Turning down the esters on Wyeast 3068 without temperature control?

[mr_wibble]

Hi,

I've still got a smack-pack of '3068 (Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan) that wants brewing. But my previous wheat beers have been a bit too bubblegummy, which I put down to too high a fermentation temperature - low 20's C. I do like the favours that come from '3068, but in these last two batches it was a bit over powering. I don't have any sort of fermentation temp control, and spring is coming up fast.

With the first batch (a simple 50/50 wheat beer) I poured the (very fresh) smack-pack directly into a 25 litre batch.
The second batch (a dark wheat beer) I pitched the yeast goo from the bottom of the first-batch fermenter.

The first wheat beer is a walking tour Bubblegum City with Princess Bubblegum as a guide - not dumpable, but not great either.
Maybe there's less esters in the dark wheat beer, but perhaps they're hidden a bit by the roasty flavours.

I've read that by over-pitching the yeast I can reduce ester production - Can someone provide a bit of help on this?
Over-pitch by how much? A 5L starter? 10 litre?

Is it really going to make a significant difference if I can't ferment at 17C (which seems to be the typically suggested temp on AHB)

Maybe I need to dress the fermenter in a wet t-shirt too? (does this even work?)

thanks,
-kt

 

[carniebrew]

I can only say YES to the significant difference question. I fermented a few batches with 3068 at higher temps (20-24C), thinking I wanted banana more than clove. All turned out somewhat tart, and just not quite what I was looking for. Once I stumbled upon the 17C recommendation, I gave it a try, and there's no turning back. It's brilliant. Basically spot on for a Wiehenstephan or Paulaner aroma/flavour, both in a hefe and a dunkel. I pitch at about 75% of optimal as well as fermenting at 17C. All that being said, I haven't over-pitched 3068 and done a warm ferment, so I don't know what the result would be.

One thing I've noticed is that I'm getting a high FG with the lower ferment temp, around 1019. Given the aroma/flavour is as good as it is, I'm not worried. But will try backing off my crystal grain next time, and raising my ferment temps a few degrees after the first 3 days or so of fermentation, see if that helps.

I'm interested in your comment that the "roasty flavours" in your dark wheat were possibly hiding the esters. Did you want roasty flavours in your wheat beer? It's quite out of character for the style. I use a couple of hundred grams of Carafa Special 1 to give me my dunkel colour, and get no roasty flavours at all. Plenty of caramel, bready malt and vanilla, but no roast like you'd get in a porter or stout.

The wet t-shirt/towel thing does work, but you'd need a fan blowing on it to cool the fermenter down.

 

[mr_wibble]

I'm interested in your comment that the "roasty flavours" in your dark wheat were possibly hiding the esters. Did you want roasty flavours in your wheat beer? It's quite out of character for the style. I use a couple of hundred grams of Carafa Special 1 to give me my dunkel colour, and get no roasty flavours at all. Plenty of caramel, bready malt and vanilla, but no roast like you'd get in a porter or stout.

Hmm, maybe "roasty" was a bit of an overstatement.

I brewed a recipe I found on here called "Dark Wheat Dunkelwizen"
It's a dunkelweizen that's very much a weizen, but a little bit roastier than usual.
My LHBS didn't have all the ingredients, so we had to make it up, maybe it's just mine that's roasty

-kt

 

[jotaigna]

I find at times that the malty character of Munich malt tastes kind of roasty.