Hefeweizen NHC Presentation

Brewing Bavarian Hefeweizen
Developing a Predictable Approach

by: Harold J. Gulbransen
Why Hefeweizen?
My First Experience with Hefeweizen
A challenging style to brew consistently
Harold J. Gulbransen
Outline of Presentation:
• Beer Style, History, Ingredients & Brewing Process

• Tastings - 5 Batches of Hefeweizen were brewed
using different parameters
• Expert Tasting Panel to provide sensory evaluation
of the different beers
o Thanks to Gordon Strong, Ted Hausotter & Jamil
Zainasheff
• Discuss: Wheat Malt, POF+ Yeast & Mash profiles
• Conclusions & a reasonable approach to
Homebrewing Bavarian Style Hefeweizens
What’s in a Name?
Weizen – wheat, implies wheat beer
Hefeweizen – wheat beer w/ yeast
Weissbier – white beer & wheat beer
Hefeweissbier – wheat beer w/ yeast
Weissbier Hell - pale colored Weizen
Dunkel Weizen – dark wheat beer
Weissbier Dunkel – dark white beer
Weizenbock – wheat beer brewed to Bock strength
[16° P = 1.064 OG]
• 1st Weizens appear @ end of 15th century – brewed by
Degenbergers - a noble family who have the rights to
Bavarian the style
Hefeweizen: • Last Degenberger dies in 1602 – brewing rights go to
a brief history Bavarian House of Dukes
• Duke Maximillian I declared the brewing of Weissbier
the exclusive right of the House of Dukes – no public
brewing of Weissbier
• Height of popularity was in the 17th & 18th centuries
• Large Weissbier Brewery built on the site of the
Hofbrauhaus in Munich
• By 1802 Weissbier had lost it’s popularity and the
Brewery was leased to a private brewer
• 1855 Georg Schneider leases the brewery & in 1872
negotiates the release of the brewing rights for
Weissbier from the royals
• By 1888 he had moved to a new brewery and tripled
production
• The real Renaissance for Weissbier didn’t arrive until
well after WW II
Profiles of a Bavarian Hefeweizen
[BJCP guidelines]
Aroma – strong phenols [clove] + fruity esters [banana] in

balance, no diacetyl or DMS, low to no hop aroma
Appearance – straw to dark gold in color, moussy, long
lasting head, cloudy due to high protein & yeast content
Flavor – banana & clove flavors in balance, soft
bready/grainy flavors of wheat, low to no hop flavor &
low hop bitterness, no diacetyl or DMS
Mouth feel – med light to med body, creamy
OG: 1.044 – 1.052 SRM: 2 – 8

FG : 1.010 – 1.014 ABV: 4.3% - 5.6%
IBU: 8 – 15
What Hefeweizens are we sampling today?
• 2 Hefeweizens brewed with a single decoction mash, one
fermented at 62o - 63oF & the other at 69o - 70oF
– Hypothesis = the warmer fermentation will create a less
pleasing balance of phenols & esters
• 3 Hefeweizens brewed w/ different mash profiles
– Single infusion
– Single decoction w/ a protein rest
– Single decoction w/ a ferulic acid rest
– Hypothesis –
o single infusion will be less interesting, lower phenol &
esters profile, thinner mouth feel [longer chain proteins
will precipitate out]
o Protein rest may negatively impact head retention
o Ferulic acid rest is the classic mash profile
Recipe
8.0 gallons OG: 1.052 FG: 1.010 11.5 IBU 60 min boil
62.5% Wheat Malt [Briess] 8.75 lbs

35.7% Pilsen 2-row Malt [Briess] 5.00 lbs
1.8% Carastan 34oL 0.25 lbs
50% RO water 50% carbon filtered SD water 1.5 qts water/ 1 lb grain
Hops: 14 gm Northern Brewer 9.0% aa 45 min

