Step Mashing a Hefe...Why?

[Bugeater]

Wyeast 3068 is a great well balanced yeast for a hefe. White Labs 380 is also a very good yeast but tends to accentuate the clove flavors. I like the 380 in a hefe since I don't particularly care for strong banana flavors. I also lower the temps to get a little more clove.

Wayne

[Buttwidget]

I'm getting a flavor that I can't quite describe... There is certainly a clove character to it, but also a little bit of a sour aspect. I'm not getting that sweet banana flavor, and there is no bubblegum at all.

I ferment at 62 degrees. Interestingly, one of the reasons I started brewing my own was because I just loved hefes, particularly a fresh Franziskaner. I figured I could re-create the beer and love life.

I honed my brewing process for a long time working just the one style, and never being really happy with what I made. Finally I brewed some Koelsch and BoPils and found out it wasn't a process problem. Now I'm really into English Bitters and APAs with less interest in hefes, but its been a very disappointing style for me. Maybe I'll give WLP300 a shot and see what that brings.

~widget

[jimmiec]

I have fermented the WLP300 at 62F a couple of times and always get clove with slight to some banana and no bubblegum. Was thinking of bumping up the temp a couple degrees to 64F.

I have fermented the WLP380 at 62F a couple times and always just get clove with maybe slight banana.

I have fermented Serra Nevada Kellerweizen at 62F once and got lots of clove and bubblegum with banana. I probably under pitched and was not using a calculator at the time (stupid me). I'd like to try it again.

What temp do you guys ferment the WY 3068 at?

[spiderwrangler]

Finally I brewed some Koelsch and BoPils and found out it wasn't a process problem.

Meaning these were really good, or the same disappointment carried through here too?

[ajdelange]

I've always gotten great wheat beers if I use the Weihenstephan 68 (Wyeast 3068, can't remember the White Labs equivalent but at least one of their other wheat yeasts give good results too) operated beteen 62 and 65 °F. I have always used the decoction program given in Eric Warner's monograph.

One thing that you must be aware of with wheat beers is that they have a pretty short life. About 3 weeks after the completion of fermentation they are ready to drink. They then improve for 3 - 4 weeks and then begin a decline. After another month they are well past their peak and after several months while they are drinkable they really aren't very good - especially not in comparison to they way they tasted at their peak.

[brewinhard]

I have fermented the WLP300 at 62F a couple of times and always get clove with slight to some banana and no bubblegum. Was thinking of bumping up the temp a couple degrees to 64F.

I have fermented the WLP380 at 62F a couple times and always just get clove with maybe slight banana.

I have fermented Serra Nevada Kellerweizen at 62F once and got lots of clove and bubblegum with banana. I probably under pitched and was not using a calculator at the time (stupid me). I'd like to try it again.

What temp do you guys ferment the WY 3068 at?

I ferment the WY 3068 pitching around 60-61F then ferment around 62-63F. I slowly let the temps rise to around 65F to finish out with a good balance of clove and banana.

[Buttwidget]

Finally I brewed some Koelsch and BoPils and found out it wasn't a process problem.

Meaning these were really good, or the same disappointment carried through here too?

Really good. Before brewing them, I was getting frustrated and was thinking of giving the hobby up. This one style has confounded me, the rest of my beers are great.

~widget

[biertourist]

Protein rest and ferulic acid rests?

Isn't that the same rest? -But I agree; plus I agree with the previous poster about decocting a hefe.

I've found I also just don't like the overly intense phenolic flavors from under-pitching or under-aerating a hefe. (Although I don't mind the higher temp banana bombs at all.)


A lot of which hefes you like is just personal preference; I don't like hugely phenolic beers period so that colors my opinion.



Adam