Hefeweizen idea

[Jloewe]

Trying to brew with my dad who wants to make “our” own creation now that I’m brewing and he sees how much fun my friend and I are having.

wants something drinkable for summer…
My mind went to hefe. I’m still a beginner but I feel like hefe is easy.

Thinking Partialish mash.

4lbs wheat DME

2lbs wheat malt
1lbs marris otter
1/4 pound smoked pale wheat malt

Mashed biab

white labs Hefeweizen yeast.

1oz Tettnang

thoughts? Am I getting too fancy for two beginners?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Regarding "1/4 pound smoked pale wheat malt"...I added 1 lb of Weyermann Smoked Wheat Malt to a Porter last year. I got zero smoke character. This malt has a very light smoke character. I learned after the fact that it can be used for 50% to 100% of the grain bill. I doubt 1/4 pound will add any character to your beer, if you are looking for some smoke character (which seems a little odd).

 

[Jloewe]

Well hefe is so strict and not variable and I wanted a way to make this unique to us. Kind of a “this is our beer. No one else’s drink it and enjoy” flavor but still be a hefe.

I figured summer, bbq, camp fire, s’mores…. I’ve had grilled bananas which are amazing (who’da thunk it) so why not try smoke? Not breaking any of “the rules” so there you go.

 

[Mr. Vern]

I think a Dunkelweizen would take well to a little smoke too.. heck I would not be surprised if the OG wheats had some smoke to them due to the malted grains used in the day.

I feel the big thing here is fermentation control. you wont get much control over enzymes on a mini mash and I am unsure how the DME will behave in regards to the Banana/Clove precursors.

 

[Jloewe]

Well it’s what I have for now. At least until I buy a house later this year. So partials and extract it is.

 

[Jloewe]

I think a Dunkelweizen would take well to a little smoke too.. heck I would not be surprised if the OG wheats had some smoke to them due to the malted grains used in the day.

I feel the big thing here is fermentation control. you wont get much control over enzymes on a mini mash and I am unsure how the DME will behave in regards to the Banana/Clove precursors.

Would possibly LME or steeping be better?

 

[Steveruch]

I brewed this last year.
2.2 gallons: 1.036
1.5 lbs wheat dme
1 lb oak smoked wheat malt
4 ozs red wheat malt
.25 oz saaz @ 3.2%
K-97
The smoke was very mild. I'm hoping to be able to get back to all-grain brewing later in the year and want to try it with at least 50% oak smoked malt.

 

[Jloewe]

I brewed this last year.
2.2 gallons: 1.036
1.5 lbs wheat dme
1 lb oak smoked wheat malt
4 ozs red wheat malt
.25 oz saaz @ 3.2%
K-97
The smoke was very mild. I'm hoping to be able to get back to all-grain brewing later in the year and want to try it with at least 50% oak smoked malt.

How did it turn out? Overall I mean was it good? I’m kind of looking for a mild smoke. A “mmm this is good…. It’s almost…. Smokey?”

 

[Steveruch]

How did it turn out? Overall I mean was it good? I’m kind of looking for a mild smoke. A “mmm this is good…. It’s almost…. Smokey?”

It was good, with a slight smoke.
I was in a living situation where a small mini-mash was all I could manage or I would have used more of the oak smoked wheat.

 

[AlexKay]

The Weyermann oak smoked wheat is very light on the smoke. Try the normal Weyermann rauch or the Briess cherrywood smoked.

Or this. This may be my favorite malt ever:
Sugar Creek Grodziskie

 

[Steveruch]

The Weyermann oak smoked wheat is very light on the smoke. Try the normal Weyermann rauch or the Briess cherrywood smoked.

Both good, but different from oak smoke.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Weyermann Rauch is subtle in it's own right. Cherrywood smoked malt is more in the peat smoke end where a little goes a LONG way.

Even with Rauch malt I use like 20%.

Smoked wheat beer exists already in the Grätzer/Grodziskie. Though that's usually pretty clean and doesn't have Hefe character. Oak smoked wheat is appropriate for that.

There's also Lichtenhainer that's essentially a smoked Berliner Weisse. Again not gonna have a Hefe character.

To that end, I see no reason a subtle smoke wouldn't play well in Hefe. I'd definitely go oak smoked and not beechwood/rauchmalz.

 

[Mr. Vern]

Would possibly LME or steeping be better?

Either LME or DME .. I was just thinking temp control for fermentation would be more important with a brew like this.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Some people prefer the banana flavors that come from fermenting warmer.
Some people prefer the clove flavors that come from fermenting cooler at the low end of the range.
And some consider either of those flavors faults in a Hefeweizen.

To each their own.

 

[Jloewe]

Any yeast recommendations while we’re here?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Wyeast 3068 or White labs WLP-300

 

[Qhrumphf]

Anyone who considers either banana or clove faults in a Hefe doesn't know what a Hefe is. Full stop. Can quibble about where you think the balance is (I want both prominent, but balanced to the clove side), but if you have neither it's not a f***ing Hefeweizen. And that's fine. Just don't call it what it's not.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Anyone who considers either banana or clove faults in a Hefe doesn't know what a Hefe is. Full stop. Can quibble about where you think the balance is (I want both prominent, but balanced to the clove side), but if you have neither it's not a f***ing Hefeweizen. And that's fine. Just don't call it what it's not.

Totally agree here. It's got to have at least a bit of both.

 

[Jloewe]

Ok, after collaborating with my father here’s what I got. Thinking of nixing the mash. I know I’m now in the wrong thread but I already got people interested. Might post a replicate thread later in extract.

Want a more traditional and crisp flavor.

5lbs wheat dme
1lbs Pilsner
1oz tettnag
WL-300

dme Is all breiss which is about 60% what on its own. This will bring us to what would be 5lbs wheat 3.3lbs 2 row 1.6lbs Pilsner for a 50/50 wheat to barely ratio.

for the boil I’ll probably add 3lbs wheat at 60. 2lbs at 30 Pilsner at 10.

tettnag at 60

Basement is usually about 62-63 degrees even in the summer. Might get to 65 during a heatwave so I plan to pitch below and let ambient temp slowly and naturally rise getting a good balance of banana and clove.

Am I on the right track?

 

[Mr. Vern]

Brewing with pops I think you are already on the right track!

I'd say brew it, keep diligent notes, and adjust as you want/need moving forward. 10# of malt extract is max for 5 gallons Hefeweizen IMO, it might be a little higher FG but everyone has different taste.

FWIW, when I ferment (5 gallons) in 65-66F ambient the carboy rises to 72F during active fermentation, you'll be fine.