CidahMastah
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I appreciated all the insightful comments along the way in this thread. I've got a semi-funked hefe right now that I'd considered lost but have resigned to just sort of forget about for a couple of months and see what happens. There was a lot of corny/veggie/DMS flavor in it at pitching due to some chilling problems (pump broke; had to chill overnight, etc.), and there was a sharp tartness to it both at pitching & bottling that was not at all pleasant. Cracked a bottle after two weeks of conditioning--still corny, still kind of sharp, though not as much as before. Actually got a hint of clove and banana under everything, it carbonated well and has decent body. So I'm good with waiting.
My specific question has to do with an aroma I got at bottling, after opening a bottle at two weeks, and which was still very present when I opened a bottle today (after almost a month). The best way to describe it would be funk--like the way an active fermentation smells. Like yeast doing its thing. Not sulfurous, exactly, or like rotten eggs. More of a bready, yeasty thing, but still very funky. Deep down underneath it you get the esters, but just barely. Is there a specific term used to reference this? Is it indicative of anything that might have gone wonky with the fermentation (higher than ideal temperatures were definitely a factor in SW OH this July).
I am hoping that by the knoweldge in this thread I can produce an ayinger, or FK type hefe - and that others with hefe troubles can too. So I am glad that you are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully we can sort this out!
A couple comments and one question for the masses.
1. Veggie DMS stuff. I assume you used pilsner malt - 90+ minute boil with lid off?
2. The aroma is probably sulphur from the ferment. Maybe try scrubbing co2 in a keg before bottling? It should dissipate.
3. the bready yeasty thing I have too (I actually like that part). I consider it part of the style.
4. Do you have hard water? I am convinced that part of my sour tang accentuation issue is the hard water (TBD).
QUESTION/REQUEST: I read somewhere that Gordon Strong posted a water profile for his 1st place hefe recipe for NHC which was posted in a zymurgy magazine. IF ANYONE HAS THAT RECIPE AND WATER PROFILE PLEASE POST OR PM ME I beg you.... Also if you have a tried and true recipe and water profile that produces some thing similar to the above hefes... please let me know.
I am thinking that based on my water report the next time I do hefe I will attempt to work with distilled water and build up a profile that is much softer. Like pilsner, but more towards munich's low end. That is unless I get Gordon Strong's water profile....
If I have to brew a hefe and put it on a boat for months at god knows what temp and exposure to sunlight to get a FK hefe, d@mn it, that is what I will do.