Hefe with little flavor-

[MikeFlynn74]

I brewed a 6lb lme Hefe Hopped MAlt Extract along with 3lbs wheat DME- OG came in a 1.048. However there is very little flavor. Could I add 1oz Hallertaur dy hopped for flavor?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Are you sure?

I brew with only 5.25 lbs of wheat and my OG is 1.043. Yours should be much higher.

As for adding hops now they would only add aroma of the hops to the brew.

What do you mean by "very little flavor"?

Post your recipe.

 

[Bosh]

What yeast did you use?

 

[MikeFlynn74]

The Kit was a Bravarian Wheat 1.5kg. So my math was off.

3.3lme +3 DME-

yeast was hefe ale *white labs* WLP300

 

[Dycokac]

I must not be adjust'n my hydro readings or reading my hydro correctly, i just made a hefe with 7lb of wheat LME and 10 oz of specialty grains and only read 1.032 temp wise it was about 74-76.

I did forgot to read till after the yeast was pitched but that shouldn't account for it, or should it?

I on the otherhand had a lot of flavor probably thanks to the carmel and chocolate wheat specalties i added.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

What temperature did you ferment your Hefe at? A hefe does not need to get flavor from specialty grains or hops, it gets its flavor from the yeast, and to get the ideal flavor you need to ferment at the right temperature. My first two hefes (which both used specialty grains) were fermented too cool, and they came out tasteless, like an american wheat. My third one, based on homebrewer_99's suggestions, was nothing but DME and a tiny amount of hops, was fermented in the high 60's, and came out great.

I must not be adjust'n my hydro readings or reading my hydro correctly, i just made a hefe with 7lb of wheat LME and 10 oz of specialty grains and only read 1.032 temp wise it was about 74-76.

Let me guess, you did a partial boil, topped off with water in the fermenter, and failed to mix it thoroughly before taking a hydrometer reading. One of the most common mistakes ever.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

It was fermented between 70-75.

I maybe looking too hard for hops type flavor.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I love that WLP300 yeast. It's hard to imagine it not giving you the clove/banana flavor when fermented above 70. I get a ton of flavor at 68 and I know the warmer it ferments, the more those esters are gonna come through.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

O-Flan- ok maybe Im expecting too much. Gonna rack it to the keg tonight as a secondary

 

[SixFoFalcon]

The yeast should stay in suspension for a hefeweizen. If it is lacking in flavor, secondary-ing will only make things worse!

I would never use a secondary for a hefe, and it's also one beer I wouldn't keg unless I planned on dispensing it all quickly. I find it's much easier to swirl the bottle when I pour to get that delicious yeasty flavor in every sip. Swirling the keg each time would be cumbersome. After the beer has sat in the keg for a while the first few pints you pour are going to be extra yeasty (since the dip tube draws from the bottom of the keg where the yeast will settle) and after that there isn't going to be much yeast (or flavor) left in the remaining beer.

Of course, if you plan on rolling out the barrel for a big party, you could literally roll out the barrel, resuspending the yeast, and then every pint will be perfect.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Interesting- Maybe I will just bottle it in the 22ozers.

 

[Dycokac]

What temperature did you ferment your Hefe at? A hefe does not need to get flavor from specialty grains or hops, it gets its flavor from the yeast, and to get the ideal flavor you need to ferment at the right temperature. My first two hefes (which both used specialty grains) were fermented too cool, and they came out tasteless, like an american wheat. My third one, based on homebrewer_99's suggestions, was nothing but DME and a tiny amount of hops, was fermented in the high 60's, and came out great.


Let me guess, you did a partial boil, topped off with water in the fermenter, and failed to mix it thoroughly before taking a hydrometer reading. One of the most common mistakes ever.

You know I didn't swirl it really, I did siphon from my brew pot through the strainer in my funnel, I'd imagine it got plenty of airation as there was lots of bubbles and it did walk from my kitchen to my basement with a little bit of sloshing but nothing crazy before i took the reading.

My batch 3 weeks ago was about 1.045.

 

[SixFoFalcon]

You should know I might be a bit paranoid. :cross:

My personal take (from my hefes) was that when I didn't swirl the bottle, the beer seemed to be a little more bland. Rousing up the yeast before drinking it gave it more depth and character, and made it unmistakably hefeweizen-ey.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

OK OK OK

Im must be impatient-

After 2 days force carbing- It taste like GOLD! wow. Im amazed that I ended up with a quality product!