Blood Orange Witbier

[zhubbell]

So I brewed my blood orange Witbier on 3/19, hit an OG of 1.049, and pitched a 2L yeast starter of Wyeast 3944.
When would you guys open it up to check gravity, and what gravity should I look for it hitting before doing daily checks to make sure it's done fermenting, & ready to bottle?

I think I'm getting the brewing thing down, my batches have been going very smooth - just not super comfortable with knowing what to look for after that yet.
I'm about halfway through my first read of Yeast by Chris White, but I think I'll need to do a second read before I feel like I have a good enough command of all that information - absolutely love the book though - insanely helpful!


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[Gus_13]

So I brewed my blood orange Witbier on 3/19, hit an OG of 1.049, and pitched a 2L yeast starter of Wyeast 3944.
When would you guys open it up to check gravity, and what gravity should I look for it hitting before doing daily checks to make sure it's done fermenting, & ready to bottle?

I think I'm getting the brewing thing down, my batches have been going very smooth - just not super comfortable with knowing what to look for after that yet.
I'm about halfway through my first read of Yeast by Chris White, but I think I'll need to do a second read before I feel like I have a good enough command of all that information - absolutely love the book though - insanely helpful!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Hi there,

Personally I wouldn't open it for at least 5 days or so. I usually brew on Saturdays then just peak in my fermenter to see what the carboy is doing every few days starting on the following Thursday/Friday. With a 2L starter of wit yeast you shouldn't have any problems with that beer finishing. Belgian yeasts tend to do their work even when under pitched. I'd give it 5 days into fermentation and then peak in, maybe take a gravity reading. My last wit (last year) was done in 5 days. I racked to secondary and let that sit on fresh orange zest for 5 more days before cold crashing and going into the bottles. I'd looke for 1.008-1.012 before going into bottles. I think mine was at 1.012ish when I put it in secondary. Final Gravity going into bottles was around 1.010. That was a tasty brew too.

Just to make sure everything is done, I'd check the gravity a couple days in a row. If you see no change, sling that puppy in secondary or straight to bottles. Not always necessary to secondary. Especially with a witbier unless you want to add something to it.

Best of luck!

Cheers!