Finally nailed the elusive hefeweizen

[Sadu]

I have been really struggling to make a good hefe and dunkelweizen. They have all to date had this tart sourness that really detracts from the enjoyment - not quite dumpers but not far off. I thought initially it had to be too much acidification, but turns out it wasn't that at all.

I tested a bunch of different variables - different yeasts, grain bills, pitch rates, acidification amounts, mash schedules etc. Each batch would have the same tartness and it was getting really frustrating.

Since then I have punched out 1 great batch, then managed to repeat it again so I think I got this now. I changed 2 variables, so it could be one or the other, or both that made the difference.

The first change was a higher mash temperature to get a FG of 1.015, towards the high end of the style. Second change was to use all Weyermann malt. Previously I was using Weyermann pils + Gladfield wheat, which I swapped for Weyermann dark wheat in the recent batches.

I'm inclined to believe the higher mash temperature was what made the difference - a bit more body in the beer, maybe the previous dryness was accentuating some of the flavours I don't like, I dunno.

Anyway, thought I'd share this breakthrough since I know I'm not the only brewer to struggle with this style.

 

[mmahu]

Hi there. Glad to hear you nailed the hefe style.

All my recipes are brewed using Dingemans, THE SWAEN and Weyermann grains, which are top notch. If I make a hefeweizen, I go for all Weyermann and I mash high and longer. The boil will also be longer, especially for weizenbock and higher alcohol hefeweizens.

I only use dry yeast, but they turn out very nice. I can only imagine how much better they would come out, using a proper liquid hefe yeast, like the Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen.

Cheers.

 

[morbster]

Got a good hefe recipe to share? Thinking it would be nice to queue one up.