Extract Hefeweizen

[liammiller]

Going for my first extract brew and I want to do a nice a hefeweizen. I think I'm going to go with this recipe:

Malt Base: 5 lbs (2.268kg)Wheat Dry Malt Extract OR 6 lbs (2.73kg) Wheat Liquid Malt Extract
Specialty Grains: ½ lb (226g) Flaked Wheat, 1/2 lb (226g) Flaked Oats
Hops: 1 oz (28g) Hallertau Hop Pellets(bittering)
Yeast: White Labs 300 Hefeweizen or Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan

I will be doing a partial boil (don't have a big enough pot yet) and want to brew a 2.5 gallon batch. Before I buy my ingredients, I have have a few questions.

1) To do a 2.5 gallon batch will I just half everything?

2) Is there any reason why it would be better to use DME or LME?

3) Would I be better off using whole hops rather than pellets? If I would then by what factor do I need to change the amount?

4) I have seen some people suggesting 1/2 hops @ 60 mins and 1/2 hops @ 15 mins. Might this be better if I don't want the beer to have a hoppy character?

5) I have seen people suggesting just using the flaked wheat for speciality grains, would the oats as well be better? If I only use wheat will I still use 1/2lb or a different amount?

6) if I do use oats, would I just be able to use regular porridge oats?

And finally, 7) which of these yeast would you recommend? And is a starter necessary or can I just pitch into the wort?


Anybody's answers or opinions would be great.

 

[clibit]

Going for my first extract brew and I want to do a nice a hefeweizen. I think I'm going to go with this recipe:

Malt Base: 5 lbs (2.268kg)Wheat Dry Malt Extract OR 6 lbs (2.73kg) Wheat Liquid Malt Extract
Specialty Grains: ½ lb (226g) Flaked Wheat, 1/2 lb (226g) Flaked Oats
Hops: 1 oz (28g) Hallertau Hop Pellets(bittering)
Yeast: White Labs 300 Hefeweizen or Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan

I will be doing a partial boil (don't have a big enough pot yet) and want to brew a 2.5 gallon batch. Before I buy my ingredients, I have have a few questions.

Anybody's answers or opinions would be great.

1) To do a 2.5 gallon batch will I just half everything? Yes

2) Is there any reason why it would be better to use DME or LME? I prefer DME

3) Would I be better off using whole hops rather than pellets? If I would then by what factor do I need to change the amount? Not a huge difference. About 10% more whole hops than pellets.

4) I have seen some people suggesting 1/2 hops @ 60 mins and 1/2 hops @ 15 mins. Might this be better if I don't want the beer to have a hoppy character? I'd stick to the recipe.

5) I have seen people suggesting just using the flaked wheat for speciality grains, would the oats as well be better? If I only use wheat will I still use 1/2lb or a different amount? I'd stick to the recipe I think.

6) if I do use oats, would I just be able to use regular porridge oats? Yes

And finally, 7) which of these yeast would you recommend? Either is fine I reckon.
And is a starter necessary or can I just pitch into the wort? For 2.5 gallons it should be fine to pitch straight in - but check the date.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Going for my first extract brew and I want to do a nice a hefeweizen. I think I'm going to go with this recipe:

Malt Base: 5 lbs (2.268kg)Wheat Dry Malt Extract OR 6 lbs (2.73kg) Wheat Liquid Malt Extract
Specialty Grains: ½ lb (226g) Flaked Wheat, 1/2 lb (226g) Flaked Oats
Hops: 1 oz (28g) Hallertau Hop Pellets(bittering)
Yeast: White Labs 300 Hefeweizen or Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan

I will be doing a partial boil (don't have a big enough pot yet) and want to brew a 2.5 gallon batch. Before I buy my ingredients, I have have a few questions.

1) To do a 2.5 gallon batch will I just half everything?

2) Is there any reason why it would be better to use DME or LME?

3) Would I be better off using whole hops rather than pellets? If I would then by what factor do I need to change the amount?

4) I have seen some people suggesting 1/2 hops @ 60 mins and 1/2 hops @ 15 mins. Might this be better if I don't want the beer to have a hoppy character?

5) I have seen people suggesting just using the flaked wheat for speciality grains, would the oats as well be better? If I only use wheat will I still use 1/2lb or a different amount?

6) if I do use oats, would I just be able to use regular porridge oats?

And finally, 7) which of these yeast would you recommend? And is a starter necessary or can I just pitch into the wort?


Anybody's answers or opinions would be great.

German hefewiesen's are not usually hoppy. Scnieder & Sohn do a nice hopfweizen though. I just used 3Kg dried wheat malt extract and 50g of tettnang on a 15-20 min boil in 6 liters of water and diluted up to 22liters.

I used dried safale WB-06 yeast re-hydrated. Turned out lovely. If anything I didn't ferment at high enough temps 21 I did and I could have done with more bubblegum and clove flavours.

 

[GHW]

If you go for the wyeast, you will get a MASSIVE krausen. Like MASSIVE. I had a third clear space in the fv and it still poured out through the sides like the last episode of blakes seven.

Install a blow off tube.

Also control your temps. I went too high with mine and ended up with a very clovey wheat beer when I really wanted banana.