Mistakenly used a dry ale yeast in a hefeweizen

[Fred_the_Big_Cat]

Hi

I started a Brewers Selection Hefeweizen on Friday but instead of a german wheat beer yeast, I used Safale S-04 English Ale Yeast by mistake.

Fermentation was initially vigorous but has now slowed down.

Any idea on how this will turn out, and problems that I may have in the final product?

 

[mckenry]

It will still be beer. It wont have the banana or bubblegum you would have had, if you used the german wheat yeast. The Americans do this all the time and its a proper BJCP classification. Although they use a clean ale yeast, not an English Strain.
Call it a British Wheat Beer and you're good to go. It will still have some wheat flavour, just not the distinctive hefeweizen flavour.

 

[Fred_the_Big_Cat]

Thanks McKenry

Any thoughts on what could be done to improve the flavour profile at this stage?

 

[mckenry]

Just enjoy it for what it is. Cant really 'improve' it. You could dry hop it, but that will change it, not necessarily improve it. Just keep it as is and use it as a learning experience to compare with the same Brewers selection hefe, done with the german wheat yeast. You could blend it with something else, or, put more malt in it and pitch the wheat yeast, but this runs the risk of it becoming a messy unbalanced beer. Just ferment it out and enjoy. It wont be bad, just not what you meant it to be. Unless you meant it to be a British Wheatie B)

 

[Fred_the_Big_Cat]

Thanks McKenry - I just hate to drink bland beer and that I fear this will end up as with the light hoping in the wort.

Ah well it will be a lesson particularly when I actually had the correct yeast on hand.

 

[Weizguy]

I accidentally swapped the yeasts for a Cooper's pale ale and a weizen. Both were lesser beers in my opinion, than they would have been, but the pale was interesting with the weizen yeast, an English Dampfbier perhaps.My friend, for whom i brewed the pale ale, was happy enough to drink it and maintain a smile.

 

[Fred_the_Big_Cat]

Thanks Fellas

Just an update. My error didn't turn out half bad. Good wheat flavour with a dry slightly bitter finish. No cloves or banana of course but still very drinkable

 

[mckenry]

Thanks Fellas

Just an update. My error didn't turn out half bad. Good wheat flavour with a dry slightly bitter finish. No cloves or banana of course but still very drinkable

Bingo !