Banana Hefeweizen

[redrocker652002]

Seeing as I have been up since about 0330 and bored out of my mind, I started looking into recipes for a Hefeweizen. Never having made one I thought that would be a fun add to my arsenal. Seems Banana is a popular flavor profile for this and liking banana's I thought that was interesting. So, for the pro's out there, what are your go to's in this style?

Any and all comments welcomed. Here is one I found that looked kinds cool and easy to do.

Recipe Style

South German-Style Hefeweizen


Oooops, ok manual entry:

Malted white wheat 5.75 pounds
PIlsner malt 4.5 pounds
Melanoidin .5 pounds
Abbey malt .5 pounds
Munich malt .25 pounds

Hops:

Hallertau 3.3AA 1.4 ounces 60 mins

Yeast WLP300 or similar dry

Mash 152 60 mins
Mash out 167 for 10 mins

Ferment at 65 for 10 days

Sorry, did not proof read my initial post

 

[Beekeeper]

Ain't a lot o' detail there. Only the yeast survived.

Fermentables: total 11.5 lb
50.0% Name: Briess Extract
39.1% Avangard Extract
4.3% Weyermann Extract
4.3% Weyermann Extract
2.2% Avangard Extract

Hops
1 added, total 1.400 oz IBU: 13.7 (100%) Name: AA Amount ?? oz First Wort Hop

Yeast
WLP300

And the link doesn't help for someone without the Brewfather sub.

 

[Bramling Cross]

If you want a banana bomb Omega's OYL-400 Bananza! is your friend. It works pretty good with a paint-by-numbers 45% wheat malt, 45% pils, 10% Munich grist. With that said, as certified banana bomb fiend, I've found that you really do need a bit of the phenolics, so I'm off the Bananza band wagon.

 

[redrocker652002]

Ain't a lot o' detail there. Only the yeast survived.

Fermentables: total 11.5 lb
50.0% Name: Briess Extract
39.1% Avangard Extract
4.3% Weyermann Extract
4.3% Weyermann Extract
2.2% Avangard Extract

Hops
1 added, total 1.400 oz IBU: 13.7 (100%) Name: AA Amount ?? oz First Wort Hop

Yeast
WLP300

And the link doesn't help for someone without the Brewfather sub.

My bad, next time I will proof read. LOL Updated.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I think your grain bill doesn’t need to be that complicated, wheat and Pilsner is all that’s really needed. to get those banana esters the yeast needs ferulic acid, which you increase with a step mash. Once you finish that step add Ph adjustments and salts. Search Hefeweizen on Mean brews YouTube channel. Matthew Herrold explains it all very clearly there.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I think your grain bill doesn’t need to be that complicated, wheat and Pilsner is all that’s really needed. to get those banana esters the yeast needs ferulic acid, which you increase with a step mash. Once you finish that step add Ph adjustments and salts. Search Hefeweizen on Mean brews YouTube channel. Harold explains it all very clearly there.

Yup, Hoppy is right. It's not a style that benefits from complication on the recipe front, it's all about process. I brewed one yesterday and it was a pleasant, refreshing, and rather boring experience. It was a nice break.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yup, Hoppy is right. It's not a style that benefits from complication on the recipe front, it's all about process. I brewed one yesterday and it was a pleasant, refreshing, and rather boring experience. It was a nice break.

And you sir are right about those clove phenols adding balance. I would say it’s not a proper hefe without them. , and beer judges no doubt would agree.

 

[Beekeeper]

to get those banana esters the yeast needs ferulic acid, which you increase with a step mash. Once you finish that step add Ph adjustments and salts.

OP is extract brewing.

 

[redrocker652002]

OP is extract brewing.

Actually no, the recipe did not copy correctly. Or I messed it up. It should be an all grain.

 

[agentbud]

Here is a great post to follow for Hefe's. I've brewed the OGs recipe many times and it is killer every time:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/bee-cave-brewery-bavarian-hefeweizen.35679/

 

[Beekeeper]

OP is extract brewing.

Srry. I was going by the original post with the missing fields, seemed to have indicated lbs of extract.

