Cooper's Yeast In A Hefeweizen?

[Charst]

Been drinking Paulaner Hefeweizen and loving the banana note and want to brew one but im wondering if i could culture up the yeast from a Cooper's Red bottle to get the banana note instead of buying a $14 pack of yeast for one batch (I wouldn't be reusing any time soon i have too many other beers in planning before any more wheats) Anyone tried this and can report on results?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

The yeast is what really produces the banana note - maybe get a bottle of a hefeweizen or belgian wit and cultivate that rather than coopers.

Goomba

 

[stef]

Crazy that this should come up now! I was having the same thoughts, so tried exactly that. The characteristics of coopers yeast when fermented at the warmer end of the spectrum seemed to suit a wheat beer. So on saturday i put down a 60/40 ale/wheat, with recultured coopers yeast.

I usually ferment with coopers yeast around 16ish to keep it clean and keep that banana away, but for this i'm fermenting at 21. I may either drop it a bit or ramp it up though, based on tonights sniff test...

As i said, strange that that would come up now, because i had just been thinking about it! I'll report back in a few weeks...

 

[Bribie G]

Michael Jackson (I was about to say the late Michael Jackson but they are both late) often compared Coopers to a wheat beer. With recultured yeast you get banana, particularly if fermented a tad over 20 degrees. I'd definitely use it for the purpose.

Edit, do yourself a favour and get 3 tall reds (Liquorland usually have a 3 on special for around $15) - far quicker culture-up and a nice drinkies as well.

 

[Charst]

Crazy that this should come up now! I was having the same thoughts, so tried exactly that. The characteristics of coopers yeast when fermented at the warmer end of the spectrum seemed to suit a wheat beer. So on saturday i put down a 60/40 ale/wheat, with recultured coopers yeast.

I usually ferment with coopers yeast around 16ish to keep it clean and keep that banana away, but for this i'm fermenting at 21. I may either drop it a bit or ramp it up though, based on tonights sniff test...

As i said, strange that that would come up now, because i had just been thinking about it! I'll report back in a few weeks...

Looking forward to it, the thing that got me thinking that besides the obvious banana note in both beers was i tasted the paulaner and it reminded me of the kegged sparkling ale I had when at a wedding in Adelaide about a month ago . more sweetness compared to the bottle conditioned CSA and the similar to the Paulaner Hefe.

 

[Charst]

The yeast is what really produces the banana note - maybe get a bottle of a hefeweizen or belgian wit and cultivate that rather than coopers.

Goomba

cheers, any idea's on a commercial hefe that primes with their fermentation yeast?

 

[Nick JD]

cheers, any idea's on a commercial hefe that primes with their fermentation yeast?

I hear the only one that'll be worth reculturing is Schneider Weisse - which just also happens to be the absolute best hefe ever. Although getting a fresh one round here is damn near impossible.

Maybe someone round where you are can give you some 3068 to make a starter from?

 

[Peteoz77]

Why not just buy a vial of WL380 and step it up then continue to culture it 3-4 times? It's pretty much the only way to produce a nice Heffe in my opinion...

 

[Wolfy]

I've tried reculturing Paulaner Hefeweizen and a few others, and the only stuff I ever got to grow on the malt-agar slant was fluorescent pink.
I'd guess that due to shipping/storage/etc if there was any viable yeast at bottling time, its well-dead by the time we get our hands on it.