Hefeweizen Very Lemony, Lacking Most of Other Desired Yeast Charactheristics

[zgardener]

I just kegged a Heffe that is quite good, but the yeast characteristics are a little different than I'm used to.

I used WLP300 (my typical hefe yeast), fermented in the low 60s and ramped up to 68 over 7 days, then kegged. Finished at about 1012, started at about 1046.

Fermentation went well, but the primary scent and flavor is very strong lemon. Not aceto or lacto, it almost tastes like some lemon juice was added post fermentation. Almost no banana, it's very subtle, you have to look for it. The cloves are a little more present, but the lemon character has overtaken it.

Malt bill was 65% German Pils, 35% Red Wheat.

Could I have gotten a bad vial of yeast? Did something happen during fermentation? Maybe it picked up a little funkyness in the starter? Could be because it's just a little green, but I've never had issues with turning a hefe around in a week...

 

[maida7]

I get sulfur when I use that yeast in the low to mid 60's. I find I get much better beer in the upper 60's low 70's More banana and no nasty sulfur.

Not sure if what your calling lemon is really sulfur but it's my first thought based on my personal experience. Did it smell like eggs during the ferment?

 

[zgardener]

No, it kinda smelled tart throughout, I'm pretty sensitive to sulfur, I usually can pick it up in lagers when others cant, but I don't think that's what it is.
I'd say if anything, it'd be maybe green apples, so acetaldehyde may be a culprit, but like I said, never had this issue before with such quick turn around with a hef, kinda weird...

 

[edecambra]

Starter or no? I think that strain benefits greatly from a starter, but then again all strains benefit from starters

 

[zgardener]

Starter or no? I think that strain benefits greatly from a starter, but then again all strains benefit from starters

1L starter for 2 days at room temp (+/- 70 degrees)

 

[CadillacAndy]

I just made a hefe - same yeast, almost the same grain bill and pretty much the same fermentation schedule and mine is pretty lemony as well. This was my first time using wlp300, so I wasn't really sure what to expect from it. Mine has been aging in the keg for about 2.5 weeks now and it still tastes pretty much the same.

I made another batch after this one didnt meet my expectations - same grain bill, same yeast only this time I went with an open fermentation for the first 3 days and kept it around 70-72F in a cooler with an aquarium heater. I just put a bottle in the fridge and am going to try it later. I'm hoping for big banana flavor.

I used washed yeast from the first batch in the second batch, so we'll see if we get lemons or not.

 

[H-ost]

Interesting... I just made my first heffe the Bavarian Hefeweizen recipe on brew target and on this forum.

2 Weeks fermenting and 1 week in keg and it tastes like lemon juice... At first it was almost sour but now it seems more lemony like you are describing. I can't remember the yeast right now but on top of that I detect little no hop bitterness, flavor, or aroma.

 

[maida7]

I detect little no hop bitterness, flavor, or aroma.

Hefe should not be a hoppy beer (8-15 IBU) It's one of the least hoppy styles but it should not be lemony either.

 

[Veedo]

interesting. i have a vial of wlp300 in the fridge, and was planning on a hefe for my next brew. curious to see what you guys come up with.

 

[CadillacAndy]

Just cracked open a bottle from my 2nd batch using wlp300 - this one has much more banana flavor, but I'm still getting a lemony finish. I'll have to get another vial of wlp300 and try it again to see if maybe it was the yeast.

 

[CadillacAndy]

Something else I just thought of - OP mentioned that you kegged it. What's your keg cleaning process like? I remember having at least 1 keg that clearly used to have Sprite of 7-Up in it and the smell was pretty difficult to get out of it.

I took another taste of my 2nd batch of hefe and I'm not really getting much lemon any more. I'm thinking that maybe my problem is poor keg cleaning.

 

[zgardener]

This is an old Dr. Pepper keg, but I've had about 5 of 6 other beers in it since I bought it from AHS.
If it's been a while since it's blown, I'll soak with PBW for 30 min to an hour, rinse 2 to 3 times, then sanitize (each cycle goes thru the dip tube).
I know the yeast will typically have a little citrus, but definitely not this much... I'll have to play with my ferm temps, or maybe just try another yeast.

