Dunkles Weissbier Weihenstephaner Dunkel Clone

[browder]

Have my first batch on tap right now I bought a bottle Sunday to do a comparison it wasn't fully carbed but tasted real close seemed a little drier than the original--had a couple pours yesterday while boiling an Irish Red and it is awesome- trying to save it for the weekend is gonna be hard just can't seem to get a pipeline going steady

 

[urg8rb8]

I was looking to get the ingredients for this from AHBS and I see three different Pilsen Malts: German, Belgin, Undermodified. I also see two different Wheat Malts: White and Torrified. I'm guessing I should get German Pilsen Malt and White Wheat Malt?

This will be my first all grain!

 

[babaganuj]

I'm using completely different equipment today and only hit 148 for my 1 step decoction mash. I'm expecting a thinner product but how much thinner do you think I'll be?

 

[urg8rb8]

I'm using completely different equipment today and only hit 148 for my 1 step decoction mash. I'm expecting a thinner product but how much thinner do you think I'll be?

How did this come out for you?

 

[babaganuj]

How did this come out for you?

Despite mashing in low, screwing up the decoction, and a seemingly infinite brew day, it was great. If I brewed this again, I'd reduce the honey malt a little bit and make sure to do a better job with the decoction mash as I'm missing a little of the body of Weihensephaner.

 

[urg8rb8]

Despite mashing in low, screwing up the decoction, and a seemingly infinite brew day, it was great. If I brewed this again, I'd reduce the honey malt a little bit and make sure to do a better job with the decoction mash as I'm missing a little of the body of Weihensephaner.

Do you think a decoction mash is necessary for this recipe? Or do you think with the speciality grains used in the recipe that a two step infusion mash is good?

 

[urg8rb8]

Dp

 

[babaganuj]

Do you think a decoction mash is necessary for this recipe? Or do you think with the speciality grains used in the recipe that a two step infusion mash is good?

I think you should be completely okay doing your standard mash at 154. If you're feeling ambitious, take a little bit (1 gal) of your first runnings and boil them down by 50% and add that to the rest of the boil. This would give you something similar to a traditional decoction.

 

[urg8rb8]

I think you should be completely okay doing your standard mash at 154. If you're feeling ambitious, take a little bit (1 gal) of your first runnings and boil them down by 50% and add that to the rest of the boil. This would give you something similar to a traditional decoction.

So I brewed this and let it age for like 6 weeks now and it tastes pretty good. However, it had like this faint minerally taste to it. I used RO water and added a small amount of calcium chloride.

Any idea what could be causing this minerally taste?

 

[lewandowski46]

Brewing this recipe tomorrow in my GF, wish me luck! Using Weyermann for all the grains and LHBS had special B on hand. My only change is i'm pitching Mangrove Jack M20 dry yeast instead of the liquid yeast and using Hallertau Mittlefruh instead of the Mt. Hood.

 

[urg8rb8]

Brewing this recipe tomorrow in my GF, wish me luck! Using Weyermann for all the grains and LHBS had special B on hand. My only change is i'm pitching Mangrove Jack M20 dry yeast instead of the liquid yeast and using Hallertau Mittlefruh instead of the Mt. Hood.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[lewandowski46]

Well it went great! Hit 1.052 pre-boil, 1.058 post boil gravities. Some action pictures attached. Now the wait for fermentation.

View attachment 1465786102338.jpg

View attachment 1465786120625.jpg

 

[lewandowski46]

Haha whooops, had a huge krausen on this one, only 5.5 gal into a 6.5 gal carboy, but still had a blow out.

View attachment 1466011911691.jpg

 

[urg8rb8]

What temperature are you fermenting at? I did high 60s and I got a good balance of banana and clove. I used WLP300.

 

[lewandowski46]

The jacket on it is sitting between 64-66F, it's pretty uniform after a couple days so my guess at internal temps should be about the same at this point. Not bad for a cheap evap cooling setup. I'm in AZ so house summer temps even with two AC units running sits around 79.

