German Hefeweizen

[musseldoc]

What do you all think of this for a Hefe?

Fermentables
Ingredient   Amount   %   MCU   When
German Wheat Malt    3.000 kg    60.0 %    1.7    In Mash/Steeped
German Pilsner Malt    1.500 kg    30.0 %    0.9    In Mash/Steeped
German Vienna Malt    0.500 kg    10.0 %    0.8    In Mash/Steeped

Hops
Variety   Alpha   Amount   IBU   Form   When
German Hallertauer Hersbrucker    2.6 %    30 g    12.0    Loose Pellet Hops    60 Min From End
German Hallertauer Hersbrucker    2.6 %    5 g    0.0    Loose Pellet Hops    At turn off

Yeast
Wyeast 3056

[duboman]

Personally I like a traditional hefeweizen going 50/50 wheat and pilsner malts and one charge of Hallertauer at 60 minutes for roughly 15 IBU using 3068 to ferment at 68oF

In all I'd say your recipe works, just not sure you need the Vienna or the flame out hops

[beersk]

I think the recipe looks good. Use Wy3068 for best results. Aim for about 15 IBUs.

[mabrungard]

I like using Aromatic or Melanoidin malt instead of the Vienna. I would keep the bittering at the 11 to 12 IBU range. The late hop addition is unneeded and potentially undesirable since I'm not sure that hop aroma plays well with the yeast character. Make sure that your mash pH is in the 5.2 to 5.3 range so that the beer flavor is crisp.

[brewinhard]

I like using Aromatic or Melanoidin malt instead of the Vienna. I would keep the bittering at the 11 to 12 IBU range. The late hop addition is unneeded and potentially undesirable since I'm not sure that hop aroma plays well with the yeast character. Make sure that your mash pH is in the 5.2 to 5.3 range so that the beer flavor is crisp.

+1 to the no late hop addition.  This beer is strictly about the yeast and you don't want anything getting in the way. 

[realbeerguy]

Personally I like a traditional hefeweizen going 50/50 wheat and pilsner malts and one charge of Hallertauer at 60 minutes for roughly 15 IBU using 3068 to ferment at 68oF

In all I'd say your recipe works, just not sure you need the Vienna or the flame out hops

This, but @62dF

[HoosierBrew]

FWIW, I like 3068 @ 64F for a nice mix of clove and banana character.  YMMV.

[musseldoc]

Is 3056 not appropriate?

[Kinetic]

I say go off the charts.  Add more hops and use an adjunct just to snub the Germans.

[HoosierBrew]

Is 3056 not appropriate?

3056 is appropriate but not as good IMO. It is a blend of a neutral ale strain and a German wheat strain - it gives you a more subtle hefe and a more boring one (to me). But it will make a good beer, no arguments. I've always found hefeweizen to be an almost totally yeast driven style, and 3068 is the classic strain for hefe.

[duboman]

Personally I like a traditional hefeweizen going 50/50 wheat and pilsner malts and one charge of Hallertauer at 60 minutes for roughly 15 IBU using 3068 to ferment at 68oF

In all I'd say your recipe works, just not sure you need the Vienna or the flame out hops

This, but @62dF

i guess it depends on how much clove/banana you want. I've fermented it low and high, more clove low, more banana high, for me it depends on the day I brew:)

Right now I've got a peach Hefe  on tap that was at 62 and a straight Hefe bottled that was at 68, neither of them last very long with the ladies in the neighborhood

[HoosierBrew]

i guess it depends on how much clove/banana you want. I've fermented it low and high, more clove low, more banana high, for me it depends on the day I brew:)

Right now I've got a peach Hefe  on tap that was at 62 and a straight Hefe bottled that was at 68, neither of them last very long with the ladies in the neighborhood

Yeah, I've used it at a lot of different temps too. I brew it in the summertime and it never lasts long !

[musseldoc]

I have to pitch yet tonight, and I don't have 3068.  Would you pitch the 3056 or the Nottingham Munich Wheat dry yeast (the two I have on hand)?

[HoosierBrew]

I have to pitch yet tonight, and I don't have 3068.  Would you pitch the 3056 or the Nottingham Munich Wheat dry yeast (the two I have on hand)?

I'd pitch the 3056 ( haven't used the other 2) and try to ferment ~ 65-67F.  Being a more subdued hefe strain, that temp should bring out some of the banana/clove character that's expected in the style. You should post your results. Good luck!

[santoch]

I'm with Martin on the melanoidan malt instead of the Vienna, though a decoction is even better.
I'm with duboman on the more even balance between wheat and pilsner malt.  (I'd go 50 wheat/40 pils/10 mel).
I'm partial to the 3068 because that's what I've always used but a friend of mine did the WLP300 side by side split batch with 3068 and the 300 won hands down.

1 oz 4% noble hop at 60 but none at flame out.
62F.

Good luck!