Hoegarden Yeast

[simple one]

A few questions as I am considering a hoegarden clone for my next AG.

1. Has anyone used a bottle of Hoegarden to culture the yeast?

2. Is it the same yeast which is used in the initial fermentation?

Thanks for any information.

[RabMaxwell]

Yes but it was a good few years ago but can remember that it turned out very good.I also used the Hoegarden recipe from G Wheelers book. Lovely

[simple one]

Any chance of telling me your recipie? I am trawling them all.... thinking about a 50-50 split between Pilsner malt and Unmalted wheat....

[mysterio]

I think Hoegaarden use a lager yeast for bottling for stability.

The yeast can be bought from White Labs and Wyeast. 'Belgian Wit' and 'Belgian White' I think they're called, respectively. Safbrew T-58 is not a bad dried choice. I can vouch for the White Labs one too (available from Hop & Grape), make a beer very close to Hoegaarden. A lot of emphasis is put on spices, which are important, but the yeast is what really gives it a kick.

My last recipe's grist was something along the lines of 2.5kg lager malt, 2.3kg flaked wheat, 0.5kg rolled oats. It was really, really good. Personally I would avoid plain unmalted wheat, flaked wheat is much easier to mash. I've used plain cracked wheat before and got very low efficiency.

[coatesg]

The yeast can be bought from White Labs and Wyeast. 'Belgian Wit' and 'Belgian White' I think they're called, respectively.

WLP400 and Wyeast 3944 - I'm guessing the fermentation temperatures may well be quite important here too?

[mysterio]

The WLP400 is what i've been using. I tried starting pitching at 20C and raising gradually to 22C as recommended by 'brewing classic styles'. Works well.

One thing i've noticed, every time i use this yeast it seems to stall a bit just before reaching terminal gravity. Racking it into another vessel/keg sorts it out so be careful to take a measurement before you bottle.

T58 on the other hand just rips right though it like theres no tomorrow.

[simple one]

Thanks very much, some useful advice there.

So high temps bring out the stereotypical banana and cloves tones to the yeast then? Does a low temp leave it without charecter?

Is flaked wheat just unmalted wheat which has under gone hydration and then squashed and dehyrated?

ta matt