📝 About This Recipe
Transport yourself to a sunny Munich beer garden with this classic, cloudy wheat beer. Characterized by its iconic 'clove and banana' yeast profile, this refreshing ale features a pillowy white head and a creamy mouthfeel derived from a high percentage of malted wheat. It is a timeless brew that balances subtle malt sweetness with a crisp, effervescent finish, making it the ultimate thirst-quencher.
🥗 Ingredients
The Grain Bill (Milled)
- 6.5 lbs German Pale Wheat Malt (Provides the characteristic hazy appearance and fluffy body)
- 4.5 lbs German Pilsner Malt (The crisp, light base that supports the wheat)
- 0.5 lbs Rice Hulls (Essential to prevent a 'stuck mash' due to high wheat content)
The Hops & Boil
- 1.0 oz Hallertau Mittelfrüh Hops (Traditional noble hop with floral and spicy notes; add at 60 mins)
- 1 teaspoon Irish Moss (Optional clarifier, though some haze is desired in this style)
Fermentation & Bottling
- 1 packet Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast (Wyeast 3068) (The gold standard for banana and clove esters)
- 8 gallons Filtered Water (For mashing and sparging)
- 5 oz Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (For natural carbonation during bottling)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Sanitize everything! Any equipment that will touch the beer after the boil must be thoroughly cleaned and soaked in a food-grade sanitizer like Star San.
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2
Heat 3.5 gallons of filtered water to 162°F (72°C) in your mash tun to achieve a strike temperature. This will settle to roughly 152°F (67°C) once grains are added.
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3
Slowly stir in the Wheat Malt, Pilsner Malt, and Rice Hulls. Ensure there are no dry clumps (dough balls). Let this 'mash' sit for 60 minutes to convert starches into fermentable sugars.
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4
While mashing, heat another 4.5 gallons of 'sparge' water to 170°F (77°C).
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5
Perform the 'vorlauf' by draining a small amount of liquid from the bottom of the mash tun and gently pouring it back over the top until the liquid runs clear of grain debris.
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6
Drain the sweet liquid (wort) into your boil kettle while simultaneously rinsing the grains with your heated sparge water. You should aim to collect about 6.5 gallons of wort.
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7
Bring the wort to a vigorous rolling boil. Once the boil begins, add the 1.0 oz of Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. Set a timer for 60 minutes.
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8
With 15 minutes left in the boil, add the Irish Moss if using. This is also the time to submerge your wort chiller to sanitize it.
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9
At the end of the 60-minute boil, turn off the heat. Immediately chill the wort to 68°F (20°C) using an immersion chiller or ice bath. Speed is essential here to prevent off-flavors.
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10
Transfer the cooled wort into a sanitized fermenter, splashing it vigorously to aerate the liquid, as yeast needs oxygen to start the process.
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11
Pitch (add) the Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast. Seal the fermenter with a sanitized airlock filled with a little water or sanitizer.
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12
Ferment in a dark place at a steady 64°F-68°F (18°C-20°C) for 10 to 14 days. Higher temperatures will produce more banana flavors; lower temperatures favor clove.
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13
Once fermentation is complete (gravity readings are stable), boil the corn sugar in 2 cups of water, cool it, and add it to a bottling bucket. Siphon the beer into the bucket to mix.
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14
Bottle the beer and cap immediately. Let the bottles sit at room temperature for 2 weeks to carbonate before refrigerating.
💡 Chef's Tips
Temperature control is king: Fermenting at 62°F gives more clove, while 72°F gives a total banana-bomb. Aim for 66°F for the perfect balance. Don't skip the rice hulls! Wheat doesn't have a husk, and without rice hulls, your mash will turn into a sticky paste that won't drain. Freshness matters: Hefeweizen is best consumed young. Don't let it sit in the back of the fridge for months; drink it within 4-8 weeks of bottling. When pouring, leave the last half-inch of beer in the bottle, swirl it vigorously to collect the settled yeast, and pour that 'yeast cream' over the head for the authentic cloudy look.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve in a traditional tall, curved Weizen glass to showcase the carbonation and support the thick head. Pair with traditional Bavarian Weisswurst (white sausage) and a soft pretzel with sweet mustard. The bright acidity and carbonation make it a perfect match for goat cheese salads or lemon-herb roasted chicken. For a summer twist, serve with a slice of lemon, though purists prefer it plain to appreciate the yeast esters. Excellent alongside spicy Thai or Mexican dishes, as the malt sweetness cools the palate.