Homebrew # 5: Bavarian Hefeweizen

Bavarian Hefeweizen (Northern Brewer kit)
6 lbs Wheat LME, 1 lb Wheat DME
1 oz Tettnang (60 min)
Weihenstephaner yeast (Wyeast 3068)
OG ~1.050
FG ~1.014
Estimated ABV ~4.6%

    Pours in a golden stream but looks clearly darker than a good commercial hefeweizen. The high carbonation (intended!) is evidenced by the loud pop and huge head. The head retention is good, although it could have been better. Little lacing. Also, the head is more bubbly for the style.

    Great aroma on this one. Bread, banana, and mild lemony tartness. However, the extract twang is still very much present. The taste is very fruity with light tartness and weaker, but present, notes of "house character". Spice is low because of the warmer fermentation but some phenolic notes appear alongside the bitterness at the end.

    I am really digging the way it tastes for the most part. A simple style to brew, I can clearly see that the yeast has done its job very well. Problems were at our end... needs polishing, but delightful nonetheless.

    Carbonation is just as high as we shot for. Body is medium and the finish medium dry with fruitiness lingering. I am quite pleased, but still unhappy about the twang :-(

Raspberry Treatment

    Pureed ~9 oz of raspberries and added to ~1/2 gallon beer in a growler. Let it sit for 2 weeks and bottled with some sugar. Perhaps too little. The bottles did get a lot stiffer (I used plastic coke bottles) but the carbonation was nowhere near the desired level :/

    Pours clear and deep pinkish brown with no head at all. Aroma is big on raspberries, very scented. The base beer is pretty much dominated by raspberry flavors. Light sweet tartness with plenty of raspberry taste and a slightly bittering finish. Medium bodied like the base beer, but only hints of the much needed prickly carbonation.