I Need Some Advice...wb-06

[Lindsay Dive]

It's been a little while since I have brewed a Hefeweizen and I have decided to knock one up in the next few weeks. In the past I have always used Whitelabs WLP 300 and Whitelabs WLP380. I personally have a preference for the 300. Anyway, I now have some Safbrew WB-06 that I wish to try.

In the past, I have found using the WLP300 that it forms a massive krausen which just loves to come out of the airlock and go absolutely everywhere. I solved that problem by placing a 25 litre brew into a 60 litre fermenter. Problem solved. Now for my question, does WB-06 perform the same as far as the massive krausen is concerned, or, can I simply put this into my normal 30 litre fermenters??

 

[Nick JD]

It's been a little while since I have brewed a Hefeweizen and I have decided to knock one up in the next few weeks. In the past I have always used Whitelabs WLP 300 and Whitelabs WLP380. I personally have a preference for the 300. Anyway, I now have some Safbrew WB-06 that I wish to try.

In the past, I have found using the WLP300 that it forms a massive krausen which just loves to come out of the airlock and go absolutely everywhere. I solved that problem by placing a 25 litre brew into a 60 litre fermenter. Problem solved. Now for my question, does WB-06 perform the same as far as the massive krausen is concerned, or, can I simply put this into my normal 30 litre fermenters??

No big krausen. It's also more of a belgian wit yeast than a german hefe.

I like it though. Lots of cloves. Just don't expect banana. WB06 will be more like 380 than 300.

 

[JaseH]

Sorry to hijack, but is there an ideal temperature in which to ferment this yeast at? I just pitched WB06 into an ND Brewing hefeweizen fwk last night.

 

[black_labb]

I've heard 17 is the ideal temp for wb06 if you want that bubblegum flavour, though i lacked temp control when I brewed with it.

 

[brucearnold]

....Lots of cloves. Just don't expect banana. WB06 will be more like 380 than 300.

WLP380 is only banana! I even brewed at 16 to try and reduce, but still only got banana!

 

[Lindsay Dive]

This is what I have extracted from the Bintani website,

12-25C (Ideally 18-24C)For clove flavour: below 22C.For banana flavour: above 23C

Specialty yeast selected for wheat beer fermentations. Produces subtle estery and phenol flavo notes typical of wheat beers. Allows to brew beers with a high drinkability profile and presents a very good ability to suspend during fermentation.

I'm not really happy about producing a wit style beer with this yeast, so, I may have to consider going back to WLP300.

 

[pk.sax]

I find 17 a good temp for my hefe.

The yeast pushes it to 18 and the fridge knocks it back down to 16. Perfect.

Actually, I do that with my ales in general.

PS: Danstar Munich might be the go for a hefe, as a dry yeast at least.

 

[brucearnold]

....
PS: Danstar Munich might be the go for a hefe, as a dry yeast at least.

Agree. Was a decent yeast this one and not a keg of bananas in sight, but compared to say 300 it does lack a little bit of flavour as expected between liquid and dry.

 

[O'Henry]

I find 17 a good temp for my hefe.

The yeast pushes it to 18 and the fridge knocks it back down to 16. Perfect.

Actually, I do that with my ales in general.

PS: Danstar Munich might be the go for a hefe, as a dry yeast at least.

+1

I've found wb-06 to give a good amount of cloves at around 18C.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Agree. Was a decent yeast this one and not a keg of bananas in sight, but compared to say 300 it does lack a little bit of flavour as expected between liquid and dry.

Hmmm, I'm not getting a good feeling about this yeast.

 

[Renzo]

I've done it at 26c and got nice clove with a bit of Banana. Solid hefe yeast, not Shofferhoffer but more Paulaner

 

[JaseH]

I've done it at 26c and got nice clove with a bit of Banana. Solid hefe yeast, not Shofferhoffer but more Paulaner

I'd be happy with something along the lines of Paulaner in my hefe, I like that subtle banana. I've currently got it sitting around 20-21c.

 

[DJR]

I brewed with it at 24-25C, no banana.

 

[sponge]

Doen't the banana esters increase when the yeast is stressed, such as when under-pitching, or not aerating the wort before pitching?

I am sure I read this a while back before I did a wit where I pitched a pack of WB06 into a wort that had not been aerated much/at all and remember having a distinct whack of banana with it.

Pretty sure I also did the 30 degree rule with pitching at 12 and fermenting at 18


If i had notes it would be a fair bit more helpful though...


Sponge

 

[Lindsay Dive]

I brewed with it at 24-25C, no banana.

The feedback I'm receiving here is all over the shop! Bintani's website clearly states that above 23C for banana esters and yet Fermentis's website does not even mention banana or cloves for that matter!

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/CB/EN/Safbrew_WB-06_CB.pdf

 

[Nick JD]

The feedback I'm receiving here is all over the shop! Bintani's website clearly states that above 23C for banana esters and yet Fermentis's website does not even mention banana or cloves for that matter!

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/CB/EN/Safbrew_WB-06_CB.pdf

"The yeast produces subtle estery (banana) and phenol (clove) flavour notes typical of wheat beers."

 

[brucearnold]

I brewed with it at 24-25C, no banana.

If I was going up to the Blue Mountains for a trip I would bring my keg and blend with yours... too many bananas in my beer (WLP380).

 

[Renzo]

I don't aerate it or re-hydrate ( I re-hydrate other dry yeasts though). I also go 65% wheat which seems to favour the amyl acetate. From experience WB-06 will not produce high banana esters and leans more to the clove side of the spectrum but there is banana present. If you're looking for just a banana/bubblegum wheat beer yeast then by all means.... go liquid. In my opinion WB-06 makes a bloody tasty hefe, but it's not ever going to have a banana up-front flavor like a shoffer. I prefer my hefes with slightly more clove and with subtle banana/bubblegum which WB-06 does well.

 

[pk.sax]

Schoffers are not real weissbeers. It's like Drinking a liquid banana to me, kills the spiciness, way too sweet for the 'refreshment' it's supposed to give.

Then again, if you're like me and your lemonade makes your mouth pucker you'll stay away from trying to emulate schoffers.

I used motueka in my current one to give it that nice herbal spicy tinge of fruitiness. Bittered to usual weissbier ibus at 40 minutes per some excellent recipe recommendations on here.

I added a 100g of crystal to the brew and it's a tiny bit syrupy. I think next time I'll chuck in a small amount of table sugar too if I'm adding crystal at all. Still experimenting here, I'm barely competent enough to make a recipe off ideas stolen from others'.

 

[DJR]

Mine didn't have that much wheat in it, about 25%. 10 BU's and added some dextrose to it after reading that straight glucose can bring out more banana.

Theory doesn't work. Probably better to underpitch. The airlock was going after only a couple of hours and the whole ferment was done in 4 or so days.

It's OK, but i was after more banana. Tastes more like the coopers kit yeast at the moment but that may have been from adding the dextrose.

I'll be priming it with honey and bottling it up, time will tell if the Mrs will drink it which was the whole point.

Next time - 3068, 3333 or 3638.