made my first solo raspberry hefe. 9 lb best ale malt 1 lb Munich L10 .5 crystal malt L10 Mash 152 Sparge 165 T-58 yeast 1.049 1.008 final 6.5 gallons 5.5 lb purple raspberries in secondary Smells great but wicked dry to taste. I seem to remember hefes a bit smoother and more malty. Any ideas on this batch?
By hefe I assume you are talking about a hefeweizen. A couple of things really jump out here. First, a hefeweizen grain bill normally includes 50% (or more) wheat malt, with the rest being pilsner malt. Second, T-58 is not a german weizen yeast. I wouldn't expect this to taste and feel much like a hefeweizen at all. You didn't mention hops, but typically a hefeweizen would use noble hops for bittering, with no late additions.
Apologies, still recovering from my trip to Avery brewing. Grain bill was 5 lb wheat 4 lb best ale 1 lb Munich .5 L10 T 58 was all I had at the time I used 1 oz saaz at 60. Again, that's what I had on hand. I will try Munich yeast with a blueberry hefe. Anything else I should change?
Well, assuming you want a traditional hefe, and I suspect you may not, since you're fruiting, but anyway... A traditional hefe would use pilsner malt (not a pale ale malt) and wheat malt (at least 50% wheat malt), and wouldn't typically include munich or crystal malts.
I’ve used T58 a few times and even though it may not be derived from hefe strains, I’ve made beers with it that resembled hefes and I have enjoyed them more than the one I brewed using WB-6, which is supposedly a hefe. But the acidic fruit seems like it would take things too far away from anything I might recognize as hefe.
At HomebrewCon I tried to determine the source of T-58 via conversations with Fermentis folks but I came up empty. Apparently there is some Big Wig (with a PhD) at Fermentis that has all of this information but he keeps that close to his chest. There is an interesting diagram within the below linked PDF that details the flavor qualities of the various Fermentis yeast strain. T-58 is depicted as being a bit more on the spicy side as compared to fruity. https://fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ENGLISH_NEW_Make-a-choice_4p_sanstraits_BD.pdf Cheers!
I’ve been kicking around an idea for a raz wheat ale myself. Bought a can of the Vintners Harvest Raspberry. But was thinking of putting that in the keg when I rack into it. But was also contemplating throwing some frozen raspberries into primary, around a pound or so per gallon. However, a 50/50 US-2 row to White Wheat or maybe a 50/25/25 2-row to White Wheat/Flaked Wheat. US-05. A higher mash, 154f-155f. Water profile like an NEIPA. Eventually I’ll get around to it.
If you go by the Suregork DNA study T-58 is t really like any yeast available to homebrewers. It’s basically a bread yeast of sorts. Personally I hate it. WB-06 is close to the dried version of 1388 or wlp570.m, a diastaticus Belgian yeast. It’s definitely no Hefe yeast! Lallemand Munich is the only true dried Hefe yeast from the two big dry yeast suppliers.
Thanks for the replys. I think I'll just make a raspberry ale next year. Somehow I thought hefes , sometimes, had a fruit component to them . T-58 does make good ale, for me, but I currently am likening other Belgium dry yeast strains.
As others have said, that looks nothing like a traditional Hefeweizen. You made a fruited wheat ale. Nothing wrong with that of course, but for something more traditional: 60% Wheat 40% Pilsner Sometimes 5-10% Munich malt could be used for color/maltiness. Acidulated as required. Pitch a proper yeast, such as WLP380, WLP300 or WY3068. Use a noble hop to about 12 IBU. FG of about 1.010 to 1.014. I'd recommend something like German Magnum, as a 60/90min addition. Carbonate to a higher volume, 3-4 volumes CO2. Simple, yet so delicious!
Are you maybe thinking of a Berliner w/ raspberry syrup? Anyway, some cool info here: https://sillysir.com/recipe-weihenstephaner-hefeweissbier/
