Weissbier Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen

[MelsBigOleBrew]

There are plenty of people who will be able to assist you more than me but I think it honestly depends on your brew system.

Do you know your boil off rate? How much wort is left after the mash? Do you BIAB all grain or use mash-tun?

I use BIAB All-Grain system and get within a half gallon my boil volume and use 170 deg. water to sparge with til I reach pre boil volume.

Boil off can be figured out by just taking the time to boil water for a hour and mark your kettle and know how much your putting in and how much your losing.

Good luck, hope this helps until one of the HBT guru's comes to help.

Thank you for that. I'm honestly being lazy. I know there are a few calculations and such that I can do to basically figure it out. The main thing is that I am batch sparging, like Ed does, and I know that he has probably adjusted the grain bill to account for that.

I tried using beersmith on Ed's kolsch, and the beer came out a little low on the alcohol content because I diluted it too much and didn't boil it down enough.

I was hoping to get some input in order to avoid that problem again. For what it's worth: 10 gallon igloo coolder tun with braided mash tun filter. No boil in bag. Hops in mesh bags.

Thanks for any help!

Mel

 

[brewmesomewater]

Thank you for that. I'm honestly being lazy. I know there are a few calculations and such that I can do to basically figure it out. The main thing is that I am batch sparging, like Ed does, and I know that he has probably adjusted the grain bill to account for that.

I tried using beersmith on Ed's kolsch, and the beer came out a little low on the alcohol content because I diluted it too much and didn't boil it down enough.

I was hoping to get some input in order to avoid that problem again. For what it's worth: 10 gallon igloo coolder tun with braided mash tun filter. No boil in bag. Hops in mesh bags.

Thanks for any help!

Mel

Okay sounds like you just need to trouble shoot your system, being that the variables vary so much there is no way you could just plug that into any beer software and it spit out the answers.

It only takes one time, and once you know how much you lose to the mash, how much you need to sparge with to reach the proper boil volume/how much is boiled off/your efficiency then you will be able to brew the beer and predict the outcome right on.

As for the lower abv, I think you were meaning your OG came in low. I wouldn't mess with the grain bill too much though until you are getting your prewort volume, and your boil loss correct/consistent efficiencies.

Cody

 

[bembel]

EdWort I need to thank you! I have used this recipe ( and slight variations) to make 8 batches thus far and the last batch won 1st place in the 2015 Boston Homebrew Competition in class and took 2nd in Best of Show out of 351 other entries! I filter it to make it a Krystal but everything else is pretty much the same. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1431355186.801419.jpg

 

[quik_sk8]

How long are you boiling this for? Does it need to be longer to get rid of DMS from the Pilsner? Sorry if this has been gone over already, I'm at work and the app isn't as easy to scroll through as my computer.

 

[bbohanon]

This is mine 4 days into the kegs. Not fully carbed just yet, but very, very tasty. I used WLP300 for my yeast and fermented in the mid to upper 60's. I also mashed/recirced at 149 for the full 90min and boiled for 60 as noted in the orig recipe.

This one fermented like a demon and had to put in blowoffs on both fermenters.
Ended up landing a bit higher on the ABV due to me getting much better efficiency than I had expected. I ended up with right at 6.5% ABV.

Initial tasting notes are that I got alot of clove on the front end and banana on the back end taste wise with this one.
One of the better hefe's I have brewed and true to the bavarian style as I made sure to only use german malts on this one.
This batch will be making the trip to the beach with me and I expect it to go very quickly.

 

[rbyount]

I have brewed this 3 times over the past year (last batch just got bottled). Wheat beers have never been my favorite, but a friend wanted to start brewing and really loves wheat beers, so I brewed a wheat beer with him.

Great recipe, great beer! My family and friends have enjoyed this very much!

 

[TxBigHops]

68 degrees ambient will be 75-78 degrees during fermentation due to the heat generated unless you have some method of temp control at the fermenter. I tape the sensor of my Love Controller to the bucket. Other folks use a thermowell.

