Hefeweizen bottling, milky substance in bottles?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Anonn

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Location
Kansas City
Hey all, have a serious question about my second brew. Did a Bavarian Hefeweizen, cooked it up, and let it ferment in primary Ale Pail. Did not do secondary. On 10th day I bottled as the gravity had been the same for 3 days straight. I have kept the temperature at exactly 70 degrees the entire time of fermentation in primary. At no point during the pre-bottling did I ever notice any kind of milky substance in the wort/beer. I bottled and they have been fermenting in the basement, which is a slightly cooler temperature. I did a few in clear bottles to get a good look at how it's going, and checked them 3 or 4 days ago. I noticed a milky substance settled on the bottom of the bottles, and when tilted or tipped would drift into the beer making it very cloudy. If I look closely I can still see the milky stuff in the brown bottles I used, so I know it's not localized to just a certain set of my bottles. I have read that Hefeweizens should be cloudy, but I am concerned. Checked again today, which is exactly 7 days after bottling, and the milky substance has dissipated a little bit.

Is it possible this is the priming sugar settling at the bottom, as a result of not boiling the primer sugar in water long enough before adding to bottling bucket? Or is this an infection of some sort, possibly lacto? Or is this normal for Hefeweizens? Ingredients are as follows....And yes, I know, I should not and will not use Muntons Ale Yeast next time. I have already been informed :)

2 x 3.3lb Briess Bavarian Wheat Malt Extract
1 x 1oz. Tettnanger Hops, bittering
1 x 1oz. Hallertau Hops, finishing
1 x packet of Muntons Ale Yeast
1 x 5oz. priming sugar

PLEASE HELP!
 
That is yeast, you will get a layer of sediment in the bottom of your bottles when you bottle condition any beer.
 
That is yeast, you will get a layer of sediment in the bottom of your bottles when you bottle condition any beer.

I did not notice this on my last brew, which was an All Malt Pilsner. However, if you are correct, will my Hefeweizen be ready to drink at the standard 10 day period? Or if there is still this yeast in my bottles, should I wait for it to dissipate first before trying?
 
It should drop out, wait 10 days to 2 weeks and put a bottle in the fridge overnight,
 
Wheat beer yeast are typically low floculating. They make it cloudy. Sounds like it's just yeast settling out to me. All bottle conditioned beers will have it to one degree or other.
 
Thanks a ton guys, that makes sense. I was starting to panic just wee bit there haha.

Is this normal for a Hefeweizen/wheat beer to let this yeast do its thing for so much longer? I was told the Hef has a bottle time of about 10 days on average. Is there anything I can do to speed this yeast dissipation up?
 
Not really. It'll settle out faster in the bottles being under pressure in a closed environment.Usually a couple days after bottling for me,they settle out clear. Wheat beers shouldstay a little cloudy/misy. Just pour all but one inch into the glass,then swirl up the yeast in the bottom of the bottle & pour for that typical wheat beer look/taste.
 
I have actually had store bought wheat beers that have decanting instructions on the bottle " leave about 1" in the bottle, swish it around and add to your glass to get the full flavor"
 
The yeast In Hefe is actually a desirable thing. True hefe is unfiltered with yeast and is cloudy looking when served the bottle is rolled or swirled slightly to mix the yeast in the beer. I dont know much about brewing yet but I know good hefe's because Ive been drinking them for more than a decade.
 
Domo erigato,mr roboto. That's the long & short of it.

Lol :) Thats actually a nickname my friends gave me after drinking a ton of beers and that song came on the radio, I started robot dancing and I guess Im a natural because they told me it looked awesome and so they called me Mr Roboto ever since... In fact when we drink now they ask me "would you like to roboto"?
 
Yeah,I remember that stuff. I always liked the way they did the robot voice. I was always described as "an alcoholic frankenstein". Beer,gooood...
 
I was given advice to store hefe bottles on their side, so that the yeast collects along the side of thebottle instead of the bottom. Then when you turn upright to open and then tip to pour the yeast is re-suspended.
 
You guys got me, I am listening to my STYX cd. I went to their concert back in June, great concert but the one song they didn't do was Mr Roboto, I was a bit disapointed.
 
I'm hip.That was a cool,simple song. I still like workin man since I'd learned to play it years ago. What was there name again?...Can't wait till the beer run comes back. Needagottawannahava...
 
I was given advice to store hefe bottles on their side, so that the yeast collects along the side of thebottle instead of the bottom. Then when you turn upright to open and then tip to pour the yeast is re-suspended.

That's genius! I think I'm gonna do that with half the batch and see how it goes.
 
Back
Top