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Author Topic: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors  (Read 13734 times)

Offline drmario47

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Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« on: January 20, 2012, 09:39:39 am »
I recently brewed a hefeweizen using Wyeast Labs 3068 and got little banana clove character from it. I fermented at around 68 degrees. Just wondering if anyone has and input on enhancing those banana clove flavors. Maybe use WLP300 next time? Any thoughts?

Offline Malticulous

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2012, 01:21:19 pm »
Both 3068 and 300 are supposed to be Weihenstephan W 68.  3068 with a low pitch rate fermented at 68F has gave me good banana and clove. 300 is just bananas.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2012, 01:27:15 pm by Malticulous »

Offline hamiltont

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2012, 01:44:30 pm »
For more "Clove" dough in @ ~110F (ferulic acid rest) for 30 minutes or so. Then move on to your regular mash schedule. I enjoy the results of WLP380.  Cheers!!!
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Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2012, 07:20:46 am »
Enhancing clove and banana character????  Why on earth would you want to do that?  I can't stand cloves in a beer, roasted pork shoulder, yes, beer no.

That being said, when I first started brewing almost two and a half years ago, I went through this phase of brewing every style I could think of.  I brewed a Dunkelweizen, knowing full well that I hate cloves in a beer ???, idiot  :P, and used  White Labs WLP351 Bavarian Weizen Yeast.  I made a starter with it and it had significant cloves and banana characteristics.  I would give this one a try if that's what you're going for.

Everyone's taste buds are different and YOU should definitely enjoy the beer you are brewing.  Hope this helps...
« Last Edit: January 21, 2012, 07:23:46 am by liquidbrewing »
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2012, 08:39:04 am »
Enhancing clove and banana character????  Why on earth would you want to do that?  I can't stand cloves in a beer, roasted pork shoulder, yes, beer no.

well, I completely disagree. Clove phenols in a hefeweizen is imperative IMO.

The ferulic acid rest is a good suggestion. I heard someone mention recently using a vial of WLP300 blended with a vial of wlp380. I am planning on trying that when I brew my dunkleweizen soon. You get nice clove character from the 380 and cleaner banana from the 300 hundred. One tip: ferment fairly cool. I pitch mine at 56-58 and keep the fermentation very low through the first third. This seems to enhance the clove character, otherwise the banana tends to become predominant. You may need to experiment with temps to strike the balance you prefer.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2012, 08:42:41 am by majorvices »

Offline malzig

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2012, 09:06:30 am »
Enhancing clove and banana character????  Why on earth would you want to do that?  I can't stand cloves in a beer, roasted pork shoulder, yes, beer no.
well, I completely disagree. Clove phenols in a hefeweizen is imperative IMO.
Absolutely!  Banana, not so much.  I agree with the pitch cool and ferment cool recommendation.  I wouldn't let it get over 62°F. for the first few days, at least.

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2012, 09:34:08 am »
I was just stating a personal preference, not saying it shouldn't be in a German Hefe.  
« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 08:26:28 am by liquidbrewing »
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Offline hoser

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2012, 09:39:22 am »
Oddly enough, in regards to ferulic acid rest at 110F.  I was at the Winterfest Ales & Auction here in Lincoln last nite and Empyrean, our local brewery had a Wheat Wine.  The head brewer did a rest at 45C/113F and then ramped up to their normal mash temps.  Grist was 60-70% wheat and fermented with their house Chico strain and that beer had HUGE bannana flavor and aroma with some subtle clove.  Just an interesting side note I thought I would share since no hefe or Belgian strain of yeast was used.

Offline drmario47

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2012, 08:48:08 pm »
Thanks everyone for the input. I am also getting a weird sulfuric smell from the beer that is not all that favorable. I had a few pints the other day and it was ok just not the best. Is this due to the fact that I fermented in primary for 10 days, kegged it right away then quick carbed it in 3 days? This is a 10 gallon batch and Im sure that if I give it more time it will mature for the better. Any experience with this issue?

Offline bluesman

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2012, 09:28:11 pm »
Thanks everyone for the input. I am also getting a weird sulfuric smell from the beer that is not all that favorable. I had a few pints the other day and it was ok just not the best. Is this due to the fact that I fermented in primary for 10 days, kegged it right away then quick carbed it in 3 days? This is a 10 gallon batch and Im sure that if I give it more time it will mature for the better. Any experience with this issue?

Did you check the gravity for two to three consecutive days to ensure that it had reached terminal gravity. Allowing the beer to reach terminal gravity then giving the beer a few more days to clean up any fermentation by-products is needed to achieve good quality beer. Then I like to cold crash the beer for a few weeks to condition the beer before I force carbonate.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2012, 07:13:37 am »
I was just stating a personal preference, not saying it shouldn't be in a German Hefe.  Take it easy guys...

Take it easy? No one was bashing you, friend. Just stating my preference the way you stated yours. It's all easy, so relax.  ;)

Offline majorvices

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2012, 07:20:11 am »
Thanks everyone for the input. I am also getting a weird sulfuric smell from the beer that is not all that favorable. I had a few pints the other day and it was ok just not the best. Is this due to the fact that I fermented in primary for 10 days, kegged it right away then quick carbed it in 3 days? This is a 10 gallon batch and Im sure that if I give it more time it will mature for the better. Any experience with this issue?

I don't know what it is about the Wyeast strain but I have stopped using it. I got a weird sulfur issue the last few times and I could not figure out what the cause was.

Offline Mark G

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2012, 07:31:10 am »
Thanks everyone for the input. I am also getting a weird sulfuric smell from the beer that is not all that favorable. I had a few pints the other day and it was ok just not the best. Is this due to the fact that I fermented in primary for 10 days, kegged it right away then quick carbed it in 3 days? This is a 10 gallon batch and Im sure that if I give it more time it will mature for the better. Any experience with this issue?
I get sulfur in my hefe when using WLP380 during fermentation, but it's always gone before I keg. You could try bubbling up some CO2 through the beer-out post to see if that will scrub some sulfur out. Next time just give the beer a few more days before packaging and the sulfur should be gone.
Mark Gres

Offline majorvices

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2012, 08:24:00 am »
Ya know, I don't know what it is about the wyeast strain, but I tried everything on 3 different batches to get rid of the sulphur and it never diminished, including bubbling c02 up through the brights. Switched to white labs and never had a problem. Weird.

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: Banana and Clove. Best yeast to bring out those flavors
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2012, 08:30:21 am »

 Next time just give the beer a few more days before packaging and the sulfur should be gone.
[/quote]


+1.  Conditioning, usually, always helps a beer.  Especially a beer that young.  I don't keg for at least a month.
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