Hefe

[Kyle]

This is the Hefe that I served at the Jan 22 beer club meeting.

7# malted wheat
4# bohemian pilsner malt

Mash 70 minutes @ 153F
Sparge 15 minutes @ 168F

0.65 oz Cascade hops (4.6 a/a) @45 minutes
0.25 oz Cascade hops (4.6 a/a) @15 minutes

Blackberry extract 4 oz @ flameout

Fermentis Wheat Beer yeast, pitched at 75F, fermented at ambient of 62F

(I did post this on the old website, but I thought I'd copy it over here)

Despite Dave's concern that the WB-06 yeast is too clovey for him, I think it turned out pretty well. Great, long-lasting head retention, citrusy. I've read that the Hefe style does not improve with age. I disagree. I'm sipping a glass of it now, and I brewed it on Dec 7th. It is quite good now. Hefe, though, I've realized is not among my favourite styles.

[Shawn]

I think when they talk about aging a hefeweizen, they're more referring to months and months, as opposed to weeks. Everyone's results are different, of course, but I had a hefe I did last year that turned pretty good, but when I still had a few bottles several months later, it was definitely starting to taste a little stale, poured a bit darker, etc.

[Richard]

"If you see a beer, do it a favour, and drink it. Beer was not meant to age." -- Michael Jackson (the beer one)

Such a lapse from such an otherwise wise man... but I think the general concept is that beer is not meant to undergo *years* of ageing, but then there are those who would disagree even then.

I think perhaps there is a distinction between "reaching maturity" and "aging", that needs to be made (or perhaps has, and I am just ignorant of it... anyone?)

[Shawn]

When I hear "aging", I think "cellaring"... ideally keeping it at a cool temp and letting the beer change for the better.

"Reaching maturity", should, I think, apply to every beer, if possible.

And, yes, MJ must have had a lapse of judgment for that quote, because I've read other things from him that indicate X beer tasted better after Y years of aging.