My Hefeweizen Turned Out A Little Thin And Light--why?

[Ben_Persitz]

My first all grain batch was a Hefeweizen. It has a nice flavor, but it's more subdued than I want. It's got a nice tartness, a tiny hop flavor, and really nice estery profiles like Franziskaner.

However--the mouthfeel is a bit thin (thinner than most Hefe's I drink) and it has a tad bit of wateriness. Well, wateriness isn't the right word but it just doesn't have a full flavor like a lot of Hefe's. The color is also strange. It looks diluted, almost piss yell, versus the nice golden yellow I'm used to. I'll post pics later.

So I ask you guys--why am I not getting as much mouthfeel/complexity as I want? Don't get me wrong--it's good, but it's just lacking a little bit.

Here is my recipe and process:

3.5 Gallon Batch
Expected O.G. at 65% eff is 1.049
Actual O.G. 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010

4.25 LB German Wheat Malt (2 SRM)
2.5 LB Pilsner 2 Row (2 srm)
8 oz. Rye Malt (5 srm)
8 oz. Rice Hulls

.25 OZ Tettnanger 45 MIN
.50 OZ Tettnanger 20 MIN

3068 Wyeast 1 Pack (I know this is underpitching, but I've heard that's okay with Hefe's, and it isn't underpitching by much for a 3.5 gallon batch)

I mashed at 153 for 60 minutes with 2.5 Gallons of water, a mix of Distilled and Tap. 2 Gallons distilled, .75 gallons tap with 1 gram Gypsum, 1.5 grams CACL in the mash.

Sparged with 3.5 gallons at 185 (brought bed temp to about 170) and ran it off for about 15-20 minutes till I collected my pre boil volume.

Boiled for about 90 minutes because I had extra wort. Added hops at 45 and 20. Cooled in about 20 minutes to 70 degrees. Pitched yeast.

Fermented at 65 degrees for 7 days, raised to 70 for 3 days, put in keg, carbonated at 28 psi (set and forget) to reach about 4 volumes of CO2 (serving at 40) for 6 days.

Again--it tastes a little thin (hefe's are supposed to be dry, but this just lacks something).

Perhaps a longer mash? A hotter mash? like 156? Maybe add 8 oz of Crystal 10 or Belgian Aromatic malt?

Any suggestions?

 

[TheBaconator]

I'd up the amount of grain you're using and make a yeast starter. I've under pitched yeast on hefe's and had a similar result like you did. I think you'll get better results with an adequately sized starter but starting on the cooler end of the fermentation temps and letting it gradually warm up on its own. You current gravity puts you at about %4 alcohol and you could go to 5.5 or 6 and still be good for the style.

Also if you're concerned about the color consider adding a touch of munich or using some red wheat in addition to what you've got now.

I've also noticed that my hefe's get better in terms of yeast character(e.g. breadiness, spiciness) after sitting for a month or so.

 

[cfonnes]

A hotter mash and a little crystal or caramunich should thicken it up a little. I like the banana esters so I would definitely not make a starter, I love 3068 underpitched. Unfortunately those esters fade after a couple of months.

 

[hotbrew]

Personally I like to add some oats to my wheat beers. You don't have to worry about protein haze since it's already going to be cloudy as hell. Adds a little more body/mouthfeel and chewiness to the beer. Usually 5% of my grain bill for wheats is flaked oats. Give it a try next time.

 

[kanzimonson]

I think it's just the OG. Up that sucker to 1.050-1.055 next time. I find with beers that are under 1.050, I frequently have to use a complex grain bill (Read: several small additions of various malts) to get a fuller flavor.

 

[dedhedjed]

you can fix the body/mouthfeel of a kegged beer by boiling 4-8oz of maltodextrin in a pint of water, cooling it, and adding it to the keg. you will notice an immediate difference. I've fixed a couple thin beers that way...never a hefe though, i never brew them. but its worth a shot...

 

[bulldogxray]

A hotter mash and a little crystal or caramunich should thicken it up a little. I like the banana esters so I would definitely not make a starter, I love 3068 underpitched. Unfortunately those esters fade after a couple of months.

+ one on that. I had the same problem on most of the all grain beers that I brewed in the past. I have a mack and jack clone that is dryhopping as we speak and I added some cara and I made sure my thermometers were right on so I could mash a little hotter. For me it worked great

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Here is my recipe and process:

3.5 Gallon Batch
Expected O.G. at 65% eff is 1.049
Actual O.G. 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010

4.25 LB German Wheat Malt (2 SRM)
2.5 LB Pilsner 2 Row (2 srm)
8 oz. Rye Malt (5 srm)
8 oz. Rice Hulls


Perhaps a longer mash? A hotter mash? like 156? Maybe add 8 oz of Crystal 10 or Belgian Aromatic malt?

Any suggestions?

Muntons Wheat DME is a mix of about 50/50 barley and wheat, and I've read in many places that 50% of your grain bill should be barley. I might suggest doing another batch next time changing the grain bill to.....

3.25 LB German Wheat Malt (2 SRM)
3.5 LB Pilsner 2 Row (2 srm)
8 oz. Rye Malt (5 srm)
8 oz. Rice Hulls

...again I haven't brewed an all grain wheat before but I have done many wheats using Muntons dry wheat extract and some hops and they turned out really awesome.

 

[neal32]

Hey guys,

Just kegged my first Hefeweizen and it's really good (Good balance of cloves and banana, even a hint of stonefruit) but to my taste it's a little too thin. The recipe was 50/50 Weyermann pils/Weyermann Pale Wheat. Step mashed at 42 for 10, 55 for 10, 62 for 30, 72 for 30 and mashout at 78. Purposely underpitched, well aerated with o2 and fermented at 18 degrees C, ramped up after a week to 23 degrees @ 1 degree per day until finished.

The only thing I can think of is adding in a decoction or 2. Thoughts?

P.S Sorry for the degrees C, I'm Australian.

EDIT : Wyeast 3068

SG: 1.050
FG: 1.011