Bavarian Hefeweizen #1 (an extremely simple recipe)

[tec-9-7]

Here is one that I've currently got in my fermenter - my wife is a big fan of hefs and wits (tho with Ordinary Bitter #1, I may be converting her!), so I made this one for her

19.5l batch - total boil time: 90 minutes

Water treatment: None - City of Tacoma tap water

3.8 kg Briess Wheat DME

21g Crystal hops (5 AAU) for 75 minutes

White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale yeast (pitchable vial)

Primary ferment - 6 days and counting (temp range 15°-21°C)

My lhbs pulled the DME for this from a bulk pack, and I believe they gave me more than what I'd asked for - my OG on this was a robust (and out-of-style) 1.058! I added a bit more water to pull it down a couple of points.

Approximately 36 hrs into ferment, this yeast blew up a 5" head of krausen, and the room I keep the fermenter in smelled like a banana-bomb had gone off! I pulled a sample to check gravity (1.020 as of yesterday evening), and sampled it rather than pouring it out - great German hef character - very sweet, lots of banana with some subtle clove and bubble-gum notes; I will say I think I should have used the other 7g of hops I had... Hope to keg on Sunday, but this may take a few more days to finish.

[Kev888]

Good stuff!

I really like this yeast; nothing else I tried seemed to come near it for a banana-ish hefe. Though I have noticed that even when all the usual signs say its finished, it can still ferment a teeny bit more over time in storage, and make things more carbonated than intended.

Cheers
Kev

[far9410]

My ever increasing to do list includes some brews with wlp300,it sounds great!

[Cozzyb]

Seems a strange choice to use expensive yeast on extract beer imo, I did a beer with the Safbrew wb-06 and it worked pretty nice, so a cheaper alternative for people there, still had some nice spicy notes to it.

[Kev888]

Theres nothing wrong with wb-06 but it gives different results to wlp300, I don't get anywhere near as much banana from wb-06, so I guess it depends what you personally like and want from the beer as to whether its worth it. A lot of the character in a hefe is from the yeast and it will make a difference in both AG and extract brews.

Cheers
Kev