How Long Is Too Long In Fermenter For German Wheat?

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Brutus Brewer

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Brewed a German wheat early May and didn't get it kegged until yesterday (approximately 9 weeks in fermenter). Is that too long, could autolysis have hit this batch; it didn't smell like the last batch I made when that beer was kegged about 3 weeks after brewing.
 
Someone may have some more concrete figures here but I don't think autolysis is a danger until 6 months or more...
 
depends on several factors. How healthy the yeast was at the start. How stressed the yeast was during the ferment. What temp it's been sitting at, etc...

Just taste it. Autolysis is easy to taste in beer. It will be really nasty.

FYI the typical german hefe yeasts are know to die very quickly so are more prone to autolysis
 
Not too long for the yeast, but too long for the style, IMO. I like my hefes within a month or two.
 
Thanks for your help. I wanted to get it kegged earlier but building a deck took most of my free time in the past several weeks. The yeast was healthy, I believe the smack pack was less than a week old when I made the starter for this batch. Fermentation took place in my basement where the temperature varies between 62° and 65° and has been sitting at those temps, so it was never really subjected to adverse heat of any kind.
 
Thanks for your help. I wanted to get it kegged earlier but building a deck took most of my free time in the past several weeks. The yeast was healthy, I believe the smack pack was less than a week old when I made the starter for this batch. Fermentation took place in my basement where the temperature varies between 62° and 65° and has been sitting at those temps, so it was never really subjected to adverse heat of any kind.

I doubt you will have any problems with autoylsis at this stage in the game :mug:
 
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