2 or 3 week hefe?

[jlinz]

I haven't made a hefe in a couple years...Assuming the fg is acceptable, do you usually ferment a hefe for 2 or 3 weeks?

 

[SeraW]

Me personally? 1, then bottle prime. I drink by week 3. They're my "quick turnaround" beer.

 

[ncbrewer]

I give it two weeks provided gravity is stable, and it has always been stable at this stage.

 

[jmrybak]

If you get a good healthy fermentation, and are talking about standard gravities for the style, I am usually ready to bottle or keg by day 5-7, even with a day of rest after FG is achieved. Maybe a day or so more if you intentionally underpitch to boost the isoamyl acetate (banana ester). This hefe was 7 days to draft and turned out great. My "Nordic hefe" was about the same. I really think these beers do best fresh.

 

[GHBWNY]

Hefes have a reputation for quick turn around, which I find unusual for a beer that has a rep for one of the most volatile ferms. But it is still beer and has a mind of its own, so let it ferment out for as long as it takes. Use your hydrometer to determine whether it's finished and don't rush it. Mine took 2 weeks in fermenter before krausen dropped, and another week to reach stable FG. Had I bottled according to "the quick turn around" myth, I would have been dealing with bottle bombs. Even with a complete finish, recommended vols priming, and no infection, I ended up with some gushers.

 

[Natdavis777]

Mine always go grain to glass within 14 days.

 

[GHBWNY]

Hats off to a 14-day G2G beer. Easier said with keg than done with bottle. Whereas, most beers could theoretically be consumed within a relatively shorter-than-recommended time, a hefe is one that doesn't need a long conditioning period to 'develop' taste, inasmuch as the yeast flavor pretty much overshadows any shortcomings due to lack of aging.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I just did one that was in primary for 1 week (temp controlled at 68) and then bottled. Put one in fridge overnight after week 2 and was very good (albeit a little under carbed).

 

[SeraW]

Hefes have a reputation for quick turn around, which I find unusual for a beer that has a rep for one of the most volatile ferms. But it is still beer and has a mind of its own, so let it ferment out for as long as it takes. Use your hydrometer to determine whether it's finished and don't rush it. Mine took 2 weeks in fermenter before krausen dropped, and another week to reach stable FG. Had I bottled according to "the quick turn around" myth, I would have been dealing with bottle bombs. Even with a complete finish, recommended vols priming, and no infection, I ended up with some gushers.

Obviously, wait until it's done, of course! I've never personally had that happen with a hefe, but it can certainly happen (I had that happen with a cream ale recently...that one took me 4 weeks total).

 

[tagz]

You should be able to do a quick turn around. Just make sure to sample. Some strains can kick off a fair bit of sulfur and you want to make sure it has been off-gassed. Otherwise it will end up in the bottle/keg.

 

[GHBWNY]

Clarification, please. Do bragging rights go to a hefe that went g2g in 2 weeks because it finished that quickly, or because it tasted good that quickly?