WY3068 hefeweizen character

[stickyfinger]

Hi,

I did a 70% wheatmalt, 30% pils hefeweizen for the first time in like 5-6 yrs. Mashed at 156F with mashout. I pitched it at 60F and ramped it up to 62F over two days. When fermentation was basically over, I ramped it up to like 65F to finish out.

First, the beer seems to be SUPER light in color. I'm wondering if it's just the decoction in German hefeweizens that gives them the color or do they use some specialty malts or munich?

Second, my beer has a very delicious soft flavor. However, it doesn't have as much clove as I'd like. There is almost no banana. The predominant flavor I would say is vanilla, which is very interesting. Has anyone had a super vanilla character? What causes that? Maybe I need to pitch a little warmer? I don't want to get into much banana character though.

 

[flars]

I prefer clove over banana also. I over pitch and ferment cool when I brew Northern Brewers Bavarian Hefeweizen with WY 3068 to get the clove. My fermentation range is 63°F to a high of 65°F during active fermentation. There will be a hint of banana in the finish. This has always worked in the past.

I have one at day three in the fermentor. Pitched the yeast at 62°F. Suspect I have under pitched this one because right now clove aroma is absent. Hoping it is just too early to guess what it will finish at.

 

[Frank-the-Tank]

I’m getting ready to start a Hefeweizen, and I have been researching up on it. A YouTuber that was brewing a Hefe said that he underpitched, by that he meant he didn’t do a starter with his WY3068, in order to stress the yeast. He said that banana flavors come from stressed yeast.
I’m doing a double batch, so I’m planning on doing a starter with 1 pack of WY3068 and splitting it between the two fermentation vessels.
Going to use a grain bill of 6# wheat malt, 4# Pilsner, 0.5# Munich(light) for sweet/toasty flavor, and 0.5# caramel 10L for more sweet flavor for each batch.
I’m hoping the specialty grains make the banana flavor “pop”
We shall see.

 

[Horseflesh]

If you like clove, research the ferulic acid rest.

 

[Frank-the-Tank]

Not using pure oxygen to oxygenate the wort also stresses the yeast. I’m using air pump with aquarium stone for about 15 minutes.

 

[thehaze]

Usually, banana will be produced in greater amounts, at higher fermentation temps. ( 68-74F ) and clove will be more proeminent at lower temps. These are general guidelines and apply to yeast that do indeed produce enough/strong clove phenlos and banana esters, like 3068.

Whatever temp. you ferment at, both phenolic and estery qualities of the yeast should be present.

I have tasted vanilla in some hefe beers, so that is not uncommon.

 

[stickyfinger]

i was surprised just how strong the vanilla is. i could try a ferulic rest next time to up the clove. very complex beer yeast! i want to try a roggenbier too. sounds delicious.