Danstar Munich VS Fermentis WB-06 (Happy Wife Wheat)

[FSR402]

With all the mixed reviews (most being not very good) and that I was able to get some of the new Danstar Munich dry wheat yeast even though Danstar said that it was not out yet. I wanted to try these both out head to head.
The wife has been wanting a light summer wheat beer so I figured that this would be a great way to put them against each other.

Here was the brew.

Happy Wife Wheat
American Wheat or Rye Beer


Type: All Grain
Date: 5/31/2008
Batch Size: 12.00 gal
Brewer: Part Time Brewery
Boil Size: 14.37 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 75 min Equipment: Brew Pot (15 Gal) and Igloo Cooler (20 Gal)
Brewhouse Efficiency: 77.00


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9 lbs Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
9 lbs Wheat - Red Malt (Briess) (2.3 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
2.00 oz Perle pellets [5.70 %] (75 min) Hops 19.5 IBU
0.50 oz Perle pellets [5.70 %] (45 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
2.00 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Wheat yeast (DCL Yeast #WB-06) Yeast-Ale
1 Pkgs Wheat yeast (Danstar Munich ) Yeast-Ale


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.042 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.040 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Measured Final Gravity:
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 3.85 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol:
Bitterness: 23.7 IBU Calories: 177 cal/pint
Est Color: 3.3 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Double Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 18.00 lb
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
TunTemperature: 100.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.2 PH

Double Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 16.20 qt of water at 136.1 F 122.0 F
45 min Saccrification Add 14.40 qt of water at 197.4 F 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 16.92 qt of water at 211.7 F 168.0 F
Sparge Water: 4.65 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F



After all was said and done I split it up into two 6.5 gal carboys and one I added the Danstar Munich and the other I added the Fermentis WB-06.
It was about 8pm when I finished and then my old man and I sat around until 11 drinking. I had to tell him to leave when he got up to pull another draft and had to hold onto my car on the way to the kezzer. lol
I then stuck the carboys into the back bathroom because I was drunk and did not want to carry these things down stairs to the fermenting room.
This morning now 8 hours later the Fermentis WB-06 brew was gassing off strong but the Danstar Munich was not doing jack.
I then brought them down to the fermenting room and went out for the day. It's now 24 hours after pitching and the Danstar Munich is blowing away the Fermentis WB-06.
Here is the brews, Fermentis WB-06 on the right and Danstar Munich on the left. The Danstar Munich may have taken longer to get going but is fermenting much more vigorous now. I may need to add a blow-off tube before I go to bed.

Both are sitting right at 70*F. Once the fermentaion slows I'll drop it to 65* for two weeks. Then I will most likely keg, carb and drink.
I will update this as it goes.

 

[FSR402]

One hour later the Danstar has pushed the foam up to the airlock. Not into it, but up to it. So I have added the blow-off tube. The Fermentis has not changed.
Night all....

 

[yelloww]

I'm very interested to know more about those two yeasts. Please keep us in the loop..

thanks for doing such an experimentation

Yel

 

[Tonedef131]

I am really glad someone is doing this experiment, I was planning to soon if something didn't pop up. I anticipate updates.

 

[EdWort]

Where did you get it and how much was it? I am interested in how it compares to Weihenstephan 3068.

 

[FSR402]

Where did you get it and how much was it? I am interested in how it compares to Weihenstephan 3068.

I assume you are asking about the Danstar. I got it from my LHBS and I "think" it was like $2.50 for an 11.5 g pack. I don't remember exactly because I always buy a bunch of stuff at the same time.

But as far as Danstar says, my LHBS does not have it and when I got it back in April Danstar said that no one has it yet.


As far as an update goes...

I pulled the blow-off tube last night and replaced the cap and airlock. I normaly leave the blow-off until done but I wanted to clean it before it dried out and I just throw it out.
The Danstar was not foaming up anymore and the the bubbles slowed down to one per 30 sec. The Fermentis was still gassing off as fast as it was but the foam had dropped some.
So far I would say that the Danstar foams more, takes a little longer to get started but goes faster once it does.

 

[mew]

I'm interested to see updates. Faster is not always better.

