# Hefeweizen Dry Hopped?



## hewy (5/2/07)

Hi all,

I was thinking of doing a fresh wort kit and was wondering what you would generally dry hop a hefeweizen with?

I am thinking hallertau but am a little unsure...

Thanks


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## MAH (5/2/07)

hewy said:


> I was thinking of doing a fresh wort kit and was wondering what you would generally dry hop a hefeweizen with?



Nothing.

Hefeweizens are characterised by the flavours produced by the unique yeast strains that produce clove and banna flavours. Hops are used to give a very low level of bitterness to balance the malt, but are not used for flavouring, so dry hopping is definitely not appropriate for a Hefe.

Cheers
MAH


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## newguy (5/2/07)

hewy said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I was thinking of doing a fresh wort kit and was wondering what you would generally dry hop a hefeweizen with?
> 
> I am thinking hallertau but am a little unsure...



As MAH has already pointed out, hefeweizens shouldn't be dry hopped. That said, there's nothing stopping you from doing it. Just don't expect it to taste like any authentic German commercial examples.

I suppose that hallertau would be an appropriate hop variety for such an experiment.


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## DJR (5/2/07)

Cascade or Chinook  

(NOT- never dry hop a hefeweizen!)


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## hewy (5/2/07)

thanks guys

I figured that might be the case after doing some reading

might save the experimenting for later down the track when i have a base line


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## wraith (5/2/07)

Everything that needs to said has already been said, I just want to say I agree with the above fine brewers


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## Weizguy (5/2/07)

In one of his weizen/weissbier recipes using extract, Warner (Classic Beer Styles - German Wheat Beer) instructs to add half the hops at the commencement of the boil, another quarter after half an hour and the last quarter 50 minutes after the boil begins. After one hour remove from heat.
The hops used here are Perle or Hallertauer.

Food for thought?

No dry hopping tho'!
Are you American??!!

Sorry if I'm a tad late here...
Seth out


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## Bazza (6/2/07)

MAH said:


> Nothing.
> 
> Hefeweizens are characterised by the flavours produced by the unique yeast strains that produce clove and banna flavours. Hops are used to give a very low level of bitterness to balance the malt, but are not used for flavouring, so dry hopping is definitely not appropriate for a Hefe.
> 
> ...



But there is nothing stopping one dry hopping a wheat if you aren't religiously trying to follow a narrow description of a style is there?

I often dry hop my hefeweizens with hallertau (or other soft euro hops like saaz) and they are delicious!


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## MAH (6/2/07)

Bazza said:


> But there is nothing stopping one dry hopping a wheat if you aren't religiously trying to follow a narrow description of a style is there?
> 
> I often dry hop my hefeweizens with hallertau (or other soft euro hops like saaz) and they are delicious!




Do whatever you want with your beer, and make it just how you like it to taste. However just don't call it a hefeweizen if you dry hop it. We use names like hefeweizen to provide a common language, that allows each of us to easily recognise characteristics of a particular style of beer. If you say that you can add anything you like to a beer and still call it a particular style then we lose that common language and might as well just use the one word, beer. Style names highlight differences, they are a way of celebrating the variety of different beers in the world, not a dastardly tool of so called "style Nazis" who want to force people into pigeon holes. Embrace the concept of giving specific style names to beers and help the broader community to appreciate that there is more to beer than bland pseudo-Lager mega-swill. 

Cheers
MAH


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## Bazza (6/2/07)

> However just don't call it a hefeweizen if you dry hop it.



Why not? Says nothing in the BJCP about 'no hop aroma' for weizens. Hefeweizen is simply a wheat beer "mit hefe".

Read the BJCP guide for weizens:
"...hop character ranges from low to none"
"...can add to the complexity and balance"
"...hop flavour is very low to none"

Some kits don't have much hop aroma or flavour, and certainly a german wheat yeast like WLP300 gives off so much banana and clove that dry hopping is likely to add very little other than a bit of overall complexity that can be hard to discern.

When someone asks a question about modifying a beer, that person often gets an abrupt response about sticking within style. This could be because some members interpret brewing guidelines differently, or some other reason. 

Guides are only guides, and within them there is room for some modifications.


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