wheat beer yeast - Safbrew WB-06/Safwheat Yeast K-97

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Permalink Reply by denimglen on September 9, 2009 at 3:48pm

I've tried a couple of beers made with them, crap I reckon. May be with some tests with pitching rates and ferment temps you may be able to come up with something ok, but I like the old classic wlp300/3068. With 300/3068 don't underpitch and ferment at 17C, that's the secret to a killer wheat beer.

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Permalink Reply by denimglen on September 9, 2009 at 3:59pm

Oh yeah, the above post was in regard to WB06.

I used K-97 once agggggeeeeeeeeeeeees ago, nothing like a wheat yeast, more like a german ale/kolsch style yeast I reckon.

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Permalink Reply by Bambule on September 9, 2009 at 3:50pm

Steer clear of K97 like the plague.

You'll need a liquid yeast to do a wheat beer justice in my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Karle on September 9, 2009 at 4:10pm

Looks like I'll have to get some liquid yeast then... I suppose 3068 would be the strain to get for a Bavarian style Hefeweizen? There doesn't seem to be heaps of information on the other strains on the web. I'll give it a go.

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Permalink Reply by denimglen on September 9, 2009 at 5:42pm

3068 or 300 are the sure bet, seems to be the most common.

I haven't had any experiences with the others.

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Permalink Reply by JoKing on September 9, 2009 at 7:03pm

They are all much of a muchness from a "piss drinkers" point of view in that they all make wheat beer. I've had experiences with wlp380 - which is more tart and dry with less banana, wy3333 which instead of having the banana has more of a bubblegummy note as well as the clove, 3068 which seems to be the same as wlp 300 but is perfect when fermented at 17 degrees - pleasant of balance between the banana and clove.

I had one good brew with k97 - it was a starkweizenbock... gave me banana, but I never replicated it again. I tried wb06 and it seemed pretty neutral - suitable for weizens when ferrmented well. I wouldn't use it again though, because I can get consistent results with wlp300

ALL of the above strains when abused has given me shitloads of sulphur and headaches - so choose whatever yeast you like the sound of, and follow the directions to a tee. Don't use nutrients or kettle finings as they seem to throw the yeast out of its natural balance for whatever reason.

AND listen to Denimglen: he's the fuckin man.

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Permalink Reply by Reviled on September 9, 2009 at 9:14pm

Mate I definately wouldnt use WB-06 again, I gave it such a controlled fermentation and it completely fucked my roggenbier!

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Permalink Reply by JoKing on September 9, 2009 at 9:25pm

My point exactly - it's just too unpredictable.

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