Weissbier Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen

[Hovik]

@ Jordan:
Can't comment on the hops question but I did a :90 boil and it turned out alright...

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

Quick question... for some reason I ordered 2 oz of Hallertau instead of 1 oz. I don't have any way to vacuum seal and I'm not sure I'll be brewing anything that calls for Hallertau soon enough to keep them fresh. Anyone have opinions on how dry hopping with the extra 1 oz will turn out? I looked at bumping up the 45 and 15 min additions with it but I'm afraid I'll bitter way out of style.

Also, this may have been answered already in the thread but are you doing a 90 or 60 min boil? I'm guessing 90 since there is pilsner malt involved.

To be honest, I dont really see what the big deal is. You bought 2 ounces, when they probably cost about $1-2 at most for an ounce. Its not that much to "waste". increase each addition a little bit, to keep it within style. Bag and freeze the other part, if you have some left, and maybe use it, maybe not. If not, you're only out a dollar or two. I did a 90 minute boil.

 

[razorbuck]

I had something happen recently involving this recipe that I found unusual. Me and some buds planned on brewing this over christmas break. When I got my yeast 3068 out of the fridge to make the starter it was clearly tainted. Not having the time to wait for some more 3068 to arrive and make a starter. I decided to use the same grains for a different recipe using other yeast I had on hand. I used 3944 and basically did a belgian white ale with this grain bill. I used .75 oz of both orange peel and coriander in the last 5 minutes and did the same mash process i use for a hoegarden clone. During fermentation it smelled citrusy like it should have. After the bottles had finally carbed I tried one and it really tastes a lot like a hefeweizen. The tart belgian white ale taste is not there like I have had before. You can faintly taste the orange peel and coriander, but you get more of the stereotypical banana/clove thing than the orange/coriander thing.

I have only been doing all grain for a year and a half so here is my big question. Is the grain bill for a certain beer that crucial to the resulting style? Also, I used white wheat instead of red. It is defintely good, but I can't believe how much it still has the hefeweizen characteristics

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

I had something happen recently involving this recipe that I found unusual. Me and some buds planned on brewing this over christmas break. When I got my yeast 3068 out of the fridge to make the starter it was clearly tainted. Not having the time to wait for some more 3068 to arrive and make a starter. I decided to use the same grains for a different recipe using other yeast I had on hand. I used 3944 and basically did a belgian white ale with this grain bill. I used .75 oz of both orange peel and coriander in the last 5 minutes and did the same mash process i use for a hoegarden clone. During fermentation it smelled citrusy like it should have. After the bottles had finally carbed I tried one and it really tastes a lot like a hefeweizen. The tart belgian white ale taste is not there like I have had before. You can faintly taste the orange peel and coriander, but you get more of the stereotypical banana/clove thing than the orange/coriander thing.

I have only been doing all grain for a year and a half so here is my big question. Is the grain bill for a certain beer that crucial to the resulting style? Also, I used white wheat instead of red. It is defintely good, but I can't believe how much it still has the hefeweizen characteristics

I may not be the best to answer this, but as far as I can tell, it is probably in the yeast. Im pretty sure the Hefe yeast is what brings out the clove/ banana flavors. Its the esthers that are produced by the yeast during fermentation. Not too sure why it would be banana heavy. You would think it would be more clove heavy and the orange peel/ coriander would help make it more like a Hoegaarden. Hmm...not sure what happened there.

I finally kegged and carbed mine, and it is super clove heavy. Very little if any banana. Almost too much clove to it. Has a nice haze that a hefe should, good hefe flavor, but a LOT of clove flavor to it. Its good, the wife likes it. And I do too. Tried it with a squeeze of lemon, and its okay, but we both prefer it without. Great recipe, I just need to hone my skills at all grain.

 

[Loodachris]

I finally made my temp controlled fermentation chamber and I will try again this weekend. I am using Wyeast 3068 and will add some Caramunich Malt for a tad bit more color. I plan on fermenting at or around the 65 degree mark so hopefully this works out. Is it the higher the temps the more banana flavor and lower temps more clove or the other way around? I guess if I just get in between I should be fine?

