How much Wyeast 3068 (Weihenstephan yeast) should I pitch?

Yeast & Fermentation
1

Hello!

I’m making a Schneider Weisse clone with Wyeast 3068. I’m brewing 10 gallons and I have 2 packets of Wyeast 3068. I hear that if you under pitch, more esters (banana and clover) flavors come out. I’d like to have a decent amount of esters in this beer, but perhaps not as strong as a Franziskaner which is very banana-y IMHO. I think I have a few options for pitching this yeast:

  1. 1 packet, no yeast starter
  2. 1 packet with yeast starter
  3. 2 packets, no yeast starter
  4. 2 packets with yeast starter

Which option do you guys think I should go with?

Thanks!

2

Two packets is plenty for ten gallons. That will ferment like wild. Watch your temps though.

3

Thanks Greg. 2 packets straight into the fermenter or should I do a yeast starter?

4

I just reviewed my notes and I have used wyeast 3068 3 times for my house hefe and have simply pitched 1 activator pack, no starter, and have been very happy with the results. These were 5 gallon batches so 2 for ten should be good. Vigorous fermentation and even with good temp control I would have a blowoff tube setup initially. I read somewhere “it is advisable to pitch hefeweizens below fermentation temperatures” and underpitching is actually ok with this style. My results have yielded more clove than banana keeping things on the cool side. :cheers:

5

[quote=“cblu2000”]Thanks Greg. 2 packets straight into the fermenter or should I do a yeast starter?[/quote]Yep, no real need for a starter on that.

6

+1 on all the above. The only thing I would add, is make sure your yeast packs are pretty fresh.

7

They made in March 2015. :confused:

8

Trying to control ester production via pitch rate is a real crap shoot unless you have a microscope and hemacytometer to know how much you;re really pitching. You’re far better off controlling esters through choice of strain and temperature.

1 Like
9

Your yeast is getting on in age. Vitality may be low. Under pitching WY3068 will always give more banana than an over pitch. I like the heavier spice and light banana I get by over pitching this yeast and fermenting cool.

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10

Wyeast says their yeast has a 6 month warranty so I should be in the window. Will let you know how it all works out.

Thanks guys.

11

Big big big proponent of pitching enough yeast for fermentation. If you want to manipulate the flavor change the temps.

12

[quote=“cblu2000”]Wyeast says their yeast has a 6 month warranty so I should be in the window. Will let you know how it all works out.

Thanks guys.[/quote]

Yeah, but what does that mean? No matter what they say, there is a serious loss of viability after 6 months.

13

[quote=“Denny”][quote=“cblu2000”]Wyeast says their yeast has a 6 month warranty so I should be in the window. Will let you know how it all works out.

Thanks guys.[/quote]

Yeah, but what does that mean? No matter what they say, there is a serious loss of viability after 6 months.[/quote]

^^^This^^^^ I’ve had packs that were dead as a wedge four months after packaging, and I’ve had packs that roused nicely after six months. It is, to quote Denny, a crap shoot. A starter is definitely recommended, especially in your case where you’re brewing a ten gallon batch…

14

I would make a starter. Just my opinion.

Be warned, though… Get that blowoff tube ready. You’ll need it, even with the cooler temps. :smiley:

15

I just brewed with this and wanted to use 6mill cells per liter as many German brewing text shoot for.

Wyeast advertise that a fresh smack pack has this number, so I was not going to make a starter.
But since I was a little worried about viability with a package date of 5/11, I made a small .5L starter and hoped for the best.

I fermented mine at 67/68F and removed the lid once the krausen formed (I ferment in a temperature controlled little fridge)

To my surprise the krausen really never rose more than an inch and it fermented completely in 3.5 days. (OG was only 1.048, so not hugely shocked by the fast ferment, more so with an un-exciting boring krausen)

I’m letting it sit in the primary to clean up for another 7-10 days before moving since, like typical weizen fermentations, they stink of sulfur.

Below link is to a cool little article.

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content ... rewing.pdf
16

The nice thing about the smack pack is that if it swells up quickly, say overnight, you know you have viable yeast.

I am another proponent of underpitching weissbier. Overpitching is bad. Just try using a yeast cake of weissbier yeast, the second generation beer will be terribly bland compared to the first.

17

[quote=“chumley”]The nice thing about the smack pack is that if it swells up quickly, say overnight, you know you have viable yeast.

I am another proponent of underpitching weissbier. Overpitching is bad. Just try using a yeast cake of weissbier yeast, the second generation beer will be terribly bland compared to the first.[/quote]
I agree with you. Pitching a second beer on an entire yeast cake from the previous beer will not have good results.

18

[quote=“chumley”]The nice thing about the smack pack is that if it swells up quickly, say overnight, you know you have viable yeast.

I am another proponent of underpitching weissbier. Overpitching is bad. Just try using a yeast cake of weissbier yeast, the second generation beer will be terribly bland compared to the first.[/quote]

That may not be related to pitch rate. For years I’ve heard that repitched hefe yeast had a much lower level of esters and may have advised to not repitch it. Since you’ve been around as long as I have, you may recall that info first surfacing on HBD.