Holy Bananas!

[1fastdoc]

I brewed a dunkelweizen 5 weeks ago and just gave it a taste. The initial taste is a nice sweet wheat malt flavor followed by getting hit in the face with a dozen bananas.

Recipe:
6lbs wheat DME
1lb chocolate malt steeped at 155 x 1hr
tettnanger hops (30 minutes)
Wyeast 3068

Fermentation at 75-77 degrees
10 days in primary, 2 weeks in secondary, 10 days in the bottle.

I know it's early but I couldn't resist trying it. When I tasted it at bottling it was fantastic and I didn't notice the sour fruitiness but it's definately there now.

I also know that the higher fermentation temp is going to impart more of the esteric fruit flavors. There is no hint of clove flavor, just banana.

Any guesses as to how this will evolve over time? Should I plan on drinking it young or let it age? It's good enough that I just put a glass down inside of 20 minutes but anymore banana to it will be a bit much.

 

[mot]

hi fermentation will give you fruity esters

 

[DeathBrewer]

yeah, i tried to keep my wheat beers under 70, preferably at 65 for my german hefes

 

[1fastdoc]

So does the banana flavor mellow with age?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

So does the banana flavor mellow with age?

Yes, as it sits in the bottle more of the esters will mellow out...

Good ol' 3068, i LOVE the profile of this yeast, i brewed a Weizenbock with it, i swear ferm temps got near 90*F and this yeast chugged on through.... First time i tasted it, it tasted like Banana Laffy Taffy... It's kept some of that flavor but mellowed a bit, i like to shake up some of the yeast when i pour it...

 

[jcarson83]

Same thing I did with my first hefe. It did mellow with ageing but unfortunately it didn't hang around long enough to mellow that much. I did put a slice of orange in a couple (God forbid) and it was great.