First Attempt at a Hefe (or any) recipe. Thoughts?

With the help of Deathbrewer and several searches on this board, this is what I have come up with for my first Hefe and second partial mash using beersmith trial version. This is DEFINATELY NOT set in stone so any critique or suggested adjustments would be much appreciated. I'm going to try and brew this next Thursday so I have plenty of time to tweek the recipe.


Schnitzengiggle Hefeweizen
Bavarian Weizen (Weissbier)


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 3/31/2008
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Redweasel
Boil Size: 3.25 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (4 Gallon)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 0.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 42.86 %
2 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 28.57 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 21.43 %
8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
.75 oz Hallertauer [4.40 %] (60 min) Hops 12.1 IBU
5.00 gal Kansas City Water
1 Pkgs Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP300) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.78 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.82 %
Bitterness: 12.1 IBU Calories: 217 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.7 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Double Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 4.00 lb
Sparge Water: 1.58 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Double Infusion, Medium Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 3.60 qt of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
60 min Saccrification Add 3.20 qt of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.80 qt of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Double step infusion - for medium body beers requiring a protein rest. Used primarily in beers high in unmodified grains or adjuncts.
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.7
Pressure/Weight: 5.0 oz Carbonation Used: - Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 70.0 F

Notes


Created with BeerSmith

Hmmm......

you may want to do a longer saccrification rest to ensure conversion is complete.

This is just what the program sent out. You thinking 60 min?

yeah, i usually do 60 minutes (and rarely below 45) even for my partial mashes.

oh, and get rid of the whirfloc if this is a bavarian hefeweizen...you don't want it to clear and it's against Reinheitsgebot

I would skip the protein rest all together since you are using fully modified malts and no adjuncts.,

Whirlfloc edited out. Don't know what I was thinking with that. Saccrification rest edited to 60 min.

Beerrific said:

I would skip the protein rest all together since you are using fully modified malts and no adjuncts.,

Click to expand...

Is there any reason that I should not?

Just do your saccharification rest until it is done, as confirmed by an iodine test. It might only take 30 minutes, it might take an hour. Do a test at 30 minutes and see where you are. Then, do another every 10-15 minutes after that. You really cannot just go by the clock for a sacc rest.

I would keep the protein rest in there, since you are using wheat malt and not just extract. The protein rest can help with head retention. You can probably shorten it to 20 minutes, if you like.

Consider raising your carbonation level to 3.5-4 volumes of CO2. Hefeweizens are best when effervescent, well beyond the carbonation of a pale ale.


TL

Edited carbonation level to 3.5 volumes. I appreciate the input. Since no one has yet to comment on the grain bill can I assume it is fine?

TexLaw said:

I would keep the protein rest in there, since you are using wheat malt and not just extract. The protein rest can help with head retention. You can probably shorten it to 20 minutes, if you like.

Click to expand...

But the wheat malt should be fully modified, right?

From John Palmer:

Fully-modified malts have already made use of these enzymes and do not benefit from more time spent in the protein rest regime. In fact, using a protein rest on fully modified malts tends to remove most of the body of a beer, leaving it thin and watery

Click to expand...

Link: http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-4.html

I did a 20 minute protein rest on a hefe (not sure why in retrospect) and the beer did indeed come out very thin and watery. If you were using unmalted wheat I would do the protein rest.

Redweasel said:

Edited carbonation level to 3.5 volumes. I appreciate the input. Since no one has yet to comment on the grain bill can I assume it is fine?

Click to expand...

I think so. The Munich is not really traditional but should add a nice maltiness. I would also suggest adding the extract late in the boil unless you are doing a full boil. The late addition will change the hop utilization though.

Beerrific said:

I did a 20 minute protein rest on a hefe (not sure why in retrospect) and the beer did indeed come out very thin and watery. If you were using unmalted wheat I would do the protein rest.

Click to expand...

That leads into my next question. I started pricing this out at Austin Homebrew Supply and I'm kinda confused about the wheat malts they offer.

They have

Red Wheat
Torrified Wheat
Unmalted Wheat
White Wheat
Flaked Wheat

Hmmm...What to choose.

Beerrific said:

I think so. The Munich is not really traditional but should add a nice maltiness. I would also suggest adding the extract late in the boil unless you are doing a full boil. The late addition will change the hop utilization though.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the Munich was added just for that purpose. I do use the late addition method, so I was thinking about cutting my hops in half. What do you think?

Redweasel said:

That leads into my next question. I started pricing this out at Austin Homebrew Supply and I'm kinda confused about the wheat malts they offer.

They have

Red Wheat
Torrified Wheat
Unmalted Wheat
White Wheat
Flaked Wheat

Hmmm...What to choose.

Click to expand...

Red wheat....that is the German stuff. White wheat is American. The others are unmalted, not usually used in a hefe.

Redweasel said:

Yeah, the Munich was added just for that purpose. I do use the late addition method, so I was thinking about cutting my hops in half. What do you think?

Click to expand...

I would run it through a program like ProMash. You would have to know what you PM efficiency is. I would probably take a SG reading before the boil and add DME to reach an expected gravity or adjust your hop addition.

Well what I did was remove the DME from my recipe in beersmith and adjusted the hops accordingly since I add my extract at flameout.

Recipe edited once again for hop utilisation.

Ok, I know this thread is getting to be a pain in the ass, but the hop monster just reared it's ugly head. No Hallertau at AHS nor at LHBS. Seems like my only choices are Vanguard or Mt Hood. Which will be a better replacement?

(I would go somewhere else but I try to stay loyal to AHS and Baccus & Barleycorn.)

mt. hood will be a good replacement. i believe it is very closely related to hallertau. never used it in a weizen myself, tho.

Looks good. I would add a 1/2 pound of flaked wheat and do the protein rest at a slightly higher temp.

Unless anything changes drastically here is the final recipe. Thank you everyone who contributed. Still trying to decide whether to do a single or double step infusion, but I have a week or so to decide.

Schnitzengiggle Hefeweizen
Bavarian Weizen (Weissbier)


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 3/31/2008
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Redweasel
Boil Size: 3.25 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (4 Gallon)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 0.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 42.86 %
2 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 28.57 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 21.43 %
8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
1.50 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [3.20 %] (60 min) Hops 13.1 IBU
5.00 gal Kansas City Water
1 Pkgs Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP300) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.80 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.82 %
Bitterness: 13.1 IBU Calories: 217 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.8 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Double Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 4.00 lb
Sparge Water: 1.58 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Double Infusion, Medium Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 3.60 qt of water at 133.3 F 122.0 F
60 min Saccrification Add 3.20 qt of water at 198.7 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.80 qt of water at 206.6 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Double step infusion - for medium body beers requiring a protein rest. Used primarily in beers high in unmodified grains or adjuncts.
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.7
Pressure/Weight: 5.0 oz Carbonation Used: -Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 70.0 F

Notes


Created with BeerSmith

Found some Hallertauer Hersbrucker! :rockin: Whoo-Hoo!!! I know this is not exactly to style but I'm rolling with it anyway.

That's fantastic. Looks perfectly to style to me!

Brewday went well. Hit my target gravity dead on! Came out a tad darker than intended but who the hell cares!

Hallertau is what you want in a Hefe Weizen.

I do late additions, but only with a 1.5 gal boil and use 3AAs. My total DME is 6 lbs.

At 3AAs the WLP300 will produce a sweet banana and bubble gum flavored weizen.