Pittsy's Munich Weizen Now with Pics

[johnny_dove]

Awesome, exactly what I was looking for!!!
Someone with routine, brewing the same stuff I love, that has brewed it recently in the same amount that I was planning to! Luck!

How did it turn out? You should be drinking it around now... Would you do it the same way for next batch or tweak ?

I was planning to brew Weihenstephan Hefe clone to morrow I am having one now. I just love'em!

Before I found this post I was trying to decide if I should do biab+decoction like this guide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_92LlEyAug

Or use a schedule that I have come up with in Beersmith, see under my writing.

Your way - questions:
1. You reckon 4.55 l decoction is enough to make a difference from normal step mash? Your way is a lot easier than the 3 step decoction Beersmith comes up with...
2. Your total water is 35.21 litres, correct?
3. Munich malt mixed with pilsner malt is better than just pilsner malt as many recipes advocate? Have it at home so it would not be a problem to use it.
4. 70 minute boil enough? Many say one should boil 90 minutes if using pilsner malt.
5. I have a 3068 wyest smack pack. I think these aren't meant to used with a starter, will not help, right? Expensive to get 2 packs...
6. How you get right amount of yeast in final brew? I mean should one skip secondary, cold breaks etc completely? Proteins - Do you whirlpool before putting into the fermenter?

Oops, my hefe all gone while typing this post...

What I been working on until found this post:--------------
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Weisenstephan Hefe
Style: Weizen/Weissbier
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30,0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 32,75 l
Post Boil Volume: 26,00 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 25,00 l
Bottling Volume: 23,30 l
Estimated OG: 1,050 SG
Estimated Color: 7,1 EBC
Estimated IBU: 14,1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72,00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72,0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
2,72 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (3,9 EBC) Grain 1 50,0 %
2,72 kg Wheat Malt, Ger (3,9 EBC) Grain 2 50,0 %
28,00 g Hallertauer [4,80 %] - Boil 60,0 min Hop 3 14,1 IBUs
1,0 pkg Weihenstephan Weizen (Wyeast Labs #3068) Yeast 4 -


Mash Schedule: Decoction Mash, Triple
Total Grain Weight: 5,44 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Acid Rest Add 22,71 l of water at 36,2 C 35,0 C 45 min
Protein Rest Decoct 6,06 l of mash and boil it 50,0 C 60 min
Saccharification Decoct 7,59 l of mash and boil it 64,4 C 15 min
Saccharification Decoct 3,28 l of mash and boil it 68,9 C 15 min
Mash Out Heat to 75,6 C over 10 min 75,6 C 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 15,49 l water at 75,6 C
Notes:
Pitch at 15C. Ferment at 19C.
------

Cheers,

Johan

 

[pittsy]

i made 3 batches of this for christmas , had 120 bottles , now got 8 bottles left . Bloody lovely . You seem to have it sorted , i smack pack is enough , yes my water is 33l , Nothing special done for yeast just ferment in 1 fv 10 days batch prime into 2nd fv then bottle , ready to drink within 2 weeks from carbing .Decoction although only around 5 l but very thick so a good amount of grain is in decoction and if only single decoction then 30 min boil but if 2 then 15 min boil each time. . I have had best results with belgian pale ale malt and german pale wheat malt ( i get from malt miller) , good luck with yours hope it goes well .

 

[johnny_dove]

Getting ready to go. Cleaning equipment now :) I have Weyermann's German Pale Wheat Malt :-) I may go with your decoction method, take 5l of thick mash, heat it up to around 67 let it sit for 30 minutes and then boil it for 30 minutes. Sounds ok?

Apart from German Pale Wheat I have Pale Ale, Munich or Pilsner Malt from the local malt producer in Sweden "Viking" - http://www.vikingmalt.com/en/?id=25 . I think I will mix some Pilsner and Munich. Will snap some photos :)

 

[pittsy]

you may of already done brew, but decoction you should heat it up slowly to reach 72c and leave at 72c for 15 mins then slowly raise to boiling and if doing 2 or more then 15 mins at boil or if doing 1 then around 30 mins boil . :

 

[johnny_dove]

Did something similar. Let it rest for 15 minutes around 65C then brought it really slowly to boil and let it boil for 30 minutes.

Question: I pitched yeast with wort 16C, the fermentation and room temp has now brought it up to 24 C... Too high? Not sure if I should stick the fermenter in the tub for a bit to cool it. I heard you get different esters at different temps with this yeast. Like the banana taste but not sure I'll get too much?
It is around 21 C in the apartment. Must be the fermentation that has brought up the temp so high. The fermentation is really active. Should only be couple of days more in primary at this rate.

 

[pittsy]

24c is hitting the max , i would recommend 22c for esters and 18c for clove ,even when brew done leave it be for at least 10 days in all , good luck with it .

 

[AndyBWood]

Hi Pittsy,

Did my first AG at the weekend but always liked the wheats. Great post but........ if I'm brave enough.... means you may be in for quite a few questions in a few months time !

Cheers

A

 

[pittsy]

if i can help mate :thumb:

 

[johnny_dove]

This yeast is the bomb. After i had poured all the yeast in the main batch, I took 2 litres of left over trub and and poured in the seemingly empty wyeast bag and made a starter. Next morning it was active so I added some inverted sugar syrup. In the afternoon I made a 12 litre exerimental batch and added to the starter. Bubbling away like crazy! All from what was left in the empty bag:-)

 

[pittsy]

nice 1 , now that's using your head :)

 

[johnny_dove]

About to bottle:grin: How much sugar do you usually prime your hefes with?

 

[pittsy]

I bottle with 150g for 22L , comes out nicely fizzy , beware you really have to pour carefully but good news you want all the crap (most) from the bottle in the glass so all's good :thumb:

 

[johnny_dove]

Phew. Bottling is a bugger. Took half night. That over ripe banana ester smell that is nice in a weihenstephaner was way overpowering out of the fv. Very chemical sort of smell when directly from th fv. Like an ugly cousin. Hope it mellows down while maturing. Taste was too chemical aswell.

 

[pittsy]

Phew. Bottling is a bugger. Took half night. That over ripe banana ester smell that is nice in a weihenstephaner was way overpowering out of the fv. Very chemical sort of smell when directly from th fv. Like an ugly cousin. Hope it mellows down while maturing. Taste was too chemical aswell.

Oh dear i hope it gets better for you , if it has too much as you say that will be because of fermenting too high , even though you mentioned 21c in the room but in the fv while the yeast is active the temp will rise around 2 to 3 c making it 24c which is pushing it , i would advise brewing at 19/20c for clove and 22c for more esters. I've got a new brew on from sunday and all was going well regarding temp control but i went and changed the heater etc and without noticing control was high the temp on wednesday climbed to 28c for around 4 to 5 hrs , hopefully the damage will be minimal as i'm hoping the main fermentation was finished (wheats are quick) :pray: :pray:

 

[johnny_dove]

My apartment got warm while I was boiling that experimental brew. My temp strip on my fv was at 24 for a few hours. But it was during a very active period. Should have put the fv in a cold bath in the tub. Perhaps it will mellow and taste better cool, carbonated and matured. Luckily that experimental brew tasted very promising:grin: Tasted like I had expected the main batch to taste.

 

[johnny_dove]

Tasted first bottle yesterday. Really nice. Was a little darker than the weihenstephaner hefe. Used quite a bit of munich malt for melanoids. Rave reviews from my mates.:lol:
Banana taste was good.

 

[pittsy]

nice 1 , glad your enjoying it :