 

[redrocker652002]

Srry. I was going by the original post with the missing fields, seemed to have indicated lbs of extract.

I think you are right there. I will have to go back and reread it.

 

[SFC Rudy]

I was stationed in Germany for nine years and drank way more than my fair share of Hefeweizen. I tried for years to brew one, using all the “tricks” of mash schedules, yeast pitch rates and fermentation temps, all with mediocre results. Then I finally hit it.

55% wheat
40% pils
5% carapils

Single infusion mash @152F

Boil 60 minutes with 1 oz hallertau or tettnang hops per 5 gallons

Lallemand Munich Classic @68F. This was what made my Hefeweizen rival most of those I drank there. I also open ferment in a 15 gallon sterilite container.

Bottle, do not keg, to 3 volumes CO2. You want to get that yeasty goodness in your beer.

I took some to my drinking buddy and he said “now THATS the taste I’ve been missing”. Other people I know that were stationed in Germany agree.

 

[ncbrewer]

Bottle, do not keg, to 3 volumes CO2.

Maybe I'm too conservative, but 3 volumes is generally considered the limit for pressure in standard beer bottles. I go with 2.8 volumes to be on the safe side, even though I'm probably not getting the maximum quality in the hefe.

 

[Bobby_M]

If you want a banana bomb Omega's OYL-400 Bananza! is your friend. It works pretty good with a paint-by-numbers 45% wheat malt, 45% pils, 10% Munich grist. With that said, as certified banana bomb fiend, I've found that you really do need a bit of the phenolics, so I'm off the Bananza band wagon.

Last chance to get the OYL-400 series of yeasts... Discontinued as of May 30th

 

[Graham H]

I was stationed in Germany for nine years and drank way more than my fair share of Hefeweizen. I tried for years to brew one, using all the “tricks” of mash schedules, yeast pitch rates and fermentation temps, all with mediocre results. Then I finally hit it.

55% wheat
40% pils
5% carapils

Single infusion mash @152F

Boil 60 minutes with 1 oz hallertau or tettnang hops per 5 gallons

Lallemand Munich Classic @68F. This was what made my Hefeweizen rival most of those I drank there. I also open ferment in a 15 gallon sterilite container.

Bottle, do not keg, to 3 volumes CO2. You want to get that yeasty goodness in your beer.

I took some to my drinking buddy and he said “now THATS the taste I’ve been missing”. Other people I know that were stationed in Germany agree.

I’m definitely going to give this a try! Schwaben Bräu Das Weizen was my favorite during my Germany tour.

 

[Witherby]

Everything you need to know about Hefeweizen and what adjustments to make to emphasize different flavors is here:
https://braumagazin.de/article/brewing-bavarian-weissbier-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

 

[JohnDBrewer]

What water profile is everyone using? I just tried to look up what I used on my last version on the BS3 app, but couldn't find what I selected. Need to get to my laptop I guess to see that.

 

[SFC Rudy]

Maybe I'm too conservative, but 3 volumes is generally considered the limit for pressure in standard beer bottles. I go with 2.8 volumes to be on the safe side, even though I'm probably not getting the maximum quality in the hefe.

Two years ago I brewed my hefe to take camping. I bottled it in some heavier 12 oz German bottles and also several other commercial bottles, some quite thin. I put them the bathtub of my camper just in case, but after a six hour ride in the heat and over some bumpy roads, I didn't lose a bottle. Luck?

 

[Snuffy]

Everything you need to know about Hefeweizen and what adjustments to make to emphasize different flavors is here:
https://braumagazin.de/article/brewing-bavarian-weissbier-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

Geez. That is darn comprehensive right there. Great info. Thanks for sharing.
I think I'm going to try and shoot for balance. Or maybe banana.

 

[hungupdown]

Schneider Weiss, with 50% wheat malt and Hallertau Mittelfruch, is my most regular brew.

Recently I've switched to WHC Banana Split yeast, "a strain known for producing high levels of isoamyl acetate, which gives a banana flavor". And i do get noticably more banana flavour, though slightly higher FG.

I always ferment wheat beers in a lidded bucket, but don't over oxygenate at the start.
Fermented at 19°C for 3 days, then 23°C.