 

[oasisbliss]

I may not be the best to answer this, but as far as I can tell, it is probably in the yeast. Im pretty sure the Hefe yeast is what brings out the clove/ banana flavors. Its the esthers that are produced by the yeast during fermentation. Not too sure why it would be banana heavy. You would think it would be more clove heavy and the orange peel/ coriander would help make it more like a Hoegaarden. Hmm...not sure what happened there.

I finally kegged and carbed mine, and it is super clove heavy. Very little if any banana. Almost too much clove to it. Has a nice haze that a hefe should, good hefe flavor, but a LOT of clove flavor to it. Its good, the wife likes it. And I do too. Tried it with a squeeze of lemon, and its okay, but we both prefer it without. Great recipe, I just need to hone my skills at all grain.

SF, what temp did you ferment at ?

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

SF, what temp did you ferment at ?

Well, I dont really have a temp controlled area, other than a 2nd bedroom in my house. My starter went crazy, and I was thinking the fermentation was going to be crazy as well. I put it in a room that is constantly around 60 degrees. The fermometer on the side of my carboy was around 62-64 most of the time. I tried to warm it up to get more banana, using a space heater and blanket, and was able to get it up around 68 (on the fermometer), but not sure how long it actually stayed up there. So, I was pretty much expecting heavy clove flavor.

So, I would say most of the time it was 60-64 degrees. It was fermenting during a very cold time here in California, lots of freezing mornings. The beer also didn't really finish that low. About 1.014 I think. Doesnt taste overly sweet though. Motuhfeel and sweetness seem right on. Just heavy clove

 

[Loodachris]

Brewed this last night and pretty much hit all my numbers. It's happily fermenting away at 68 degrees in my freezer fermentation chamber. I opened it up this morning to look at it and the whole freezer smells like banana bread so hopefully it balances out and I don't get too much of that flavor in the beer. I'll bottle this one up instead of kegging and report back once I get a taste of it. I did add 3.0 oz of Caramunich malt to darken it up a little and comparing it too the Paulaner I was drinking it's not even close to the slight orange color of that so I'll have to adjust something at another time. It's all about the taste at this point but I would like to figure out how to get that color the Bavarian Hefeweizen's have.

 

[imgroovin]

Kinda new here I tried to search but couldn't find an answer. Followed this recipe and of was 1.050. Pitched yeast...4 days later 1.010. Temp got a bit high (72) in room after day 2. First two days were 60 ish. Do you think I'm ok to keg or should I let it sit? Also I know that's too warm for fermenting this beer but will it still taste good or should I start over?

 

[archer75]

Kinda new here I tried to search but couldn't find an answer. Followed this recipe and of was 1.050. Pitched yeast...4 days later 1.010. Temp got a bit high (72) in room after day 2. First two days were 60 ish. Do you think I'm ok to keg or should I let it sit? Also I know that's too warm for fermenting this beer but will it still taste good or should I start over?

why start over when you haven't even tasted it? personally I'd let it sit a couple more weeks. just because you hit your gravity doesn't mean it's done. the yeast need time to chew up any nasty byproducts they've created.

 

[imgroovin]

thanks, that's kinda what i thought but the gravity dropped so quick i thought it might have been a problem.

 

[Loodachris]

IMG_9927 by Ludahchris, on Flickr


Time to bottle. Looks like the 3oz of munich malt kinda put me right where I wanted to be on the color. If this tastes good then I might even go with 2oz and see what the color is then. 2 more weeks for a taste test and keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

 

[jl_ghs316]

Started my mash at 154 and it dropped down to 148 by the end. Hit the OG perfectly though. Used a large tea ball for the hops and it was packed. Probably wont get full utilization. Woke up this morning to a overflowing airlock! Had to hook up a blow-off tube. Hopefully this comes out better than my last weizen. It was spicy and looked like a red ale. Not sure what I messed up on that one!

 

[scotty2]

Spoke to a local brewer of excellent German beers today. He told me they do a single decoction with hefes. I didn't ask him at what temp he performs the decoction, so, I ask, if you were to do a single decoction, at what temp would you do it?

