Help on Hefeweizen

[kingludwig01]

I'm looking to make an ale that resembles
some of the excellent beers I've had in Europe; from Spain to Germany, I found crisp and clean pilseners and hefeweizens that I just can't get here in the states... everything sold here is fruit or hop forward and very strong, when all i'm looking for is a simple, dry, crisp, refreshing, light bodied beer that is no higher than 5% ABV.

I chose to make a hefeweizen as my first beer because it's an ale and I don't have the refrigeration for lagers, but where i'm stumped is perceived "dryness". What final gravity is ideal for that perfect amount of crisp summer refreshment? Should I use ~80% attenuation yeast to get my final gravity super low, below 1.01, or is that too dry? What would the final gravity be on some commercial beers like Blue Moon or Stella Artois, to give me an idea of perceived sweetness in final gravities?

I am really looking to go old-fashioned and not do anything fancy, my goal in picking up brewing is to make very sessionable, light, daily beers that aren't too strong in any flavor in particular. Any input is greatly appreciated, feel free to give recommendations to other styles because i'm brand new to brewing. Thank you!

 

[AlexKay]

Use Wyeast 3068 or White 300. Or if you want a dry yeast, Lallemand Munich Classic (make sure it’s Classic). Attenuation won’t be 80%, but it will taste “right” for a Hefeweizen. Try to find a spot in the house between 70 and 75 to ferment in.

 

[dmtaylor]

I agree with @AlexKay on yeast selection, those are good choices, and will all attenuate from 73-77% (about 75% average). Of the yeasts, 3068 has the highest attenuation, as does also WLP380 which is another great option. Personally I would ferment cooler in the mid 60s F (about 18 C) to accentuate more clove flavor than banana (which happens at the higher temperatures in the 70s F, or about 21-22 C), but this is personal preference.

Typical OG and FG for wheat beers including Bavarian hefeweizens as well as Belgian witbiers would be starting OG about 1.048 and FG about 1.009-1.010. If you prefer a drier beer than this, you can get there by mashing at a relatively lower temperature for a longer time, such as 148 F (64.5 C) for 90 minutes, and if you want to keep ABV down to about 5% then reduce also the OG to about 1.046. Ultimately it is your beer. If you want your beer more dry than standard examples, go ahead and mash "low and slow".

If you are brewing with extract, then nevermind about the mashing, you will tend to end up with a heavier beer unless you substitute a high proportion of malt with simple sugars. Start with about 1 to 1.25 lb sugar, and use a calculator to use the amount of malt extract that would keep OG to about 1.046-1.048 as discussed previously.

Enjoy, and welcome to this forum! I think it is one of the best forums.

 

[Beernik]

Wyeast 3068 will give you more of a German Hefeweizen flavor. The optimal temp range is 64F to 75F. Colder side will produce more clove. Warmer side will produce more banana. If it gets sulphuric, it will condition out.

You should have no problem getting 75% attenuation. Target an OG between 1.050 and 1.040 for a sessionable beer.