FWH = 1oz Dried leaf Mt Hood hops (4.7AA)
Takes 1/2 hour to get a full boil, hops total time will be 60 minutes, then hop spider removed.
90 min mash (10 qts water, 8 lb grain)
30 min full Boil
Wyeast 3068
Approx 62 degrees
As a side note : IBU’s will be lowered for brews to follow.
I’ve just realized the usual target IBU of 30, is overshadowing the malt.
Lower amounts of grain (ABV) are used, which makes it more easily overrun by the hops.
The plan is to have lower IBU and less hoppy beers so the grain can shine.
Subtle hop flavor and lower IBU’s to complement quality grain, and not distract from it.
Not quite sure if IPA’s are my preferred style or not, as of now, no.
I have done two 5 gallon batches both were 7 pounds of wheat and 4 pounds of german pilsner and an ounce of Hallertau bittering at 60 minutes.
And both times I used WLP300 at about 68 degrees and I had a very nice balanced cloudy hefe that was a hit with my step dad who either drinks Miller lite or hefeweizens. (Odd taste but I’ll take the compliments from him)
Cool thing about hefes are you can do or not do so much with a pretty big temperature range and still get a kick ass smashable beer.
Just finished a Hefe and used OMEGA YEAST OYL-021 - HEFEWEIZEN ALE I it was the 1st time using this brand and I love it… less than 12 hrs after pitching I had total blowout on my air lock and had to quickly rig up a hose/bottle rig. The Hefe turned out out with great flavor. My best batch yet!!!
Ordered and received wheat malt for Hefeweizen.
Trying for first time (I think) Soft Red Winter Wheat.
I usually go with White Wheat, Hard Red Winter Wheat is too harsh for me.
Sharing this for those who don’t like wheat malt, could be the variety they get.
I wouldn’t worry about the shipping temp but I wouldn’t be comfortable using that yeast as-is. Even for a style that can benefit (and does, IMO) from underpitching and stressing the yeast a tad, direct-pitching one smackpack of ~5-month old Wyeast is not a good idea, even if it’s a low-gravity wort. I suggest making an SNS starter.
What if I smack it now and see if it swells then put in fridge ?, brewing early tomorrow morning.
If not swelled I can bail on this batch and do another one planned.
All that tells you is that it’s alive. It doesnt increase cell count enough to be meaningful. When I said they were OK I assumed you were gonna make a starter. If not, those 2 packs into 5 gal. will be more than sufficient.
I think the “2 packs” in question are ice packs, not smackpacks…?
But yeah the purpose of the smackpack is more “proof of life” for the yeast rather than acting as an actual starter. So even with maximum inflation of the smackpack, it would still be a major underpitch. What I suggest is smacking it now. Tomorrow, set aside ~one liter of wort from the batch and make a starter with it. Honestly any type of starter will work fine, so if you can’t swing the SNS type, just do something, anything on the starter front to boost the cell count a bit.
Good pivot, but don’t be afraid of making a starter at some point. It simply involves boiling some malt extract in 1 liter of water or using some of the mash runnings (either way) chilled to below around 90F and pitching in the yeast to give it a head start. The shaken not stirred starter method is preferred by many here (me included), because it really seems to take off well and start the main batch robustly. It essentially involves using a 1 gallon vessel for the 1 liter starter solution and shaking it into a froth before pitching the yeast. Then wait for a good sign of Krausen (high Krausen typically) and pitch into the completed, chilled wort main batch (post boil, of course).