 

[Loodachris]

Bottled my last batch and while bottling it I took a sample taste and the same stupid sour off flavor taste that my other 2 had so I went and got more grains and brewed it again (4th time) and last night I kegged this one and again sour off flavor taste but not as harsh on this one. I have kept the batch in the bottles this time to see if the flavor mellows out some. The 3rd batch was fermented at 68 and this last batch was at 67. I am just about to give up if either of these do not taste right. I have no idea what the problem could be and doing a search on Google others have had the same problem. Maybe it's my water or something

 

[oasisbliss]

I have had the same problem if you figure it out let me know. Crazy, everything else I do is great.

 

[letmeholleratya]

Bottled my last batch and while bottling it I took a sample taste and the same stupid sour off flavor taste that my other 2 had so I went and got more grains and brewed it again (4th time) and last night I kegged this one and again sour off flavor taste but not as harsh on this one. I have kept the batch in the bottles this time to see if the flavor mellows out some. The 3rd batch was fermented at 68 and this last batch was at 67. I am just about to give up if either of these do not taste right. I have no idea what the problem could be and doing a search on Google others have had the same problem. Maybe it's my water or something

If it follows between batches, I'd think maybe something you're using is introducing infection. Is it just this recipe?

 

[Loodachris]

If it follows between batches, I'd think maybe something you're using is introducing infection. Is it just this recipe?

Can't rule that out but the Ipa I made about 2 hours after the hefeweizen turned out great and the same process was followed. It's now been 16 days in the bottle and I just poured one and I really think it's starting to mellow out. I have read that it's drinkable as soon as it's carbonated but maybe mine and whatever process I am doing makes it so I have to wait a bit longer? If that's the case then I have dumped 10 gallons on first impression taste alone I think I am still going to check the PH of my water and go from there. With the taste of this bottle of beer and how it's changing and if it continues to get better by the day then I will have to shop for a duel regulator and another Perlick to add to the fridge!

 

[papab]

This is hands down the BEST homemade hefe I've ever had
Thanks Edworth
I'm making another 5 gallons, everybody love it

 

[mike_in_ak]

This is hands down the BEST homemade hefe I've ever had
Thanks Edworth
I'm making another 5 gallons, everybody love it

But where does it rank among all hefes you've drank?

 

[papab]

Top 10 IMO anyway is really smooth, easy to drink, refreshing and you're drinking it within a couple of weeks (I'm kegging )

 

[letmeholleratya]

Can't rule that out but the Ipa I made about 2 hours after the hefeweizen turned out great and the same process was followed. It's now been 16 days in the bottle and I just poured one and I really think it's starting to mellow out. I have read that it's drinkable as soon as it's carbonated but maybe mine and whatever process I am doing makes it so I have to wait a bit longer? If that's the case then I have dumped 10 gallons on first impression taste alone I think I am still going to check the PH of my water and go from there. With the taste of this bottle of beer and how it's changing and if it continues to get better by the day then I will have to shop for a duel regulator and another Perlick to add to the fridge!

The overstated (but good) advice - don't dump your beer! Especially early on. Beer tends to be very forgiving, and off flavors can have a tendency to fade away with time. I'm sure yours will turn out fine.

My batch seemed good to go as soon as it carbed. I did leave it in the primary for 3 weeks, though.

I need to get on the perlick train, too. I'm still rockin the cobra taps, haha.

 

[Rahahb]

This one is bubbling away! Thanks for the recipe.

 

[EnVinoVeritas]

Bavarian Hefeweizen 5.5 Gallon

7# German Wheat
4# German Pils
.5# Rice Hulls (if needed to prevent stuck mash)
Orange zest and some honey malt maybe?

Mash for 90 minutes at 153 degrees.

.75 Hallertau @ 45
.25 Hallertau @ 15


Ferment 10 days at 68 degrees then crash cool & keg.

O.G. 1.052
F.G. 1.009

5.6% abv[/QUOTE]

 

[rjthomas21]

Has anybody ever brewed a version of this and added orange zest or coriander or any other type of adjunct? I'm brewing this for my sister's wedding and would like to do 9 gallons, 5 using the original version and the remainder I would add something else too (she likes orange/lemon in her wheat beer).

