Yeast Advice for Sweet Baby Wheat?

My wife and I are expecting our first child in April, and I'm putting together a recipe for a celebration beer to pass around when she arrives.

Most of my friends and family enjoy lighter beer with a crisp finish. I've had some success with using Honey Malt, but in my IPA, the taste faded after a couple weeks. I'm hoping this one comes through stronger.

Anyway, here's my recipe so far, but I'm having trouble with what yeast will provide a clean crisp taste with no esters, but just enough for the honey malt to give a sweet finish.

Name: Sweet Baby Wheat

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.5 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated FG: 1.012
Estimated ABV: 4.5% ABV
Estimated Color: 7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.8 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients
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44% 4 Lbs. Wheat Malt
33% 3 Lbs. Vienna Malt
17% 1.5 Lbs. Honey Malt
6% .5 Lbs. CaraPils/Dextrine

60 mins 0.5oz Amarillo pellet 7.0
15 mins 0.5oz Centennial pellet 10.0
10 mins 0.5oz Amarillo pellet 7.0
5 mins 0.5oz Centennial pellet 10.0
1 mins 0.5oz Amarillo pellet 7.0


Question is, should I use an ale yeast like 1056, or maybe a Kolsch?

Thanks!

try:
1. WLP011 European Ale
2. WLP320 American Hefe
3. WLP300 Hefe
or 4. WLP380 Hefe IV

i wouldn't use the Kolsch strain, but it may turn out to be interesting.

pinkus uses a kolsch yeast in their super delicious, crisp, light wheat beer.

I would say Kolsch or German ale yeast would probably be best for bringing out the honey malt. That said, that's a TON of honey malt! I think you could probably taste that through the most fruity, estery yeast imaginable.

a brew bud of mine used WLP004 Irish Ale on a blonde ale recipe, and it rocked. I'm using it for my Big News II RPA this weekend too.

BeerLogic said:

I would say Kolsch or German ale yeast would probably be best for bringing out the honey malt. That said, that's a TON of honey malt! I think you could probably taste that through the most fruity, estery yeast imaginable.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've never used this much before, but in my Double IPA, I used .5 Lbs and it faded out after a couple weeks. That could be due to the 6 oz of hops we used as well, lol.

I might dial it back to 1 lbs and see how it goes.

As for the Kolsch yeast, I've heard it ferments pretty dry and crisp, but I've never used it. I'm just trying to avoid any off flavors from certain strains.

DeRoux's Broux said:

try:
1. WLP011 European Ale
2. WLP320 American Hefe
3. WLP300 Hefe
or 4. WLP380 Hefe IV

i wouldn't use the Kolsch strain, but it may turn out to be interesting.

Click to expand...

I like the idea of a Hefe strain, but I'm worried about the banana or light fruity flavors of Hefe's. I brewed a banana heffe earlier this year and it turned out great, but I don't want the yeasty character in this beer. The WLP011 looks interesting, does it attenuate well?

I searched through the Wiki and found a bit of helpful info about Wyeast 1010 American Wheat:

A dry fermenting, true top cropping yeast which produces a dry, slightly tart, crisp beer. Ideal for beers where a low ester profile is desirable, a good alternative for Alts and Kölsch, along with American Style Hefeweizen. Flocculation - low; apparent attenuation 74-78%. (58-74º F, 14-23° C)

I think that's what I'm looking for. Thanks for all the suggestions!

I've never used the WLP011, but that Wyeast strain of American Hefe is like the White Labs American hefe too. good luck with it!!