Anyone tried a Festival German Weiss recently

[PenhowBrewer]

Hi all

just wondering if anyone has bought a Festival German Weiss lately.
the instructions don‘t seem to quite align with what’s in the box...I have emailed Ritchies, but they’ve not got back yet.

I have to admit I thought I was missing one of the two malt pouches, until I realised the cardboard at the bottom of the box was, in fact, an insert with another malt pouch underneath! Doooooh! that will teach me to open stuff in a dimly lit garage

the instructions say to keg/barrel 5 days after the hops are added. But there’s no hops and there’s no other mention of hops in the instructions. I’m assuming it’s a mistake and the malt pouches are pre-hopped. There no mention of hops in the bottling bit of the instructions, though.
The added bit of confusion, however, that there is what appears to be a hop-bag in the box!

theres no contents list in the instructions, so I can’t see what I’m supposed to have, but the hop bag might be a mistake.

any thoughts, anyone?

 

[DavidT]

Hi there,

I've just started this kit off and noticed the same. I assume the instructions cover all the kits in the list and there are no hops for this one so no need for the hop bag/filter bag.

 

[Graz]

I can confirm there's no hops. This kit is all about the flavours the Weiss yeast imparts, make sure it stays warmish for this, I did mine at 20°C and had plenty of banana / clove taste in it. If there were hops it would only detract from this. Quite a vigorous yeast as well so be prepared for it trying to escape is using a 25L fermenter.

Good choice though, one of the best kits I've made in terms of closely resembling the real thing, it's superb.

 

[PenhowBrewer]

Thanks chaps.
I thought the instructions looked a tad generic. Not very good quality control from Ritchies, though. At least I have a spare hop bag
I had heard elsewhere it can be a bit of a violent fermenter! I have a plastic box which I sometimes sit on top of the heating pad and then put the FV in that, so I think I’ll take that precaution this time.

did either of you barrel it? I’m just going to let it ferment out to 1.011 and then put it into the barrel with the priming sugar.

just need to stop my KK leaking gas before I crack on with it!

 

[Graz]

Thanks chaps.
I thought the instructions looked a tad generic. Not very good quality control from Ritchies, though. At least I have a spare hop bag
I had heard elsewhere it can be a bit of a violent fermenter! I have a plastic box which I sometimes sit on top of the heating pad and then put the FV in that, so I think I’ll take that precaution this time.

did either of you barrel it? I’m just going to let it ferment out to 1.011 and then put it into the barrel with the priming sugar.

just need to stop my KK leaking gas before I crack on with it!

I've got corny kegs so most of it went in one of them though as the kit is 23L and a keg is 19L I do have a few bottles of it stashed away. The keg allowed me to get a proper Weiss beer level of carbonation by force carbing i.e. 3.5+ volumes of CO2. I was bugger to pour but I was rewarded with the big fluffy white head you expect on these sorts of beers.

 

[DavidT]

Well, it has been an interesting brew so far, quiet for the first day then it went mad! I changed the airlock 3 times, then it settled down quickly after a day. After 4 days it was at 1.012 and 1.011 after 7, so time to bottle. I seem to have collected some weiss beer bottles somehow

The kit has priming sugar, is it the right amount of could I add more? would like high carbonation as you say Graz.

It tastes lovely, can't wait to start drinking it

 

[terrym]

The kit has priming sugar, is it the right amount of could I add more? would like high carbonation

Weigh what is provided then use the calculator to see how it matches and top up if necessary. Table sugar is fine
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/Anywhere between 3.3 to 4.5 volumes seems appropriate

 

[DavidT]

That's very useful, thank you Bottling has commenced

 

[DavidT]

Bottled it at 3.3, left it a few days and have now started to drink it.


It's really good. Amazing actually. I gave some to a pal that really likes wheat beer and he could not believe I'd 'made' it (I neglected to mention it was from an extract kit)

Highly recommended

 

[Matt J]

Bottled it at 3.3, left it a few days and have now started to drink it.


It's really good. Amazing actually. I gave some to a pal that really likes wheat beer and he could not believe I'd 'made' it (I neglected to mention it was from an extract kit)

Highly recommended

Hi mate, I’ll be bottling the festival Weiss this week and was just wondering how much sugar you went with to get to 3.3 and whether it was carbed enough for you? Cheers

 

[DavidT]

Hi mate, I’ll be bottling the festival Weiss this week and was just wondering how much sugar you went with to get to 3.3 and whether it was carbed enough for you? Cheers

Hi, apologies for the late reply.

Yes, 3.3 works well, highly carbonated, with is how I like wheat beer.

Good luck and enjoy!