 

[FSR402]

I'm interested to see updates. Faster is not always better.

This is true. But going by it's a wheat beer yeast the Danstar so far is acting the same as the WLP300 I use on all my heff's where as the Fermentis is not.

 

[EdWort]

Austin Home Brew has the Danstar Munich for $2.99 a packet.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_21_77_157_402

 

[Desert_Sky]

Austin Home Brew has the Danstar Munich for $2.99 a packet.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_21_77_157_402

Recommended fermentation temperature range is 55-66 F

wow, pretty low fermenting temps for a wheat beer. I normally ferment mine at 66-68 and thought that was on the lower side of the temp range for the strains

 

[FSR402]

wow, pretty low fermenting temps for a wheat beer. I normally ferment mine at 66-68 and thought that was on the lower side of the temp range for the strains

I don't know where they got that info...

From the Danstar site.

Brewing Properties

• Quick start and vigorous fermentation, which can be completed in 4 days above 17°C.
• Medium to high attenuation.
• Fermentation rate, fermentation time and degree of attenuation are dependent on inoculation density, yeast handling, fermentation temperature and the nutritional quality of the wort.
• Munich is a non flocculent strain. In classic open fermentation vessels, the yeast can be skimmed off the top. Some settling can be promoted by cooling and use of fining agents and isinglass.
• Aroma is estery to both palate and nose with typical banana notes. Does not display malodours when properly handled. Munich yeast has found widespread use in the production of German Weizen and Hefeweizen.
• Munich yeast is best used at traditional ale temperatures after rehydration in the recommended manner.

 

[zoebisch01]

I had posted a while back about this, glad to see someone was able to get a hold of it. I brew Wheat's regularly. My gut feeling from the get-go was that the Danstar Munich would probably be a good yeast...I suppose time will tell. Glad to see some HBS's carrying it now. The original list was rather small .

 

[FSR402]

I had posted a while back about this, glad to see someone was able to get a hold of it. I brew Wheat's regularly. My gut feeling from the get-go was that the Danstar Munich would probably be a good yeast...I suppose time will tell. Glad to see some HBS's carrying it now. The original list was rather small .

Yeah you were saying back then that no one had it but yet I had two packets that I had for a month aready.

I'll get a pic of them tonight.
The Danstar fermented very quick and hard, the Fermentis is still gassing off.
They look like two different beers all together. I will most likely keg them up this weekend.

 

[EdWort]

Another week or so, and it's drinky time!!!! Please pick up a Franziskanner or Paulaner Hefe for proper comparison. I'm looking forward to the results!

 

[FSR402]

Another week or so, and it's drinky time!!!! Please pick up a Franziskanner or Paulaner Hefe for proper comparison. I'm looking forward to the results!

You and me both Ed, you and me both....


Here they are at 9 days after pitch.
Danstar on the left and Fermentis on the right.

 

[sully]

is it just the lighting or is the fermentis a lighter color?

 

[FSR402]

is it just the lighting or is the fermentis a lighter color?

Nope no light trick.. Like I said, they look like two different beers.

 

[nathan]

that's just wild! See if you can get someone to do a triangular tasting on you (and you can do on them) and cover the cups with paper so you don't see the color.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Nope no light trick.. Like I said, they look like two different beers.

the difference is flocculation

 

[miatawnt2b]

very interesting indeed. I can't wait to hear your results. I am one of the WB-06 haters, but am still very interested to hear what you have to say about it. I hope we can find a good dry heffe yeast.
-J

 

[FSR402]

I picked up some new kegs. I'm not drinking on the week days anymore because it really kills my training. So I'm not getting the kegs empty in time. Oh well, more kegs are a good thing too.

Was planing to keg it tomorrow but my mother had a bad stroke two weeks ago. We thought that she was going to be in rehab for a few months but she's a fighter and really wants to go home. So she's going home next week some time. That means tomorrow after I finish my triathlon training I have to go and build a ramp on the front of her house. I may not get it kegged up until Sunday night or Monday night now. But I'll give you an update when I keg and again a week later when I pull the first pints.

 

[EdWort]

Take care of Mom first! The beer will be fine and we'll be patiently waiting. Good vibes coming you Mom's way for a speedy recovery!

