The next beer I am planning to brew is a Dunkelweizen. The plan is a holdover from last year’s brewing resolutions, which I, uh, didn’t get around to doing.
With the brushing of that missed commitment under the brew house rug, I can focus on what is ahead and this German wheat beer is in my sights.
The question I have for you, fair reader, is which yeast strain is the best for a dunkelweizen?
Some quick online queries brought back some of the usual suspects, the yeast strains that I know for wheat beers of German origin. Many of the discussions were primarily around which yeast strains are best for hefeweizen with some side comments about how they were good for dunkelweizens as well.
Here are a few strains that I was thinking about using. If you have thoughts or experiences with any of them or if you know of one that I don’t have listed here, leave a comment.
1. Wyeast 3068- Weihenstephan Weizen
With a claim that the strain is the most popular German wheat beer in the world, how could one go wrong using it for a Dunkelweizen? Popular does not always equal good in the beer world, but in this case, I think it may ok in this context.
2. White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale
It’s hard to get excited for this strain after typing out the name of the Wyeast strain right above this one. The generic title doesn’t ignite the imagination of the eager home brewer hoping to produce an excellent beer. I included this one because I am a fan of White Labs and they are my go-to yeast brand.
3. Danstar Munich Wheat Beer
Dry yeast strains should not be ignored. One of the takeaways from last year’s Saison throwdown was that a dry yeast strain can turn out a great version of a farmhouse ale. Although I don’t have any experience with this Danstar offering, maybe you have used it before?
That concludes my list of considerations for my dunkelweizen. From the liquid yeast producers, there are a good number of variations on the German wheat beer theme. For instance, has anyone used the WLP380 Hefeweizen IV Ale strain? Is it an improvement on the original? Let me know your thoughts below.
Graham
WLP380 Hefe IV is definintely better for Dunkelweizens, in my opinion. I don’t like banana in my Dunkelweizens, whereas it can be pretty tasty in a straight Hefe. If you want to have a beer that’s all clove and virtually zero banana, do a ferulic acid rest at 113F for 20min or so before your primary sach. rest, and use 380 with a normal-sized starter. I haven’t do that on a Dunkelweizen yet, but did it on a Hefe and it was great. WLP380 + a normal infusion mash + fermentation temps around 65F will give you a Dunkelweizen that’s very balanced between the fruit & spice flavors.
John
Thanks Graham. I may try the Hefe IV following the last method you presented. I am looking for balance in this beer.
Keith
I used the WLP300 in my German wheat beers, including a Dunkelweizen last year. If you don’t control your temperature with this yeast, you will get a banana bomb. I ferment this yeast for a Dunkel or a Hefe at 63F and get a nice balance between banana and clove. This is below the White Lab’s recommended temperature, but this is what has worked the best for me.
John
Thanks Keith. My timing may work out with this brew. The winter months keep my basement cold so keeping the temperature under 65 degrees F should not be an issue.