# 🍺 Top-down Brew: Weissbier (Hefeweizen)

## Data Entry

Recipe Variables
name: Weissbier og: 1.051 malt: Pilsner malt, 50, 1.5, 80 malt: Wheat malt, 50, 2, 83 ibu: 13 hop: Hallertau, 100, 4.5, 60 yeast: ale vol: 5.5 system: US eff: 75 prime: 2.5, 72

### Variations

For malt extract:

- Delete the malt lines.
- For liquid malt extract, add sugar: Liquid wheat malt extract, 100, 5, 76
- For dry malt extract, add sugar: Dry wheat malt extract, 100, 3.5, 96

### Explore other malts, sugars, and hops

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## Results

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## Notes

2021 BJCP 10A - Weissbier style characteristic ingredients: "Malted wheat, at least half the grist. Pilsner malt. Decoction mash traditional. Weizen yeast, cool fermentation temperatures."

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.044 – 1.053, FG: 1.008 – 1.014, IBUs: 8 – 15, SRM: 2 – 6, ABV: 4.3 – 5.6%

Wheat malt is typically 50 to 60% of the grain bill. The rest is pilsner malt. Small amounts (1 to 2%) of acid malt can be used for achieving the proper mash pH if needed. Body-building dextrin malts can be used up to 5%. The adjacent dunkelweizen style is similar, but with the addition of about 3% chocolate, roasted wheat, or Carafa malt. Rice hulls may help to prevent stuck sparges.

There are numerous mash possibilities. The easiest option is a single temperature infusion mash of 150 to 154 °F (66 to 68 °C). A more advanced possibility is a step-mash that begins with mashing-in at 110 to 113 °F (43 to 44 °C) to increase ferulic acid and clove flavors. A third option is decoction mashing.

The hops should be classic European varieties such as Hallertau, Tettnang, Saaz, and Herbrucker. American hops bred from Hallertau could be substituted for European hops. Many recipes use a single bittering hop charge. This is not a hoppy beer style because bitterness plus the phenolic yeast character is unpleasant. Aim for a BU/GU ratio of .25.

A hefeweizen yeast strain is essential - yeast flavors are the heart of this style. Fermentation temperatures at 60 to 64 °F (15.5 to 17.8 °C) restrains banana flavors while retaining clove flavors. Pitching at a slightly lower rate, like .50 to .75 million cells/mL/°P, may enhance banana and ester flavors.

## Sources

Strong, G. (2020, March-April). German weiss: Weissbier in the south, hefeweizen in the north. Brew Your Own, 26-29.

Zainasheff, J. (2011, January-February). German hefewiezen: Wheat meets yeast. Brew Your Own, 19-22.