Homebrew Recipe
Weissbier
- Method:
- All Grain
- Style:
- Weissbier (Hefeweizen)
- Boil Time:
- 90 min.
- Batch Size:
- 5 gal.
- Boil Size:
- 6.5 gal.
- Efficiency:
- 65
- Rating:
- Source:
- Brew Your Own
- Source Notes:
- March-April 2020, Vol. 26, No. 2 page 27. A variation of this has won medals in the National Homebrew Competition. Use around 60% wheat malt to make sure the flavor comes through. Pilsner malt is the rest, and use German maltsters for both grains. Weyermann is always a good choice. Also, as insurance against a stuck mash, use a pound of rice hulls mixed into the mash. Use a single decoction mash, which improves the mouthfeel of the beer. Incorporate some step mashing before pulling the decoction. Don't boil the decoction for long since you don't want too much flavor or color development, just enough to improve the mouthfeel. Any noble-type hop is fine. Have a blowoff tube ready in case you need it, and use a fermenter with plenty of headspace. If you're really game, try it in an open bucket to see if you get a little extra banana. Just be ready to rack it into a closed fermenter once the krausen starts to fall back into the beer so it doesn't get oxidized. Tips for Success: Decoction mashing is not an essential part of this recipe, but should help develop the proper mouthfeel. If time is short on brew day, you can just do the ferulic acid rest and a single saccharification rest at about 152°F. If this is your first time attempting a decoction mash, a good tool to pull the grains out of the mash tun is a stainless steel colander (and gloves). This will help drain most of the liquid back into the main mash. You want a little liquid with the grains, but not too much. By the end of the boil, there should be some Maillard reactions occurring in the decoction pot, but the grains should never scorch.
- Notes:
- No starter is required. This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric or lactic acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash. This is a combined step and single decoction mash: Mash in both grains at 113°F in 15 qts. water. Hold at this ferulic acid rest temperature for 15 minutes, then raise the temperature to 131°F for a protein rest. Maintain at this temperature for 10 minutes. Pull a thick decoction (33-40% of mash with minimal liquid) and heat the decocted portion to 158°F for 20 minutes, then boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Meanwhile (during the decoction), heat the main mash to 147°F and hold. Recombine the two mashes and rice hulls to hit 158°F. Rest for 10 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 168°F for mashout. Recirculate for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons of wort. Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the time indicated in the recipe. Chill the wort to 57°F, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete at 62°F. Rack the beer, prime, and bottle (or cask) condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Brew Numbers
| OG | FG | ABV | SRM | IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.05 | 1.01 | 5.3 | 3 | 12 |
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % Grain Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat Malt | 6.25 lbs. | 60.98 |
| Notes: German wheat malt | ||
| Lager or Pilsner Malt | 4 lbs. | 39.02 |
| Notes: German Pilsner malt | ||
| Total: | 10.25 lbs. | |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Bavarian Lager | Mangrove Jack's | M76 |
| Hefeweizen Ale | White Labs | WLP300 |
| Weihenstephan Weizen | Wyeast | 3068 |
Other Ingredients
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Hulls | 1 lb. | 25 minutes | Mash | Other |
| Notes: To prevent stuck mash. | ||||
Mash Steps
| Step | Name | Temp | Time | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferulic Acid Rest | 113 | 15 | All Grain |
| 2 | Protein Rest | 131 | 10 | All Grain |
| 3 | Decoction | 158 | 20 | All Grain |
| 4 | Decoction | 212 | 10 | All Grain |
| Notes: Boil gently, stirring constantly | ||||
| 5 | Step Mash | 147 | 30 | All Grain |
| Notes: During the decoction heat the main mash to 147°F and hold. | ||||
| 6 | Step Mash | 158 | 10 | All Grain |
| Notes: Recombine the two mashes and rice hulls to hit 158°F. Rest for 10 minutes. | ||||
| 7 | Mashout | 168 | 15 | All Grain |
| Notes: Raise the mash temperature to 168°F for mashout. Recirculate for 15 minutes. | ||||