NO BUBBLEGUM ALOWED!!!

I think hefes are well-suited to plain-jane extract beers. If you were mashing, you wouldn't typically use any kind of specialty grains, at least for the basic hefe, and most wheat extracts are made from just wheat and a basic 2-row base malts, in the right proportions for this style. I said earlier that some of those flavors can be influenced from the mash and the fermentation, but there is some advantage to having your mash controlled by the extract manufacturer - it eliminates a variable and you can focus more or the impacts of fermentation and yeast selection in producing the flavors you want.

For a traditional wit, flaked malt (and often oats), were used. Because wheat extracts are derived from malted wheat, an extract deviates from tradition in that regard. But plenty of people brew wits with extract though and, I'd wager, still manage to do a decent job of it.

 

I just did a flight of hefeweizens at the White Labs tasting room a couple weeks ago. WLP320 and WLP380 were both quite banana-forward. WLP300 was super clean. WLP351 was the only one where I noted significant spicy notes with no accompanying banana or other fruit. Good luck, and definitely report back when you have some results.

 

Also, make sure you're using a pitch calculator to get the number of cells right. Either too few or too many cells pitched will both generally increase those esters you're fighting. Keep ferm temp on the low-to-normal side. Ensure that your brewing water/ingredients/process provides sufficient nutrients for the yeast. Do one very long primary fermentation to make sure the yeast totally clean up after themselves. Cross your fingers.

 

Are you sure you got the numbers right? According to White Labs, 380 is supposed to produce "Large clove and phenolic aroma and flavor, with minimal banana" and 320 is described as a producing "very slight banana and clove notes."
http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp380-hefeweizen-iv-ale-yeast
http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp320-american-hefeweizen-ale-yeast

If there is no mistake, perhaps your experiences speak to the sensitivity of these strains to fermentation and mash specifics. Or maybe how variable our taste buds are.

Wish I had a chance to go to the White Labs Tasting Room when I was in SD in 2012. Seems like a cool place.

 

Definitely - I actually took a photo of the notes I made directly on the tasting sheet. Believe it or not, 380 was significantly MORE banana-forward than 320. Here's hoping the bartender didn't mix up my samples.

 

WLP351/WY3638 is my go to for hefes as its very unique. I've also never got any bananaout of it, as its typically just clove, vanilla and a some very subtle pear and plum esters out. If you wan to win comps though, its not the best yeast as the judges always ask for more citrus or banana.

 

Don't do it. If you want to avoid bubble gum use something else, I've been able to pick up some bubblegum from WLP320. If you want wit go Wyeast 3944 or White Labs WLP400 (Both the same Wit yeast), or if you want to do an american wheat beer use Wyeast 1056 or White Labs WLP001.

 

If you are always getting bubblegum I'd also suggest looking at your process. Specifically I would pay attention to pitching rate, aeration and fermentation temperature.

 

But don’t you have your answer? Use a Belgian Wheat yeast strain: Wyeast 3944/WLP400.

It really is as simple as that.

Cheers!

 

Yes, last German Hefe I made used WLP300. Very clean indeed. It scored well in competition, but I found it fairly boring for a German Hefe. This is my son's favorite style; he really liked it.

 

How clean are we talking here? I have a hefe fermenting with WLP300 (first time using the yeast) @ about 64 degrees, and was hoping for a nice mix of typical hefe clove and banana esters.

 

I would agree with the "boring" assessment. To me it was almost totally lacking those typical hefeweizen characteristics.

 

Not super clean like Wy1056 (for example); it definitely had some fruitiness (not banana, necessarily) and some clove, but both were fairly well restrained. This restraint let the tartness from the wheat malt make itself known. I fermented at ~70 F, so yours might turn out even cleaner? ? However, in addition to fermentation temperature, initial pitch rate can affect ester production. So who knows? I will say that mine was very drinkable.

Not that I have a lot of experience with German Hefes, but my favorite yeast for the style is Wy3638. A Dunkels Weizen that I made with this yeast had pronounced pear esters balanced with some phenols, which I really liked. I would try to use this yeast for my next Hefe.

 

This method can yield some damn fine beers. I'm actually going back to doing this at home in Mr Beer sized batches, and continuing to do all-grain in 5 gallon batches at my brother's house (soon to be ten gallon batches).

My plan is to use 2lb bags of DME, and the rest using specialty grains and base malts in a partial mash. All I have to do now is get off my lazy ass and brew the first one. Maybe tomorrow.

 

I found this process made great beer. That being said, I will be going all graiin after fathers day.