View attachment 1466019189255.jpg

 

[lewandowski46]

After 9 days in the fermenter, I came up short on FG, ended up at 1.020. Recipe was for 1.011. Kinda bummed, I think I failed to properly aerate it all the way. Tastes good, smells good, just has a little bit of sweetness to it. It's force carbing now so i'll post up a final pic of the first pour when it's carbed.

 

[lewandowski46]

Finished product. I think the next batch I'm going to add in 4 more oz of special B. Didn't get the SRMs I'm used to seeing in Dunkels.

View attachment 1466810473805.jpg

 

[urg8rb8]

Finished product. I think the next batch I'm going to add in 4 more oz of special B. Didn't get the SRMs I'm used to seeing in Dunkels.

Looks good! How close is it to the real thing?

 

[lewandowski46]

Unfortunately Haus Murphy's in Glendale was out of the dunkel tonight. My wife had the Warsteiner Dunkel and it was a lot darker and had nice roast notes that were missing from mine. Thinking of subbing out half of the honey malt for some roasted barley.

 

[urg8rb8]

Unfortunately Haus Murphy's in Glendale was out of the dunkel tonight. My wife had the Warsteiner Dunkel and it was a lot darker and had nice roast notes that were missing from mine. Thinking of subbing out half of the honey malt for some roasted barley.

Why would you put roasted barley in a dunkle??

 

[babaganuj]

Unfortunately Haus Murphy's in Glendale was out of the dunkel tonight. My wife had the Warsteiner Dunkel and it was a lot darker and had nice roast notes that were missing from mine. Thinking of subbing out half of the honey malt for some roasted barley.

Why would you put roasted barley in a dunkle??

lewandowski46, I think you're better off doing a decoction mash. Mash in at a little lower temp. Pull off a large portion of the grain (25% should be good) with a little mash water and boil that down for 15-30 mins while stirring to avoid burning. Cool enough so when you add it back into your mash you hit your next temperature step. The more times you do this, the more melanoidin you will get. The byo article is a good read.

http://byo.com/body/item/537-decoction-mashing-techniques

 

[urg8rb8]

lewandowski46, I think you're better off doing a decoction mash. Mash in at a little lower temp. Pull off a large portion of the grain (25% should be good) with a little mash water and boil that down for 15-30 mins while stirring to avoid burning. Cool enough so when you add it back into your mash you hit your next temperature step. The more times you do this, the more melanoidin you will get. The byo article is a good read.

http://byo.com/body/item/537-decoction-mashing-techniques

Or just add some melanoidin malt instead.

 

[lewandowski46]

Probably be easier to add the melanoidin malt. Decoction mashing in a Grainfather can be a PITA because of the plates on the grain basket, the recirculation, etc.. Honestly don't remember how the Weihenstephan Dunkel tasted, I do know compared to the Warsteiner Dunkel mine was a bit off, too sweet, lighter in color.

 

[zonkman]

Could I swap out the wheat for rye malt and call this a roggenbier? Any other adjustments needed? Keep the honey malt?

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Brewing this this weekend.
Forgot the honey malt. do'h!
Back to the LHB today.

 

[deuc224]

Brewed tis last week and it conditioned for 3 days, man its spot on.

 

[chris38piatt]

Notes

I brewed this and compared it to the original Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weizen and it is dead on in color and taste. I can't tell you which one I liked better because they actually tasted nearly identical. If you want an authentic Dunkel-Weizen then this is the beer to brew. Happy brewing

Grain
5 lbs Pilsner Malt
5 lbs Wheat malt
1 lb Honey malt
.5 lb Special B
.5 lb rice hulls

Mash at 152-153° for 60 min

Full wort boil

Hops
1 oz Mt. Hood 4.5%AA for 60 min

Yeast
Weihenstephaner 1000ml starter

1 week Primary fermentation

Keg 12 psi serving pressure

Does this have the wonderful banana bread taste?