The Weihenstephan strain is a banana intensive strain, truly from Germany and it makes a great Hefe.

This recipe is pretty close to a Franziskanner or Paulener Hefe.

I don't have the palate to discern the differences between various German Hefe's, but I want to brew a batch for a friend who does. Ayinger is his favorite. I've tried to find a clone recipe, but I keep coming back to this thread since it is such a popular recipe. If I wanted to start with this and make a few mods to make it more like Ayinger, what could I try?

Thanks.

 

[bembel]

I will crack open an Ayinger later today and do my best to advise

 

[TxBigHops]

I will crack open an Ayinger later today and do my best to advise

So bembel, any thoughts yet on this vs Ayinger?

 

[shelly_belly]

How long are you boiling this for? Does it need to be longer to get rid of DMS from the Pilsner? Sorry if this has been gone over already, I'm at work and the app isn't as easy to scroll through as my computer.

I only boiled mine for 60 mins (vigorously) and could not detect any DMS. Mine also picked up a gold medal at the Alabama State Homebrew Competition.

 

[bembel]

So bembel, any thoughts yet on this vs Ayinger?

Sorry TxBigHops, I got distracted by my cider, ill open one as soon as I finish work today and let you know!

 

[TxBigHops]

Sorry TxBigHops, I got distracted by my cider, ill open one as soon as I finish work today and let you know!

No rush. I just thought you forgot about me.

I'm not brewing this until late summer/early fall.

 

[bbohanon]

I am mowing through my 10 gallon batch I made about a month ago on this waaaaaaaaaaaaay too quickly..this one is very good and everyone is requesting it when they stop by the watering hole. I am about to tap into the second 5 gallon keg already. I dont think any of this will make it to July.

Highly recommended for this time of year if you love Hefe's.

 

[olotti]

Great recipe. I used wlp300 hefe yeast and fermented cool in the mid to low 60's and the esters were not overly estery, prob more clove than banana and I think I'd like a little more of the banana/bubblegum flavor like a franziskaner but after the beer bottle conditioned I noticed the last few def had that so maybe I drank it a little soon or I'll ferment a little warmer next time. Still solid recipe I'm planning on brewing again soon as my wife and I love hefes in the summer.

 

[bembel]

No rush. I just thought you forgot about me.

I'm not brewing this until late summer/early fall.

Your friend is going to be PSYCHED!!!! This recipe is dead on if you ferment at 62 and pitch properly. I would pitch at 62 as well, I pitched low at 55 last batch thinking to follow the 'rule of 30', wanting to ramp it up to 62 and had a hard time getting going, even with a nice starter, until I warmed things up into the mid 60's, and by then the temp swing had freaked out the bugs and I got a banana explosion followed by a stuck fermentation at 1.025 when I tried to cool it back down. Mosher's book to the rescue, made a half liter starter and let if go just PAST high krausen, then added it to the stuck and had nice little bubbles a day later at 62F, now its dried out down at about 1010.

Ironically

I have made 11 attempts brews in the past 4 months using this recipe, all chasing Weihenstephaner with slight variations to dial it in, but can't quite get the clove forward enough nor mimic the lingering malt sweetness. However this bottle of Ayinger is much more subtle in both clove and banana and finished crisper without the maltiness. If this is your friends favorite beer, you found your clone!

Incidentally, I also drank a Weihenstephaner Dunkel last night, which was very bananna forward vs. their Hefewizen

Included a shot of the bottle cap, which is pretty cool, you can make a label from it if you like

Cheers!

