brewedforce
Member
I am drinking Penobscot Bay Brewery Meadow Road Wheat Beer right now. It says on the label it is 'true to the Hefeweizen tradition' and uses only 'malted wheat, lager malt, a top fermenting Bavarian yeast, and is lightly hopped with Tettnang'. It is excessively sour which I have never experienced with a Hefeweizen, although it is called 'Wheat Beer' and not Hefeweizen. I'm not sure if this is intentional? From what I am reading it seems like sourness is NOT ever a desired trait in a hefeweizen, but a Berliner Weisse is fermented with Bavarian yeast and Lactobacillus, perhaps that is more the style they are intending to brew? I read something that says that Berliner Weisse are commonly brewed with a Bavarian yeast and then in secondary Lactobacillus is added, so perhaps they are just not leaving that part out?
I am just trying to figure out if perhaps I got an odd batch, or if I didn't what exactly would be the cause of the tartness? Is it just from whatever specific yeast they brewed with? I am still new to brewing but I am not familiar with yeasts that produce this much acid, only bacteria. Also, everything I have read seems to indicate that when someone's wheat beer is sour it is an issue, and in my experience I have never encountered this quality in a wheat beer that isn't known for it. Thank you for your help!
I am just trying to figure out if perhaps I got an odd batch, or if I didn't what exactly would be the cause of the tartness? Is it just from whatever specific yeast they brewed with? I am still new to brewing but I am not familiar with yeasts that produce this much acid, only bacteria. Also, everything I have read seems to indicate that when someone's wheat beer is sour it is an issue, and in my experience I have never encountered this quality in a wheat beer that isn't known for it. Thank you for your help!