Hefeweizen Mash Discussion

I really only ever do single infusions now, I think the grain choice (maltster) is huge in a beer like this, much more so that the decoct/infusion issue (Ive now done them side by side and dont really notice a difference). Id bet the difference you see is more a placebo thing, where you are really looking to justify your time and burns

I like to use a good continental base malt (current favorite is Castle Pils) to add a great grainy sweetness combined with Best Heidelberg Wheat

What is it in your current beer that is so good? Could it be a difference in malting, maltster, fermentation temp, yeast profile, etc?

 

Here are very detailed taste results of hefeweizen brewed under different parameters (warning: don't expect it to talk you off the ledge):
http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2011/2011 - Brewing Bavarian Hefeweizen - Harold J. Gulbransen.pdf

 

I go all extract, but I also only do "hopfenweizens", so I'm going for yeast character + hops to accentuate; the malt would be covered up.

 

I don't have any secrets, though I've tried single infusion, and multiple variants on decoction. I still haven't come up with a Hefe that I've been truly happy with, the style seems to elude my best efforts. My preference would be something like Weihenstephaner with a balance of clove and banana, something like Sierra Nevada Kellerweis is too bananay for me and many other commercial examples are too clove spicy. I feel like fermentation temp is the biggest missing element for me right now, if I can ever get that dialed in I'll go back to experimenting with mashing.

 

I do single infusion. I use good malts and have added other malts to get a little more character. In the past I have added torrified wheat and German Dark Wheat at 10% each. This last batch and rebrew this weekend are going with German Dark Wheat for the wheat malt, and a blend of Pilz and Vienna. Adds a little toasty and malty flavor. I open ferment with Sierra Nevada Kellerweisse yeast at 68*F and get a great balance of banana, clove, and vanilla. Dry and crushable.

 

Very loose foil over the Better Bottle opening, sanitized hop sack placed over that with a rubberband to keep out the fruit flies.

 

I will be doing an extract dunkelweizen in the next few days with 3068. I'm convinced that extract is the way to go with creating more banana esters, but we'll see! It's been a good 4 years since I've done an extract batch but I remember the extract 'weizens' that I made having a more distinctive banana/bubblegum characteristic to them. I just haven't seemed to get it yet with all-grain hefes

 

Use SN Kellerweisse yeast... banana bomb...

 

I should try that one next.. just picked up WLP0300 today cuz they were out of 3068. Is there an equivalent to that strain that I can buy? ...or do you build from dregs?

 

Have to build from dregs. SN obtained it from a small Bavarian brewery after touring the area and trying a ton of different ones. That yeast is also best used under open fermentation as successive pitches from closed fermentations causes drastic decrease in ester and phenol production.

 

That's awesome! will have to aqcuire some and try it on my next batch. Is it a big top cropper? I usually need a blowoff tube with 3068. Keeping the krausen from spewing out the top of the fermenter can be a challenge

 

It can get pretty big. I only left 1 gallon of head space and didn't have an issue this last time. The first time I did it I put it in a 6.5 gallon bucket with a BIAB sack over the top and it filled the head space and ballooned the bag another 6" above the rim.

 

That is an extremely accurate description, with a touch of vanilla. Evident ester and phenols, banana more than clove. The last batch of SN that I cultured from was heavier on the clove than usual though.

 

I love actually adding a tiny bit of vanilla extract to a hefe, subtle enough that you wouldnt immediately know I put extract in it but enough to notice. I think it really accentuates other flavors in there really well

 

Probably AG Hefeweizen is my mostly brewed beer as well as my favorite. Recently I realize that decoction mashing is a two edged sword, you get nice caramel flavor but you also find your self pushing the mashing temp too high resulting in lower fermentability. In order to gain more expected result I have no intention on dowing decoction mashing any time soon, last batch I made is a pure SINGLE INFUSION 152° F for 60 minutes and Mashout: 170° F for 10 minute.