First Hefeweizen

[rrkss32]

I am trying to make my first Hefeweizen. I plan on doing a 2 gallon batch BIAB.

For the recipe I plan to use.

2.2 lb Wheat Malt
1.3 lb of Pilsner Malt.
.17 oz of Hallertauer Hops for 90 min
.06 oz of Hallertauer Hops for 15 min
IBUS: 11.1

Est: OG 1.048

I intend to mash it for 90 minutes at 153 degrees followed by a 10 minute Mash Out at 170 degrees.

I have a slant of WLP300 yeast on hand. I plan on inoculating 10 mL of sterile wort with the nichrome loop tonight, let it culture for 24 hrs and then add it to 50 mL of sterile wort. Then step that up to a 200 mL starter on a magnetic stirrer after another 24 hours. Pitch the 200 mL starter into my wort at approx 70 degrees and place in my icechest with the thermostat set at 67 degrees for a 10 day primary. My intent is to have a good banana flavor in this beer.

Do any of you more experienced home brewers see any issues with my plan (like starter size, fermentation temperature...)? Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated. This will be my first brew starting with a yeast slant so I am not to familiar with calculating pitching rates.

 

[Fathand]

A couple years ago I made a 10 gallon batch of a Hefe where I used Wyeast 3068. I split the batch into two and fermented one with a starter of 3068 and fermented in the low 60's. For the second half I pitched a vial of 3068 right in and fermented in the low 70's.

The beer with the starter and low 60's had more clove flavor where as the "stressed" batch (no starter/low 70's) was huge banana.

Because you are after banana I'd ferment warmed than 67.