So I'm brewing a batch of witbier for a friend's shindig on the 19th of November. I brewed it the weekend before last, meaning it's now been in the primary for a week. Brew day went off without a hitch, fermentation is going normally, etc, etc. Basically, my question is this: I've got five weeks (four more weeks, now) between brew and event. Normally, for a beer of this gravity, I'd primary for three weeks and then bottle condition for at least three, but again, I've only got five. Is it better for me to primary for three weeks and just bottle condition for two, or or primary for two weeks and then let it bottle condition for three?
As background, my recipe (a partial mash witbier kit from my LHBS) is:
8oz Flaked Oats
8oz Flaked Wheat
3.3 lbs Wheat LME
2 lbs Extra Light DME
1 oz Goldings (bittering)
1 oz Saaz (aroma)
2 tsp dried bitter orange peel
2 tsp green coriander seed
Mash flaked oats and wheat for 60 minutes at 150 degrees (I was mashing on the stove, so my temperatures fluctuated from 145-155). Add LME and DME and bring to a boil, then add bittering hops. Boil for an hour, add orange and coriander five minutes before end of boil, and add aroma hops in last minute of boil.
Target OG was 1.044, I got 1.043 - which I'm more than happy with, considering this was my first partial-mash brew.
EDIT: Also, my fermometer has been reading a constant 76-77 - a little warmer than I'd like, but until I get around to building a swamp cooler it's the best I'm gonna be able to do.
EDIT EDIT: Also, yeast was Wyest 3944
As background, my recipe (a partial mash witbier kit from my LHBS) is:
8oz Flaked Oats
8oz Flaked Wheat
3.3 lbs Wheat LME
2 lbs Extra Light DME
1 oz Goldings (bittering)
1 oz Saaz (aroma)
2 tsp dried bitter orange peel
2 tsp green coriander seed
Mash flaked oats and wheat for 60 minutes at 150 degrees (I was mashing on the stove, so my temperatures fluctuated from 145-155). Add LME and DME and bring to a boil, then add bittering hops. Boil for an hour, add orange and coriander five minutes before end of boil, and add aroma hops in last minute of boil.
Target OG was 1.044, I got 1.043 - which I'm more than happy with, considering this was my first partial-mash brew.
EDIT: Also, my fermometer has been reading a constant 76-77 - a little warmer than I'd like, but until I get around to building a swamp cooler it's the best I'm gonna be able to do.
EDIT EDIT: Also, yeast was Wyest 3944