 

[Kealia]

FWIW, I've used WLP300 (new and washed) for many batches and have never had a lemon flavor come through.

 

[mjxl47]

I brewed an AG Bavarian Hefe (Northern Brewer kit) with WLP300 and mine also has a very lemony flavor. It's like a lemongrass beer with no hefe characteristics. Brewed on 3/24, bottled on 4/12. I'm gonna keep waiting but I'm not too sure it will get much better.

 

[Polboy]

i have the same perception on my hefe, very similar grain bill (55% pils 45% belg wheat) but i used 3068 strain (supposedly the same as wlp300), 1.5L starter and it taste like lemon juice was added to this beer, cant find much banana or cloves, fer was at 64 rump to 68, femented for 10 days its for a week in the bottle now and im gona try one today

 

[zgardener]

I figured I'd update on my hefe. After about a week in the keg, the extreme lemon presence was greatly decreased. Though still present (I like a little to be there) the banana and clove come through much more than before. I'm guessing I was sensing acetaldehyde from the beer only being a week old.
Much better now, and the keg is almost gone! Hope y'all that had the same problem as I had see the same improvement over time.

 

[Veedo]

Made a 1L starter with wlp300 today, planning to brew a hefe this weekend, we shall see how it goes. Not sure what temp i should ferment at, there are so many varying opinions. What are everyones gravities? According to mr malty i am slightly under pitching a 1050 beer with a 1L starter, my yeast age and a stir plate. I've read under pitching will help with the ester production, maybe the lemon comes through with a little overpitching?

 

[mjxl47]

I've read under pitching will help with the ester production, maybe the lemon comes through with a little overpitching?

That's very possible. I made a 1L starter for what should have been a 1.049 beer, I ended up getting horrible efficiency and only had 1.034.

 

[BigRob]

I've had tart flavour from WLP300 fermented hefe's, but that usually went away with some aging.

 

[maida7]

I figured I'd update on my hefe. After about a week in the keg, the extreme lemon presence was greatly decreased. Though still present (I like a little to be there) the banana and clove come through much more than before. I'm guessing I was sensing acetaldehyde from the beer only being a week old.
Much better now, and the keg is almost gone! Hope y'all that had the same problem as I had see the same improvement over time.

Maybe it was just yeasty. That yeast takes a loooong time to clear out. could be the first half of the keg had a lot of yeast cells left in suspension and the second half was more clear. yeast can have a bitter harsh flavor. maybe it can also be lemony depending on the strain

 

[zgardener]

Maybe it was just yeasty. That yeast takes a loooong time to clear out. could be the first half of the keg had a lot of yeast cells left in suspension and the second half was more clear. yeast can have a bitter harsh flavor. maybe it can also be lemony depending on the strain

Not sure if that's it, because I took a 3/4 full keg to a party, when we first started pouring, it was extremely cloudy and muddy, it wasn't even that bright hefe yellow, it was more like a light tan... mud. Poured out the first two pints, after that it was still extremely cloudy but the lemon wasn't bad at all, it was just about right.

 

[Blargimus]

I have the exact same problem, with a few process differences:

• I used harvested Kellerweis yeast. (I made a decent starter, but wasn't too scientific about the measurements.)
• I fermented at ambient, which is around 68 in my apt.
• I didn't keg, I bottled.

It's been in the bottles for a little over a week, and it literally tastes like someone squeezed lemon juice into it. It's certainly not undrinkable, but I'm hoping it isn't an infection and it fades with time. Any progress from any of your batches?

 

[Polboy]

Mine got much better over time, its around 3 weeks after botteling, lemon is gone, beer is very refreshing and perfect for hot days like this weekend but i still have a hard time to notice banana/clove flavors, its there but very subside

 

[meat803]

my 2c

Hefe's get their flavors from yeast esters ie banana clove. To brew a good hefe, skip the starter and keep ferment temp 70-75. If you coddle the yeast it wont stress and throw desirable esters.

I would guess your lemon may possibly be from a bacterial infection. I brew an infected batch one time and it tasted exactly like I added lime/lemon juice to the final product. I forgot what style it was, but remember clearly pouring it out of the keg. It wasnt a hefe because it was cloudy and that was a red flag at the time.