinum-series.html ...this is a great yeast and I am hoping to combine this yeast with Hef IV to see what kind of beer it makes. But as to you other point, you need to brew the original because its a solid beer...I have tried for several other spin off's and this one is still the best!

You actually inspired a very similar brew with this recipe. I'm going to make your original hef recipe and in 2 weeks I'm brewing a blonde with motueka and citra. They should both be perfect for this 90+ deg heat the summers brining.