Beer Forum

I'm planning on doing my first Hefeweizen on Friday evening. Not sure on fermentation temp, but according to my Northern Brewer Fermometer it should be around 68 deg F. Does this sound right? I know that the banana (diacetyl?) flavor is a hallmark of this style, so I guess a warmer ferm temp is appropriate.

The pope says 62F. I like fermenting mine colder than 68 too

Sean

Neuron_Theory wrote:I'm planning on doing my first Hefeweizen on Friday evening. Not sure on fermentation temp, but according to my Northern Brewer Fermometer it should be around 68 deg F. Does this sound right? I know that the banana (diacetyl?) flavor is a hallmark of this style, so I guess a warmer ferm temp is appropriate.

While we wait for Bub to chime in, I'll say that the banana flavor comes out at higher temperatures, but isn't diacetyl. Diacetyl tastes like butterscotch. Ferment cooler to get more clove flavor.

My cousin and I brewed a nice hefeweiss last month. Next time we plan to ferment cooler to get the clove, and add peaches in secondary. We call it Peachy Madre.

Try to keep it at the cooler end of 60 range... so 62-65 is ideal, it will work warmer but it can get overly hefe, just too much and that ain't good.
Please, PLEASE use a real Hefe yeast (umm like Wyeast 3068, or.... THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE)
BUB

make 10 gallons and ferment 5 with bub's recommendation and 5 with wlp 380. ferment at 62 and let the better yeast win.

Just kegged a Hefe on Saturday. I would agree the cooler the better. I went with 62F and was pretty happy with the outcome.


Eric Warner has a rule of thumb that the sum of the pitching temperature and the fermenting temperature should be 30 C, (118 F). A suggested combination is to pitch at 12C (54 F) and ferment at 18C (64F). An equal pitching and fermenting temperature of 15 C (59 F) also meets the rule.

I used this rule and pitched at 13C (55F) and fermented at 17C (62F)

bub wrote:Please, PLEASE use a real Hefe yeast (umm like Wyeast 3068, or.... THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE)
BUB

I hate to provoke you Bub, but I have Wyeast 3333. I hope that doesn't anger you. I don't want you to hold me down and color on my face with clown paint or anything.

Neuron_Theory wrote:I hate to provoke you Bub, but I have Wyeast 3333. I hope that doesn't anger you. I don't want you to hold me down and color on my face with clown paint or anything.

Them's fighting words.... Good luck with your Hefe-weiser.


Mylo