Dunkles Weissbier (April’s Meeting Style of Month)

Dunkles Weissbier
April’s meeting we had (2) examples of a Dunkles Weissbier – April’s Style of the Month

Here are some details for the German Wheat Beer – BJCP Category 10-B
https://dev.bjcp.org/style/2015/10/10B/dunkles-weissbier/

Click here to see the info:

And Beersmith’s describes it as:

A moderately dark German wheat beer with a distinctive banana-and-clove yeast character, supported by a toasted bread or caramel malt flavor. Highly carbonated and refreshing, with a creamy, fluffy texture and light finish that encourages drinking. History: Bavaria has a wheat beer brewing traditional hundreds of years old, but the brewing right was reserved for Bavarian royalty until the late 1700s. Old-fashioned Bavarian wheat beer was often dark, as were most beer of the day. Pale weissbier started to become popular in the 1960s, but traditional dark wheat beer remained somewhat of an old person’s drink. Style Comparison: Reflecting the best yeast and wheat character of a weissbier blended with the malty richness of a Munich dunkel. The banana and clove character is often less apparent than in a weissbier due to the increased maltiness.

~Beersmith software

We had examples brought by Brian Lesperance and Alex Hartlaub


First we have Brian’s recipe details, water adjustments from BruN’Water and picture:

Recipe Details

Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV
5.3 gal 90 min 11.4 IBUs 20.6 SRM 1.070 1.018 6.9 %
Actuals 1.046 1.01 4.7 %

Style Details

Name Cat. OG Range FG Range IBU SRM Carb ABV
Dunkles Weissbier 10 B 1.044 - 1.056 1.01 - 1.014 10 - 18 14 - 23 2.9 - 4.1 4.3 - 5.6 %

Fermentables

Name Amount %
Rice Hulls (Briess) 1 lbs 6.78
BEST Wheat Malt (BESTMALZ) 7 lbs 47.46
Pilsner (2 Row) Ger 3 lbs 20.34
BEST Munich (BESTMALZ) 1 lbs 6.78
Caramel Malt - 60L (Briess) 1 lbs 6.78
Chocolate Malt - Pale 10 oz 4.24
Melanoidin Light (BestMälz) 10 oz 4.24
Crystal Wheat 60L (Proximity) 8 oz 3.39

Hops

Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha %
Wakatu (Hallertau Aroma) 0.75 oz 60 min Boil Pellet 4.7

Miscs

Name Amount Time Use Type
Whirlfloc Tablet 1.00 Items 15 min Boil Fining

Yeast

Name Lab Attenuation Temperature
Weihenstephan Weizen (3068) Wyeast Labs 75% 64°F - 75°F

Mash

Step Temperature Time
Beta Glucanase 113°F 10 min
Protease Rest 131°F 10 min
Beta Amylase 149°F 20 min
Alpha-Alylase 154°F 10 min
Mashout 168°F 15 min
Brian’s Dunkles Weissbier in the glass.
Brian’s Dunkles BruN’Water Sheet

And now Alex’s recipe details including water adjusts from BeerSmith:

Recipe Details

Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV
11 gal 60 min 16.3 IBUs 20.0 SRM 1.053 1.013 5.3 %
Actuals 1.056 1.01 6.0 %

Style Details

Name Cat. OG Range FG Range IBU SRM Carb ABV
Dunkles Weissbier 10 B 1.044 - 1.056 1.01 - 1.014 10 - 18 14 - 23 2.9 - 4.1 4.3 - 5.6 %

Fermentables

Name Amount %
Wheat - Red Malt (Briess) 10 lbs 47.06
Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) 6 lbs 28.24
Borlander Munich Malt (Briess) 2 lbs 9.41
Acidulated (BestMälz) 1 lbs 4.71
Caramunich II 1 lbs 4.71
Carafa II 12 oz 3.53
Special B Malt 8 oz 2.35

Hops

Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha %
Loral 1 oz 60 min Boil Pellet 9.5

Miscs

Name Amount Time Use Type
Baking Soda 3.70 g 60 min Mash Water Agent
Epsom Salt (MgSO4) 3.70 g 60 min Mash Water Agent
Calcium Chloride 3.00 g 60 min Mash Water Agent
Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) 3.00 g 60 min Mash Water Agent
Chalk 1.20 g 60 min Mash Water Agent
Calcium Chloride 0.80 g 60 min Water Agent
Epsom Salt (MgSO4) 0.80 g 60 min Water Agent
Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) 0.80 g 60 min Water Agent

Yeast

Name Lab Attenuation Temperature
Hefeweizen Ale (WLP300) White Labs 74% 68°F - 72°F

Mash

Step Temperature Time
Mash In 152°F 75 min
Ramp up for mash out 168°F 10 min

Notes

Profiles (ppm) Exist Mash Finished
Ca 18 51 52
Mg 15 8 11
Na 9 30 26
SO4 24 69 73
Cl 15 46 48
HCO3 91 99 NA
SO4/Cl Ratio 1.5

Batch Volume 15.3 Gallons
Total Mash 12.2 Gallons
Mash Dilution 12.2 Gallons
Total Sparge 3.1 Gallons
Sparge Dilution 0.0 Gallons
Estimated Mash pH 5.46 SU

Mineral Additions (gm) Mash Sparge
Gypsum 3.0 0.8
Calcium Chloride 3.0 0.8
Epsom Salt 3.7 0.9
Mag Chloride 0.0 0.0
Canning Salt 0.0 0.0
Baking Soda 3.7 Not Recommended
Chalk 1.2 Not Recommended
Pickling Lime 0.0 Not Recommended
Sodium Metabisulfite 0.0 0.0

Both examples captured that Dunkles Weissbier profile with the aroma, mouthfeel and taste as described. We also had a commercial example to compare to as well – which is always fun!

We what will be your next beer to brew? Possibly look into making a Dunkles Weissbier!

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