Advice on plan for my first decoction mash/Bavarian Hefeweizen

[Liquisky]

Any suggestions or observations would be appreciated since this is the first recipe I'm putting together myself.

I REALLY want banana flavor to shine through, so I have used suggestions I've gleaned from the web. Especially: https://braumagazin.de/article/brewing-bavarian-weissbier-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

Here's my plan.

I'm using the water primer recommendations as the water in El Paso, TX is horrible for brewing. Using distilled water and adding 1/2 tsp CaCl to every 5 gallons. Plan to treat both mash and sparge water.

6 lbs Red Wheat (67.1% of grain bill)
2 lbs Pilsner (2 row) German (22.4% of grain bill)
12 oz Vienna Malt (8.4% of grain bill)
3 oz Acid Malt (2.1% of grain bill)

Going to use a large strainer bag in my 7 gal mash tun (round Igloo cooler) with false bottom so I'm skipping any rice hulls.

Mash plan:
Add 17.88 qt of 136.4F water for protein rest at 131F for 10 min
Decoct 3.57 qt of mash and boil, add back to mash for Maltose Rest at 145F for 45 min
Decoct 5.24 qt of mash and boil, add back to mash for saccrification rest at 162 for 30 min
Mash out: Decoct 2.48 qt of mash and boil it, add back to mash for temp of 168 for 10 minutes

(Plan to stir mash while heating to boil to avoid scorching the grains. Have water available to add to mash in case temps are missed (boiling and room temp treated water(with calcium chloride))

Drain mash tun (re-circulating until wort clears some) then batch sparge with 2.85 gallons of 168F water. Add water if needed for pre-boil volume of 6.5 gal.

Plan to boil vigorously for 90 min adding water if needed for post boil volume of 5.21 gallons.

Hops: Hallertau 0.60 oz at 45 min
Hallertau 0.40 oz at 15 min
(beersmith tells me it will be 13.6 IBU)


Yeast = Wyeast Labs #3068, 1L starter (I've heard you want to underpitch but the above website does not recommend it).

Plan NOT to Aerate

Ferment in 7 gal carboy with loose cloth on top in temp controlled chamber at 61F for for 1 week, then up the temp to 68 for 2 weeks, then Keg.

Figure I will not use a Whirlfoc tablet since we are shooting for cloudy beer. But don't know if I should use one or not.

OK. Any glaring issues with this plan?
Any advice on decoction mashes for a first timer?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[Lefou]

My personal opinion ... substitute Munich 10L in place of Vienna and don't bother with using a Whirlfloc. You want cloudy beer, but much of the cloudiness should be suspended yeast. Don't age your hefes - they are session ales made to quaff young, so don't waste time drinking them. On the other hand, your beer might be a bit spicy and tart, but an obvious green apple perception is to be avoided.

I'm lazy, but have done decoctions.
My uncalibrated, non-judge taster and sniffer couldn't tell the difference between a decocted mash, a step mash, or infusion. You may be a bit more sensitive, so don't let my peasant's perception guide you. My experience only covers brews with WLP351, WLP300, and WLP320. All will give you different esters, or lack of esters, depending on your methods and fermentation temps.

 

[Cyclman]

Wind doing a decoction mash, I always extract a little extra, that way you can make up for temperature that is too low. If it hits right on, you can always let it cool and add then.

 

[Shwagger]

Made to quaff young...

Quaff


Drink

 

[btcost]

I do lots of decoction mashes.
I always pull 1 quart per pound of grain.

I usually do the horzkurt (sp) double method. Mash in 144/ pull thick decoction, raise to 158, hold for 15 then boil 10-30 min depending on style.

Mix back into main mash to hit 156-158. Hold there for 30-45 min.

Pull thin (liquid only) mash. Boil that same time as thick mash. Mix back with main mash to hit 168. Hold there then fly sparge as usual.

In your case. I would just step mash from 133-144. Then decoction from 144 to 158 and 158-168.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I use WLP300 and ALWAYS get a nice banana aroma and flavor.
Sometimes the temp does get near 72F.

If you notice, I use VERY little hops. Too low for a lot of people. But having lived and worked in Bavaria for 9 years, I learned what I like...sweet banana.

Here's my recipe...do with it what you will.

The dashes make it a checklist. I also have it in a WORD.DOC template.
If you, or anyone else, cares for a copy you can email me at: [email protected]

PINKUS HEFE WEIZEN (MY VERSION)
(Brew Classic European Beers At Home, p 164)
OG: 1.050 / FG: 1.011
4.2% ABW / 5.2% ABV

__ WLP300 Hefe Weizen Ale yeast.
__ Make starter 1-2 days prior.

Ingredients:
__ 5#, 12 oz Wheat malt
__ 8 oz Rice Hulls
__ 3#, 12 oz Pale malt
__ 2 AAU Hallertau (German Traditional) hops (60 mins)

Temperature Stepped Infusion Mash. (First water
temp needs to be 10-11F higher than target).

Mash Schedule: (ACTUAL MASH T
__ 122F for 30 mins. ________F
__ 151F for 60 mins. ________F
__ Second water addition AND Batch Sparge with
NEAR BOILING water to raise mash temp.
__ Collect 6.5 - 7 gals.

Total Boil Time: 90 mins.
__ Boil 30 mins.
__ Add hops.
__ Boil 45 mins.
__ Add Wort Chiller.
__ Boil 15 mins.
__ Chill to fermentation temp and aerate.
__ Temp: ____F / Gravity: 1.0____
__ Pitch yeast.
__ Ferment between 68-70F to completion.
(Kristall Weizen: Rack to a carboy until clear).
__ Prime with 5-6 oz Corn Sugar if bottling.
__ Store around 70F for 4-7 days before sampling.
__ When the desired carbonation level is reached
place the bottles in a cold place/fridge.
MINIMUM: 48 hours, 1 week is better.

 

[Lefou]

Made to quaff young...

Quaff


Drink

...and DRINK I will, until the good Lord shows me otherwise! My decoction method was a slightly modified Hochkurz pull and it was a bit of extra work. Beer turned out just fine, but it didn't really convince me the extra work was truly worth the effort.
Why?
Because the yeast choice, pitching levels, and fermentation temp has a lot to do with beer flavor and aroma. If I find a yeast I like, I'm going to use it again, same with my grain.
I second using White Labs WLP300, if you can find it. It's a great yeast for German wheat beers. WLP320 gives less esters and phenols so you can pick out the hops from the clove easily. If banana and clove perceptions aren't for you, 320 at cooler ferm temps can be the way to go.

 

[Smellyglove]

It depends on how you brew them, and what you want. Some feel they taste best young, some after they sit for a while, with the same process. And about boiling vigorously for 90 minutes, and also doing a decoction mash.. I guess it also depends how you like them. There's a lot to the boil.