Hefeweizen - my next (2nd) kit and Stout, my 3rd

Cork Boy

Hi,

I'm making steady progress through my first batch (Muntons IPA 3KG) and have just realised I better get cracking on my next one!

After much deliberation, I've decided I want to try to do a wheat beer but more specifically, a hefeweizen along the lines of Paulaner.

Would I be right in getting say this hefe yeast http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62_183&products_id=1043 and use it with this kit: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_12&products_id=15

If anyone has any other suggestions they'd be much appreciated.

Also, sure while I'm ordering I might as well be prepared for what I need after that and nothing says winter like a good stout! I've my eye on the Munton's Black Pearl but if anyone has anything they would recommend please shout away!

Let the christmas stock up begin!!!

oblivious

Cork Boy wrote: »

Hi,

I'm making steady progress through my first batch (Muntons IPA 3KG) and have just realised I better get cracking on my next one!

After much deliberation, I've decided I want to try to do a wheat beer but more specifically, a hefeweizen along the lines of Paulaner.

Would I be right in getting say this hefe yeast http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62_183&products_id=1043 and use it with this kit: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_12&products_id=15!

it would be a good yeast, but just be aware that Liquid yeast need a stater to 1) prove they are healthy, 2) to re-grow up yeast numbers that have died in storage and to properly ferment your batch

sexpot

Conveniently enough I have just completed, well half completed my Hefeweizen. I used the following:

1.5kg Coopers wheat beer
1 kg of dried wheat malt
Whitelabs WLP300
30g Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops
25g Orange peel (no white bits, chopped roughly)
25g Coriander seed (lightly crushed)

I boiled up 2.5 litres of water and added the wheat malt. I then added the hops, orange peel and coriander when it came back to the boil for 15 mins. After that it was standard brew, pour through sieve to fermenter, add 1.5kg liquid malt and top up to 23 litres.

I think I went about adding the yeast all wrong, I pitched straight into the fermenter and aerated. It took a full 36-48 hours to get going, keeping temp steady at 21-22 C. Once it started it really got going though and the krausen was huge and is still there! I'd probably recommend a starter though. Also, I find the yeast to be quite slow and is still fermenting (very slowly) at 12 days.

The SG was 1.047 and the FG is now at 1.014 and counting, giving an ABV of 4.5% which is about right.

The beer is tasting unbelievable already, I would highly recommend the WLP300, if you keep it within the temperature range of 17-22 C you'll get excellent Hefeweizen flavours. I can't wait to get mine bottled now and see what the final result will be. It's definitely in the vein of Paulaner and maybe more so Schofferhoffer. Hope this helps.

scrapsmac

sexpot wrote: »

Conveniently enough I have just completed, well half completed my Hefeweizen. I used the following:

1.5kg Coopers wheat beer
1 kg of dried wheat malt
Whitelabs WLP300
30g Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops
25g Orange peel (no white bits, chopped roughly)
25g Coriander seed (lightly crushed)

I boiled up 2.5 litres of water and added the wheat malt. I then added the hops, orange peel and coriander when it came back to the boil for 15 mins. After that it was standard brew, pour through sieve to fermenter, add 1.5kg liquid malt and top up to 23 litres.

I think I went about adding the yeast all wrong, I pitched straight into the fermenter and aerated. It took a full 36-48 hours to get going, keeping temp steady at 21-22 C. Once it started it really got going though and the krausen was huge and is still there! I'd probably recommend a starter though. Also, I find the yeast to be quite slow and is still fermenting (very slowly) at 12 days.

The SG was 1.047 and the FG is now at 1.014 and counting, giving an ABV of 4.5% which is about right.

The beer is tasting unbelievable already, I would highly recommend the WLP300, if you keep it within the temperature range of 17-22 C you'll get excellent Hefeweizen flavours. I can't wait to get mine bottled now and see what the final result will be. It's definitely in the vein of Paulaner and maybe more so Schofferhoffer. Hope this helps.

This sounds mighty tasty sexpot! I think I may have found my second brew

Cork Boy

That sounds great, Sexpot! (Punctuation saves lives ) I've ordered all of the above but the hops I think may be sightly different... i got these: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_78&products_id=233

Should be ok hopefully!

Everyone keeps saying I need to do a yeast starter with liquid yeast... what is a yeast starter? Google is not the clearest on the subject, even when using "what is a liquid yeast starter" or "how do i prepare a liquid yeast starter"

Edit: Nevermind, I'm an idiot!

