wyeast 3068 pitching/ferment temps

I'm sure this info is somewhere, but I just can't seem to find it. About to make the Austin Homebrew Dunkelweizen kit, with Wyeast 3068 (Weihenstephaner weizen) yeast. I got a freezer and temp control unit last week, so I'm finally going to be able to control fermentation temps.

Brewing Classic Styles recommends 62 degrees for this beer, which I was planning on following. The OG for this beer is 1.052, and I wasn't planning on a starter.

So, what I'm confused on is the relation between the temp I intend to ferment at and the pitching temps. Do I really need to get my wort cooled down to my fermenting temps? Or, as the Wyeast packet says, do I pitch closer to 70 and leave there for a few days? If so, do I bring it down to 62 slowly, or can I just set it right in there at 62?

Again, I'm sure this info is all over the place, I just want to be sure and do this beer right. Thanks in advance.

If it was me I would start at around 70 F, watch for bubbling to begin, and then move it to a 62 degree environment. I would also make a starter since it is liquid yeast.

I always try to pitch at or below my fermentation temp... I guess I just don't like to ever cool the beer. At least when you're raising the temp, you know things are getting more active, but there's the possibility of some of the yeasties taking a nap if you cool. You can probably minimize this by cooling very slowly (1 degree per hour is the standard recommendation) but why take the chance is my thought.

I use that yeast on hefs and pitch at 62F. The temp rises for me to about 68 with 12G in one stainless fermenter. I keep it at 66-68 as fermentation slows, and get PLENTY of those 3068 esters....

pitched it at 62 and it started bubbling about 14 hours later. thanks for the help, guys.

I used this yeast recently and fermented at 62-64 degrees and after 24 hours got a horrible sulfur smell. I left it in the primary and it's been there almost three weeks now and it's slowly beginning to dissipate. Others who have fermented cold have had the same issue. It's not necessarily a problem but if you'd like to avoid the sulfur, try fermenting a little warmer, at like 66-68.

you know, now that you mention it i think i am having that issue. it's the first i've fermented in a chest freezer, so i thought it was just that i was smelling a sort of concentrated version of the normal fermentation odors. will this remain as an off-flavor in the beer? thanks

woopig said:

you know, now that you mention it i think i am having that issue. it's the first i've fermented in a chest freezer, so i thought it was just that i was smelling a sort of concentrated version of the normal fermentation odors. will this remain as an off-flavor in the beer? thanks

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It will go away with time, but not if you bottle it too soon. You might need to leave it in the primary for 2-4 weeks before bottle (depending on how much sulfur you get) in order for it to dissipate. My hefeweizen is still in the primary and the sulfur is almost completely gone after 3 weeks. It should also dissipate in a secondary too if you need your primary but many beers made with 3068 are supposed to be cloudy and aren't usually put in a secondary and I'm not sure if it will go away as quickly without as much yeast there to help break it down.

I've used this yeast a handful of times in my hefes. The easiest way to get rid of that sulfur smell is to do a diacetyl rest after about 2 weeks in the primary. I usually heat it up to around 5 degrees above my fermentation temp for a week.