How does this recipe sound? I'm going for a hefeweizen-like beer with a little more ABV and a bit more hoppiness (maybe not a hefe anymore?).
8lb Breiss Bavarian Wheat LME (65% wheat, 35% barley)
1oz Hallertau hops, 60 min
1oz Hallertau hops, 10 min
WLP300 Hefeweizen ale yeast
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.44%
IBU: 13.68
Aiming for a 5 gal batch, 3 gal boil. Thinking of adding 1-2lb of LME in the beginning and the rest with 10 min or so left. Ferment at 66-67F for the first week then raise to ~70F for second week to get a good balance of clove and banana.
What would be the effect of substituting some the LME for plain sugar?
Would a starter be required? I hear underpitching yeast will lead to more banana flavors which may be desirable here.
Thoughts?