Northern brewers hanks hefeweizen AG

[youngson616]

Hello

I have a few questions for anyone who brewed with this kit.

What yeast did you go with? Fermentation temperature?

Did you secondary? If not, how long in the primary? (obviously after achieving the correct FG)

 

[Jag75]

I haven't brewed this exact kit but I might be able to help.

You should be able able to choose your yeast . Obviously you want a hefeweizen yeast. I use the WLP300. With yeast you really want to stay within the fermentation temps that are suggested for that yeast.

When it comes to the hefe , the higher temp side pushes banana , lower side clove . Another thing brewers do is slightly under pitch a hefe to stress that yeast out to produce more banana esters and clove phenols.

You can stress out yeast by temp , lack of aeration and not using starters for liquid yeast.

 

[youngson616]

Right on! Good info here.

When you say under pitch, by how much about?

 

[Jag75]

Right on! Good info here.

When you say under pitch, by how much about?

I don't use a starter , just add it to a little wort then pitch . I've never made a hefe with dry yeast though. I would imagine with dry yeast instead of pitching the whole packet just use 1/2 to 3/4 but I'm just guessing on that .

 

[youngson616]

I don't use a starter , just add it to a little wort then pitch.

Never tried a starter.

Add it to a little wort? Like mix the yeast with some wort in a separate container then pitch?

 

[Jag75]

Never tried a starter.

Add it to a little wort? Like mix the yeast with some wort in a separate container then pitch?

When you use liquid yeast it's best to use a starter. A starter builds cells and get the yeast going to complete fermentation. Some boil water then add DME , let it cool down to pitching temp then add yeast . You do this in a flask and place on a stir plate .

Or you can do a SNS (shakin not stirred) starter where you add yeast and wort to a gallon glass jug and shake it like it owes you money . About 20-30 min later open the lid a bit to release the pressure. It's ready to pitch as early as 16-18 hours , where as a starter on stir plate takes days .

I've stopped using DME for starters because of the canned proper starter . It's way easier , only negative is price.

If you elect to skip the starter for your hefe you can just add the yeast to your fermenter and aerate..

If you use dry yeast you don't need a starter . Just add wort to a sanitized glass add yeast , mix well then add to your fermenter. Or you just sprinkle on top of the wort , both ways work . You don't have to aerate when using dry yeast.

 

[ebbelwoi]

I don't use a starter , just add it to a little wort then pitch . I've never made a hefe with dry yeast though. I would imagine with dry yeast instead of pitching the whole packet just use 1/2 to 3/4 but I'm just guessing on that .

Lallemand's own recipe recommends a max pitch of .5g/liter with Munich Classic.
https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/wp...Munich-Classic-Munich-Hefe-30L-printbleed.pdf

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I did this kit a while back. I used Wyeast 3068 and didn't do a starter, just dumped the newly opened smack pack straight in. I didn't record fermentation temps but in general I try to keep Hef temps on the high side (69f or higher). No secondary; I let it sit there for 3 weeks. Came out fine.

 

[Jag75]

Good point by @TalonsUpPuckDown , stay away from secondaries.

 

[youngson616]

I did this kit a while back. I used Wyeast 3068 and didn't do a starter, just dumped the newly opened smack pack straight in. I didn't record fermentation temps but in general I try to keep Hef temps on the high side (69f or higher). No secondary; I let it sit there for 3 weeks. Came out fine.

Cool cool. I got the 3068 wyeast as well, my order is in on the way.

I did my last hefe(extract) around 72 with the 3068. Not really much banana flavor, some clove. Also a little fusal achohol flavor, not too bad though. I fermented two weeks in primary and it was done. Im shooting for the lower side fermentation temp this time around 65f.

 

[Jag75]

Cool cool. I got the 3068 wyeast as well, my order is in on the way.

I did my last hefe(extract) around 72 with the 3068. Not really much banana flavor, some clove. Also a little fusal achohol flavor, not too bad though. I fermented two weeks in primary and it was done. Im shooting for the lower side fermentation temp this time around 65f.

Do you have temp control?

 

[youngson616]

Do you have temp control?

Not exactly but it remains consistent.

I ferment in a closet, set my thermostat to 67 in the house. In the fermenter for the first couple days its about 72f degrees(+5 above ambient), then lowers. When the fermenter temp comes down after the 3rd day or so, i raise the house temp back to 70ish. I will eventually be getting a freezer with a inkbird controller as this isnt the best method..

 

[Jag75]

Not exactly but it remains consistent.

I ferment in a closet, set my thermostat to 67 in the house. In the fermenter for the first couple days its about 72f degrees(+5 above ambient), then lowers. When the fermenter temp comes down after the 3rd day or so, i raise the house temp back to 70ish. I will eventually be getting a freezer with a inkbird controller as this isnt the best method..

Until then you can set your fermenter in a shallow bucket/pan with water . Drape a cool wet towel around the fermenter as well. Active fermentation can shoot temps up to 10*.

Too high of ferm temps give us fusels

 

[knullkupf]

On my Hefeweizen's I always use Wyeast 3068 and ferment at 62-64 degrees with great results. I also only use the liquid started right into the wort, no starter. Fermentation temp's are important, higher temps favor banana and lower favor more clove. With a AG recipe you can also do a ferulic acid rest. You can read more here:
https://brulosophy.com/2019/06/17/the-ferulic-acid-rest-effect-exbeeriment-results/