[pete b]

Ever just forget about a beer style? I have not made a wheat beer in years, I just keep forgetting to get the stuff. Since I never brew it I really haven't paid attention or read up on it. So give me any ideas or advice you have. I'm thinking it will be a hefe. I have WY3068, Weihenstephan Weizen, and white wheat malt. I don't have german pilsner malt but do have Belgian pilsner. I also have rahr 2 row and MO. The only continental style hops I have are hallertau, saaz, and tettnang. I have lots of English and American hops. I also have a wide variety of specialty grains. So have at it. Tell me what you like for ingredients, mash temps, whatever.

[Iliff Ave]

My next beer will be American Wheat. I use 50% pilsner, 40% white wheat, & 10% flaked wheat. I like American citrusy hops and a nice crisp profile. For a wit, I sub out the flaked wheat with flaked oats. If you are going hefe, I can't really comment though...so disregard..haha

[HoosierBrew]

Some guys use 50/50 wheat:malt.  I like 60 Wheat/ 40 Pils,  12-15 IBU, WY 3068 (held @ 64-65F for 3 days , then ramped). 

[pete b]

My next beer will be American Wheat. I use 50% pilsner, 40% white wheat, & 10% flaked wheat. I like American citrusy hops and a nice crisp profile. For a wit, I sub out the flaked wheat with flaked oats. If you are going hefe, I can't really comment though...so disregard..haha

I could change my mind and certainly will get to an American wheat eventually. What yeast are you all using ion American wheats?

[HoosierBrew]

I like 1056/001/05 for American Wheat.

[brewday]

I usually follow a Gumballead template for American Wheat:

75% 2-row or Pils
25% Wheat
~2% Aromatic (Math!)

Wyeast 1968 or 1272, a touch of Warrior for bittering and finish with whatever hops I'm interested in at the time.  It'll be Mandarina this weekend.

[quattlebaum]

I am a 60/40 Wheat/pils man myself 15-18IBUs any noble hop. i also like to throw in a bit of light Munich or aromatic on occasions.  Hochkurz double decoction for me all the time. Ferm at 62F normal healthy pitch

[pete b]

I'm going with a hefe this time. I'm thinking 40%pils 60% wheat. I.m also thinking <5% carafoam to increase head retention. Bitter with hallertau around 15 ibu's and add a touch of saaz for last 10 minutes. Mash around 154 Ferment at 62. I won't do a dedoction but might next time to see the difference.

[morticaixavier]

I have never had a problem with head retention with in a wheat beer.

[pete b]

I have never had a problem with head retention with in a wheat beer.

There you go, that's good info. And it stirs a memory that wheat is good for head retention. I knew I nice head is desirable in this style and thought lack of a lot hops might hurt that. Away with the cara foam! This is why I post here.

[morticaixavier]

I have never had a problem with head retention with in a wheat beer.

There you go, that's good info. And it stirs a memory that wheat is good for head retention. I knew I nice head is desirable in this style and thought lack of a lot hops might hurt that. Away with the cara foam! This is why I post here.

the main problem with foam and wheat beers is that the krausen is so huge it requires a blowoff even with tons of headspace. in the kettle too for that matter.

[majorvices]

You definitely don't need any foam enhancers with wheat malt. Rather than a decocotion you might try doughing in at 111 for a ferulic acid rest for 20 min especially if you like clove"y" character. It's not a "must do" step, but I think it may add more than a decocotion.

Personal preference for me but I prefer 150-152 sac rest for mine. I don't think you will find the beer suffer5s from any lack of body by doughing in at 150 and I think you may find the beer a bit more quaffable doing your sac rest at that temp.

My personal favorite wheat beer yeast is WLP380 hefeweizen IV. It gives a nice balance of clove and banana. If you are more interested in clove, as my personal preference is, start the fermentation at as low as 58 degrees (you are best off doing a starter) and after 48 hours of that temp raise to 64 for a few days then finish out at 68. If banana is more you deal start out at 64 for 48 hours. Fermenting higher than this could result in an unbalanced "banana bomb", which I personally don't care for. I like the balance of spicy phenolics to blend with the banana"y" isoamyl acetate.

[HoosierBrew]

Yeah, I brewed a hefe last summer and the krausen coated the entire underside of the bucket lid of an 8 gallon bucket -  5.5 gallon batch.  It didn't come up through the airlock though. And then using something like 3068, which a crazy active fermenter just compounds things.

[kmccaf]

My personal favorite wheat beer yeast is WLP380 hefeweizen IV. It gives a nice balance of clove and banana. If you are more interested in clove, as my personal preference is, start the fermentation at as low as 58 degrees (you are best off doing a starter) and after 48 hours of that temp raise to 64 for a few days then finish out at 68. If banana is more you deal start out at 64 for 48 hours. Fermenting higher than this could result in an unbalanced "banana bomb", which I personally don't care for. I like the balance of spicy phenolics to blend with the banana"y" isoamyl acetate.

+1 wlp380 is my favorite hefe strain.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

60-65% wheat and or dark wheat, Munich , melanoidin make up rest. I prefer the malty Dunkelweizen over hefeweizen. 380 American, 300 german.