Also, the original recipe was awesome and definitely recommend this to anybody looking for a wheat beer. It took 1st place in the Cat 15 at a BeerFestival in Atlanta over the weekend.

 

[Rahahb]

Sulfur smell here too! It's been fermenting on the money at 68 until this morning where the temp has fallen to 64-65. I've only brewed 1 other beer that smelled of sulfur during ferment but I don't remember the details on that one. I do remember the smell subsided after a few days and the beer tasted fine. I sure hope this one clears up.

 

[brewinchef_fairfax]

Mine cleared after 3 weeks in the bottle. The sulfur was high during primary - but then faded quickly. I ferment around 64 or 66 degrees - haven't gone as high as 68 for this one.

 

[oasisbliss]

What is the consensus on the boil time on this recipe as it has a lot of pilsner? Concerned about DMS 60 or 90 min? - thanks for input on this....

 

[Bakerboy2222]

Starr Hill Brewery (Charlottesville, VA) has a Hefe called The Love which I can get in a bottle or on tap at work. They claim their strain of yeast came from a Munich Hefe. If I could get some from a bottle or the dregs of a keg, do you recommend subbing that yeast for the original in the recipe?

 

[anico4704]

Brewing this for the second time today, my numbers were a bit off last time but it turned out amazing, hopefully this one also turns out good, mashing in right now. Great recipe.

 

[anico4704]

What is the consensus on the boil time on this recipe as it has a lot of pilsner? Concerned about DMS 60 or 90 min? - thanks for input on this....

I've done 60 minute boils with everything that has less than 50% pils and I have had no issues at all.

 

[oasisbliss]

I've done 60 minute boils with everything that has less than 50% pils and I have had no issues at all.

Thanks Anic !

 

[anico4704]

Thanks Anic !

No problem you will probably get a lot of mixed answers on this subject but my boiloff is quite high and like i said i have never had a problem which the boiloff may be a reason why

 

[akorpija]

What are the odds I end up with a stuck sparge? Just asking as I can't seem to find rice hulls to purchase...

 

[anico4704]

What are the odds I end up with a stuck sparge? Just asking as I can't seem to find rice hulls to purchase...

I would say almost 100%. Even with rice hulls it basically turns into a rock especially if you dont mash out. I would defintely get rice hulls otherwise you could have a very long brewday

 

[letmeholleratya]

I would say almost 100%. Even with rice hulls it basically turns into a rock especially if you dont mash out. I would defintely get rice hulls otherwise you could have a very long brewday

I forgot rice hulls when I made this recipe last. I mashed a little thinner, and didn't have any problems with a stuck sparge.

 

[anico4704]

I forgot rice hulls when I made this recipe last. I mashed a little thinner, and didn't have any problems with a stuck sparge.

Normally the sparge is where i run into most of my issues. Do you batch or fly sparge? I think mashing out would help as you wouldnt have the brick of protiens at the end of the first runnings and sparge

 

[letmeholleratya]

Normally the sparge is where i run into most of my issues. Do you batch or fly sparge? I think mashing out would help as you wouldnt have the brick of protiens at the end of the first runnings and sparge

I batch sparge. I was pretty worried that it would get stuck, but it never happened. Maybe I just got lucky

 

[Ramarok]

I brewed this recipe yesterday. Everything went great and I even overshot my pre-boil gravity by .002 (1.042 instead of 1.040). OG came in low though as I misjudged my boil off and had to much left in the kettle after boil (1.049 instead of 1.052). Oh well I still made beer!

Looking forward to trying this in a few weeks. FYI, this was my second batch ever. Did all grain using BIAB, 5.5 gallon batch size. Fermenting at 65F in a temp controlled chest freezer and already bubbling like crazy this morning after 12 hours since pitching.

 

[Amesanite]

Just made a 1.5 gal batch of this. It smelled so good. Overshot my OG and hit 1.060. It'll be a little out of style but I hope it's still yummy. Will the extra 1% alcohol effect the taste a lot?

Many thanks for the recipe sir!