Weissbier Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen

[Jeffro]

Ed, I've got some Crystal 4.4 hops I'm planning on using in your recipe. Do you think that'll be OK?

 

[EdWort]

Ed, I've got some Crystal 4.4 hops I'm planning on using in your recipe. Do you think that'll be OK?

No idea. I've never used Crystal. A true Bavarian Hefe will have a German noble hop.

 

[BakerStreetBeers]

My first batch of this has been bubbling away happily in my water heater closet since Sunday evening. I ended up with 6+ gallons as well as a lower OG -- about 1.040 -- too much runnings and didn't compensate with extended boil. That doesn't bother me too much -- it'll be weaker, but I've got more of it! The larger volume did lead to a small amount of beer coming up through the airlock on my ale pale. I have been following a tip I picked up on the apfelwein thread and using vodka in my airlocks so not overly worried about introducing nasties.

I have a question about this recipe. If you cold crash and keg, do you still end up with yeast in suspension creating a cloudy beer? I seem to remember reading that the official style guidelines allow for both a clear and cloudy version, but I've always associated Hefeweizen with a poured glass that is cloudy.

 

[EdWort]

It's OK to crash cool for a day or so. There's a lot of yeast in suspension and there will be plenty even after crash cooling.

 

[BakerStreetBeers]

Ed, in the immortal words of Wayne Newton, "Danke Shoen". This stuff is SO GOOD. My first batch has been pouring since Saturday and I like it more every day. It's got a big nose like your grandma's house when she's making banana nut bread, except it's cold and it's beer. The mouthfeel is creamy, incredibly smooth and the flavor is a bit sweet, but not overly so. There is quite a bit of the banana, and a nice touch of clove thrown in as well. I think my fermentation temps were maybe on the higher end -- need to get a thermometer in that water heater closet.

I'm a hophead. Or I thought I was until this beer. Well, ok, I'm still going to love me a nice aggressive, grapefruity IPA. But this beer is an entirely different part of the spectrum, maybe even a different spectrum altogether.

Man, that's good stuff. I just hope it doesn't peak out before my hefe-loving buddy from high school comes to visit in a couple of weeks. For that matter, I hope I don't drink it all before then!!

 

[EdWort]

Man, that's good stuff. I just hope it doesn't peak out before my hefe-loving buddy from high school comes to visit in a couple of weeks. For that matter, I hope I don't drink it all before then!!

Thanks. I actually bottled some and the O'Fallon HBT group drank a 22 oz. bottle 6 months later. It was still very tasty then. It's a great summer beer.

 

[Ryan]

I have a quick question. Was this ever made into an extract recipe? I am not an AG brewer yet, but would like to give this recipe a try.

 

[EdWort]

I have a quick question. Was this ever made into an extract recipe? I am not an AG brewer yet, but would like to give this recipe a try.

Give this one a try from Homebrewer_99. His extract brews kick butt.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32811

 

[Sigafoos]

Hey Ed, thanks for being awesome. My first AG was your APA and it looks like this will be my second. I have two questions:

In your original recipe, for the 7#/4#, what's your estimated efficiency? I put it into my software as 70, but wanted to be sure because I have a crazy attention to detail (I'm estimating 65 for myself, just because I'm getting used to my system).

Also, I thought I read somewhere that wheat generally requires a protein rest. Is that only for unmodified, and the stuff you're using is modified? I'm assuming what I get will be as well, but since I'm new to this I wanted to be sure.

 

[EdWort]

I usually get in the 80s as far as inefficiency goes, but the recipe is calculated for 75%. I used modified wheat malt, so a single infusion works fine.

The main thing with this beer is constant fermenting temps. Keep it between 65-68 degrees. It will ferment around 8-10 degrees higher than ambient for the first couple days just from the thermal activity of the yeast working.

 

[Sigafoos]

Hmm, yeah my fermenting temps are gonna kill me. I have no idea what it's going to be like from one day to the next, really... I need to invest in a fermentation chamber soon (as soon as SWMBO forgets about all the stuff I bought to go AG).

With 75% efficiency, BeerAlchemy is saying that the OG and abv are slightly higher than BJCP guidelines. I suppose it doesn't matter, but it's interesting to play around with things to see what changes (to go for 65% efficiency, it gave me slightly over 8 lbs wheat and 4.5 lbs pilsner, so I evened it out at 8 and 4 for easy buying, which took it down somewhat)

Oh, another thing since I'm bugging you... you said that this was still good 6 months later? I thought wheats had a shorter lifespan, and would go downhill in a month or so. It's part of the reason I've been wary to try one, because I already have a decent amount of beer that I'm slowly going through. I would, however, love to try this and so if it will last me through the fall then I'm all over it.

 

[FlyingHorse]

Hey Ed, thanks for being awesome.

