Air lock question, recipe thoughts

[Tucher]

Hey all, quick question here. I have my third AG batch in the fermentor, it's a Citra Hefe-Weizen recipe. I am trying to keep the fermentation temps low so I have it in my cooler and (after previous experimentation with frozen water bottles) have been able to keep it at a pretty stable 62°. The only problem is that it fits fine in the cooler now with the blow of tubing in the bung (been on two days), but the cooler will not be able to close with the air lock installed, which will make it hard to control temperature. Is it ok to just keep the blow of tube on during the whole fermentation (it runs to a jar filled with Star San solution)?

Also, I'd like some feedback on the recipe I used if you have any comments, I put it together after looking at various other recipes here and elsewhere and taking parts from them. Haven't gotten a hydrometer yet, so don't know those numbers.

Citra Hefe-Weizen: 1 gallon batch

Grain:
1lb Weyermann German Pilsner (2 row)
1lb Weyermann German Wheat (3.5 Lovibond)
1/4 Pound Flaked Wheat

Mash:
1.5 quarts water per pound.
Single infusion, 60 mins at 151°
4.5 quart 170° sparge.

Boil: 80 mins

Hops:
3.5 grams Hallertauer: 2g first wort, 1.5g @60 min
1 gram Tettnager: @ 45 min.
1 gram Citra: .5g @ 10 min, .5g @ 5 min.

Cooled as quickly as possible in ice bath to 68°

Yeast:
Safebrew WB-06 Dry (half packet).
Pitched at 68° wort.

Fermentation:
62° for first 3 days.
64° until full attenuation.

 

[helibrewer]

Continue to use the blow off, it's just a giant airlock.

Recipe:
You could skip the flaked wheat, 50/50 pilsner/wheat is a good grain bill.
Go to a Hefe liquid yeast like WLP565 or WY3711. Hefe yeast strains are one of a few strains that have the enzyme to give you that nice clove note. Low fermentation temps are great, your target 62-64 is perfect.

For a really clove-forward hefe do a ferulic acid rest at 113F for about 10-15 min, then increase to normal mash temp (150-152). You can do the ramp by using a single decoction, or adding boiling water to the mash.

 

[RM-MN]

Without the hydrometer to measure your OG, you won't know your efficiency but typically people get lower efficiency with that much wheat because the wheat kernels are smaller and harder than barley so they don't get crushed as well That could get you a beer with lower alcohol than your recipe intended.

You can continue with the blowoff tube as it is just another airlock as mentioned by Helibrewer but your beer really only needs temperature control for the first few days as that is when the off flavors would be created. After 4 or 5 days you can take it out of the fermentation chamber and let the temperature rise to ambient and use an airlock during that time.

 

[MarPaul]

After 4 or 5 days you can take it out of the fermentation chamber and let the temperature rise to ambient and use an airlock during that time.

I also have a Hefe in the fermenter, been in there about 9 days and I've been very worried about temperature causing the dreaded "banana effect" so I've been keeping it cool. Is it really true that I no longer need to worry about this? Thanks!

 

[Tucher]

Continue to use the blow off, it's just a giant airlock.

Recipe:
You could skip the flaked wheat, 50/50 pilsner/wheat is a good grain bill.
Go to a Hefe liquid yeast like WLP565 or WY3711. Hefe yeast strains are one of a few strains that have the enzyme to give you that nice clove note. Low fermentation temps are great, your target 62-64 is perfect.

For a really clove-forward hefe do a ferulic acid rest at 113F for about 10-15 min, then increase to normal mash temp (150-152). You can do the ramp by using a single decoction, or adding boiling water to the mash.

Thanks for the response, I read about the decoction method but decided to keep it simple for the first few AG batches, get a good process down and then tweek things from there...hence the dry yeast as well. So the flaked wheat not really needed? I added it in to get a bit more of the Weizen haze look from the starch and a bit more upfront wheat flavor.

 

[Tucher]

I also have a Hefe in the fermenter, been in there about 9 days and I've been very worried about temperature causing the dreaded "banana effect" so I've been keeping it cool. Is it really true that I no longer need to worry about this? Thanks!

I have read a few places also to keep ferm temps low throughout to control the ester/banana profile?

 

[helibrewer]

I also have a Hefe in the fermenter, been in there about 9 days and I've been very worried about temperature causing the dreaded "banana effect" so I've been keeping it cool. Is it really true that I no longer need to worry about this? Thanks!

Think of fermentation as a large scale chemical reaction. After high krausen, everything starts to wind down, including ester production. Once you are on the back side of that, temperature control is not as critical because you are past most of the reactions that produce flavor components. You still should keep things controlled, but letting it warm a few degrees is fine, it helps reduce diacetyl and encourages other clean up functions by the yeast (reducing total Vicinal Diketones - VDK's).

 

[MarPaul]

Think of fermentation as a large scale chemical reaction. After high krausen, everything starts to wind down, including ester production. Once you are on the back side of that, temperature control is not as critical because you are past most of the reactions that produce flavor components. You still should keep things controlled, but letting it warm a few degrees is fine, it helps reduce diacetyl and encourages other clean up functions by the yeast (reducing total Vicinal Diketones - VDK's).

Thanks! good to know!

 

[Tucher]

My first hefeweizen, couldn't wait so I opened one up early after only 6 days in the bottle. I know its too early, but still this was not bad at all. I have high hopes for the Cirta Hefe that I am about to bottle, it's been fermenting for 15 days at 62 degrees.