2nd brew, Hefeweizen advice

[Slickshoes]

Hi all, I am brewing my second batch (a hefeweizen) and plan on doing a 2 gallon batch, then splitting them up into 2 fermenters and pitching 2 different yeasts.

2 gallon recipe- boil time 45 min? Amount of water to start 2.25?

2 lbs 2.2 oz light wheat liquid extract
0.4 oz Hallertau 3.0% for 40 min
0.2 oz Saaz 2.0% for 20 min
0.4 oz Hallertau 3.0% for 10 min

Pitching WLP 300 in one fermenter
Pitching WB 06 in the other

Wanted to try 3068 instead of WB 06 but they did have it.

Also I want to add a light blood orange taste. No idea how much to use or how to use fresh fruit?

I am shooting for
2 gallons
OG 1.050
FG 1.012
17-18 Ibu
7-8 SRM
4.8-5.0% ABV

Does my recipe seem close? Any advice, suggestions, or questions are very welcome. Thanks for reading!

 

[JR_Brewer]

I didn't run this through a calculator, but using rough estimates, it appears you're not going to hit 1.050. A pound of LME has about 36 gravity points per gallon, so you're looking at a ~1.036 OG. Perhaps you meant DME? DME has ~49 gravity points per pound. I would recommend putting it through a calculator.

With citrus, most people zest the peels and avoid the pith (the white layer of the peel). You can also find blood orange peels (dried, and I assume without pith) at homebrew shops/online.

I like the idea of the split batch, good luck!

 

[Slickshoes]

Thanks for the reply, it was very helpful. Just starting out and wanting to get a feel for my little setup. I will check the gravity, How are tastybrewcom or beersmith app, are they accurate? what do you guys use?

 

[JR_Brewer]

I've used tastybrew, and it's ok. Gravities usually work correctly, but there are some bugs that sometimes throw off the bitterness (IBUs). Try it out, and if it doesn't pass the common sense check, try another calculator.

 

[m00ps]

I would mash at 150 for 60 min. But if you really wanted a great hefe, try a ferulic acid rest. It produces compounds that wheat yeasts turn into those signature clove/banana flavors

110-115F for 15min
150F for 45min
mashout at 168F for 10min to lock in sugar profile

also, for the fermentation temps. Lowers 60s will produce more clove while higher 60s/low 70s will be more banana. 66-67 seems to be a good balance so adjust to your tastes

If you want to use fresh fruit (instead of the sweet/bitter orange peel you can buy at stores) I've had success with tearing off the skin of a single baseball sized tangerine for a nice but subtle orange flavor. No zesting, just ripped most of the skin off and toss in at 5min before flameout

 

[JR_Brewer]

I would mash at 150 for 60 min. But if you really wanted a great hefe, try a ferulic acid rest. It produces compounds that wheat yeasts turn into those signature clove/banana flavors

110-115F for 15min
150F for 45min
mashout at 168F for 10min to lock in sugar profile

also, for the fermentation temps. Lowers 60s will produce more clove while higher 60s/low 70s will be more banana. 66-67 seems to be a good balance so adjust to your tastes

If you want to use fresh fruit (instead of the sweet/bitter orange peel you can buy at stores) I've had success with tearing off the skin of a single baseball sized tangerine for a nice but subtle orange flavor. No zesting, just ripped most of the skin off and toss in at 5min before flameout

The OP is doing extract, so no mash required.

Those fermentation temps sound good to me.

Interesting take on the fruit. Perhaps the thinner skin of the tangerine doesn't give off the same pithy bitterness that an orange peel has (?). Cool, I may try this in a mead I'm thinking about.

 

[Slickshoes]

I have not had time to brew the weizen, but the liquid extract is 3lbs 2.2 oz, I posted 2 lbs in the above recipe.

 

[Slickshoes]

If I am looking for a 1.050 gravity, how much LME should I use? Also i would like to end up with 2.2 gallons, we're should my 45 min boil start 2.7?

 

[Slickshoes]

Hi all, I brewed the hefe last Saturday and it smells great! (Yes I did sniff the air locks) OG is a little higher then planned but will see what happens. How many days should I ferment? Was thinking 10? Then bottle?do u think a secondary is needed? Thanks

 

[m00ps]

2 weeks is the general minimum I would ferment. Take a gravity reading at day 10 AMD on 14. If they are the same you're good

 

[Slickshoes]

Thanks I will take the readings this week and post my findings

 

[Slickshoes]

Hi all, the WB-06 ABV is Aprox 5.25 and the WLP300 is Aprox 5.51, the WLP had a much better smell, IMO and the sample tasted better! I ended up getting 18 bottles total. I used the bb drops as they seemed to work fine with my previous batch.