Nothing beats an existential statement of goodness for signature material, huh Ed?

 

[EdWort]

I have had German Hefe's at 5.9% and mine tend to be on right on the cusp or over that. Cut back on the grain bill if you wish. I'm not brewing for BJCP, but for me.

Folks say that you need to drink Hefe's early, but if you want them to last, I recommend bottling it while the hefe is in suspension. If it sits in a keg for a month or two, you will need to rouse the yeast. The problem I have seen is I rouse too much and then have to wait a day or two because there is more yeast in suspension than I like.

 

[EdWort]

Nothing beats an existential statement of goodness for signature material, huh Ed?

What can I say? I need to remind SWMBO of this... :cross:

 

[tgrier]

Ed.

Can you give us your thoughts on the grain bill on this?
Some places I have read (joy of homebrew) and other recipes state that the wheat should either be equal with the barley or less that the barley.

Obviously you like it with more wheat than barley. Can you give some feedback or thoughts on this?
Thanks.
T

 

[EdWort]

Ed.

Can you give us your thoughts on the grain bill on this?
Some places I have read (joy of homebrew) and other recipes state that the wheat should either be equal with the barley or less that the barley.

Obviously you like it with more wheat than barley. Can you give some feedback or thoughts on this?
Thanks.
T

It's a wheat beer and a Bavarian Hefeweizen at that. German Hefe's MUST (by law) have a minimum of 50% wheat malt and some go up to 70%.

What other folks do or recommend for their wheat beers, whatever style does not matter. I want one that tastes like it is fresh off the plane from Munich which, IMHO, this beer does.

This is not for folks who don't like a Franziskanner or Paulener Hefeweizen, but if you do, this recipe will make you happy.

 

[Soulive]

but if you do, this recipe will make you happy.

That's me!

Now who has the clone for Weihenstephaner?? I'll take one for Moosbacher while we're at it...

 

[tgrier]

This is not for folks who don't like a Franziskanner or Paulener Hefeweizen, but if you do, this recipe will make you happy.

This is a double Negitive i think .. so If I DO like Franz and/or Paulener I SHOULD brew this beer. Correct?

Thanks ED.

I am brewing this tonight. .... T

 

[EdWort]

This is a double Negitive i think .. so If I DO like Franz and/or Paulener I SHOULD brew this beer. Correct?

Thanks ED.

I am brewing this tonight. .... T

If you like a good German Hefe, brew this beer. You will be happy. Can you do 68 degrees in this heat? Controlled fermentation temps are crucial to a good Hefe.

I'll be using Tettnanger with it this year as I have couple pounds of it. I'm sure it will substitute nicely for the Hallertau.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

When I put that grain bill into Beersmith I get an estimated OG of 1.057. Any thoughts on the discrepancy? Efficiency is set to 75.

 

[EdWort]

When I put that grain bill into Beersmith I get an estimated OG of 1.057. Any thoughts on the discrepancy? Efficiency is set to 75.

I used a calculator from tastybrews site.

 

[vfinch]

Great recipe! Before I brewed this recipe I tried 6 different commercial brands of Hefe's (due to me not have much experience with the style) and I have to say it blows them all away. Tonight I let a quasi-beer drinker who's never had a wheat beer before try a glass and they went "Wow, that's good!" and promptly asked for another glass when they were done. They also said "If this was available in the store I'd buy it no question at all."

Not much to say after that... thanks for the recipe! (PS: I used WLP300)

 

[SRTBREW]

Has anyone tried safbrew wb-06 with this recipe?

 

[EdWort]

Has anyone tried safbrew wb-06 with this recipe?

I don't recommend using wb-06 OR the Danstar Munich. Both dry yeasts will NOT make a Bavarian Hefeweizen. If you want to use a different yeast, the try White Labs WLP300, which is the same Weihenstephaner strain.

 

[Mustangj]

What do you think about using Sorachi Ace instead of Hallertauer?

 

[EdWort]

What do you think about using Sorachi Ace instead of Hallertauer?

NO, please use a German noble hop if you want an authentic Bavarian Hefe. I used Tettanger last weekend since I did not have hallertau hops.

 

[Mustangj]

I do have some Hallertauer but I have a lot more of Ace.

Alright i'll stick with the recipe.

 

[Mustangj]

Everything went real good.
Edwort.
Was your OG 1.052 or is that the suggested OG? I hit 1.045.

 

[EdWort]

That's suggested at 75% efficiency. Yours will be fine and easy drinking!

 

[k1v1116]

with the hop shortage I wasnt able to get a hold of hallertau but I do have crystal which I think is a relative of hallertau and listed as a possible substitute. if I use crystal will it still be in the hefe style or should I wait till I can get a hold of the right hops?