Dry Yeast for Hefeweizen

[Hebby5]

Hello all!

Its summer and the hefeweizen has been flowing through my homebrewery. My hefeweizen recipe has been as follows for a 5G batch:

5 lb American - White Wheat 47.6%
5 lb German - Pilsner 47.6%
0.5 lb Belgian - Caramel Pils 4.8%
1 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh - 60min

I made it twice and fermented both versions at 62F. One time each with the following:

~White Labs - Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast WLP380
~Wyeast - German Wheat 3333


Loved the results and both were more clove, citrus notes, and low low banana. I want to bump the fermentation temp up a little more as I'd like a touch more banana. I'm thinking 65F for my next attempt.

I went to NHC Baltimore back in June and got some yeast samples from Lallemand and Fermentis:

~Lallemand Munich Classic Ale Yeast
~Lallemand Munich Wheat Beer Yeast
~Fermentis Safbrew WB-06

Each company's website for both say that these yeast strains are suited for hefeweizen recipes. I've heard positive results from WB-06.

I made a starter for my WL380 version but not for the Wyeast 3333. I think I liked the WLP380 a touch better out of the two and would probably make a starter for my next attempt regardless of which strain I pick.


Any thoughts on these 3 dry yeast strains? Blending 2? Thoughts?

It will be my next brew and will post results.

As always, I appreciate everyone's feedback.

Cheers!

Chris

Ps. Happy 4th of July!!

 

[Erik_Mog]

I recently used the WB-06 in a Hefeweizen, and like the results. I started it at 68F and after 24 hours bumped it up to 73F (Fermentis says to get the most Banana ferment >73.4F). I got a good balance of clove and banana, with banana being more prominent. If you are using BeerSmith, the information on the WB-06 is incorrect. It shows 68% attenuation, and Fermentis shows 86% max. I got right at 81% AA so my planned 4.3% ABV Hefe was 5.2%. I did a secondary with 3# of Blood Orange puree, so that had some effect on the final ABV, but before racking to the puree it showed an AA of 78.5%, still well above what BeerSmith show, so it is a very well attenuating yeast. Just something to be aware of, but I think I will continue to use it for future Hefe's as I liked the results I had with it. This was one pack of WB-06, rehydrated for a 5.5 gal batch with OG of 1.049.

I have never tried the others, so can't comment on them.

 

[Hebby5]

Thanks for the feedback Erik! I use Brewers Friend and it has Avg Attenuation = 86%.

FYI - Here is what I experienced with my last 2 brews.

~White Labs - Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast WLP380 [ Apparent Attenuation: 73.7% ]
~Wyeast - German Wheat 3333 [ Apparent Attenuation 77.1% ]

I've read more feedback on WB-06 and will probably go with that but make a small starter. Brewer's Friend says I can just make a 1L starter w/ 1 yeast pack and meet the pitch rate. At some point, I'll try the other two.

Cheers!

Chris

 

[ncbrewer]

I use Danstar Munich Wheat Beer yeast and like it a lot. I get mostly clove. I get around 80% apparent attenuation.

As far as the starter, per Mr. Malty http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.php "Another case where you generally don't want to make a starter is with dry yeast. It is usually cheaper and easier to just buy more dry yeast than it would be to make a starter large enough for most dry yeast packs. Many experts suggest that placing dry yeasts in a starter would just deplete the reserves that the yeast manufacturer worked so hard to build into their product. For dry yeasts, just do a proper rehydration in tap water, do not make a starter."

 

[lasultana]

Hi Chris,

I'm from Germany and also pretty active in the german forums.
Take the Munich Classic Ale yeast. It is often referred to as the dried version of WY3068 and it makes the most authentic Hefeweizen.

imho WB06 and Munich Wheat do NOT make good Hefeweizens. This also is the common opinion of many german homebrewers.

Cheers

 

[brewbama]

...
Take the Munich Classic Ale yeast. It is oftern referred to be the dried version of WY3068 and it gives the most authentic Hefeweizen...

I agree it's used by commercial breweries to brew wheat beer.

 

[ncbrewer]

I'd like to try the Munich Classic Ale Yeast. Does it create any more kraeusen than the Munich Wheat beer yeast? (I currently use an oversized fermenter instead of a blow-off tube.)

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Hi Chris,

I'm from Germany and also pretty active in the german forums.
Take the Munich Classic Ale yeast. It is oftern referred to be the dried version of WY3068 and it gives the most authentic Hefeweizen results.

imho WB06 and Munich Wheat do NOT make good Hefeweizens. This also is the common opinion throughout many german homebrewers.

Cheers

This is very valuable information. Vielen Dank!

 

[Hebby5]

Thanks everyone! I'll give the Munich Classic Ale Yeast a try and report back with findings. If I get my act together, I'll brew in a few days.

Prost!

Chris

 

[jojacques]

BOOM, thread revive.
Any opinion on Munich yeast for a Hefeweizen?

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I've been using DanStar Munich and loving it. I have also used Mangrove Jack's equivalent with very good results.


