Hold the Lemon Hefe – Hefeweizen

Posted by halfmanbot – 2010-02-13

  • A Hefeweizen made for the man who likes some citrus is his beer but doesn’t want a wedge of lemon floating in his pint glass.
  • target OG: 1.047
  • target FG: 1.012
  • target ABV: 4.5%
  • brewed: 02-15-09
  • 5.5 lb wheat
  • 5.5lb german pilsner
  • Tried to protein rest at 122 F but my strike water must have been high because the mash settled at 137 F.  Mashed at 137 F for 30 minutes then decocted up to 154 F, mashed for another 60 minutes and mashed out with 170 F water.
  • Boiled for 90 minutes.
  • 3/4 oz Hallertauh hops 5.0% (17) for 90 min
  • 1/2 oz Perle 9.4% (10) for 15 min
  • 1/2 oz Perle 9.4% for 1 minute
  • Pitched at 80 F with Wyeast 2068 Weizenstephan Weizen.  Temp dropped to 54 F overnight and rose to 64 F the next day. Temp rose to 67 F at end of fermentation. 
  • Transfered to secondary after a week.  Simmered the flesh and juice from 2 mini watermelons and 3 stalks (1 oz each) of lemongrass at 170 F for 15 min.  Added the tea to the secondary.  Added brewers belt to fermentor.
  • Kegged after 2 weeks with 1/2 cup priming sugar.  Strained out the lemongrass and watermelon, added another 2 oz of lemongrass in the keg.  The beer smelled pretty hot at this point, didn’t think it would turn out well.
  • OG: 1.004
  • FG: 1.008
  • ABV: 4.4%
  • Results:  This ended up being a nice, refreshing summer beer.  The lemongrass was a nice touch, but couldn’t detect much of the watermelon.  This beer could actually use more lemongrass.  Next time increase by maybe 50% and drop the watermelon.

Leave a Reply