14 gm Hallertau Mittelfruh 3.0% aa 15 min
Mash: Simplified Single Decoction
Yeast: White Labs WLP 300 – 1600 cc starter
Fermentation temps: 63oF vs. 70oF
Packaging: Primed & kegged [to simulate bottle conditioning]
Transferred to clean kegs before transport to Hotel
Single Decoction Mash
210
190
Temperature [ °F ]
170
Strike Water
150 Grain
130 Main Mash
Decoction
110
Sparge
90
70
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Time [minutes]
For the Decoction:
Remove 1.5 gallons of
grain + 1.0 gallons of
liquid & grain
Variables that were evaluated
• Fermentation temperatures [63o F vs. 70oF]
• Mash Profiles
Variables that were not evaluated

• Water profiles
• Fermentation vessel geometry
• Yeast strains [WLP 300 only]
Addition experimentation needs to take place on the homebrew

scale evaluating fermentation vessel geometry [open vs.
closed] & different POF+ [phenol off flavor] yeast strains, as
they behave quite differently in different environments and at
different temperatures
• <1% of wheat grown in US goes to
Wheat Malt beer – it is breed for high protein
content to form gluten for bread
making
• Barley malt - 35% of the protein in
Barley is gluten
• Wheat malt – has more protein,
more higher molecular weight
proteins & 80% of the proteins are
gluten !!
• Winter Wheat has less protein than
Summer Wheat
• Proteins cause:
Wheat Malt – Cloudiness
– Flavor stability problems
– Wheat beers must be consumed fresh
• Wheat lacks a husk
– The aleurone layer is one cell thick
– More difficult to malt than barley
– Mash is thicker
– Lautering problems [maximum 70%
wheat malt in a grist]
Hefeweizen Grist
• Must be 50% wheat malt by convention
• Typically 60% - 70% wheat malt
• Pilsner malt + a small % of a Cara malt for color
Yeast need Amino Acids for a healthy fermentation

Wheat beer grists have lower levels of AA’s vs.
barley grists
• Mash schedules should include a protein rest where
proteolytic enzymes will create adequate levels of AA’s &
compensate for low levels of low molecular weight
proteins in wheat malt
Decoction Mashing
• Definition of decoction mashing
• Decoction mashing breaks down high molecular weight
proteins for higher levels of AA’s – protein decomposition
• Proper AA levels lead to optimal yeast reproduction &
fermentation
• Boiling causes starch molecules to burst making them
more accessible to alpha amylase enzymes when
returned to the main mash
• Boiling the mash reduces mash pH by precipitating
calcium phosphate
• Results in a “cleaner wort” – less trub in kettle as it was
left behind in the mush tun
Recipe
8.0 gallons OG: 1.052 FG: 1.010 11.5 IBU 60 min boil
62.5% Wheat Malt [Briess] 8.75 lbs

35.7% Pilsen 2-row Malt [Briess] 5.00 lbs
1.8% Carastan 34oL 0.25 lbs
50% RO water 50% carbon filtered SD water 1.5qts water/1 lb of grain
Hops: 14 gm Northern Brewer 9.0% aa 45 min

14 gm Hallertau Mittelfruh 3.0% aa 15 min
Mash: Single Infusion at 152oF: Single Decoction w/ a Protein Rest:
Single Decoction w/ a Ferulic Acid Rest
Yeast: White Labs WLP 300 – 1600 cc starter

