Update: I tapped my latest Hefeweizen last night.
Brewfather batch record link here.
I had to let this one primary for a full three weeks due to time constraints.
The little sulfur I had with previous batches is completely gone on this batch. One confounding factor is I did use a stepped fermentation temperature regimen vs isothermal on the previous batches.
So basically if anyone is having issues with sulfur in their hefeweizens, I would advise the following:
- Pitch ~1.0 grams of Fermentis W-68 per gallon of beer.
- Use 1/2 tsp of Wyeast yeast nutrient 10-15 minutes prior to flameout per 5 gallon batch.
- Once you have passed high krausen, switch from a blowoff tube to an airlock. This is critical to keep headspace pressure as low as possible.
- Leave the beer in primary for at least two full weeks. Three may be better.
Tasting notes on this batch:
-Way more clove-forward than previous batches, no surprise there. Tastes quite a bit more like Franziskaner, for example, than Weihenstephan. The banana is still there but much lower.
-Epiphany Craft Malt's wheat malt is a red wheat malt. This batch has that characteristic twang to it, but it is subtle and actually quite nice, compared to prior batches using Avangard's red wheat, which was too acidic/citrusey for me. I want to maintain this aspect of this beer, so next iteration I will cut the Epiphany wheat 50/50 or 60/40 with Briess White Wheat. The mouthfeel is still soft, I just want it a touch softer.
-The Epiphany malts definitely bring more character to the table for lack of better words. The beer is doughier.
-The yeast character like prior iterations (both clove and banana) is very significant, almost too much. I think the freshness is probably "to blame" for this. But the 2nd previous version of this that was very similar but more banana-forward brought home a gold medal in a comp this past weekend so what do I know.
-Use of the whole cone Tettnang hops added a faint but very nice hop character to the beer and the bitterness balances the perceived sweetness well. I think a very small dry hop of Cascade on top of a slightly bigger version of this beer would make a very nice Schneider Edel-Weisse clone.
-The glass pictured above was empty within 10 minutes of taking that photograph. The drinkability is, I think, the best I have ever achieved. It is truly a flawless beer IMO now that the sulfur is completely gone to my nose.
-This is the 24th Weissbier I have brewed in the past 22 months. This is a truly hard style to nail down.
