Thinking of brewing Hefe Weizen soon

[Tomas Brew]

Finding very different opinions online, confused ..
Temperature and length of fermentation, whats your thoughts guys?

 

[J A]

Hefe is usually a style that's brewed at a fairly warm temp (to bring out esters in the yeast) and served pretty young. Depending on yeast, a wort temp of around or even above 70F (ambient temp lower) and most beers would finish and start clearing within a couple of weeks at the longest. Since more yeast is preferred in the finished beer, bottling or kegging before the beer clears completely would be a good choice. I brew a hefe when I want to turn a beer around fast. Grain to glass in less than 2 weeks with kegging and 3 weeks for bottle-conditioned is not uncommon for homebrewing.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I've no experience brewing this here hefeweizen but I hear the yeast ain't to far from the saison strain or better yet I see people using farmhouse Belgian yeast to knock this brew out.

What's your recipe look like Tomas in case the creative folks on this brewing forum may lend a thoughtful hand

 

[Myndflyte]

If you want those banana and clove esters, then plan on fermenting at a warmer than normal temperature. As for length, give it 2 weeks, check the gravity a couple times and if it's done bottle it up. Hefe's are usually ready pretty young too so give it a couple weeks to carb and it's time to drink.

 

[Head First]

Lots of variables with hefe's. Usually the temp will affect the yeast flavor, please jump in if I state this wrong but I believe lower temps bring out the clove and warmer temps more the banana. I like a simple malt bill with 50-50 wheat, ferment it at 68F and keg it in 12-14 days. Then shake or roll keg to force carb and drink as soon as possible. If you bottle be sure to pour most of beer then slosh up yeast and top off glass with yeast slurry. The fresher the better IMO. This is one of my favorite beers.

 

[Brewer #55899]

I agree with the points already stated and will add that I have also underpitched by around 25-50% intentionally to try to bring out the banana more along with 68 degree fermentation temp. If you happen to be using wlp300, be sure to use a blowoff tube since that yeast typically has a huge krausen.

 

[Tomas Brew]

I've no experience brewing this here hefeweizen but I hear the yeast ain't to far from the saison strain or better yet I see people using farmhouse Belgian yeast to knock this brew out.

What's your recipe look like Tomas in case the creative folks on this brewing forum may lend a thoughtful hand

45% pils , 55% wheat...and thinking of adding little bit of oat malt..
Hallertau Hersbrucker...probably around 15 IBU
Dry Danstar Munich wheat yeast

 

[Head First]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/10310/grasshopper-hefewizen

This is what I brew. Like I said it is one of my favorites.
Have used wlp-380 and safbrew wb-06.
Danstar should work fine. Cheers!

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I prefer the WLP 380 but have used the WLP 300 with success as well.
As stated earlier, a warmer ferment ~ 70° will bring out more Banana and a colder ferment ~62° will produce more clove.
You can add a ferulic acid rest which will bring out more clove, but usually a single infusion will be fine.
Under pitching and or less aeration can also drive more esters and phenolics, but I've had that go to bubblegum and I'm not a fan of that.
I like this served young. I go grain to glass in 10 days, sometimes less.
Cheers
Brian