Fermentation temps: 63oF
Packaging: Primed & kegged [to simulate bottle conditioning]
Transferred to clean kegs before transport to Hotel
Single Infusion Mash
210
190
Temperature [ °F ]
170
150
Strike Water
130 Grain
Main Mash
110 Sparge
90
70
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Time [minutes]
Single Decoction w/ Protein Rest
210
190
Temperature [ °F ]
170
Strike Water
150 Grain
130 Main Mash
Decoction
110
Sparge
90
70
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Time [minutes]
Zymurgy
May/June 2010
Volume 33
No.3
pp. 34 - 37
Single Decoction w/ Ferulic Acid Rest
210
190
Temperature [ °F ]
170
Strike Water
150 Grain
130 Main Mash
Decoction
110
Sparge
90
70
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Time [minutes]
Hefeweizen Yeasts
• POF+ - “Phenol Off-Flavor” yeast
• In the1970’s research revealed during
fermentation POF+ yeasts convert
ferulic acid to 4-vinyl guaiacol [4VG]
which gives Weizens their distinctive
clove flavor
• Wheat malt has a higher level of ferulic
acid & is optimally released during the
mash @ 111o – 113oF at pH 5.7
– If mash begins at 131oF vs. 111oF –
4VG will be 30% lower
Hefeweizen Yeasts
• Fermentation below 55oF is sluggish
• Going from 59oF to 68oF will increase
4VG & 4VP [4-vinyl phenol] by 50%
• Going to 77oF will increase 4VG & 4VP
by 75%
• POF+ yeasts also produce more fusel
alcohols than lager & ale yeasts at
higher temps
• Bottle conditioning will increase
phenols while reducing any diacetyl
• Weizen Brewers must achieve a
balance
Wort Aeration with Oxygen & a SS Aeration Stone
Temperature control during fermentation
Fermentation in a chest freezer with a
thermostat
Evaluation of Head Retention
Time = 0
Time = 1 min.
Time = 2 min.
Time = 3 min.
Time = 4 min.
Time = 5 min.
Time = 6 min.
Time = 7 min.
• Best to Worst:
–Single Decoction Mash
–Protein Rest + Single
Decoction
–Ferulic Acid Rest + Single
Decoction
–Single Infusion Mash
Panel Assessment of the Flavor Profiles
• Single Decoction– smooth & well rounded,
the favored Weizen of the Panel
• Protein rest +Single Decoction & Ferulic Acid
Rest + Single Decoction – very similar and
sharper with more estery and acidic flavors
• Single Infusion – much less flavor and much
less interesting
• 70o F fermentation resulted in unpleasant
levels of phenols, esters and fusel alcohols
Other Variables to Consider
• Fermentation Vessel Geometry
– Open fermenters create higher phenol levels, allow
for skimming of the foam and trub, but less
temperature control
– Cylindro-conical fermenters allow for precise
fermentation temperature control
• Water Chemistry
– Quite variable in Bavaria
– Decoction mashing may make this variable less
significant than in other mash schedules where there
is no boiling. Boiling the mash precipitates calcium
phosphate which lowers the pH without manipulating
the water chemistry
Hieronymus, Stan. Brewing
With Wheat, Boulder.
Brewers Publictions, 2010
Warner, Eric. German

Wheat Beer, Boulder.
Brewers Publications, 1992
Miller, David. Noonan, Gregory.
Continental Brewing Lager Beer.
Pilsener. Boulder, Boulder, Brewer
Brews Publications, Publications, 1986
1990
Eder, Michael.
“Brewing a Wheat
Beer with Intensive
Banana Aroma,”
Zymurgy, Vol 33 No. 3,
May/June 2010
Thanks to:
• Gordon Strong
• Jamil Zainasheff
• Ted Hausotter
• My VERY patient Wife – JoAnne
• All who helped pour beers

Hefeweizen NHC Presentation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hefeweizen NHC Presentation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hefeweizen NHC Presentation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Brewing Bavarian Hefeweizen

Developing a Predictable Approach

• Beer Style, History, Ingredients & Brewing Process

Aroma – strong phenols [clove] + fruity esters [banana] in

OG: 1.044 – 1.052 SRM: 2 – 8

62.5% Wheat Malt [Briess] 8.75 lbs

Hops: 14 gm Northern Brewer 9.0% aa 45 min

130 Main Mash

Variables that were not evaluated

Addition experimentation needs to take place on the homebrew

Yeast need Amino Acids for a healthy fermentation

62.5% Wheat Malt [Briess] 8.75 lbs

Hops: 14 gm Northern Brewer 9.0% aa 45 min

Yeast: White Labs WLP 300 – 1600 cc starter

130 Main Mash

130 Main Mash

Warner, Eric. German

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.