Kit-based dunkelweizen...?

[Lachy]

G'day guys,

I'm curious to try brewing a dunkel hefe like the Weihenstaphaner offering. Now, I know approximating a great beer like that is a big ask from any kit, but I'm willing to give it a go. However, I'm a bit uncertain as to how to go about formulating such a thing. The AHB forums give the following recipe as appropriate to the style, however, I'm a bit unsure on the choice of yeast, among other things:

1.7kg Morgan's Golden Sheaf Wheat kit
2kg Morgan's Chocolate Malt Master Blend
10g Saaz hops @ 45
10g Saaz hops @ 15
10g Hallertau hops @ flameout
1 Sachet Morgan's ale yeast

Would it be best to make this style of beer using the Morgans yeast, or is there a better Saf yeast available? Also, is it best to approach this sort of recipe using a wheat beer kit as the base and adding choc malt, or should I try a stout or dark ale can and add wheat malt to that?

[warra48]

I'm not sure just what is in the Morgans Chocolate Malt Master Blend, but I have my doubts it is suitable for a dunkelweizen.
A Stout or Dark Ale can will give you a totally wrong result.

I have brewed a few AG dunkelweizens, but never a kit or extract versions.
With that qualification, I would look at something like this:

1.7 kg Morgan's Golden Sheaf Wheat kit
1.5 to 2 kg Pale Liquid extract
250 gr Carawheat steeped
100 gr Carafa Special II steeped

I wouldn't use Saaz. Hallertau is fine, but you don't need it at flameout. This is a malt driven style, not hop driven.
What IBU will the Wheat kit provide in 23 litres? You could boil 20 to 25 gr of Hallertau in your steeped liquid for 15 to 20 minutes. The cans can be added after flameout when filling your fermenter, no need to boil those.

As for yeast, In my view the best option is liquid yeast. I'm currently building a starter from a smackpack of WY3068, and it's my favourite.
If you must go dry yeast, your best choice is the Danstar Munich yeast, or WB-06 as second choice.

[Lachy]

Cheers for the help, mate. I thought saaz would be out of place in this recipe too, and I was planning on using either hallertau or tettnanger. I thought danstar Munich would be a likely bet, although trying WB-06 had crossed my mind as well.

[mike_hifi]

I have done this recipe and it turned out really well. It is orginally off the Morgans site. I did it pretty much as you said, with Saaz hops and all, but used S04 yeast instead.

The Morgans Master Blend cans were pretty good althogh they have changed recently. The only catch with them is that they are bit slow to ferment, meaning that you need an age to condition them well and you then end up with over carbonated beer, unless you under prime a bit in the first place. Good once you get the hang though.

Cheers,

Mike