First wheat brew

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halister

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Ey all this is my 4th brew and I've loved everything I've brewed so far. I'm brewing heffe from a recipe and I brewed it last sat and it was violent at first. I racked it Friday so my question is I normally go 2 weeks in secondary but I'm told wheat beers are quicker. It slowed down a lot so should I be taking FG readings now or wait another week?
 
It doesn't hurt to take gravity readings. I brewed an american wheat that is kegged and just a beer or two shy from the keg blowing. I have noticed that the wheat improved greatly now that it has been in the keg for about 6 weeks compared to when it was first tapped. I have heard that hefs are better young, but that isn't the case in my experience. Take readings and follow your process. Take notes of what works and doesn't. It may be awesome young to you, or you may find it needs aging like mine did.
 
I usually keep a log of taste impressions at initial opening through the final bottle. Helps me decide which brews tp drink young and which to age for a bit. Nothing is better than your personal experience. I have noticed that the distinctive bananna flavor subsides over time.
 
Wheats go fast - I often do 1.5 weeks primary and 1.5 weeks bottle condition and they've been turning out great. That said, there's no substitute for measurement.
 
Great responses, I normally run the 1-2-3 but I was told young is better. I started at 1.045 and it's down to 1.014 so I have to be close. I'll take two more but something tells me I will be bottling this weekend instead of next.
 
So after 3 days of readings I bottled yesterday, this the earliest I have ever bottled. How long should I keep the bottles at room temp now? Couple of weeks? I normally go 3 weeks.
 
Three weeks is what is preached here but I have tried the plastic bottle trick (fill one plastic bottle and use the pressure in it to judge the level of carbonation) and found that there was significant CO2 produced in one day. The beers I have made have all been carbonated in a week but they may still taste "green".
 
I'm assuming the bottles should be at room temp right? No different for a wheat beer?
 
Don't do secondary unless you're adding something like fruit or dry-hopping. No sense in exposing your beer to air unless you have to and if you're doing it for clarity more time in the primary is better than racking to secondary anyway.
 
I already bottled it. Wasn't sure about temp for wheat beer in the bottles. Everything else as far as time is so much quicker.
 
Ok so I want the banana flavor so fermented at 68 and kept it for the most part at that temp. Bottled it and had to go out of town for work. Not thinking the temps here shot up so the 3rd week of bottle fermenting it hit 77 in the house for a day. I threw them in the basement back into 67 deg.
Think it will be ok?
 
It should be fine. IME, the off flavors from heat come during primary, I havent really gotten any from bottle aging too warm
 
That's what I want to hear. I couldn't ask for better temps on my prim fermentation, stayed perfect between 68 and 70.
I have 2 in the fridge now, tonight taste testing.
 
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