Wheat Bottle - To Swirl or Not To Swirl?

OK, I bottled my first wheat (an American wheat) 2 weeks ago. In looking at the bottles yesterday I noticed that they are looking very clear, but there is a larger than usual amount of sediment on the bottom of the bottle (it is not very compact either).

Now I am used to wheats being "cloudy" with yeast when served, but I am unsure how to pour these.

Should I "swirl" it prior to pouring? Should I pour most of it and "swirl" at the end? Should I just pour the whole thing into the glass? Is there some of the sediment that I want (the good cloudy yeast) and some I don't want (mini-trub)?

What are the thoughs on the best way to pour?

I'm a fan of the pour and swirl technique. That way you have the choice of putting the extra yeasty beasties in your glass. I say try a glass with and then without to find out if it's a good thing or not. Taste is subjective, so there's only one way to do it right: YOUR WAY. Find out what works best for your taste buds.

Get at least a small amount into your glass along with the beer, but nothing excessive. I pour first then swirl towards the end and finish pouring - discriminately, of course. It does help the taste, I feel, especially in Belgians and such, but also in Wheats.

If its an American wheat, I'd opt to not swirl.

Edcculus said:

If its an American wheat, I'd opt to not swirl.

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Me too. I don't want to be chewing on US-05.

Yep, The yeast used plays a big role in swirling or not.

I've bottled my Belgian Wits in 22 oz bottles, the first pour is clear as any ale, the second pour even without a swirl is as cloudy as any wit I've ever had....

Right now at two weeks bottled the yeast just jump off the bottom of the bottle after I set it back down 1/2 empty...


Only way I've found to pour these, and get two cloudy beers, is to pour two 1/2 glasses and then fill them up....

IrregularPulse said:

Yep, The yeast used plays a big role in swirling or not.

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Couldn't have put it more simply myself! I swirl my Wyeast 3068 bottles although I've used S-04 to make an American style wheat beer and I poured those very carefully in order to avoid tainting my glass of brew with the sediment.

I make a lot of Weizens...if you have a lot of yeast in the bottles then you bottles way too early.

American Wheats tend to be fairly clear. Pour it slowly until the yeast gets into the neck of the bottle then swirl and drink it out of the bottle. Leave it out of the glass.

German wheat, swirl and drink.

For homebrew, the pour-swirl-pour approach gives you the best control over the amount of yeast in your glass.