Terrible Hefe

[JamieT]

Here's the recipe:

6 lbs. wheat malt extract
1/2 lb. wheat malt grain
1/2 lb. six-row pale malt
1/4 lb. cara-pils malt
1 oz. Hallertauer hops (bittering 60 minutes of boil))
White Labs Hefeweizen Yeast
O.G. - 1.046 -- F. G. - 1.011

My OG was 1.043, FG 1.010

Nothing unusual during the Mini-Mash / Boil / Fermentation other than I had a slightly higher than normal amount of grain bits in the boil.... Smells great (Bannana's).. Fermentation temps held at precisely 64degF for 3 weeks in primary.. Racked over to keg and this stuff tasts like spoiled bacon.. Terrible.. Any thoughts?

 

[WBC]

I have made a Hefe many times with wlp300 and I always get good beer. If you keep the fermentation itself at 67F it should have only a slight bananna and a more pronounced clove taste. I always use all grains 50/50 wheat and 2 row. Being sanitary is a must with any beer and a hefe has nowhere to hide off tastes. You might have an infection and higher temperature in the fermenter (not the room temp) which would have higher bananna esters. Fresh ingredients are also a must for hefeweizens.

 

[JamieT]

All though I certainly will not rule out an infection I am riduculously anal about sanitation.. My fermenters sit in a water bath regulated by an aquarium chiller to maintain fermentation temps, I can imagine a 2-3 degF variance from the outer surface of the carboy to it's warmest inner zone, but beyond that I cant justify. Although I posted a 5g recipe, it was doubled and brewed as 10g. Both batches are equally crappy leading me to believe something had to have gone terribly wrong before racking to carboys for fermentation..

I've got plenty of extra kegs so I am gonna let these age for a while before watering the lawn, but I dont know if this funk will go away..

 

[JamieT]

Wel whatever the putridity was it has subsided substantially after a week in the cold box.. Now we have distinct Clove / Vanilla flavor with a Bananna Aroma..

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

Thats great news!