JP -Weizen Bam clone?

Just saw a youtube video interview with Ron J. about Weizen Bam. He basically gives the recipe.

50% Wheat
50% Pilsner

"touch of hops"

Fermented in Oak with Wild Yeast.


I know it's not much to go by, but I did some googling and it sounds like he does use a hefe yeast.

I was thinking:

Hops- Something noble - Saaz, Hallertau, Crystal?
Pitching 3068 to start, and then a few days in pitching JP dregs, oak chips in secondary.

I haven't actually had the beer (can't get it here in Canada), but this sounds like a great beer!

What do you think about the phenolic/clove flavor + sour?

Dunno, but they even use that as a selling point.
http://www.jollypumpkin.com/artisanales/weizenbambiere.htm

Had anyone tried this?

I am brewing a Hefe tomorrow (50:50 or 60:40 wheat : pilsner, 13 ibus from hallertau, and wy3068 ). I also have some weizen BAM in my fridge. I plan to up the recipe by a gallon, then ferment the extra gallon with the dregs from the JP. I am trying to decide if I want to ferment the 1g with 3068 first or just use the dregs. Any recommendations?

i don't know that i really taste a hefeweizen in weizen bam. i know what the jp site says- but i don't know. i have added weizen bam dregs to my lambics, because i think it's an awesome beer. I have made big starters with multiple bottles and stepped up, and thought what i decanted tasted pretty pleasant- so you might be able to get away with only the dregs. I think if i was to pitch a primary for a one gallon batch, i might use a cleaner yeast strain. Keep us posted, whatever you do!

Ok. I think I will just use the dregs. Worst scenario is I waste about $3 worth of wort and still consumed a bottle of JP.

Brett will play with the esters to transform them into different flavors. Brett tends to produce phenols so brett might cover up the phenols from the sacc. So there might be a weizen strain in there but it's getting re-employed by brett to make different flavors.

you may be right RAM, i am actually drinking one now- checked the batch and bottle date and this bottle is a little younger than what i usually get- it might be because we are talking about it- but i am smelling a little wiezen- more so than tasting it- but you are correct that brett can mask many of the flavors typically produced by a strain.

ReverseApacheMaster said:

Brett will play with the esters to transform them into different flavors. Brett tends to produce phenols so brett might cover up the phenols from the sacc. So there might be a weizen strain in there but it's getting re-employed by brett to make different flavors.

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So do you think I should ferment with 3068 first, or just go with the dregs?

Me personally I am not a big fan of just going with dregs, unless they have been stepped up in a starter, even for 1 gal this is a huge under-pitch. So I'd go with a dash of the 3068 and dregs at the same time.

skeezerpleezer said:

So do you think I should ferment with 3068 first, or just go with the dregs?

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From what I've been reading recently JP does a clean ferment then adds the beer to barrels for inoculation, so I think you're ok fermenting with 3068 first. 3068 is alcohol tolerant to 10% so although weizen beers usually have a lot of body from the wheat don't be fooled, it can dry a beer out under the right conditions (particularly if you mash low). After you have pitched the dregs and given them months to work you may need to give it a taste and see how sour it's getting. If it's not getting sour enough you may need to refuel with more sugar.

Just following up - how did this turn out?

I have successfully stepped up the dregs from 4 bottles into a 1000mL starter. It smells just like Bam, and I have to agree... when drinking it from the bottles, I didn't get any sort of hefe phenolics. What I am getting in this starter is a lot of lacto and a little bit of brett. I'm wondering if I should start with another yeast strain first, soaked some oak in this starter, then throw that in with 1/3 of the fermentation left. Has anyone tried taking a pH reading of the beer? I feel like if you used the dregs right off the bat, you'll get too much sour and not enough wheat/brett/oak/etc. Any thoughts?