WLP300 Advice

[Silo_Ted]

G'day Brewers

On the 'to-do' list over the next week is a hefeweizen, and I was chatting with a brewing-buddy today about getting the desired characteristics from the yeast. At one of my local craftbrew pubs, they serve a wheaty with a massive banana ester hit, so I wish to emulate that character, as a change of scenery from the other beers I brew. The yeast I purchased a while ago was specifically chosen for this purpose - Whitelabs WLP300 Hef strain.

As with many strains, the ferment temp will determine the outcome. In the case of the WLP300 I was of the mind to ferment high - around 72º - in order to produce the desired esters, but my mate believes that a low ferment temp is good in conjunction with underpitching would stress the yeast out and result in the target flavour (says he heard it form some bloke called Jamil )

Any advice from you fine folks who might have some experience with the WLP300?

Cheers,

Ted

[jwatkins56550]

Why not split the batch and try both?

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

I think JZ does ferment low (like 62) but he does the same pitch rate & oxygenation as for other beers. I have heard 72 is just going to result in a bubblegum bomb. Full disclosure, I have never brewed a hef but its in the plans to do soon.

[EagleDude]

Yes JZ ferments at 62 with a 2 vial pitch per 5 gallons. JZ does suggest underpitching as an alternative. I've brewed hefes to JZ's specifications and did not like the slower fermentation with at least 2 weeks to finish up and adequately flocculate (mainly an issue with time not the ester production). After playing around with various options, I got the best results by fermenting at 65 and only pitching one vial (no starter). Under those conditions, I ended up with a great balance between the bananna/clove and a very tasty beer. I would recommend those same parameters to anyone.

If it is not perfect, drink up and brew again.

[BDawg]

Wyeast 3068 produces a better banana/clove profile, in MANY people's opinion.
(I've had both side by side, and I agree, the 3068 is just plain better.)

[Sathington Willoby]

I've used WLP300 in 5-6 batches of Hefe this year, and the best results I've had as far as banana/clove has been to pitch the correct number of cells at 62F like Jamil suggests. As others have said though, I like the performance of Wyeast 3068 better.

[thatguy314]

i made about 4 extract weizens this summer to play with yeast strains and different fermentations, so while I'm not an expert on weizen (that's 4/5 weizens I've ever brewed) I think I have a good idea of the different strains and how they work.

On my one piece of advise DO NOT FERMENT HEFFE YEAST ABOVE 70. Even at 68 you'll start to get some bubblegum character, which you may or may not desire. It's technically considered a fault to have bubblegum esters (which is when strawberry like esters start to add on top of the banana ones), but that's only for competition. if you like the bubblegum character, then warmer may be the way to go. Plus a hot fermentation will cause you to blow off half of the beer you're making, which is just a terrible idea.

If you want a bigger banana ester profile without the strawberry, I would just switch yeast strains. wlp 380 has a much stronger banana and clove character. it'll get you stronger banana intensity without getting the strawberry character to emerge. I fermented a pale weizenbock (basically imperial weizen) with it at 63 and it's a hugely bananarific. I didn't do a ferulic acid rest with it, so it has little clove (i'm using this as the base for a hoppy weizebock a la Brooklyn Brewery and I think cloves would be weird with american hops).

[Mylo]

Wyeast 3068 produces a better banana/clove profile, in MANY people's opinion.
(I've had both side by side, and I agree, the 3068 is just plain better.)

Fuckin' A. The only homebrewed hefes I can tolerate anymore are from this yeast. Accept no substitute.


Mylo