I brewed a blood orange hefe recently and the final product is good but the banana/clove presence is drastically muted compared to my earlier recipe minus fruit. The only other variable I can think that changed the profile is I fermented around 66 this time and was around 70 with the original. I assume its my fermentation temp that caused the change, but wanted to see if the addition of fruit to primary would have a similar effect.
My understanding is that lowering the fermentation temperature will mute the banana presence but will enhance the clove, and vice versa. Its possible that the fruit may have masked some of the flavors as well, though.I don’t have enough firsthand experience with these beer styles with the banana/clove esters to be any kind of authority on them, though.
Anytime you add an additional ingredient flavors compete. This is why some PA style beers are often described as muddled when too many types of hops are used.
In this case I think it was a combination of lower ferm temps along with the fruit addition. But I would want less esterswhen making a fruit beer.
I brew alot of german beer. Hefe can be a tricky style to get the esters from the yeast. Loopie is right temp does have a lot to do witb ester from hefe yeast whitelabs300 is a very good yeast but it throw vary little banana flavors more clove at any temp low or high. Wyeast3068 at temps of 62 will have a balance of clove and banana. I have brewed that blood orange hefe its either from byo mag or popular mechanics… The acid in the blood oranges is going to have a higher acid than the yeast esters dulling the esters If you brew it again use wyeast3068 pitch little more yeast and less blood oranges and hold temps around 62. I know temp seems low but will give you the flavors that you are missing.
I thought I read something about not drinking them with a lemon or citrus. I will have to find out where I read it and why that is.
