How long to let an imperial/double hefe age?

I understand that hefe's are better fresh but I also know that imperials need to age longer as well.

So, where's the middle ground on letting an imperial hefe age?

Without your recipe, it is hard to guess. But, I'd say at least 3 months of aging, minimum.

i've never heard of an imperial hefe, but as far as imperial ipa's go, it seems that the consensus is to not age it any more than a regular ipa, just assume it will take longer to be ready because fermentation will last longer.

assuming a cool and steady fermentation temperature, i wouldn't imagine it would take much longer than a month to age, and then about that to carbonate if your bottling. thats just a guess though, someone else might give you a better idea.

I'm basically going for a clone of Lagunitas Bavarian Doppel Weizen.

.5 lbs carapils (20 min steep)
12 lbs Bavarian wheat LME (60 min)
1oz chinook (60 min)
1oz tettnang (5 min)
2 pkg wyeast 3056

OG 1.089
Est FG 1.019
IBU 37
ABV 9%

Pretty simple recipe. Just really big.

I did an imperial oatmeal stout with a similar og and it didn't get good until about six months from brew day.

While big beers can get better with age, they should be good right after fermentation, otherwise you're doing something wrong - regardless of how big the beer is. I always see here people saying to age bigger beers for a long time before they are any good. That should not be the case.

As for an imperial hefe, don't age it. I made one years ago and it was great fresh. Tried one a year later or so, did not age well.

The problem with aging a weizen beer is the esters that develop that banana and clove flavor with start to break down over time. Your best bet if you want to avoid aging is to ferment on the cooler side and pitch cool. Even still I think you will end up with some alcohol heat like you find in that Lagunitas beer.

I have a wheat wine I fermented with a weizen strain (3068/300) but due to the slight over-oaking, high hops and alcohol heat it took a while for the beer to mellow and the flavors to blend. It actually took about a year to reach its peak. It lost most of the banana but kept some clove. It's an excellent beer; maybe one of my best ever. Not young, but definitely after some age.

So decide on what you want and plan accordingly.

ODaniel said:

While big beers can get better with age, they should be good right after fermentation, otherwise you're doing something wrong - regardless of how big the beer is. I always see here people saying to age bigger beers for a long time before they are any good. That should not be the case.

As for an imperial hefe, don't age it. I made one years ago and it was great fresh. Tried one a year later or so, did not age well.

Click to expand...

It's not that it wasn't good right after fermentation it just hadn't smoothed out. It tasted really boozy and harsh. But it didn't get really good until about 6 months later.

raven1a said:

I'm basically going for a clone of Lagunitas Bavarian Doppel Weizen.

.5 lbs carapils (20 min steep)
12 lbs Bavarian wheat LME (60 min)
1oz chinook (60 min)
1oz tettnang (5 min)
2 pkg wyeast 3056

OG 1.089
Est FG 1.019
IBU 37
ABV 9%

Pretty simple recipe. Just really big.

Click to expand...

How did this turn out? I'm doing one based on a mash bill from Jeremy Marshall at Lagunita's. it's got 8 lb of 2-row, 7.75 lb of cracked wheat and .25 lb of Carahells.

Hops is 1 oz each of Saaz, Hallertau and Tettnager.

Very specifically, the yeast is Wyeast 3068 and I've found that a Ferulic Acid Rest for 20 minutes makes a difference. So does fermenting at 65 - 70 F.