 

[TxBigHops]

Your friend is going to be PSYCHED!!!! This recipe is dead on if you ferment at 62 and pitch properly. I would pitch at 62 as well, I pitched low at 55 last batch thinking to follow the 'rule of 30', wanting to ramp it up to 62 and had a hard time getting going, even with a nice starter, until I warmed things up into the mid 60's, and by then the temp swing had freaked out the bugs and I got a banana explosion followed by a stuck fermentation at 1.025 when I tried to cool it back down. Mosher's book to the rescue, made a half liter starter and let if go just PAST high krausen, then added it to the stuck and had nice little bubbles a day later at 62F, now its dried out down at about 1010.

Ironically

I have made 11 attempts brews in the past 4 months using this recipe, all chasing Weihenstephaner with slight variations to dial it in, but can't quite get the clove forward enough nor mimic the lingering malt sweetness. However this bottle of Ayinger is much more subtle in both clove and banana and finished crisper without the maltiness. If this is your friends favorite beer, you found your clone!

Incidentally, I also drank a Weihenstephaner Dunkel last night, which was very bananna forward vs. their Hefewizen

Included a shot of the bottle cap, which is pretty cool, you can make a label from it if you like

Cheers!

You are awesome bembel!!! :rockin:

I will be sure to follow this recipe to a T. I just hope I can control the ferment temps, as this is probably the biggest weakness in my brewing process. Been using swamp cooler method which does fine in the winter and with the styles I normally brew. Probably be a bigger deal with this beer and the time of year I'll be brewing it in Houston. Time to start looking for a freezer to convert.

 

[CGish]

Finally got a decent picture. Good Beer - Thank Edwort!

 

[zamo27]

Can the pis be substituted to Vienna? I don't care about authenticity

 

[bbohanon]

Mine has been in the keg for over a month now and its cleared up quite a bit. Still tastes great!

 

[QuebecCity]

I did this with canadian grains and wheat it turned out amazing. I suggest serving it with a slice of orange while sitting on the deck.

 

[jwalkermed]

Cheers from your neighbor (kinda close) in Boerne.

 

[bembel]

Switched out the yeast this time as I was told the 380 gives a much stronger clove profile, Has anyone tried this vs. the 3068 from Wyeast? I pitched a batch 12 days ago and still have a thick kreusen ( but little to no airlock activity), even though I let this one ferment at 66 vs my normal 62, Normally with 3068 or 3056, I have a crystal clear surface after 5-6 days, the only difference is that I have had a blow off tube connected to a bottle a foot below the fill line rather than a regular airlock, might be adding some head space pressure?

 

[wanderer316]

The coolest place in my house in July and August is the basement, at about 70F. I don't have a way to keep wort colder than that. I decided to try this recipe after brewing a Pale Ale with a lot of off flavors and after trying a Hefeweizen at Two Roads Brewery, not far from my house, that was a very nice beer. It was bubbling nicely after 24 hours. I then left for a day and a half and then found the lid to my fermenting bucket about 4 feet away from the bucket. I re-sanitized the bucket lid and bubbler and put them back on. I am hoping that there was enough of a CO2 blanket over the wort to protect if from whatever air it was exposed to. Not much else I can do at this point except proceed and see what I end up with. I haven't ever used a blow off tube and assumed I was ok, since I was using a bucket and not a carboy with a constricted neck, but I guess I was wrong. First explosion like this in about 3 years of brewing.

 

[bembel]

The coolest place in my house in July and August is the basement, at about 70F. I don't have a way to keep wort colder than that. I decided to try this recipe after brewing a Pale Ale with a lot of off flavors and after trying a Hefeweizen at Two Roads Brewery, not far from my house, that was a very nice beer. It was bubbling nicely after 24 hours. I then left for a day and a half and then found the lid to my fermenting bucket about 4 feet away from the bucket. I re-sanitized the bucket lid and bubbler and put them back on. I am hoping that there was enough of a CO2 blanket over the wort to protect if from whatever air it was exposed to. Not much else I can do at this point except proceed and see what I end up with. I haven't ever used a blow off tube and assumed I was ok, since I was using a bucket and not a carboy with a constricted neck, but I guess I was wrong. First explosion like this in about 3 years of brewing.

