Huge Bubblegum Flavour In Hefe-weizen

[Zizzle]

I have only done one beer with WB-06, a 50/50 like others.

I tasted it every day during the ferment which was at 22 degrees. After a day or so, there was a lot of bubblegum aroma & flavour, and the gravity was still highish making it taste quite sweet. Liquid bubblegum. I was quite excited. Unfortunately as the gravity dropped all that bubblegum was replaced with cloves.

 

[rich_lamb]

Yeah, it's an interesting yeast alright - certainly worth looking at.
I used it recently in a weizenbock as good ol' HBS had run out of 3068.

I fermented at 19 and got what I would say is a nice weizen character; subdued bananas with more cloves. This varies to taste though - I used to like more bananas myself. Clearly the higher temps change this around a lot.

Just like 3068 I found this yeast attenuated really well; mine went from 1.067 down to 1.012 even though mash temp was about 68. Hard to be precise though.
My only problem was a mine is noticeably hot. I only pitched one pack into that 1.067 wort so it's probably a bit underpitched, and my mash temp calibration may need tweaking.

 

[SJW]

I tasted it every day during the ferment which was at 22 degrees. After a day or so, there was a lot of bubblegum aroma & flavour, and the gravity was still highish making it taste quite sweet. Liquid bubblegum. I was quite excited. Unfortunately as the gravity dropped all that bubblegum was replaced with cloves.

Interesting about about the bubblegun in the early days. I pitched this last Thursday and fermented until Monday and kegged Monday night. 4 days thats what I call drinking a wheat young!

Steve

 

[SJW]

Hey Scott, how did yours end up?

SJW, your AA is 77%, at 28C I'm surprised you didn't have a Coffs Harbour banana planation relocate to your fermenter.

This one I fermented at 30 deg C just got 2ng in the HAG Brew Comp at Potters Brewery, just goes to show it pays to think outside the square.

Steve

 

[sah]

Hey Scott, how did yours end up?

I was reporting on a beer that had already been made. Have a look at my initial post in the thread.

regards,
Scott

 

[Spiesy]

Going to pitch WB-06 in a wit either today or tomorrow... I'm after the banana flavours over the clove flavours.

Fermentis state fermenting above 23 degrees for those preferring banana, but I've heard from brewing friends (and read in 'Brewing Classic Styles'), to ferment at 17-18 degrees.

I have read through this thread, and think I'll ferment at around 23, surely Fermentis know their products... has anyone got any new anecdotal advice to offer?

 

[Nick JD]

Going to pitch WB-06 in a wit either today or tomorrow... I'm after the banana flavours over the clove flavours.

Fermentis state fermenting above 23 degrees for those preferring banana, but I've heard from brewing friends (and read in 'Brewing Classic Styles'), to ferment at 17-18 degrees.

I have read through this thread, and think I'll ferment at around 23, surely Fermentis know their products... has anyone got any new anecdotal advice to offer?

Buy WY1214, ferment at 20C.

I've found trying to get banana out of WB06 is like trying to get pear from US05. Choosing a yeast for your target ester is far easier than trying to coax it out of another.

 

[Ross]

Buy WY1214, ferment at 20C.

I've found trying to get banana out of WB06 is like trying to get pear from US05. Choosing a yeast for your target ester is far easier than trying to coax it out of another.

+2.... Why try & change a clove dominant yeast (wb-06), when there's options that will give you exactly what you are chasing.

cheers Ross

Edit: Do you mean Wit or Wheat? A wit is a spiced Belgian ale & banana is not generally a desired trait.

 

[Spiesy]

It's a wit (coriander and orange zest). I guess it's more the bubblegum flavour that I'm after than banana, similar to Hoegaarden.

I have a pack of WB06 here, so I might as well use it - and perhaps they're wrong, but Fermentis claim this yeast to be either clove or banana dominant...

 

[hockadays]

Use wyeast forbidden fruit , youll never get a wit out of w06

 

[NewtownClown]

Use wyeast forbidden fruit , youll never get a wit out of w06

:icon_drool2: Love Verboden Frucht

But I have found very little of the banana (or bubblegum) he seeks...

 

[Spiesy]

okay, thanks for the suggestions lads (albeit some of which are contradictory)

 

[Nick JD]

If it's bubblegum you're after (isoamyl acetate IIRC) it's very doable with 1214.

I get bucketloads of it with a massive pitch (starter that's 15% of the batch size) and a 22-24C ferment. Don't worry about ferment vigour, 1214 doesn't climb out of the fermenter like 3787.

But if you want a failthful hoegaarden - use 3944, as it's their strain. Personally, I prefer 3522 for Wits, as I've had difficulties with sulphur and 3944 in the past.

If you want some 3522 for free, buy a La Chouffe at Dans - the yeast is alive in the bottles.

I reckon the "WB" in WB06 stands for Wit Bier. It's not a hefe yeast. If it was, they'd have called it HW06. h34r:

 

[Spiesy]

I've got WB06... and that's it for the time being.

Will keep this in mind for the next brew, thanks.

 

[Nick JD]

I've got WB06... and that's it for the time being.

Give this a read. It's about conversion of ferulic acid into the clove flavour in hefe. Interesting stuff. For that hoegaarden signature phenolic taste (the "bubblegum" I think you're after - rather than the Wrigleys Juicyfruit I chase) you want to be resting at 43-45C for 30 minutes. When I mash in from my hot water tap I land bang on 45C - and then infuse up to sacc temps, giving it a quick protein rest at 55C on the way through.

The thing to take from this link below is that you want 20C fermentation (well, not 18C like I see so many people ferment their wheaties at).

http://leedsbrew.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/the-acid-test/

 

[manticle]

Isoamyl acetate is banana/artificial banana candy.
Ethyl butryrate is bubblegum ester.

 

[Nick JD]

Ethyl butryrate is bubblegum ester.

"It has a fruity odor, similar to pineapple."

 

[Spiesy]

Give this a read. It's about conversion of ferulic acid into the clove flavour in hefe. Interesting stuff. For that hoegaarden signature phenolic taste (the "bubblegum" I think you're after - rather than the Wrigleys Juicyfruit I chase) you want to be resting at 43-45C for 30 minutes. When I mash in from my hot water tap I land bang on 45C - and then infuse up to sacc temps, giving it a quick protein rest at 55C on the way through.

The thing to take from this link below is that you want 20C fermentation (well, not 18C like I see so many people ferment their wheaties at).

http://leedsbrew.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/the-acid-test/

thanks mate

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

Interesting stuff Nick JD and Manticle. I use 3944 and am fermenting at 18C. No real 'bubblegum' - will fermenting 3944 at 20-21C get me into bubblegum land??
cheers
BBB

 

[dr K]

Weizen is a beer where mash temp really has a major impact (using as we do malts that are designed for commercial breweries). It depends what you are looking for, I look for neither phenolics (yuk) or too many esters (yuk), balance as it were, NTL mash temp is the big one. For me, and for what I like I would mash first around 55C for 15-20 minutes then at 63 for 60, then increase for runnings to say 70 (I RDWF) . If I wanted a classic Weizen I would use 3068 0r wlp300 but I prefer the fruitier ester of wlp380, again just me. Oh I also would not ferment higher than 19C buts thats me..you will or would if you wished be surprised at just how good a whaet beer you can produce if you do not chase esters or phenols..dude they are there from the yeast and the best help is a 55Cish rest.
K