A unicorn just fell in my beer.

[smitty8202]

Thought I would you a title to get your attention. Haha. So this is a 2 part question.

1. So on Sunday I brewed a 3 gallon batch of Bavarian hefeweizen. Pitched wlp300 yeast at 70 degrees and has been fermenting at 70 since Sunday. I read a post on here that a few people were saying fermentation was done around the 8 day mark. I know I need to check the gravity to see if it's done but realistically how long should I let it go before kegging. So that leads me into my next question.

2. I plan on putting 30lbs of pressure on it for about 2 days and put it in my fridge which is about 34 degrees. Then lower it to about 8psi and let it sit for about 4-6 days and pull and pint and try it out. Does that sound about right?

 

[douglasbarbin]

1. Check the gravity.
2. One way to find out...try it. I'd drop the 30 PSI after one day, though. Much easier to fix undercarbing than overcarbing.

 

[dcrog]

^ What he said.

Just to be clear though crash it to the 34 before you put the gas on it for about 24 hours. It'll absorb the CO2 easier that way.

 

[smitty8202]

Ok thanks guys. Like I said I know I have to check the gravity just wanted to see if I could just let it go by days I guess.

 

[Gameface]

Ok thanks guys. Like I said I know I have to check the gravity just wanted to see if I could just let it go by days I guess.

I generally don't check my F.G. until after I've kegged the beer. I leave my beer in the fermenter for 10-14 days before I cold crash.

 

[smitty8202]

Ok so cold crash for about a day or so then carb at 30 for a day or so then pour it?

 

[TheMerkle]

With wlp300, its usually safe to rack as soon as you can verify that the sulfurs smells have dissipated. As far as carbing goes, I like my hefe close to 3.5 volumes. To achieve this at a 34 degree serving temp you'd want to store and serve at close to 20 psi. At that pressure the "set and forget" method should only take several days.

 

[TheMerkle]

To clarify, If it smells good, blow 30 psi into the headspace, reduce psi to ~20 and come back in 4 days

 

[GHBWNY]

Agree with consistent FG checks a couple days apart after active ferm. 8 days seems a little soon to arbitrarily be packaging a hefe. My hefe had an extended active ferm and held its krausen for nearly 2 weeks before it finally dropped. I bottled in week 3. I didn't cold-crash it because I didn't want the yeast to fall out of suspension since a true hefe is traditionally cloudy and yeasty.

Oh, and with the addition of the unicorn, you might want to wait another few weeks.

 

[smitty8202]

Agree with consistent FG checks a couple days apart after active ferm. 8 days seems a little soon to arbitrarily be packaging a hefe. My hefe had an extended active ferm and held its krausen for nearly 2 weeks before it finally dropped. I bottled in week 3. I didn't cold-crash it because I didn't want the yeast to fall out of suspension since a true hefe is traditionally cloudy and yeasty.



Oh, and with the addition of the unicorn, you might want to wait another few weeks.

That is what I was thinking too. I want to keep to the style as much a possible so I probably won't cold crash and go from primary to keg.

 

[TheMerkle]

Cold crashing wont clear it. In fact, in my experience, a cold crash produces a better balanced yeast profile and stylistically appropriate cloudiness remains intact

 

[Gavin C]

No worries about dry-unicorning a beer albeit in this case unintentionally. Toss the suckers right in there. Don't worry if they don't sink. The spiral nature of the type most commonly used for dry-unicorning adds to their boutant nature and inherrent magical antimicrobial properties.

Getting them back out of the carboy can be a real pain but there is a great how to in a recent thread where a tongs was used as a unicorn analog.

Also.

This is how I carb beer regardless of its unicorn content.
1: Cold crashed beer is kegged
2: 30psi for 36 hours
3: reduced to serving pressure (12-4psi for most styles +/- 1-2 for a hefe or a stout respectively depending on what beersmith recomends)

With a beer that needs time to lager like a lager, Kolsch or an Alt I just put it at serving pressure from the get go.

 

[TheMerkle]

Cold crashing wont clear it. In fact, in my experience, a cold crash produces a better balanced yeast profile and stylistically appropriate cloudiness remains intact

I know this because the 'Kristalweizen' in my signature should be renamed the 'Good Lord, it's STILL cloudy?!'