Bottle Conditioning Should Work

jmp138 · 01-02-2009, 05:46 PM

I've brewed my first beer, a bavarian hefeweizen, and was hoping to bottle it tommorrow after a week in the primary. I removed the lid and took a sample in order to get a sample for a gravity reading. I checked the gravity and it was 1.012 and then obviously tried the beer out of the test vial. The beer definitely had a hefe flavor but also a really bitter finish which could be attributable to the fact that I have never tasted beer fresh out of a fermenter with no carbonation before. The beer was not particularly pleasent to drink due to the finish. Do you suppose that a couple of weeks in the bottle under pressure will help to mellow this out. Thanks in advance for helping me to better beer.

lx302 · 01-02-2009, 06:16 PM

First off , a week is too soon to bottle in my opinion.
You tasting a very green beer, and the yeast hasn't had a chance to condition the brew yet.
Leave it in the Primary at least one more week, even 2 more weeks. I usually go 3 weeks in the primary on my lower gravity brews. Then bottle, and wait another 3 weeks to carb up.
Search the forum and you'll find I'm not alone in my thinking.
Don't get too impatient, being a brewer will train you to be if your aren't.

TwoHeadsBrewing · 01-02-2009, 06:20 PM

I would give it one more week in the fermenter. Hefes are great even when young, but a week is still too early if you want to really experience the full greatness of your brew. This extra time will help some flavors mellow out and blend together, as well as give the yeast time to clean up some nasty fermentation byproducts. Give it one more week, two if you can stand it...the extra time will pay your tastebuds back many times over

!

BrianTheBrewer · 01-02-2009, 06:38 PM

I would give it a couple more weeks to ferment. Then bottle and let it sit for like 3-5 weeks.

Bigbens6 · 01-02-2009, 06:39 PM

Agreed, at least one more week, than bottle and let sit 2 more week MINIMUM, 3 if your patient... I'm not haha

jmp138 · 01-02-2009, 10:18 PM

Ok, I was just under the impression that hefe's were one of the best young beers and that one week in primary would be enough. I will happily let it set for another week or two to get a better finished product. That way I can bottle my black stout at the same time, better start collecting bottles!

**cuinrearview** · 01-02-2009, 10:33 PM

Hefes ARE one of the fastest beers to get from brewpot to glass, but there is still some patience involved. Two weeks in primary and two in the bottle in my house. You won't beat that kind of turn around with any other beer.

TwoHeadsBrewing · 01-02-2009, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmp138

Ok, I was just under the impression that hefe's were one of the best young beers and that one week in primary would be enough. I will happily let it set for another week or two to get a better finished product. That way I can bottle my black stout at the same time, better start collecting bottles!

One week "might" be enough, but even hefes sometimes need longer than that just to ferment completely. If you let it go two weeks, your almost guaranteed to have fermentation complete. In addition, the yeast will have some time to clean up after themselves...leaving a cleaner and better tasting end product. My hefes all get 2-4 weeks in the fermenter...the longer they go, they clearer and less yeasty they taste. If you like the hefe yeast taste, 2 weeks is fine. If you'd like something more like an "american wheat" then let it sit for a couple more weeks and clear up.

**Malticulous** · 01-02-2009, 11:12 PM

Hefes should not be very bitter. How much hops did you use?