Priming Hefeweizen

Beerrific · 06-21-2007, 03:27 AM

I am bottling my hefeweizen tomorrow and taking some corn sugar with me to work tomorrow to weigh it out and I wanted to run this by you to see it sounds ok.

What is a good volume of CO2 to aim for in a hefeweizen? The style says 3.6 to 4.5 for wiezens.

Using: http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html
With 4 volumes of CO2
At 72F
In 5 gallons being bottled
I should use 8.56oz of corn sugar

Is this going to be too much? I have never used this much, my bottles can take it, right?

Thanks

homebrewer_99 · 06-21-2007, 03:54 AM

4 oz for normal beers, 1 oz per gallon is good for HWs = 5 oz.

Beerrific · 06-21-2007, 10:47 AM

That sounds good. 8oz sounded like a lot.

The Pol · 06-21-2007, 11:15 AM

I have used 8oz in both of mine in the past 2 months, it worked perfectly... go for the 8oz.

Pol

Beerrific · 06-21-2007, 01:39 PM

Someone need to break the tie...

Maybe I will split the difference...6.5 oz.

zoebisch01 · 06-21-2007, 01:48 PM

It all depends on what you are shooting for. I have been using roughly 7.0 to 7.5 per 6 gallon batch (it's close to 6.0 per 5 gal) and it takes a while to pour and you get a nice ice-cream-cone head. Plus remember that residual carbonation is temperature dependent...but usually wheats are low in residual C02 because they are fermented fairly warm. I tried a calculator online and it was telling me 9 oz. for my 6 gallons....I don't think so heheh. 7.0 with 6 gallons of DunkelWeizen and I need to chill them a bit so I can pour them right.

Plus it all depends on how heavy your bottles are. Normally you don't want to push too far from the standard 'homebrew priming volumes' (roughly the 4 oz of CS per 5 gallons) with regular brown bottles. You can, but be forewarned they most likely won't handle the high carbonation found in say a commercially bottled import wheat. They *might* but it is a risk. I use either the empties from Franziskaner (actually they are returns) or returnable 16 oz. bottles from the distro.

Keep in mind too that the C02 is acidic so higher levels will make for a more tart Hefe.

Beerrific · 06-21-2007, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

I have used 8oz in both of mine in the past 2 months, it worked perfectly... go for the 8oz.

Pol

Did you bottle in regular 12oz brown bottles?

My biggest worry is them not holding the pressure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoebisch01

...

The calculator I used says it takes temp (for residual CO2) and the CO2 volume I am aiming for (I said 4 because I don't know), it told me to use 8.56 oz corn sugar in 5 gallons.

I want them to be well carbonated but I don't want them to blow in a week.

**CollinsBrew** · 06-21-2007, 03:19 PM

I used 5oz with mine and it has carbonated very nicely. I don't really like a lot of fizz in my beer but I still got a nice head on this one when I cracked it open last week.

FIRST BATCH....SUCCESS!!

zoebisch01 · 06-21-2007, 04:26 PM

Yeah, I'd personally be a little nervous going over 5 oz per 5 gal using standard brown bottles. I weighed the various bottles once, and to give an idea Orval is like 5.0 volumes and the bottles weigh in at ~375 grams vs. standard browns which are about ~208 grams. Unibroue's twist off 12 oz are about 275 grams. In general the heavier the bottle, the more pressure it can hold. When I first picked up an empty 16 oz. returneable I knew they'd be perfect and they have been great.

Beerrific · 06-21-2007, 07:44 PM

OK wait, is everyone talking about weight ounces or fluid ounces?