Is racking a hefe onto a yeast cake of california ale V feasible?

[drsocc]

In terms of flavor?

I'm not an enormous fan of hefeweizen, but I found a DFH blood orange recipe I thought would be fun and I'd like to give it an interesting flavor. I figured the yeast cake would throw some interesting esters and be more pronounced. The yeast cake I have is from a pretty big winter ale.

I also have some champagne yeast in my fridge I could use.

Or I could just go to the store and get hefe yeast.

I want to teach some friends a really simple homebrew recipe w/ a quick turn around (something essential for new brewers I think).

What do you guys think? Is this a good idea, or am I dooming myself to truly unpalatable beer?

 

[tnbrewer371]

i think its a great idea, as a matter of fact I as well make my american wheat with cal V everytime, and everyone loves it. way more neutral and clean than any other hefe yeast I have tried in the same recipe. do it.

 

[drsocc]

Thats the kind of affirmation I was looking for.

Thanks man.

 

[Greenh]

Its not a hefe without hefe yeast. Racking a wheat beer onto American yeast will make it an American Wheat.

 

[findlaym]

+1 on that. it'll still be good though....

 

[jlpred55]

We have some style mix up here. American wheats use clean strains that do not produce the phenols and esters of german hefeweizen yeast. A hefewiezen uses hefeweizen yeast an american wheat uses a clean (phenol and ester wise) yeast. Widmer has everyone screwed up! Champagne yeast? I'm a little lost of that one?

Also, looks like you are repitching from a bigger gravity beer to a smaller gravity beer? Is this correct? If so, be careful, your yeasties might be spent. Also, using a whole cake is overkill for a mid gravity wort and will not help produce interesting flavors, it could do the opposite and not allow the yeast a growth phase and not allow it to product those flavors.

Personally I would decide how I wanted this beer to taste, then use the correct yeast for the taste I am going for. I'd make sure I was spot on if I was going to use the recipe or brew day to teach another the process. I wouldn't want to teach someone and then have the beer turn out below my expectations.