Last updated:
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier comes from the world’s oldest brewery (established 1040 AD in Freising, Bavaria) and is widely considered the gold standard of the hefeweizen style, slightly more banana-forward than Paulaner, with an incredibly fine, persistent white foam and a particularly clean, refreshing finish. Cloning it successfully requires understanding the subtle differences between it and other Bavarian hefeweizens, which come down primarily to yeast strain and fermentation temperature management.
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.052, FG 1.012, ABV ~5.4%, IBU 14, SRM 4–5, hazy pale gold with brilliant white head. Grain bill: 5.5 lbs (2.49 kg) German wheat malt (Weizenmalz), 55% wheat, standard for Bavarian hefeweizen. 4.5 lbs (2.04 kg) German Pilsner malt, base malt providing conversion enzymes and clean malt background. The Weihenstephaner grain bill is relatively simple, the character comes from the yeast, not complex specialty malt additions. Hops: 0.75 oz Hallertau Mittelfrueh (60 min), 13–14 IBU. No late additions. Hefeweizen hops are bittering-only, no hop flavor or aroma is desirable. Yeast, the defining variable: Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen is explicitly the Weihenstephan strain and produces the most accurate Weihenstephaner clone result of any commercially available yeast. White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale is the equivalent. Ferment at 18°C (64°F) for a balanced banana-clove profile. Weihenstephaner leans slightly more banana than Paulaner, ferment at 18–19°C (64–66°F) rather than the lower 16–17°C you’d use for a clove-dominant hefeweizen. The yeast is the reason this clone must use Wyeast 3068 specifically rather than any other hefeweizen strain, different strains produce distinctly different ester/phenol ratios. Ferulic acid rest: 43°C (109°F) for 20 minutes at the start of the mash, pre-converts ferulic acid to the 4-vinylguaiacol precursor that produces the clove phenol during fermentation. Without this rest, the clove character is reduced and the beer becomes purely banana-forward rather than balanced. Water: Soft, low mineral, calcium 30–40 ppm, sulfate 15 ppm, chloride 50 ppm. Freising/Munich water is naturally soft. Process: Step mash: 43°C (109°F) for 20 minutes (ferulic acid rest), 52°C (126°F) for 10 minutes (protein rest, important with wheat malt), 67°C (153°F) for 45 minutes (saccharification), 76°C (169°F) mash out. 60-minute boil. Do not filter or fine, Weihenstephaner is served with natural yeast haze. When bottling, bottle-condition with active hefeweizen yeast, Wyeast 3068 or WLP300 pitched fresh at packaging gives the authentic yeast character in the bottle sediment. Carbonate to 3.0–3.5 volumes CO2, very high carbonation is part of the Weihenstephaner experience and drives the legendary foam. Serve in a traditional Weizen glass, pre-rinsed with cold water, tilted at 45° for pouring.
Common Questions
How is Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier different from Paulaner or Erdinger?
All three are authentic Bavarian hefeweizens brewed under German purity law with similar grain bills, but they have meaningfully different yeast character profiles. Weihenstephaner is banana-forward with an exceptionally fine carbonation and the cleanest, most refreshing finish of the three, the Weihenstephan yeast produces a particularly elevated isoamyl acetate (banana ester) expression alongside moderate clove. Paulaner is more balanced between banana and clove, the Paulaner house yeast produces a slightly lower banana-to-clove ratio, making it spicier and drier. Erdinger is the fullest-bodied of the three and the most phenolic (clove-forward), Erdinger’s house yeast emphasizes 4-vinylguaiacol production, giving it a spicier, more rustic character and a slightly heavier body. The foam quality differs: Weihenstephaner’s fine, persistent foam is often cited as the industry benchmark for hefeweizen head retention. Paulaner’s foam is good but slightly coarser. Erdinger’s foam is excellent but heavier. For homebrewing: the three clones require different yeast strains to capture these differences. Wyeast 3068 (Weihenstephan) for this recipe; Wyeast 3638 or WLP351 for Paulaner; WLP380 for a more Erdinger-like clove-forward character. The fermentation temperature adjustment (slightly warmer for Weihenstephaner’s banana emphasis, slightly cooler for Paulaner’s balance) also matters significantly.
