Haubrau Hefe Yeast

[Pensionday]

Anyone have any experience with the Haufbrau yeast strain? Drinking a couple of the Hefe, they're nicely restrained with balance of spice and banana, yet just a touch of vanilla. If there is a commercial strain, I'd use it - however, I've noted that this isn't widely publicised by the big yeast companies...

Is it worth saving the bottle dregs for a starter? I've kept the bottles (flamed and sealed) in case of a starter is plausible, but would prefer to use a commercial version and save the hassle if possible. I guess the keys - does anyone know if: i. this is a common strain? ii. do Haufbrau Haus bottle condition with a boring strain?

Many thanks!

 

[MHB]

I have a suspicion that they do filter their beer and bottle with a non-flocculating lager yeast.
You could try culturing up some of your dregs in one of the bottles, add some starter with a bit of dextrose in it to the bottle run it fairly warm (20-25oC) and have a smell. If it’s a Heffe strain it should have a fairly pronounced banana aroma. If so it’s worth thinking about trying to culture up enough for a brew. The dextrose is crucial to the production of banana so adding say 10% to your DME will pump up the banana.

Munich is less than 40 km from Weihenstephan, so their yeasts would be a good starting point if the above fails. Its bee a while but my recollections of HB Heffe was that it was more subdued than the famous Weihenstephan, might be worth blending a more emphatic Heffe yeast with a German ale yeast, should give a softer wheat beer.
Wyeast used to do a wheat/ale blend (3056) but I haven’t seen it for a while perhaps it’s gone the way of the dodo.
Mark

 

[Pensionday]

Thanks @MHB - I appreciate your input. It's interesting that I'd have assumed that they carbonate with a "boring yeast", although it's interesting that the swirl of dregs into the glass still provides a nice hit of flavour (normally that is, when I'm not saving yeast).

Thanks particularly for the info on dextrose; I don't normally add this to my starters. I'll give it a shot this weekend, perhaps more for the enjoyment than the need. If a win, it's a nice story to ferment off such a famous brauhaus' strain.

You're correct - the yeast is quite restrained, when compared with other commercial varieties. That being said, my favourite of all time (the Kloster Andechs) tends to be balanced and complex, rather than hit you in the face. Horses for courses...

Many thanks Mark!