 

[FSR402]

Take care of Mom first! The beer will be fine and we'll be patiently waiting. Good vibes coming you Mom's way for a speedy recovery!

Thanks Ed....


Ok here are my thoughts for what they are worth.
I kegged them up tonight. Both finshed at 1.008-1.009.
After I took the hydo sample I put it in a glass so I could give it a good once over. I did this for both.

The fermentis......

Nice hase and straw yellow color. Very slight banana scent when I swirl the glass.
Flavor is light, clean and no esters with a dry finish.


Danstar......

Very clear for a wheat but I can't quite see thru it.
light yeast scent but no banana or spicy esters.
Thin, watery and not much flavor at all.


My opinion as of right now is that neither of these will make a heffe. Neither of these seem to produce the banana or clove that say a wlp300 will. So if you are looking for a dry Heffe yeast, you will need to keep looking.
I do think that these wiil turn out to be good beers just not a Heffe. A good American wheat I think they can make. One to drink while sitting around a camp fire.

Both kegs are in the kezzer and chilling/carbing and I hope to try them again Sunday when I brew again.

 

[EdWort]

Thanks for the update! You would think that at 70 degrees you would have bananas up the ying yang.

 

[FSR402]

Thanks for the update! You would think that at 70 degrees you would have bananas up the ying yang.

Yeah I held them at 70 for 3 days and then as they slowed down the temp started to drop so I fired up the heater to keep them up there. I actually screwed up and forgot to check it before going to bed. When I rememberd the next day they were up to 76*. Being that the mass of fermentation was done I figured it should be fine and I brought the temps back down.

Sure enough I don't get any off flavors from getting hot.

 

[Tonedef131]

So the danstar sounds a lot like an American wheat yeast, I might have to try that next time I make a batch of my American wheat.

 

[FSR402]

So the danstar sounds a lot like an American wheat yeast, I might have to try that next time I make a batch of my American wheat.

I would say that the only difference between this and the Notty is that it does not floculate out as much.

For a wheat I think (at this stage) that the fermentis is better. But once they are cold and carbed that may change.

 

[Danek]

My opinion as of right now is that neither of these will make a heffe. Neither of these seem to produce the banana or clove that say a wlp300 will.

Shame about the Danstar. I tried the fermentis in the low 70s with Edwort's hefe recipe, and it was clean as a whistle. If I hadn't known which yeast it was I would have guessed US-05 - there were no yeast-led flavors at all. It's nice beer, but if we want clove or banana, I think we need to look elsewhere.

 

[FSR402]

Danstar..

Appearance:
Beautiful color and haze, what one would expect to see with a wheat. It produced a great head with bright white bubbles. After about 10 minutes the head dropped down to a thin layer and has stayed throughout the glass. Did not produce any lacing though.


Aroma:
A slight bready smell and just a very little hint of the orange peel. No off smells that I can make out.

Flavor:
One word can describe this, "clean".... It's crisp, dry, and a little bit of citrus.

Overall:
This has turned out to be a nice light easy drinking beer. One that would be perfect for the hot days.
But as for the yeast being a Heffe, not a chance. An American wheat is what I would call it.
If I had some lemonade in the house I would drop a little in the glass. I think it would make a great shandy.



Fermentis...

Appearance:
Kind of a coppery gold, a little darker then the Danstar with a little more haze. Produced a great head that dropped to a thin layer after about 5 minutes and is lacing the glass.


Aroma:
Not much there. I can smell the wheat malt and something that makes me think of pepper.

Flavor:
A touch sour and watery. There is a hint of yeast bite but other then that it's bland.


Overall:
This yeast sucks. Does not produce anything that I would want to do again. No heffe characteristics and what it does produce is not all that good.
Maybe I'll open her up and drop in some more orange and maybe some lemon...


I think the Danstar is a far better yeast then the Fermentis but if you want a heffe, use something else...

 

[Danek]

Fermentis...

Flavor:
A touch sour and watery. There is a hint of yeast bite but other then that it's bland.

I get the sour thing as well. I thought it could have been down to something in my brewing process, but if you get it too then I guess it's a characteristic of the yeast .