Dunkelweizen Yeast Question

[NewBrew122]

Hey everyone,

My first beer is in bottles and after trying one for the last two sundays I can safely say its tasting pretty good and getting better (it was a brewers best robust porter).

However, the porter kit used dry yeast and the next two kits (Dunkelweizen and SMaSH Falconer's Flight) I ordered will use liquid yeast. I ordered them from Austin Homebrew and they should be here on Thursday.

I've started reading up on starters and definitely plan to make one for the SMaSH which I will brew in two weeks but for the Dunkelweizen I'm debating whether to make a starter or just pitch straight in to the wort. I've read online that the White Labs yeast is made to pitch straight into a 1.048 wort and the expected OG for the Dunkelweizen is 1.052. I also really want to get more of the banana flavor out of the yeast (I've had some DW that taste like banana chocolate milkshakes and really want to try and emulate that flavor).

Do you all think it'd be smart to make a starter anyway and then just try to increase fermentation temperature slightly to get the banana flavor or should I slightly underpitch the yeast by not using a starter to get this flavor?

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Hey everyone,

My first beer is in bottles and after trying one for the last two sundays I can safely say its tasting pretty good and getting better (it was a brewers best robust porter).

However, the porter kit used dry yeast and the next two kits (Dunkelweizen and SMaSH Falconer's Flight) I ordered will use liquid yeast. I ordered them from Austin Homebrew and they should be here on Thursday.

I've started reading up on starters and definitely plan to make one for the SMaSH which I will brew in two weeks but for the Dunkelweizen I'm debating whether to make a starter or just pitch straight in to the wort. I've read online that the White Labs yeast is made to pitch straight into a 1.048 wort and the expected OG for the Dunkelweizen is 1.052. I also really want to get more of the banana flavor out of the yeast (I've had some DW that taste like banana chocolate milkshakes and really want to try and emulate that flavor).

Do you all think it'd be smart to make a starter anyway and then just try to increase fermentation temperature slightly to get the banana flavor or should I slightly underpitch the yeast by not using a starter to get this flavor?

Thanks for the tips!

I think you're on the right track for getting your question answered: both temperature and pitching rate can change the flavor profile of the yeast, and underpitching a weizen is one way I've heard it can be done. Temperature is another way, and the exact temp for the specific strain will yield certain results, not necessarily just "warmer".

So, which yeast strain (brand and number) are you going to use? I'm guessing someone here will have experience with it. If you haven't picked a strain, even better, then you can go with the one that will deliver the results!

 

[chawagi]

Hi, NewBrew.

I'm a big Dunkel fan myself. Got hooked on the junk when I was stationed in Germany, and its one of the beers that got me into brewing.

I wouldn't worry too much with a starter. I pitch my White Labs straight into the wort out of the yeast tube and have always needed a blow-off fixed to my carboy because of the high yeast activity.

As for your Banana flavor, in my experience it kind of depends on which White Labs strain you're using. When I make a basic Hefe, I use the WLP300 which gives a very strong banana flavor when fermented at about 70*. When I do a dunkel, I use the WLP380 Hefeweizen IV which has a slightly less banana essence, but adds almost a spicy/ citrusy flavor with the banana. It's delicious.

I've actually never used a kit, but I'm guessing they would have probably provided the basic WLP300 Hefeweizen yeast. I think you will get plenty of banana essence from that without a starter, and just a standard 68-70* ferm temp. Honestly, IMO the WLP300 banana clove flavor is almost a bit too much, that's why I switched to the WLP380 for my dunkels.

 

[NewBrew122]

Yea the yeast they are sending in WLP300. Thanks for the advice! I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

 

[TipsyDragon]

It's always a good idea to make a starter with liquid yeast. Just because the yeast is good for a 1.048 batch when it leaves the factory doesn't mean it still is once it reaches you.

As far as getting banana flavor out of the yeast aim for a fermentation temp near 68F.


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