New guy

[bajarob]

The Alaskan Bootlegger's Diary was the first and second book I read (in one week). I am now reading Palmer's book. I am not even at the beginner stage yet. I have yet to get started. If I can brew my own Hefeweizen I'll be loving life. Of course it would be cool to set up shop in my garage and show off to my friends. I know Germans don't normally add a lemon wedge and I am a dork for suggesting it but I just love it. I have not found a Hef that I like in a bottle so I'm worried that that flavor has to come off a tap. Am I wrong about that? Can I learn to make and bottle what I'm looking for?
Bajarob

 

[FromZwolle]

welcome to the site. what hefe's do you like? and have they been the same brand with the tap/bottle difference?

 

[GnarlyChick]

I'm in the same boat as you. I LOVE the hefe I get from Gordon Biersch on tap but I've tried three different hefe's in bottles and they are far from the tap flavor. I'm about to brew a hefeweizen this weekend and I really hope I'm not wasting my time and it turn out like the icky bottle version.

 

[TopherM]

If you primarily like your Hefes off tap, why not get your own tap as well? You can either buy a premade kegorator and corny kegs, or make your own out of a fridge or freezer. Make your Hefe, throw it on tap. Bliss!

Plenty of guys in the DIY forum who have made kegorators from Craigslist fridge and chest freezer buys for under $200.00.

 

[unionrdr]

My favorite heffe in the bottles is Franziskaner Weisbeir from Germany. No citrus hops,just good natural wheat flavor with just the right lil bit of organic sweetness.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I am sure that down the road you'll be able to make a recipe where a lemon wedge will make a perfect complement for your hefe. If you stick with the hobby long enough. Or at the very least you'll find someone else's recipe where they already did that and modify their recipe to your own personal tastes.

 

[FromZwolle]

freshness might be the key factor here. kegs are generally much fresher than bottles that are who knows how old/light struck.

 

[daksin]

freshness might be the key factor here. kegs are generally much fresher than bottles that are who knows how old/light struck.

Quoted, for truth.

 

[bajarob]

The Recipe I'm looking for must be pretty standard because I seem to find it in most large restaurant or brewerie franchises I have been to. I'll need to pay more attetion now. I'm almost ready to go shopping for the equipment I'll need for my 1st batch. Just a little more homework left. Thanks

 

[TopherM]

Plenty of Hefe kits out there.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...le-kits/bavarian-hefe-weizen-extract-kit.html

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_42_163&products_id=318

I'd just warn you that your batches are going to be good, but not commercial quality once you start out. You need to master advanced techniques like pre-fermentation oxidation and fermentation temperature control before you start churning out consistently good batches that are approaching commercial quality. Brewing isn't just a simple process to follow and BAM, you get perfect results, it has a level of skill and finesse to it, and you are not going to produce professional-quality results until you are doing professional-quality work on brewday.

Also, again, you are not going to magically make bottled beer taste like beer off tap. Beer in a bottle tastes like beer in a bottle. Beer off tap tastes like beer off tap. If you want your beer to taste like beer off tap, you are going to need to invest in the equipment to serve it off tap.

Good luck!

 

[shecallsmeblue]

I agree with above. It may just be freshness. Let it sit in primary for about two weeks, then keg it, and drink it ASAP. You'll find the flavor to be more desirable. With Hefes, the fresher the better. Also, the fermentation temps will make a big deal as to the flavor of this brew. Cooler temps = more banana, and warmer = cloves. Myself, I prefer cooler fermeted, and only a few weeks old. After that, I lose interest.

 

[Homercidal]

My advice would be to skip the kegs to start with and use the money you would have spent on making your beer better right form the start.

Full Boils
Fermentation Temp control
measuring equipment.

If you find your bottled beer doesn't meet your expectations after a few batches, then consider kegging. Personally, I think a fresh bottle is as good as kegged. I think most people take up kegging for convenience (and of course the cool factor )

Honestly, you should be able to match any commercial hefe with some experience and the recipe that fits your expectations.

 

[FromZwolle]

I agree with above. It may just be freshness. Let it sit in primary for about two weeks, then keg it, and drink it ASAP. You'll find the flavor to be more desirable. With Hefes, the fresher the better. Also, the fermentation temps will make a big deal as to the flavor of this brew. Cooler temps = more banana, and warmer = cloves. Myself, I prefer cooler fermeted, and only a few weeks old. After that, I lose interest.

reverse that. banana esters come in with warmer ferm temps, clovey phenols are more prone to come out with cooler ferm temps.

 

[TopherM]

bad post by me....delete

 

[shecallsmeblue]

Yeah, Topher, I was gonna come on here and point out that he was actually correct. I mis-typed, in a rush not to get caught by the boss. Lol.

 

[FromZwolle]

Yeah, Topher, I was gonna come on here and point out that he was actually correct. I mis-typed, in a rush not to get caught by the boss. Lol.

i figured it was something like that, but i didn't want to have someone to read it and get mixed up.

 

[shecallsmeblue]

i figured it was something like that, but i didn't want to have someone to read it and get mixed up.

Thanks for the catch. I read over it, and missed it. I can only imagine if I ruined his beer for him this way... He brews to expect banana flavors, and gets a clovey heffe. He'd never brew one again! Lol. Thanks!