Homebrew Recipe
Weissbier
- Method:
- Extract
- Style:
- Weissbier (Hefeweizen)
- Boil Time:
- 60 min.
- Batch Size:
- 5 gal.
- Boil Size:
- 6.5 gal.
- Efficiency:
- 0
- 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:
- Use 6.5 gallons of low mineral or RO water in the brew kettle; heat to 158°F. Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the time indicated. 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 Dry Malt Extract | 5.5 lbs. | 100.00 |
| Notes: Bavarian wheat dried malt extract. | ||
| Total: | 5.50 lbs. | |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Bavarian Wheat | Mangrove Jack | M20 |
| Hefeweizen Ale | White Labs | WLP300 |
| Weihenstephan Weizen | Wyeast | 3068 |