Belgian Wit - Time to go to secondary? and another issue?

[Improv241]

I decided to go with an extract recipe of a belgian wit, and of course - I've already had a few lessons learned:

First up, when I took my OG, I got a 1.032. The recipe says it should be 1.044. Not sure what I did wrong, and my hydrometer test tube is actually crooked. I'm thinking that since it was touching the glass...barely, it may have caused a slightly off-reading. Also, this may not have been the best decision, but I left level at 4.5 gals in the primary because I was nervous adding more water would make the OG even lower....

Ok - now for my current situation. When I got home from work 16 hours after I moved the wort into the first fermenter, it was reading 79F and bubbling fiercely. I got it down to 68F within the next 2 hours. (used a rubbermaid bin with an ice pack in the corner with blankets draped over top)

Now my airlock is bubbling once every 30 sec, a lot slower than the first day's 1 bubble/second. Is it time? It's been in the carboy for 72 hours at the moment.

 

[Kaz]

I see no reason to move it to a secondary, leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks and when it is finished bottle/keg it. As to the gravity, did you have to top off with water after the boil or was this a full boil. If you added top off water and didn't mix the crap out of it, it will skew your gravity reading. If you added all the extract that the recipe called for, and you volume was to the recipe, then your OG is gonna be 1.044.

 

[Improv241]

hmmm, very well could be! Now that you've made me think of that...I'm pretty sure I took the reading after adding the water because I was using it also to cool the wort down.

Well, you just made me feel better about that.

So you're saying you don't think it's worthwhile to use the secondary? This means I won't be able to clear out the primary and start my next batch!

I know there is a lot of talk about whether or not the secondary is worth it...but given the belgians are hazy naturally...with yeast still floating, I can see where you're going with this.

Anyone else agree? Thanks for the input!

 

[cimirie]

Especially for a wit, I would say no secondary. I typically fall on the side of secondary, but wits are best cloudy an green - both of which are better achieved without the use of a secondary.

As to not being able to use your primary for another batch... There's no magic as to which vessel you use for primary vs what you use for secondary. If you have a container you were going to use for secondary, it will work just fine as a primary. I've used buckets, carboys, and gallon milk jugs for both primary and secondary.

Good luck!

 

[Improv241]

cimirie,

you just gave me ammo for the wife. now i need to decide what to make next?

thanks for all the advice!

pumpkin ale, hefe, ipa?

 

[cimirie]

If those 3 are my choices, I say go pumpkin. Hefe is similar to a Belgian wit (not identical, I know, but I try to get variety in my pipeline). And if you have any desire to have a pumpkin good and ready before Halloween, you're flirting with D day already (I know this because I've been kicking myself for not doing mine already).

Let me clarify something I said earlier. You can use any vessel to ferment any stage. That much is true. It is very common to primary in buckets an secondary in carboys. Mainly because primary ferments are messy to clean up and buckets make it easier to clean. Plus, secondary fermentation really is about finishing fermentation and clarifying the beer and a carboy makes that easier to gauge.

These days, I only have one bucket and 4 carboys so I don't much care what goes where, but I understand it might be easier for some to use certain equipment at certain times. Just wanted to throw that out there.

 

[Toecutter]

I put an AG Belgian Witt into the fermenter last saturday. not sure what yeast your using, but if it's White labs WLP400, you need to let that primary at least a week in my experience. that yeast tends to stop and start over several days before it finishes off.

 

[smalliewader]

I'm not saying don't do secondary, because I do like to..... But don't rack it until it hits FG. Usually 4-7 days. I do agree though, no need to with a wit. Give it 2 weeks in primary, make sure it's at FG and bottle.

 

[VillageBrew]

I bottled and keged a Wit two weeks ago. I put mine in a secondary to free up space for another batch and it still came out nice and cloudy. It might do you some good to get it off of the coriander spice. You have to be really carefull on the amount of cracking you do to the seeds. I thought that I was being over cautious on how I cracked the seeds not to make it too spicy. It is right at that edge. SWMBO thinks it is a little too much, but I like it. More for me! but now I have to hurry up and get something on line for her.
I transferred mine after a week. That would be a minimum and I was second guessing myself then.

 

[t_cam]

I'll admit, I put my Belgian Wit in the secondary topped it off with tap water, and let it sit for 2 weeks. Bottled yesterday, and fingers crossed its comes out drinkable. Had a sour taste. Last time I listen to my LHBS..