In pusuit of an unfamiliar style - Dunkelweizen

[ChicoBrewer]

I struggled a bit with where to put this post. Along with describing my beer It's also about unfamiliar beer styles with my example.

I just kegged my Dunkelweizen and I must say I'm rather pleased with the outcome. Problem being I have only had a couple of examples of the style. I had the Weihenstephaner at a bar in Sacramento once and a bottle of some unremembered brand but that's about it. Weihenstephaner claims theirs has a banana flavor but I don't remember that from the pour I had in Sacramento; it was more like cloves.

It's amazing how that first pour tastes when you get home from work. My Dunkel tastes a bit like spice cake. The top layer is a good head and the bottom layer is the beer. Sweet and spicy with fruit. The color is that of coca cola. I crash chilled and fined it with gelatin in the keg. It took 4 pints to clear the mud on the bottom of the keg. Has a creamy head and bubbles up after pouring. The CO2 is set at 12lb. It gets more flavor after it warms a bit. Flavors are a bit complex but not hoppy complex - yeasty and malty complex...

One thing I wish for is a head that lasts longer. It appears after the pour but it's gone after the third sip.

@Group W - I'm quite interested in your attempt especially the feedback you might get from the judges. My guess is there aren't a lot of people entering this style. Also plz share your recipe .

All in all this is one I like having in my keg. I'll definitely do it again.

It would be fun to have a beer exchange but I don't know how to do it. Kind of like a club I suppose with a commitment. . .

Might be too expensive though.

End of ramble//

 

[Group W]

That looks on the dark side like mine. I’m going to back off just a bit on the Midnight Wheat next time. I had a pull on it tonight and the banana was there just a bit. It’s all about the yeast. I used Wyeast 3068. I also graduated the ferm temp from 63 to 72. This was my first attempt, so not a good source of advice. More next week when I get results.

 

[ChicoBrewer]

That's the same yeast I used. I could not source what I have in the recipe here and I tend to gravitate to dry yeast when possible.

I also fermented at 62 until the fermentation stopped then I raised it gradually to 68 over a week then I transfered to a keg and cold crashed with gelatin.

 

[Hogarthe]

Looks and sounds like a good dunklewiezen. Should be malt and yeast driven flavor. Banana or clove depends on fermentation temp

 

[Group W]

Here’s a teaser Chico. Fingers crossed on the club competition this week.