Cheers folks!

oblivious

Cork Boy wrote: »

That sounds great, Sexpot! (Punctuation saves lives ) I've ordered all of the above but the hops I think may be sightly different... i got these: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_78&products_id=233

Should be ok hopefully!

Everyone keeps saying I need to do a yeast starter with liquid yeast... what is a yeast starter? Google is not the clearest on the subject, even when using "what is a liquid yeast starter" or "how do i prepare a liquid yeast starter"

Edit: Nevermind, I'm an idiot!

Cheers folks!

You will need 100g per liter of Dry malt extract, boils it for 10 minutes and let cool. When cool transfer it to a sanitized 2 liter bottle, add your yeast.

This best prepared a few day in advance so as to make sure they eat a healthy enough to build up there numbers

sexpot

Cork Boy, I reckon those hops are grand but thinking back on it now, I'm not sure the hops will have too much effect because it's all about the yeast for this one, the banana-y flavours will come from the yeast and the temperature it's brewed at. I wouldn't worry too much about the starter as well, i just whacked mine in after bringing it to room temperature and it pretty much exploded with 2 days and kept on going for a solid 2 weeks. At the beginning of fermentation keep the temp as the instructions recommends though, you should be grand to lower it after that.

I just bottled mine last night so another month in the bottles and I think it'll be good to start drinking, can't wait!

sexpot

Update:

Just tasted the brew this week (2 weeks into conditioning). I have to say it's EXCELLENT already. You get the bananna-ey aroma and tastes very much like Schofferhoffer, maybe more fruity (it's all about the Whitelabs yeast). Going away on the 21st for the weekend with a few of the lads and this will definitely be the beer of choice. A bit more conditioning and it will be right up there!

Hope it's going well for anyone else that tried it!

Cork Boy

sweet, can't wait to try it

must wait though till i bottle the ditch stout first as I just have the two fermenting buckets, will need to try very hard to wait and make sure that I don't racka da dishipwin

thanks again for the recipe, i do enjoy a good hefe :cool:

merc230ce

So how did it turn out, Sexpot? (I feel all funny just typing that ;-)

I'm doing pretty much the same recipe this w/e but without the orange peel & coriander, and I was going to go lighter on the hops too...?

Cork Boy

Mine is 3 days in the fermentor, pitched the yeast directly and the krausen is huge! Thankfully I have a 33 ltd fermentor! Also, my room smells like banana milkshake, I assume that has a lot to do with the beer fermenting at 24 celcius???

evolving_doors

sexpot wrote: »

Conveniently enough I have just completed, well half completed my Hefeweizen. I used the following:

1.5kg Coopers wheat beer
1 kg of dried wheat malt
Whitelabs WLP300
30g Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops
25g Orange peel (no white bits, chopped roughly)
25g Coriander seed (lightly crushed)

I boiled up 2.5 litres of water and added the wheat malt. I then added the hops, orange peel and coriander when it came back to the boil for 15 mins. After that it was standard brew, pour through sieve to fermenter, add 1.5kg liquid malt and top up to 23 litres.

I think I went about adding the yeast all wrong, I pitched straight into the fermenter and aerated. It took a full 36-48 hours to get going, keeping temp steady at 21-22 C. Once it started it really got going though and the krausen was huge and is still there! I'd probably recommend a starter though. Also, I find the yeast to be quite slow and is still fermenting (very slowly) at 12 days.

The SG was 1.047 and the FG is now at 1.014 and counting, giving an ABV of 4.5% which is about right.

The beer is tasting unbelievable already, I would highly recommend the WLP300, if you keep it within the temperature range of 17-22 C you'll get excellent Hefeweizen flavours. I can't wait to get mine bottled now and see what the final result will be. It's definitely in the vein of Paulaner and maybe more so Schofferhoffer. Hope this helps.

Hey There Sexpot I'm doing much the same formula as yerself and it seems to be going fine in the primary fo the last 7 days..
, just wondering how long did you leave yours in primary and did you use a secondary for a while or just syphon straight into bottles.. also what way did you prime the bottles (batch prime or a spoonful of suger per bottle)

Cheers

Cork Boy

Well well well, after my initial fears of OH NOES!!! i've been fermenting at 24 degrees it'll be too warm but oh well I'll leave the blanket around it as I want the banana flavour I realised I hadn't heard anything from the airlock in a few days and checked it out to find it has dropped to 14 degrees :eek:

I don't have a brewbelt, any suggestions? I reckon if I can get it back to 22 degrees I'll be able to maintain it but how do I raise the temp???

Also, what damage will these temp variations do to my lovely beer?