Wissbegierig Affe Dunkle
"Dark German wheat beer with banana undertones... perfect fit for curious monkeys named George"

Recipe:
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4.00 lb Wheat Extract (DME)
2.00 lb Wheat Malt (half white half red) (grain)
1.75 lb Munich Malt (grain)
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (grain)
0.25 lb Cara-Pils (grain)
0.25 lb Flaked Wheat
1.00 oz Quick Oats (for the heck of it!)
1.00 tsp Irish Moss

Hops:
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1.00 oz Hallertauer (4.4% AA - 4.4 AAU)(60 min)

Yeast:
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2.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (forgot this)

White Labs "Hefeweizen Ale Yeast" WLP300
Best Before: Mar-30-09
Lot Number: 1300TBIKOND1

Notes:
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5.5 gal
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.012

23 Cups of water at 155 F. Adding grain bag brought temp down to mid 130s.
Held for about 5 minutes, and took the temp up to 155 F again.
Held temp between 153 and 158 for the next 90 minutes.
Iodine test never showed conversion.
Temperature spiked as high as 165, and as low as 140.

Sparged at 160 - 175 for 10 minutes.
Combined sparge and mash together with 1 lb of DME and started boil.
Added hops in clean grain bag to the boil.

With 10 minutes left the last 3lbs of DME was added little at a time.
Irish Moss added to hop bag.

Added 1 gal of cold water to pot.
Cooled pot in sink to 100 F by adding ice around pot and slowly stirring with sanitized spoon.
Poured into carboy, and added enough water to fill. (only had 5 gals, and need 5.5)
SG at 5gal: 1.055

Pitched yeast (72 F) and went to bed. (After cleaning up a bit first.)

2008/12/06
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Temperature at 1500 was approximately 68 F (20 C).
Added extra 1/2 gal. Fermentation started shortly after.
Proteins has settled nicley to bottom of carboy.
Nice dark color.

2008/12/19
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Did not keep detailed notes on this batch.
Fermentation was vigerous for the first 3 days.
Activity continued... noted bubles periodically... but only every hour or more.
Temp on first day was 70F+, and spiked at 75F+ in the days following.
Temperature stayed in the mid to low 60s F most of the time
Slight fruity banana aromas for the first few days with sulfur aroma also.
Banana aroma did not seem to stay as long as I had hoped. (Not compared with the Tripel!)

Kegged 5.25 gallons.
Specific Gravity: 1.012 (%ABV ~ 5.0%)
Beer is dark brown and cloudy.
Protien / hop muck with white layer of yeast had settled to the bottom.
I have a cold, so I could not comment on aroma, but bitter to sweetness seems ok. (Wife thought is smelled great.)
I hit the keg with 40 psi to start it off, and placed it on a 15 psi line.

2008/12/28
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Beer is still a bit young.
Good constant frothy head retention.
Cloudy light coffee color.
Bitterness seems a bit forward with slight toasted flavor. Slight fruity (bananna) undertone followed by a tanggy finish.
Alcohol fusels are partially noticeable (need to control the temp better next time).
Nose still does not work well... but I detect a grainy aroma.

2008/12/30
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Beer has mellowed just in a few days.
Bitterness and tanggy finish has mellowed and fruity banana taste is more forward.