Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[Goodbeer]

Don't get too stressed about step mashing your hef's. I've been making this style regularly since my first ever home brew, it's the beer that got me in to craft in the first place. I've found step mashing to be unnecessary to make a great hefe, it's all about under pitching the yeast a little (I suggest around 80% of what you'd normally pitch on an ale), and fermenting at 17 degrees. And only ever with liquid yeast, preferably Wyeast 3068.

Yes have read a bit about the benefits, or lack thereof in terms of step mashing...just thought I'd give it a go coz I could.

Brew went much better than last one. Had to brew inside coz of the rain, place f#*.%ing stinks, ha!

Went the other way though. Didn't top up after sparse, ended up with 18L @ 1060...pretty sure the grain from different brewshop is the answer.

Think between this one and last should hit everything spot on for next one.

Cheers

 

[Chridech]

Yes have read a bit about the benefits, or lack thereof in terms of step mashing...just thought I'd give it a go coz I could.
Brew went much better than last one. Had to brew inside coz of the rain, place f#*.%ing stinks, ha!
Went the other way though. Didn't top up after sparse, ended up with 18L @ 1060...pretty sure the grain from different brewshop is the answer.
Think between this one and last should hit everything spot on for next one.
Cheers

Did you water it down to achieve your target OG? I can never bring myself to do it.

 

[Goodbeer]

I probably should've...but after the fairly weak batch I just made thought I'd let it ride...

With starter ended up with a touch over 19L, and with that amount and OG, my starter ended up a touch under my aimed pitching rate, so being a hefe pretty spot on.

Is goin crazy in fv

 

[Chridech]

Is going crazy in the fv

Which yeast? 3068?

 

[Goodbeer]

I gave WLP380 a go, was all I could get at the time.

Funny thing is the starter was real slow. Wasn't real active for about 7hrs or so. Was a touch concerned.

But kicked off once the starter was pitched in about 2hrs!

 

[carniebrew]

I gave WLP380 a go, was all I could get at the time.

Funny thing is the starter was real slow. Wasn't real active for about 7hrs or so. Was a touch concerned.

But kicked off once the starter was pitched in about 2hrs!

380 is more clove & phenolic driven, so you should end up with a more tart/spicy hefe with that strain. A little more like a wit then a hefeweizen. WLP300 is more like Wyeast 3068, tending more towards the banana profile I enjoy in classics like Weihenstephener's hefe.
http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp380-hefeweizen-iv-ale-yeast
http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp300-hefeweizen-ale-yeast

 

[Goodbeer]

I'm more about the banana myself too, was all LHBS had

Was a last minute decision, was planning on reusing the yeast from last batch, but there were some funny flavours when bottling, so just turfed the yeast cake and started new

 

[Chridech]

I'm more about the banana myself too, was all LHBS had
Was a last minute decision, was planning on reusing the yeast from last batch, but there were some funny flavours when bottling, so just turfed the yeast cake and started new

Sounds like you will end up with a good hefe. I like the banana in Weihenstephener but a more phenolic clove tasting beer like Erdinger is good too. I have a pack of Wyeast 3068 slowly dying in my fridge at the moment. Planning to put down my first Weizenbock in a few weeks time. Too many beers to try, not enough to time to brew.

 

[carniebrew]

Sounds like you will end up with a good hefe. I like the banana in Weihenstephener but a more phenolic clove tasting beer like Erdinger is good too. I have a pack of Wyeast 3068 slowly dying in my fridge at the moment. Planning to put down my first Weizenbock in a few weeks time. Too many beers to try, not enough to time to brew.

I did a Weizenbock in my Grainfather for the Merri Mashers' case swap last year that was really well received. WLP300, 8.1% abv, 21 IBU, 33 EBC. Happy to share the recipe if anyone's interested...

 

[Chridech]

I did a Weizenbock in my Grainfather for the Merri Mashers' case swap last year that was really well received. WLP300, 8.1% abv, 21 IBU, 33 EBC. Happy to share the recipe if anyone's interested...

Now that you mention it Wy 3068 banana's fermented at a highish temp might not be true to style for a Weizenbock? I tried the Weihenstephener Korbinian a few months ago, and while it gave me a headache the next day, I was inspired to brew one. I don't have ready access to WhiteLabs yeast so may try the Wy 3068 anyway. Patched together my recipe from trolling the Weizenbock threads on this forum. Keen to see you recipe Carniebrew if you want to PM me or point me in the direction to which its already posted. Wouldn't want to go OT!

 

[Goodbeer]

 

[Goodbeer]

380 has well and truly kicked off!

 

[Chridech]

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1468754144.719584.jpg

Just as well you didn't top up the fermentor - 18L and it's about to blow its load. Better get yourself a blow-off tube there Goodbeer, otherwise you'll be scrubbing yeasties off the inside of your fridge for weeks!

 

[Goodbeer]

Got nothing on hand for a blow off...is like a geyser in there! Will leave it tonight and grab something after work tomorrow

 

[carniebrew]

Now that you mention it Wy 3068 banana's fermented at a highish temp might not be true to style for a Weizenbock? I tried the Weihenstephener Korbinian a few months ago, and while it gave me a headache the next day, I was inspired to brew one. I don't have ready access to WhiteLabs yeast so may try the Wy 3068 anyway. Patched together my recipe from trolling the Weizenbock threads on this forum. Keen to see you recipe Carniebrew if you want to PM me or point me in the direction to which its already posted. Wouldn't want to go OT!

It's up on Beersmith cloud: http://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/1203176/frau-farbissina-weizenbock

 

[A.B.]

1st brew with my new toy, going good so far now mashing. Just a pale ale with a few hop additions when boiling to get me used to the gear, but so far so good.

 

[doctr-dan]

This may be a dumb question, but I've noticed a lot of people saying the chiller works well dropping the to pretty quick but by the numbers they are quoting it's still not dropping to pitching temp.
So what are they doing to get down to pitching temp.

 

[meathead]

I believe they pre chill the water via an ice bath.
It will be in here somewhere
I double batch and no chill now

 

[A.B.]

Mine dropped temp from boil to 22deg in about 5-7 mins, about 18L of waste water into a bucket... mind you my cold water is from a tank at 10deg....

 

[Chridech]

This may be a dumb question, but I've noticed a lot of people saying the chiller works well dropping the to pretty quick but by the numbers they are quoting it's still not dropping to pitching temp.
So what are they doing to get down to pitching temp.

I often pre-chill tap water with an immersion coil in a bucket of ice-water and a handful of pool salt. Started doing this when ground water temp was 27C over summer. The lowest I have chilled the wort is 23C. The trickiest part is adjust the flow rate on the pump and on the water-tap to maximise chilling but not waste too much water. If you get it wrong for even a minute or two you can dump a few litres of 40+C wort into the FV. It's pretty hard to recover from there. Still need to cool the wort for a few a hours in the fermenting fridge before pitching. I think it's only worth it when ground water temp is high over summer.