you can chill it with a swamp cooler, put a wet T-shirt over the bucket and aim a fan at it, keep the t-shirt wet, should get you a few degrees cooler, and thats all it takes

 

[brew703]

I am planning on brewing a 1 gallon version to this recipe. I have a couple questions:
- Can I use Safale WB-06 instead of Wyeast 3068? If so should I just pitch 1/2 of the package? If there is a better yeast, let me know. At this point in my brewing career I'm not yet comfortable using liquid yeast.
-I read thru 65 pages of this post. I believe someone mentioned red wheat. Is this preferred over Weyermann German Light (Pale) Wheat Malt? Just want to make sure I get the correct grain.
- Rice hulls.. I am a BIAB brewer. is rice hulls necessary> I know the recipe says "if needed". If it's necessary then I will get some.

I do not want to stray from the original recipe. If using dry yeast will make alot of difference then I'll use liquid and figure it out.
Thanks
Eddie

 

[bembel]

Id shoot for a 2.5 to 3 gallon batch. No need for rice hulls if you are BIAB and def use a smack pack of 3068. It's perfect for a 3 gallon batch. Dry yeast just does not produce the same esters and phenols of liquid yeast. They use strains of yeast that are suited for dehydration. In the case of Torulaspora (Hefeweizen yeast) they have not quite gotten that right yet

 

[brew703]

Thanks for the reply. I'll hold off making this one until I get a larger carboy and a bigger kettle.

 

[Subdivisions]

I am planning on brewing a 1 gallon version to this recipe. I have a couple questions:
- Can I use Safale WB-06 instead of Wyeast 3068? If so should I just pitch 1/2 of the package? If there is a better yeast, let me know. At this point in my brewing career I'm not yet comfortable using liquid yeast.
-I read thru 65 pages of this post. I believe someone mentioned red wheat. Is this preferred over Weyermann German Light (Pale) Wheat Malt? Just want to make sure I get the correct grain.
- Rice hulls.. I am a BIAB brewer. is rice hulls necessary> I know the recipe says "if needed". If it's necessary then I will get some.

I do not want to stray from the original recipe. If using dry yeast will make alot of difference then I'll use liquid and figure it out.
Thanks
Eddie

I did a cherry wheat extract kit from my LHBS late in the winter when I was recovering from a broken leg. It had Safale WB-06 yeast. It was in the upper 50s in my basement but it chugged away and was done in 2 weeks. It had a nice clove flavor to it, mainly due to the cold temperature I'm assuming. Don't know if it gives off banana esters at warmer temps but I liked it. It may be more like WLP380 than the 300 or wyeast 3068

 

[Livendadream]

Finally! 5 attempts and it's perfect! The first was an extract version, my wife's favorite. Next 2 partial mash attempts. Lastly 2 all grain versions, with this last one bordering on phenomenal! I followed eds recipe exactly except I added 2 oz of acid malt. My well h2o is extremely alkaline, so I figured the acid malt would help with mash. All my numbers were an exact match with eds. I kept the fermentation temps between 62F-65F ,then let it go to 75F after 7 days. It's 90 degrees right now and this beer is tasting sooooo good! Pictures to come. Prost!

 

[Subdivisions]

Finally! 5 attempts and it's perfect! The first was an extract version, my wife's favorite. Next 2 partial mash attempts. Lastly 2 all grain versions, with this last one bordering on phenomenal! I followed eds recipe exactly except I added 2 oz of acid malt. My well h2o is extremely alkaline, so I figured the acid malt would help with mash. All my numbers were an exact match with eds. I kept the fermentation temps between 62F-65F ,then let it go to 75F after 7 days. It's 90 degrees right now and this beer is tasting sooooo good! Pictures to come. Prost!

Congrats. Maybe try the acid malt in all your beers. I've seen many people on here that use it to get their PH down