 

[Cloud Surfer]

I’ve experimented with Melanoidin and Abbey in my Weissbier, and it definitely doesn’t work. I’ve had success at national level with the standard wheat/pilsner/munich recipe. I feel my secret ingredient is 5% Carahell that Weihenstephaner also uses.

 

[redrocker652002]

Schneider Weiss, with 50% wheat malt and Hallertau Mittelfruch, is my most regular brew.

Recently I've switched to WHC Banana Split yeast, "a strain known for producing high levels of isoamyl acetate, which gives a banana flavor". And i do get noticably more banana flavour, though slightly higher FG.

I always ferment wheat beers in a lidded bucket, but don't over oxygenate at the start.
Fermented at 19°C for 3 days, then 23°C.

Is there anyplace in the states that I can order or buy the yeast you are talking about? It sounds like what I am looking for.

 

[lumpher]

Is there anyplace in the states that I can order or buy the yeast you are talking about? It sounds like what I am looking for.

I've been able to find at WHC Labs US, and it's just a 500g brick for $77. Haven't tried it.

https://whclab.us/collections/beer?...=&filter.v.price.lte=&sort_by=title-ascending


1 more place in a small pack:

https://homebrewjunction.com/products/banana-split-dry-yeast

 

[Snuffy]

I've seen threads on this where the consensus was to pitch Wyeast 3068 w/o a starter (underpitch) and ferment on the high end of the temp range. Leave plenty of headspace. Apparently this is a krausen monster.

 

[redrocker652002]

I've seen threads on this where the consensus was to pitch Wyeast 3068 w/o a starter (underpitch) and ferment on the high end of the temp range. Leave plenty of headspace. Apparently this is a krausen monster.

That is the yeast I was going to use. Thanks, I think that is going to be what I am going to try out.

Final recipe:
7 pounds German Wheat
4 pounds German PIls

.75 ounce of Hallertau @ 45
.25 ounce of Hallertau @ 15

Mash at 153 for 60 mins

Boil for 60 mins

I package of 3068 fermented at about 68 degrees for about 10 days

Expected number:

OG 1.052
FG 1.009
ABV 5.6

Probably keg it and let it sit cold for a week or two while it carbs up and ee where we are.

But, of course, any further input is appreciated.

 

[Snuffy]

That is the yeast I was going to use. Thanks, I think that is going to be what I am going to try out.

Final recipe:
7 pounds German Wheat
4 pounds German PIls

.75 ounce of Hallertau @ 45
.25 ounce of Hallertau @ 15

Mash at 153 for 60 mins

Boil for 60 mins

I package of 3068 fermented at about 68 degrees for about 10 days

Expected number:

OG 1.052
FG 1.009
ABV 5.6

Probably keg it and let it sit cold for a week or two while it carbs up and ee where we are.

But, of course, any further input is appreciated.

if banana is the goal, you may want to push the temp up into the low 70s. Range is 64 - 75 F.

 

[ntempleton]

I've been working on Weissbier for years. It's always been a style that I enjoyed, but it wasn't until 2023 while in Germany that I fully discovered the beauty that is a proper Weissbier. I by chance got a bottle of Rothaus Weizenzaepfle and suddenly understood what my German friends had told me about "bubblegum" in Weissbier. Until that point, it sounded terrible. It is not, you'll have to trust me.

Since that trip, I've been working on perfecting my Weissbier recipe. We use almost the exact same recipe at the brewery I work for, with the expection that at the brewery we aren't trying to focus on bubblegum. Sadly the population around the brewery doesn't appreciate it, so I'm left to my personal bubblegum search on the 1/2bbl pilot brewery. Lucky for me, it's also on my to take care of the batch.

In the recipe are notes from a discussion I had with White Labs concerning fermentation. If you aren't focused on bubblegum, a more typical fermentation program would probably be best. Cooler for clove, warmer for banana.

Picture of the batch that I just tapped. The carbonation is just a touch under, but it's delicious.

 

[redrocker652002]

Cool, maybe I will give that recipe a try too. With the Grainfather I can do all the temp steps in your recipe without too much trouble. Looks like it might be fun to try. Thanks.