7 replies to this topic

[Deerslyr]

So I brewed yesterday and pitched the yeast by 11:00 a.m. When I left for work this morning, I saw that it was bubbling away and when I came home from work the krausen had already risen to its highest and presumably has fallen. The beautiful thing is that it is fermenting away in the guest shower (which has a shower door) and I could smell nothing but bananas when I opened the door to change the frozen water bottles. I have been kegging for almost a year now, but I've got to tell you that I'm anxious to get it in the bottle.It was kind of funny, when I pulled my hops out of the freezer I also got my Irish Moss out (yeah, I keep it in the freezer so I don't forget about it because I know I'll have to dig in there for the hops) and I actually cut open the bag when I thought... "what the hell am I doing? I want this thing to be cloudier than the Mississippi River!" Sealed the damn bag up to save for another day. After drinking an IPA on tap for the last couple of months, I'm READY to have a good German Wheat Beer!!!!{sings "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters.}

[ncbeerbrewer]

Nice work Deerslyr. My Hefe just got done a few days ago and 3068 was giving off a glorious bannana aroma as you described for me as well. Its a fine beer and yes no irish moss. Hope you get the cloudiness you want. I bottled my hefe last year. This go around its going to be kegged. bottling is a PIA.

[Deerslyr]

Nice work Deerslyr. My Hefe just got done a few days ago and 3068 was giving off a glorious bannana aroma as you described for me as well. Its a fine beer and yes no irish moss. Hope you get the cloudiness you want. I bottled my hefe last year. This go around its going to be kegged. bottling is a PIA.

Yeah, I haven't done a proper wheat like this since Fall of 2007! I know we occassionally have the "sniffing the airlock" thread, but if we didn't have guests over last night (ok... my sister in law and neices which would have been a very good reason to do this) I would have locked myself in the bathroom and sat in the shower with the fermenter. Funny thing is when it comes to real bananas... I'm ambivalent about them.Ok... so we used the same yeast. What was your grain bill and hop schedule? I used 5 lbs American 2 Row and 5 lbs light wheat malt. I hopped with 1 ounce of Mt. Hood (5.5% AA) at 60 minutes. My OG was 1.048.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Sounds nice. I brewed this with a buddy and we split the batch so this is for 10.5 gallons11.50lbs German Wheat Malt9.50lbs German PilsnerGerman Saphir Hops 3.9%AA 2.25oz 60 minsWyeast 3068 OG was 1.054FG was 1.016What temp did you ferment yours at? I fermented both shares of this beer at a steady 66 degrees.

[Deerslyr]

Sounds nice. I brewed this with a buddy and we split the batch so this is for 10.5 gallons11.50lbs German Wheat Malt9.50lbs German PilsnerGerman Saphir Hops 3.9%AA 2.25oz 60 minsWyeast 3068 OG was 1.054FG was 1.016What temp did you ferment yours at? I fermented both shares of this beer at a steady 66 degrees.

I think its the 3068 that will really define the beers here. With recipes like these, hops is primarily for its preserving qualities.I put my fermenter in a plastic tub and filled it with water and have been interchanging frozen water bottles. At the end of they day yesterday, it was at about 64 degrees. I forgot to put the bottles in this morning, but I'm sure it won't climb too high. It's in an interior bathroom and keeps relatively cool in there.

[Deerslyr]

Forgot to add, that if you bottle a few and are interested in a swap of a couple bottles, let me know.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Yes I can do that. I can easily bottle up some of the Hefe from the keg after I carb it up too. Lets keep in touch about it. I would like to swap with you on this one. Thanks. I do agree about the hops for this one. I got the Saphir hops from Hopsdirect a couple weeks ago as a hey lets give them a go but I don't think if they are a fine noble variety you will notice it in this beer. My IBU's were only 13.

[Deerslyr]

Yes I can do that. I can easily bottle up some of the Hefe from the keg after I carb it up too. Lets keep in touch about it. I would like to swap with you on this one. Thanks. I do agree about the hops for this one. I got the Saphir hops from Hopsdirect a couple weeks ago as a hey lets give them a go but I don't think if they are a fine noble variety you will notice it in this beer. My IBU's were only 13.

Beersmith calculated my IBU's at 18, which is at the upper end of the "acceptable range".