DanStar makes a "classic" Munich yeast that I intend to try next time. It is supposed to be even better.

 

[jojacques]

I've been told Fermentis WB -06 would be an excellent Dry yeast..
Anyone has comments on it?

 

[Hebby5]

I have not use WB-06. When I started this thread, I was brewing a hefe with Danstar Munich Classic yeast. It turned out great and still more on the clove side. If anyone has tried WB-06, please chime in as that would be good to know what flavors it produces (clove, banana, bubblegum, etc...). Cheers! ~chris

 

[EDF713]

I have not use WB-06. When I started this thread, I was brewing a hefe with Danstar Munich Classic yeast. It turned out great and still more on the clove side. If anyone has tried WB-06, please chime in as that would be good to know what flavors it produces (clove, banana, bubblegum, etc...). Cheers! ~chris

I'm fermenting a hefe with Munich Classic right now, and it gave off a lot of sulfur smell at peak fermentation, less now but still some (pitched a week ago). Did you notice the same? Did it age out? I want to package once it doesn't stink, but don't want to wait too long. I've used Munich in the past, but this is my first go at Munich Classic

 

[EDF713]

For posterity, I'm very happy with my hefe that used Munich Classic. There was still some sulfur smell when I bottled, but after couple of weeks in the bottle it's gone. If anything it may contribute to a tartness to the finish that I like.

 

[rudylyon57]

I recently used the WB-06 in a Hefeweizen, and like the results. I started it at 68F and after 24 hours bumped it up to 73F (Fermentis says to get the most Banana ferment >73.4F). I got a good balance of clove and banana, with banana being more prominent. If you are using BeerSmith, the information on the WB-06 is incorrect. It shows 68% attenuation, and Fermentis shows 86% max. I got right at 81% AA so my planned 4.3% ABV Hefe was 5.2%. I did a secondary with 3# of Blood Orange puree, so that had some effect on the final ABV, but before racking to the puree it showed an AA of 78.5%, still well above what BeerSmith show, so it is a very well attenuating yeast. Just something to be aware of, but I think I will continue to use it for future Hefe's as I liked the results I had with it. This was one pack of WB-06, rehydrated for a 5.5 gal batch with OG of 1.049.

I have never tried the others, so can't comment on them.

What a familiar story. Just used 2 packs WB06 in a 1074 OG Hefe. Also held 68F for four days and 72F for remainder. Mainly to keep off flavors down during active fermentation and get a good balance of clove-banana afterwards. Banking on an FG of 1020 ish based on published attenuation. FG measured 1006! Just kegged two days ago so too early to get a flavor profile but aroma seemed okay. BS indicated 68% AA and three packs but this was 92% with only two!

 

[ericbw]

I have used WB-06 in a few batches and found it to be very bland. It kind of turned me off to trying it again because it was so disappointing. To be fair, one batch dropped to the mid 50s while I was out of town and didn't know it. Maybe I should try it again, but I want a guarantee of banana!

 

[lasultana]

Still, as I said on the first page. Danstar Munich and WB-06 are no good if you want to make an authentic bavarian Weißbier.
The only dry yeasts that do somewhat get there are the Danstar Munich Classic (claimed to be Doemens 479 strain, which is the Weihenstephan W68 = Wyeast 3068) and from my more recent experience the Mangrove Jacks M20.

 

[shetc]

Made the BCS Harold-Is-Weizen using the Munich Classic Ale yeast. Awesome beer, thanks!

 

[Hebby5]

I just made last Friday the Harold-Is-Weizen receipe but tossed in Lallemand Munich Classic AND Munich. I started it out at 66 for 1 day, 68 for 1 day, and then let if free rise for 3 days (stopped at 74F). Going to keg it tonight and get it carbed up for a party this weekend. I'll be back with tasting notes for the mixed yeast experiment. -Chris

 

[njohnsoncs]

I just started a Hefeweizen from Brewer's Best (extract kit) which uses Danstar Munich (http://www.northernbrewer.com/lallemand-munich-wheat-beer-yeast) dry yeast. It showed airlock activity within 2 hours which continued for about 4 days during which I kept the temperature between 61-67F using a swamp cooler. After a week, I racked it to a secondary (only to make room in my primary) and have been keeping it at 70F. During the first 48 hours, there was a strong sulfur smell but that went away rather quickly.

OG was 1.050 and SG taken after a week is 1.014. FG, as specified by the BB instructions, is within the range 1.011 - 1.015 so I'm guessing it's done. I'm going to let it condition in the primary for another 2 weeks then bottle condition for 3 weeks. I'm rather pleased with it so far.

 

[shetc]

I just made last Friday the Harold-Is-Weizen receipe but tossed in Lallemand Munich Classic AND Munich. I started it out at 66 for 1 day, 68 for 1 day, and then let if free rise for 3 days (stopped at 74F). Going to keg it tonight and get it carbed up for a party this weekend. I'll be back with tasting notes for the mixed yeast experiment. -Chris

My friends and family are powering through this stuff. Here's my bud Stan enjoying a nice pint. Going to have to make it again this summer