Dunkle Weiss advise

[hoffie38]

So, I've made a dunkle weiss and hit all my gravities. It's been 10 days in primary and after sampling for my final gravity I've noticed too much banana from the Weinheinstephan (sp?) yeast. Will crashing it to 35 degrees help eliminate some of this? I know I pitched too warm.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Some of that flavor will mellow a bit with age, but once it is in there, it is in there. That yeast will always throw some banana notes, it's just part of what it does. The best way to keep the notes somewhat subdued is to keep the ferment temps in the low to mid 60's. SOme people just flat out don't like the banana notes in any beer, and in that case you may want to look at some of the similiar yeasts that throw less of that flavor profile.

If you cold crash the beer with a fining agent such as gelatin you may pull some of that flavor out, and also you will pull a bunch of the yeast out of suspension. That style is common to have some yeast in suspension, but in your case if you find it unpalatable it may be the best solution for you.

 

[hoffie38]

Zen Brew, thanks for your input. That's what I thought, although from reading I believe that if I had paid more attention to the wort temp before pitching I may have eliminated a lot of the banana. Oh well. It'll be a nice, dark hefe that my brother-in-law will love. Live and learn, right.

 

[lehr]

I fermented mine at 62 and it's great.

Pat

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

i like some of the bananna notes in my dw. I just kegged one that I fermented at 68 degrees for about 2 weeks. Maybe next time I will drop it down just a bit to see how it turns out.

I used the Weinheinstephan yeast. Love a good dunkelweizzen.

What temp did you ferment at?

 

[hoffie38]

Fermented at 62. Although, I didn't take a temp. before pitching. If I had to guess, I'd say I pitched at 67-70.

 

[R2-D2]

I just racked my Hefewiezzen from primary to secondary. It was fermented with WLP300 yeast and had a very strong banana aroma during fermentation and when I took the first sample 3 weeks ago. After 4 total weeks in primary, the sample I took today had a much more subtle banana in it. I pitched at 68 and it's been sitting on a 64 degree floor.

 

[hoffie38]

I crashed it to 35 degrees on Friday, the 8th. Will keg it on Thursday, the 14th. I'll report my results then. BTW, I made a pale ale the same day using SAFALE 004 (I think that's the clean one). Wow! It's the best pale ale I've ever made...super clean and crisp with absolutely no esters.

 

[markg388]

You can use 'german ale' yeast if you don't like the banana. That'll make it taste like something from the Erdinger brewery (my personal favorite). It'll still taste german, but it won't have that intense fruityness german wheat beers are known for.

 

[hoffie38]

I'll certainly use a less estery yeast the next time. Thanks for the suggestion.