Hefe

Ingredients
1

Planning to brew a Hefeweizen.
Have a good idea on grain & hops.
The yeast seems to be the most important part.

Seeking suggestions for a dry-yeast that would correctly
represent the style.

Never used liquid yeast, open for suggestions on that too.

Thank You

2

WLP300 is the best I’ve used in a while.  Wyeast 3068 and Lallemand Munich Classic are supposedly equivalent.  Not the “regular” Munich, but only the Classic.

All other dried yeasts are no good for a hefeweizen in my opinion, assuming you are shooting for the German style.  I’ve tried several and they just don’t fit the bill.

WLP380 makes a good one as well, and Wyeast 3333 should be the equivalent.

I did not have good success with Wyeast 3638, too clean.

You might find something useful in these couple of references:

https://braumagazin.de/article/brewing-bavarian-weissbier-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

3

Interesting. WY3638/WLP351 is my go-to. It has a bit of sweet spice (vanilla-ish) to it that sets it apart from all the other Hefe strains out there. I use a smaller pitch and ferment at 64F to hit the balance I like. I haven’t brewed any banana bombs with it, but that’s not really what I shoot for.

4

Ditto.  That’s just what I did.  But I got different results.  I don’t know why.  I guess I could give it another try sometime.

5

Thanks, saved me a lot of research, will check those yeasts out.

6

Planning two Hefeweizen batches using Munich Classic dry yeast (63-72).
50% two-row, 50% White Wheat, 2020 Mt Hood dried leaf hops.

In your experience, what is the best fermentation temperature ?
I would assume the low end, if so, how low could I go ?

Thanks

7

I was very happy with my results at 66 F (19 C), the clove and banana were in good balance, or I would even say a little more clove than banana at that point.  If you want more balance, go up a degree or two to 68 F (20 C).  And if you prefer banana, I would take it up to 72 F (22 C) but no higher than that.

8

This is a good batch to start with liquid yeast. As long as you are sure the yeast is fresh you should just be able to pitch one pack without worrying about a starter. Aeration also isn’t as critical as less aeration may provide you with more esters.

For White Labs look at either WLP300 or WLP380. The 300 will be more “banana” ester forward while the WLP380 will have more clove and phenolic and perhaps a bit more balanced for my taste.

Wyeast 3068 is a good yeast and with Wyeast you can tell the yeast is fresh because the package “swells” when you pop the nutrient inner package.

9

You might be right.  Hefeweizen yeast temps are higher than what I expected,
,and some with a very narrow temp range.  I have a few weeks to decide, thanks for feedback.
During routine blood work my potassium levels were high. Doctor smiled as if being wise
and told me to stop eating bananas, and that would fix it.  When I told him I don’t like bananas
and don’t eat them, he was perplexed.  I like clove so WLP380 might be more to my liking.
Wyeast-3068 looks the best to me so far based on 64-75, which gives me room for miscalculations.

LIQUID
WLP300 = 68-72, Mid-Temp 70
WLP380 = 66-70, Mid-Temp  68
Wyeast-3068 = 64-75, Mid-Temp 69.5
DRY
Munich-Classic = 63-72, Mid-Temp 67.5

10

If you don’t want banana, you really do need to keep the temperatures cool, I would say 66 F or less, regardless of which strain you select.  Also to promote clove, it helps to use a tall narrow fermenter (I use a tall glass vase, literally) to increase pressure and thus help limit the formation of esters.

11

After research and your inputs, will use Wyeast 3068 in the low 60’s.
found this https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=12838.0

Thank You

12

Yeah definitely keep the temp on the cool side. Agree under 66 for sure. I usually start off very low 60s. And … uh … of course I’m right. :wink:

13

I have another batch to brew in a week or so before ordering supplies.
Changed malt, it will be 50% White Wheat, 37.5% Vienna, 12.5% Munich.
It seems Hefeweizen is a love it or hate it style, time will tell.
Of course you were right, now I get to see what liquid yeast is all about.
Since Hefeweizen is yeast dependent it was the perfect time.

Thanks

14

https://www.themodernbrewhouse.com/hefe-weissbier-bavarian-style/

15

Thanks

16

How about aeration ?
Any special needs for liquid yeast ?

When using dry yeast,  the splashing of wort into fermenter
seems to be enough, and everything works out fine.

Thanks

17

Actually dry yeast needs to aeration at all.  It’s manufactured so that it isn’t necessary.  Liquid can benefit from it.

18

Would splashing of wort in fermenter be sufficient aeration ?
Or would shaking the fermenter be beneficial, for a hefeweizen
using Wyeast 3068 yeast ?

Thanks

19

Yeah, either of those.  If it’s glass, be very careful shaking the fermenter.

20

I use a 5.3 gallon HDPE Speidel that has 2 nice handles.

Thanks