Need advice

[3sheetsEMJ]

So im brewing a hefe this weekend and need some advice...

First the recipe:
4.5 lb bavarian wheat DME
1lb white wheat
12oz pils
4oz carmelwheat
.75oz Hallertau @60mins
Yeast 3068
Steep grains at 155 for 25 min, boil wort add hops and 1 lb DME, add remaining Dme at 20-10 min remaining

I think the recipe is simple and will turn out ok, what do you think?

Now for fermenting. Heres is where im concerned. I have heard this yeast is very vigorous and i dont want to blow the airlocks off my carboys. I use two 3 gallon carboys for ease of moving around. How much headspace do i need? Ive never used a blowoff tube, what is it, where can i find it, and should i use it??? I typically have them overflow with my amber or pale ales and if i can stop this from happening id be a happier brewer!

Also temperature. Id like to ferment at 65-70 degrees but im in Atlanta Ga and sometimes it gets hot as balls. How can i cool down my fermentation temps?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[MrOrange]

If you have the 3 piece style airlocks remove the cap and the piece inside. Attach a tube, which you can pick up at a hardware store for next to nothing, to your airlock and run the other end into a jug of water/sanitizer. This is your blow off. Anything that would normally blow into your airlock will now run through the tube and into the jug.

 

[AmandaK]

1) Small secret: wheat DME or LME is actually around 50% wheat malt and 50% pilsner or 2-row malt. So you really wouldn't need any of the steeping grains or partial mash grains you have there. I would just go with 5.5 lb Bavarian wheat malt and an ounce of Hallertauer Mittelfruh. Pretty simple.

2) Fermcap-S is magical. Wyeast 3068 is an aggressive fermenter, but if you don't want the hassle of a blow off tube or the mess, put some drops of Fermcap-S in the fermentor.

3) After judging hefeweizens at a recent competitions, I'll give you some advice real quick: ferment Wyeast 3068 at 62 degrees. Not 68, not 70 or 72. And God forbid if you ferment it at 74. CLOVE BOMB. BUBBLEGUM BOMB. Ugh. A good hefe has balance (clove=banana). To do that in Atlanta, search a "swamp cooler" set up. It's basically a tub of water that you replace ice jugs in to maintain the temps. Oh, and one more thing: do not be afraid of carbonation when bottled!! I cannot tell you how many flat, undercarbonated hefes I drank in one comp. It should be effervescent!

Okay, I'll get off my hefe soap box.

Cheers!

 

[3sheetsEMJ]

Thanks!

 

[3sheetsEMJ]

1) Small secret: wheat DME or LME is actually around 50% wheat malt and 50% pilsner or 2-row malt. So you really wouldn't need any of the steeping grains or partial mash grains you have there. I would just go with 5.5 lb Bavarian wheat malt and an ounce of Hallertauer Mittelfruh. Pretty simple.

2) Fermcap-S is magical. Wyeast 3068 is an aggressive fermenter, but if you don't want the hassle of a blow off tube or the mess, put some drops of Fermcap-S in the fermentor.

3) After judging hefeweizens at a recent competitions, I'll give you some advice real quick: ferment Wyeast 3068 at 62 degrees. Not 68, not 70 or 72. And God forbid if you ferment it at 74. CLOVE BOMB. BUBBLEGUM BOMB. Ugh. A good hefe has balance (clove=banana). To do that in Atlanta, search a "swamp cooler" set up. It's basically a tub of water that you replace ice jugs in to maintain the temps. Oh, and one more thing: do not be afraid of carbonation when bottled!! I cannot tell you how many flat, undercarbonated hefes I drank in one comp. It should be effervescent!

Okay, I'll get off my hefe soap box.

Cheers!

Thanks for the advice Braufguss, i just brewed today. I used fermcap-s and it appears to be working. I slosh the fermenters and any bubbles seem to dissipate rather quickly. One question though, will using fermcap mean no head retention in the final beer? I like at least a good half inch of heaf on my brews. Also i keg so no worries about undercarbing!

Thanks again!

 

[Calder]

One question though, will using fermcap mean no head retention in the final beer? I like at least a good half inch of heaf on my brews. Also i keg so no worries about undercarbing!

Per Rebel Brewer site, "Studies have shown that it can actually IMPROVE your head retention in the finished beer."