The best part about drinking beer :>) I brew my own Hefeweizens and Honey ale. The Belgian stuff is too complicated. Multiple malts, access to the yeast is difficult and all of the other factors you mentioned.
How do your Hefeweizen's turn out?
I liked ales...a lot!.
I did a lot with the 'California Commons.' All the recipes I tried worked out excellent for me. I found that liquid yeast was the best. I mostly used White Labs. Sometimes Wyeast. But usually White Labs.